Identifying the right lobbyist for your organization should not be easy.
Did you just read that correctly?
Yes, selecting a lobbyist should be harder than just pulling a name from a phonebook or a website.
It should demand more because selecting the right lobbyist may be the most important decision you will make.
Stateside Associates makes it easier and faster to find the right firms and lobbyists for clients. But, Stateside will not do it without you.
Stateside Associates makes qualified lobbyist referrals to clients. Stateside begins by understanding the client’s need. Killing bills, ongoing representation, regulatory advocacy and public sector sales support are among the reasons why a lobbyist may be needed.
Then, Stateside surveys candidate lobbying firms to ascertain their current capability, capacity, experience, style, clients and ethics compliance record. Conflicts are checked and cleared before a recommendation is sent to the client.
As Issue Managers, Stateside professionals have worked with state and local lobbyists every day for over 20 years. They know what questions to ask the clients and the prospective lobbyists. And, they know how to evaluate all of the information in order to make the best recommendations.
The Stateside fee structure is very simple. A one-time fee of $750 is charged to non-retainer clients for each engagement. There is never any commission, fee-splitting or other compensation. Each engagement typically results in 2-3 lobbyist referrals.
Retainer clients – for consulting, issue management, Groups or monitoring services – receive lobbyist referrals at no additional charge.
In contrast, lobbyist brokers receive referral fees of 10%-30% of the annual retainer. What clients budget for lobbying support is actually going to an intermediary. Sometimes those broker fees are paid year after year without added value. Stateside Associates is not a lobbyist broker, does not “mark-up” lobbyist fees billed through it and operates in a fully transparent manner with respect to all lobbyist and client relationships.
The LobbyUSA Network
Stateside maintains regular communications with over 400 state and local lobbying firms nationwide via its LobbyUSA Network. Lobbyist firms pay no fee to participate in this “open” network, but keep Stateside updated about their practices and clients. In return, LobbyUSA Network firms receive regular Stateside reports and other information. Referrals are not limited to members of the LobbyUSA Network.
Click here for information on the booklet, Hiring and Managing State Contract Lobbyists, written by Stateside President and CEO Constance Campanella.
