Frequently Asked Questions
• What does a lobbyist do?
• Why lobbying?
• Why do I need a lobbying agency?
• Does lobbying take place behind closed doors?
• Who does Meines & Partners lobby for?
• What makes for successful lobbying?
What does a lobbyist do?
Lobbyists represent the interests of companies and organisations in a political/administrative sphere. Within a specific brief, the aim of the lobbyist is to strike an optimal balance between the interests of the business and wider social interests. The lobbyist gathers information, analyses it, maps out the stakeholders and proposes a strategy. Based on that strategy, the lobbyist then engages with stakeholders, sometimes on behalf of the client but often together. The lobbyist will have a clear idea of the key players, their points of view, interests, and the context in which they act. That is why successful lobbying depends on having a good network and personal contacts.
Why lobbying?
Lobbying can be a useful or necessary tactic when political or administrative decision-making negatively affects the work of a particular business or organisation. Examples would include amending legislation, imposing cuts, or issues of market access.
Conversely, proactive lobbying can help you achieve your objectives more quickly by raising awareness of your issues before political problems crop up. Examples of this would include engaging with political and social developments and trends, raising awareness or improving your business’s reputation amongst political/administrative players and when tendering for government contracts.
Why do I need a lobbying agency?
Many companies and organisations have contacts with politicians and public administrators within their own sector. In many cases, though, those contacts are not good enough for the purposes of achieving certain objectives. Political decisions can be sensitive, issues can be complex and other interests might be lurking in the background. Meines & Partners has years of experience in navigating these processes. We translate the challenge into political terms and then develop it into a concrete strategy for the client.
Does lobbying take place behind closed doors?
No. Our lobbyists are open and transparent in their dealings with civil servants, politicians and other stakeholders. We insist on being open about who we are working for and what our objectives are. There is no back-door politics; we simply represent our clients’ interests based on structured arguments and clear communication.
Who does Meines & Partners lobby for?
Meines & Partners works for entrepreneurs, businesses, industry organisations and public bodies. Our agency has expertise in a variety of sectors. Our clients mainly consist of Dutch, German and Anglo-American companies and organisations.
What makes for successful lobbying?
Mutual trust, commitment and a thorough exchange of information between the client, lobbyist and the political/public sector are all crucial. Those are the foundations of successful lobbying.
Timing is very important: engaging with policy makers can be very effective when decisions are being deliberated upon. At that stage they will still be looking for information and arguments. That is why lobbyists need to be up to speed on political developments and trends. Where decisions have already been made or are foregone conclusions, lobbying becomes strategically more complicated but not impossible.
Also, the information we present has to be reliable: we have to stick to the facts. Any figures we use to back up our approaches to policy makers simply have to be accurate. But political decision making is never entirely predictable. Because of that, the clear lobbying objectives we start off with need to be regularly evaluated and if necessary adjusted in line with shifting political currents.