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ALTA Trustees Resource Centre

"10 Basic Rules of Lobbying" from Premier Ralph Klein

Below is a summary of the "10 Basic Rules of Lobbying" presented by the Honourable Ralph Klein, Premier of Alberta, in a 1991 to the Winning Women Lobbying Seminar in Calgary. 
1First things first. Politicians hate surprises. Be prepared to tell their staff what the meeting is about. 
2Your deadline for the meeting is irrelevant. Make contact early enough that your date and the minister's "earliest convenience" match. Don't be overly aggressive or you might have to wait longer—politicians need time to do their homework. 
3Their time is not your time. Don't assume politicians know nothing on the subject; that is an insult. Use the time to help them with things that might be unknown to them. 
4The whole crowd is not required. Keep the group small. Numbers only annoy and threaten, and that can be
counterproductive.  
5Practice, practice, practice. Be prepared and know what to say. 
6No wallpaper. The fewer pieces of paper, the better.  
7Politicians can read. Leave written information behind. Don't read to them—stress important points.
8 20 questions. Leave a lot of time for questions.  
9Not done yet. Don't leave without asking to whom else you should be talking and do talk to them. 
10The answer will be "no answer." There will be no commitment on the spot. The best you can say is "We hope to hear from you soon." If the answer is "yes," the politician will contact you; if "no," it will be the staff.


Original source unknown -- has been re-printed in many publications in Alberta.

 
 
 

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