Lobbyists Are Loose in the Capitol: Your Survival Guide

Every year around this time, you can feel the Capitol shifting gears. The hallways get a little louder, inboxes get a little busier, and suddenly lobbyists start appearing like the first signs of spring -- stretching, caffeinating, and gearing up for the months ahead. It’s a whole ecosystem waking back up and coming out of hibernation.

And right on cue, I start hearing the same thing from nonprofits, “We’re all set. We have a lobbyist.”

I get why it feels comforting. Lobbyists are valuable. They’re the ones tracking amendments in real time, catching those quiet little whispers that turn into big political storms, and keeping you looped in when the session moves faster than donuts in your break room. They are critical partners.

But having a lobbyist doesn’t mean the rest of your advocacy work goes on autopilot. You still need clarity about what you’re trying to accomplish, an engaged base, strong communications, community-level insight, and a plan that connects all those pieces together.

A lobbyist can’t fill every strategic gap -- and they shouldn’t be expected to.

Too often, organizations walk into January with a lobbyist, but without an actual strategy.

That’s when advocacy starts feeling chaotic, reactive, and way more stressful than it needs to be. When you treat your lobbyist as the whole plan instead of part of one, you end up relying on access instead of building influence.

So before the session hits full speed, here’s a roundup of some of my best thinking on how to work with lobbyists, avoid the classic traps, and build real, sustainable power - not just survive the next few months.

Your Lobbyist Survival Reading List

🔗 How to Work With a Lobbyist Without Losing Your Soul: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/how-to-work-with-a-lobbyist-without-losing-your-advocacy-soul

🔗 Making the Most of Your Lobbyist: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/making-the-most-of-your-lobbyist

🔗 Bad Advice Lobbyists Give: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/bad-advice-lobbyists-give

🔗 Why the “Lobbyist-Only” Advocacy Strategy Is a Losing One for Nonprofits: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/why-the-lobbyist-only-advocacy-strategy-is-a-losing-game-for-nonprofits

🔗 Stop Confusing Access with Influence: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/lobbyists-stop-confusing-access-with-influence-and-start-tapping-nonprofits-advocacy-superpowers

🔗 I Have a Lobbyist — Why Do I Need You? https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/i-have-a-lobbyist-why-do-i-need-you

🔗 Lobbyists, I Feel Your Pain: https://www.snyderstrategies.me/post/lobbyists-i-feel-your-pain

If reading through this makes you think, “Okay… we probably need more than just a lobbyist this session,” you’re in good company.

Lobbyists absolutely keep things moving, but they can only be as effective as the strategy behind them. They can carry your priorities, but they can’t set them. They can help build you relationships, but they can’t mobilize your base. And they can navigate the political landscape, but they can’t fix a disconnected or reactive advocacy structure.

That’s where I come in; I help nonprofits:

• set priorities their lobbyist can confidently advance

• build grassroots strength that actually shifts legislative behavior

• communicate clearly and consistently

• stay proactive instead of scrambling every time something unexpected pops up

If you want your lobbyist to be successful, and you want your advocacy program to actually influence the policy landscape, let’s connect. A lobbyist is a powerful partner, but they’re most effective when they’re part of a larger, intentional strategy.

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