Top ten tips on how to influence government policy

Trying to influence government policy decisions sometimes gets a bad rap.  In the US, lobbying, as it is often described, is almost considered a dirty word, conjuring up images of corruption and backhand deals.

But in reality, governments need input and ideas from outside of the institutions of state.  There are a lot of people and organisations with a lot of expertise and experience that can help governments make better decisions.

But where do you start? 

Influencing policy is often seen as something of a dark art. In reality, it’s about building a strong case, and communicating it effectively.    

Everyone loves a good ‘top ten’ list, so I thought that would be a good place to start.  Here are my top ten tips on how to influence government policy decisions. 

Tip 1: Work out who you’re trying to influence

It sounds obvious, but the first thing you need to know is who you are trying to influence.  Not all decisions are made in Westminster.  Responsibility for many aspects of life are devolved, so if you’re trying to influence health policy, for example, you’ll need to focus on the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Ireland governments.  Some policy areas are reserved by the UK government, so you’ll need to work out who is responsible.  It’s also true that not all decisions are made by ministers and government departments.  Many arms-length bodies (in all four nations) have delegated responsibility for large parts of public life.  You might also find that the responsibility is delegated to a local rather than national level.  

Tip 2: Describe the problem you’re trying to solve

It’s really important to be able to sum up the problem that you’re trying to solve clearly and concisely.  If you can’t explain it in a few words, it’s unlikely that it’ll get the attention that it deserves.  Us policy people can sometimes fall in to the trap of wanting to include too much detail.  I find that some help from a communications or media colleague can really help concisely get to the heart of the issue!

Tip 3: Have good evidence.

It’s important to have good evidence to back up your argument.  That might be evidence about the impact that the issue has on people, or evidence about the financial cost or benefit.  The more evidence that you have, the more persuasive your case will be. 

Tip 4: Tell stories

While hard facts and data is important, it’s also important to tell people’s stories.  Showing how a particular issue affects people, ideally in their own voices, can bring an issue to life.  Human beings are inherently social creatures, and stories help us to understand and relate to others.  Politicians and officials are no different, and stories can be a really powerful tool, especially when we give a voice to people who are not often heard. 

Tip 5: Offer a solution

I see so many organisations trying to influence government policy who just focus on the problem without offering a solution.  Most of the time, governments want to fix problems and improve the lives of their citizens. Focusing on the negative will only get you so far.  Don’t get me wrong, though.  There is definitely a place for campaigns that highlight a problem.  You’ll get more cut through with officials and politicians if you can offer some tangible potential solutions. You’ll get even further if you can show that implementing those solutions would be easy and in line with the government’s overall objectives.  Which brings me to point six.

Tip 6: Read the room

Think about what the government is trying to achieve overall, and how your solution fits within that agenda and helps them to achieve their own goals.  You also need to consider the wider context too.  If the government is dealing with an economic crisis, for example, it’s going to be a tougher sell to persuade them to spend a lot of money on something (not impossible, but it’ll need careful thought).  You also need to take politics in to account too, which brings me to number seven.

Tip 7: Tailor your arguments

When you’re working on a cross-party basis (which charities in the UK must do), you need to tailor your messages accordingly.  A case for change that will persuade someone on the right is likely to look and feel quite different to a case for change to persuade someone on the left.  This doesn’t mean that your overall objectives will be different, just the way in which you make your case.  If you can find a sweet spot that unites different political parties, you’re more likely to be successful in achieving the change you’re looking for. 

Tip 8: When dealing with politicians, personalise things as much as you can

Encouraging supporters to get in touch with their local politicians can be a really effective tool, particularly where you’re trying to raise awareness of a particular issue.  One of the mistakes that I see many organisations make is in using what I describe as ‘identikit’ campaign tools – such as postcards, template letters or even online resources.  Studies have shown that politicians really dislike this kind of approach, and are less likely to pay attention.  An alternative is to try to personalise those contacts as much as possible.  Encourage your supporters to tell their stories – it’ll be much more persuasive than a pre-printed postcard arriving in a politician’s office. 

Tip 9: Take opportunities when they arise

It was Harold Macmillan who said that it was ‘Events, dear boy, events” which was the most difficult thing about being Prime Minister.  So much of the political and policy world is at the whim of external forces, whether those forces are political, economic, social or technological.  In influencing terms, this means that you have to be ready to take opportunities as they arise.  I recall one issue that I had been trying to resolve for many years which was suddenly and unexpectedly resolved because the government at the time was looking for a quick win ahead of a general election. At a local level, the end of the financial year can also be a good time to find additional project funding, as public bodies will be eager to have spent their allocated budget before the year end.  Be opportunistic – it can sometimes pay off. 

Tip 10: Relationships matter

Influence is all about building relationships.  It’s much easier to be heard if you’re seen as a trusted and respected voice.  Of course, building relationships takes time, but it’s always worth the investment. Whether it’s being a helpful source of information for researchers working in an MP’s office, working collaboratively with officials on a complex issue, or building a relationship with a minister, at the end of the day, influencing policy is about influencing people. 

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What have I missed out? What would your top tips be? 

Coming up next time:  I’ll be exploring whether attending party conferences can be a useful tactic, or whether they are a waste of time and energy.