Lobbyists play a critical role in the operation of our government.  In fact, we play many roles: strategist, educator, advisor, communicator and advocate to name a few.

Lobbyists are specialists in understanding how government works and what motivates those in government. In addition to our expertise, lobbyists enable clients to focus on their core business to generate revenue, instead of dedicating scarce business resources to understanding and interacting daily with state government.

The lobbyist’s job is much like that of any other communications professional: to help officials understand how clients operate and to educate legislators on the impact of proposed laws and regulations.

No individual has the time or inclination to seek out all the fine points and potential implications of every piece of legislation.  Lawmakers turn to lobbyists to help educate themselves on both sides of the day’s most urgent issues and opportunities.

The fact is that legislators appreciate the lobbyist’s ability to demystify the intricate language—and often hidden provisions—of legislation that is under consideration. Many lawmakers feel that the biggest and best source of information for them comes from lobbyists and their affected clients.

Often the public perceives lobbyists as representing “special interests.” That’s true, because every aspect of our social fabric contains special interests. When it comes to individuals, most people can identify with a special interest, either through their job type, social cause, community or personal interests.   

For business leaders who find themselves interacting with state government for the first time, there’s a lot to learn from lobbyists. Just like all industries, the “industry” of government has a rhythm to it, along with protocols, its own language, and rules of process.

The Founding Fathers created a system of government that now employs email and iPads, but operates largely within the same structure designed 250 years ago. Political parties, competing agencies, and inertia work against the change clients often seek.

As lobbyists, we play an important role as educators, as well as advocates. Without us, interactions with public officials would be far more difficult for those seeking to petition their government.

To learn more about how MLC works on behalf of its clients – and how the MLC team can work on behalf of your company – contact us here.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.