By Roy Wells
After gaining an understanding of the political dynamics of the state in which you want to hire a public affairs consultant, the next step is determining how you can leverage your networks and resources to identify one or more to interview.
Your networks may include:
- The Public Affairs Council;
- National companies that manage state public affairs firms;
- National & state trade associations;
- Professional networks;
- State and local chambers of commerce;
- Political consultants;
- Regulatory and agency contacts; and
- Former and current Governors, legislators, and staff.
Resources you can turn to would include:
- State lobbying registries;
- Capital-focused media outlets that rank individuals and firms;
- Campaign contribution filings; and
- Newspapers and professional networking platforms such as LinkedIn.
Ultimately, your goal is to find a firm that has the relationships, expertise, reputation, and culture that align with your organization.
Networks
Professional Associations
The Public Affairs Council is the leading professional association for public affairs, government relations, and lobbying professionals. Consequently, it is an excellent source for networking with public affairs professionals who represent firms at the international, national, state, and local levels. Networking with members can provide opportunities to identify firms that have proven track records, expertise, and experience.
National and State Trade Associations
If your company is a member of a national trade association, it is likely that some of your peers may currently have representation in the state you are looking to hire in. In addition, your national association may be able to put you in touch with a state affiliate that can provide some additional advice and guidance. A significant advantage of networking through trade associations is that they often provide access to contacts with industry and issue expertise.
Consulting Firms
Companies like Multistate Associates, National Strategies, and Stateside Associates manage networks of lobbying firms across the states. They are excellent one-stop shops that can help identify and manage public affairs firms in one or more states. They will work with you to clear conflicts, interview prospects, and manage all aspects of the relationship.
Chambers of Commerce
As advocates for business interests at the national, state, and local levels, the staff will work with public affairs firms that are aligned with their members’ interests. In addition, some firms will also be members of a chamber. If you are active and networking at chamber events, your peers and colleagues may provide recommendations as well.
Political Consultants
In many states, political consultants and public affairs firms will work side by side to advance ballot initiatives. Consequently, they can have unique insights into firms. In states with trifectas, they may be a reliable source of referrals for experienced, successful, and connected firms. In addition, consultants working with governors and legislative leaders may have insight into which firms are closely aligned with these decision-makers.
Current and Former Regulators and Staff
From the perspective of those who are lobbied, they can provide significant insights into the expertise, experience, and reputation of firms in their state. If your focus is on navigating through the Executive Branch, both elected and appointed regulators can be an excellent source of referrals. Elected regulators may have additional knowledge of how politically connected a firm may be. Firms that are in front of regulators may demonstrate their mastery of agency issues.
Current and Former Governors, Legislators, and Staff
Like regulators, governors, legislators, and their staff are the primary targets of the lobbying establishment. Consequently, they should be able to provide insights into influential and successful firms and provide multiple referrals. If you have relationships with key policymakers, it does not hurt to ask their thoughts and opinions.
Additional Resources
State Lobbying Registries
States maintain registries of lobbyists and firms. Generally, the database will contain the names of their clients, contact information, and what issues and legislation they are focused on. Registries can also help identify potential conflicts of interest.
Directories and Publications
In many state capitals, you can find publications that focus on state government. Some publications will provide lists of top public affairs firms and lobbyists (i.e., Top 100, 50, 40 under 40, as well as rankings in health care, economic development, education, etc.). Business publications are also likely to contain similar lists, while newsletters and trade publications can also provide useful information.
Legacy Media
Reporters who cover state capitals (which is unfortunately a declining population) will often include quotes from prominent public affairs professionals in their reporting. Sometimes, reporters may also conduct in-depth investigations into the relationships between decision-makers and lobbyists. A search through these news sources and publications can provide insights regarding a firm’s influence and reputation.
Campaign Finance and Expense Reports
Campaign contribution reports can provide particulars into how politically active firms and their principals and employees are. In addition, campaign contributions and expense reports can provide further insight into underlying relationships with elected officials.
Next Steps
Government relations and public affairs are a relationship-driven business. Based on your experience, breadth of relationships, and state and local knowledge, your approach to hiring a firm will differ significantly from others.
Although the recommendations above are not exhaustive, they offer various pathways to achieve a successful outcome. By utilizing as many resources as possible, you will find firms or individuals who frequently appear in your search results. The more research you compile, the better prepared you will be when reaching out to firms to set up interviews. If your procurement process requires you to send out a request for proposals, you will be better positioned to decide who it should be sent to or offer some insights as you begin reviewing respondents.
Before you begin interviewing, it is imperative to determine what your definition of success is (as mentioned in my first blog post) and how to communicate it. Organizations hire lobbyists for a myriad of reasons, including defined tasks, general representation, reputation management, relationship building, issue monitoring, procurement, legislative and/or regulatory relief, tax policy, and any combination of the above. Another reason is that an organization believes it needs to hire a firm simply because its competitors or peers have one. Regardless of the reason, having defined goals, understanding the ways to measure success, and choosing how you want to stay informed are key components of finding the right firm for your organization.
Stay tuned for the next blog post on Pennsylvania’s political environment and the complexities of its state government.
