TALKING POINTS: Lobbying Local Officials

As debates over water heat up during the hottest part of the summer, local officials and activists will no doubt call into question the need for landscape irrigation. Often, this attention results in municipalities enacting knee-jerk water restrictions that may not be good for business – and many restrictions may not even save water in the long run. As major stakeholders, irrigation contractors need to be part of the rule-making process. Here are some tips for effectively lobbying local officials, courtesy of James Phillips, media relations manager for the National Association of Counties, based in Washington.

Plan your meeting carefully. What do you want to achieve? Who should you meet with? Who should come with you? Keep it a small group – two or three people at the most.

Make an appointment. Communicate the purpose of the meeting.

Be prompt and patient. Often, elected officials run behind schedule.

Be courteous. Treat the elected official and his or her staff with respect.

Be prepared. Develop a strong key message and be sure to communicate your key message at the start (Don’t beat around the bush.) Have written materials to leave behind that include your key message and your contact information.

Be factual. Support your arguments with reliable information, statistics and real-life examples. Check with local or state trade associations for figures on your industry’s economic impact in your city, county or state. Try to stay clear of obvious rhetoric.

Be political. Explain how your “ask” is good not only for your group’s interests, but good for the interests of the community (i.e. voters).

Be responsive. Be prepared to answer questions challenging your viewpoint. Lawmakers and their staffs will certainly ask tough questions. Have explanations for the “other side of the issue.”

Be respectful of the time. When you’ve communicated your message and answered the big questions, wrap it up, and offer to answer any additional questions at any time.

Follow-up. Send a thank-you note with an outline of key points of emphasis.