AHM Bazlur Rahman- S21BRChief Executive Officer

Bangladesh NGOs Network forRadio & Communication

ceo@bnnrc.net

Workshop on Organizational Review for

the Farmers’ Organizations of Bangladesh

Organized By: COAST Trust9-10 March, 2014

The definition of lobby

To try to influence public officials for or againsta specific cause. Lobbying is a form of publicpolicy 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 decisionmakers

Lobbying is a part of the democratic process.

Key words of Lobbying

To convinceTo persuadeTalk to personsSit and talkTo make someone do somethingTake a problem to a decision maker Make a changeTalk and meet with person to make him understand

something.

Principles of Effective LobbyingOverall 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 argumentsfor 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 Lobbyingpersonal visit informal meeting Exposure strategic alliancesreport from specialist medialetterspetitionhired lobbyistcontact with a political party demonstrations

Characteristics of a lobbyistCommunicativeSocialKnows about decision

making processesKnows elementary factsAnalyticalNetworkerOpen mindedEmpathetic, knows what

moves other people Patient

Actor driven decisions

Target: influential groups, persons whichcan be locatedPolitical partiesMembers of parliamentMembers of governmentCivil servantsLocal politiciansLocal leaders

Reality check!

5 knows to get to YES

Know what you want to achieve (SMART objective)

Know who are the effective decision-makersKnow who are other influential stakeholdersKnow 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