AHM Bazlur Rahman- S21BR Chief Executive Officer Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication Workshop on Organizational Review for the Farmers’ Organizations of Bangladesh Organized By: COAST Trust 9-10 March, 2014

The definition of lobby To try to influence public officials for or against a specific cause. Lobbying is a form of public policy advocacy and educating government. It is communicating with legislators and the executive branch to encourage them to take action on specific legislation. A systematic informal effort to influence decision makers Lobbying is a part of the democratic process.

Key words of Lobbying To convince To persuade Talk to persons Sit and talk To make someone do something Take a problem to a decision maker Make a change Talk and meet with person to make him understand something.

Principles of Effective Lobbying Overall principles: Be accurate: (and don’t lie). If you get a question you can’t answer, say so. Be brief: For a written communication, try to keep it to a page or less (unless it’s an expose or well researched position paper). Be clear: Have a specific goal. Know your opposition: Know the main arguments for and against a position or a piece of legislation.

Show them how they win: WIN WIN, WIN LOSS See it their way: Reference Follow up: Send a thank you. Make a phone call. Recognize and appreciate any effort made

Common Approaches to Lobbying personal visit informal meeting Exposure strategic alliances report from specialist media letters petition hired lobbyist contact with a political party demonstrations

Characteristics of a lobbyist Communicative Social Knows about decision making processes Knows elementary facts Analytical Networker Open minded Empathetic, knows what moves other people Patient

Actor driven decisions Target: influential groups, persons which can be located Political parties Members of parliament Members of government Civil servants Local politicians Local leaders

Reality check!

5 knows to get to YES Know what you want to achieve (SMART objective) Know who are the effective decision-makers Know who are other influential stakeholders Know what it will take to get the change you want, and what needs to be in place Know how to draw on the full range of tactics carefully matched to specific targets, timing, resources, delivered in most influential way