What are the practical skills new graduates need to succeed in lobbying?

Last week I was at Maastricht University with the students from the European Public Affairs MA programme. The session was mainly about messaging and media but, in a few weeks, they have to do a lobby plan pitch for a fictional client. The client representatives will be played by Aaron Mcgloughlin (Partner at Fleishman Hillard’s Brussels office), and Iskander de Bruycker (the EPA Course Director).

What was clear was that the students were really hungry for pitching skills and to complement their academic work.

Good lobbyists need to be able to speak and communicate well in a fast moving and dynamic environment. Being able to assess and critique policies is, of course, invaluable. But it shouldn’t be privileged over how to write and speak in a way that is clear, coherent and compelling.

The sooner graduates and junior hires can get real exposure to pitching, messaging and non-academic writing skills the better.

With that in mind, I did a quick checklist of golden rules for client lobby pitch plans. I’ve deliberately kept it short but if you have other suggestions for what should be included, please leave a comment.

A good client lobby pitch plan:

1. Aligns 100% with your audience’s interests and objectives (not your own).      
    
2. Has a clear and well signposted structure i.e. your audience knows in the first minute what you will cover and how you plan to do it.
   
   
3. Focuses on a maximum of three key messages (audience takeaways) that tell your audience (the client) a story about how you will help them achieve their lobbying objectives.
   
   
4. Is delivered in plain English with no EU policy or lobbying jargon or corporate language.    
   
   
5. Any slides only contain pictures, examples and meaningful data – no bullet points or heavy technical detail.
                
6. Sets realistic expectations and does not promise what cannot be delivered.       
   
   
7. Is delivered with warmth, energy and authority, including making eye contact with your audience.           
   
   
8. Transitions between slides and speakers are smoothly choreographed and seamless.
   
   
9. Speakers are flexible and able to respond to questions calmly and without simply repeating what is on the screen. It may be helpful to cue up the audience to ask the questions you would like to be asked.
   
   
10. Sticks to or undershoots the allocated time.