Lobbying as a PR tool

It is impossible to present one correct definition of the word lobbying, as this term has many meanings. Above all, however, this term is used to describe activities aimed at obtaining specific information through the activities of organized entities in order to contact politicians and the broadly understood administrative apparatus. Communication usually takes place between the public and the authorities and serves a specific purpose. 

What will you learn from the article?

Lobbying is a topic that arouses both curiosity and controversy. Who are lobbyists and what roles do they play in the world of public relations? In this series of articles we will look at the positive and negative aspects of lobbying and discuss the different types of lobbying. We will understand how lobbying can be an effective element of a company's strategy and what professional lobbying involves. We will learn the methods of lobbyists and look at the specifics of lobbying in Poland. Finally, we will discuss what exemplary lobbying activities should look like.

Is lobbying really an inherent element of modern PR strategy, or is it rather a minefield full of ethical dilemmas? Let's dive into this fascinating world and discover the answers to these questions.

Lobbying as PR tool allows you to establish and maintain proper relations with the state authority. Thus, it allows you to influence the legislation along with the law and all regulations. Its purpose is, above all, to provide reliable and comprehensive information that will be a real support in making binding decisions. Lobbying also comes down to providing data that can help make a favorable decision in the organization.

Who are the lobbyists?

Lobbyists lobby-agents) they act on behalf of pressure groups. First and foremost, they are concerned with the interests of the lobbyists. These people significantly influence the decision-making process crowned with taking a given position, their actions often arouse controversy on both sides. That is why it becomes so important to take into account the ethical assumptions that allow to avoid unclean acts on the part of the representatives. Through high social responsibility, lobbying is a system of early warning about potential threats and problems that affect society, while absorbing anxiety and tension. 

The basic activities of lobbyists are based on obtaining up-to-date information. All data must come from verified sources and be confirmed. By means of the developed analyzes, lobbyists influence an individual or an authority. They plan and actively participate in the so-called a decision game. Based on their own experience and available information, they define the addressees of the lobbying campaign and the parties that could take an appropriate position in the campaign. Basic activities, i.e. the creation and implementation of lobbying programs, are carried out in accordance with PR tools.

Lobbyists have a wide range of responsibilities. Apart from monitoring legislative processes in the sphere of the client's activity, they have to notice the emerging political and economic changes quite early, analyze current events and draw conclusions on this basis quickly. On the basis of conclusions and formulated opinions, they must correctly verify the opportunities and threats related to a given area. Then they advise the relevant authorities in connection with the development of the legal situation, the goal they should try to achieve is to prevent actions contrary to the interests of the client. Their duties also include the development of programs and proposals for friendly solutions. 

Positive and negative aspects of lobbying

Lobbying has its good and bad sides. Depending on the situation and the position taken, the main directions for the implementation of lobbying activities can be listed as positive or negative. 

Positive aspects of lobbying

1. Shortening the distance between the state and ordinary citizens. 
2. Highlighting current problems and focusing on solving them. 
3. Possibility of establishing contact with high-ranking people in the state. 

Negative aspects of lobbying

• Generating unforeseen situations in social life that do not result directly from the current political and economic situation.
• The weakening of the democratic system. Through a group of people involved in lobbying, some decisions may be called into question, which may be against the will of the voters.
• The state's interests will depend on a strong lobbying group that may be based abroad.

What types of lobbying can be distinguished?

The most common division differentiates between offensive lobbying, the aim of which is to prevent the adoption of unfavorable solutions from the point of view of the lobbying company, and defensive lobbying, which aims to maintain the existing, favorable solutions.

We also distinguish direct lobbying, aimed directly at decision-makers, and indirect lobbying, in which finding a way to access contact with decision-makers is of key importance. Direct lobbying involves active influence, while indirect lobbying focuses on creating the right climate and giving a given issue a positive publicity.

Yet another division assumes the existence of "wild", "ad hoc" and "professional" lobbying. "Wild" lobbying is practiced by the so-called freelancers who do not disguise themselves and often use very radical means of exerting influence. “Ad hoc” lobbying means spontaneous, often one-off actions taken by the organization concerned. On the other hand, "professional" lobbying is carried out by companies and agencies dealing with this issue professionally, using professional tools and methods.

Another division of lobbying distinguishes lobbying:

• preventive, aimed at preventing the initiation of specific actions,
• taken as a result of a reaction,
• undertaken as a specific action aimed at initiating specific actions.

We also distinguish political, social and economic lobbying, which is the result of the initiative of enterprises.

Lobbying as an element of the company's strategy

Sometimes it is not enough to achieve business goals by using standard marketing tools. It sometimes happens that the effectiveness of the company's activities does not depend on customers, competitors or business partners, but on the prevailing political situation, conditions dictated by the environment, public opinion or other interest groups. This is when lobbying comes to the rescue, which enables the management of the environment in a much wider dimension.

Enterprises compete not only with each other, but also with other interest groups. More and more emphasis is placed on creating a brand image and building appropriate relationships, not only with customers, but also with all stakeholder groups.

The aim of lobbying is to increase the trust of specific social groups or interest groups and image creation of the company as a brand that cares about the fate of the environment. The company's reputation is a very important criterion for effectively influencing decision-makers. Lobbying allows you to achieve business goals by influencing the macro-environment. It is an element of a long-term organizational management strategy, based on a proactive approach to the environment and managing relations with stakeholders, which is implemented in accordance with the principles of corporate social responsibility.

A modern entrepreneur must not only know where he is going and how he intends to get there. He also needs to know how to convince others to get out of his way - and that is by no means unfair competition. He must take responsibility for attempting to shape the environment that limits his freedom in taking specific actions. Lobbying serves to remove legal, cultural, social, procedural and technological barriers that prevent, inter alia, fair market competition.

Professional lobbying - what is it about?

Lobbying has many aspects and is divided into many types. Amateur activities include ad hoc activities and wild lobbying. Both strategies involve trying to achieve a given result. However, the latter is much less formal and more direct than ad hoc. In environment PR such activities are described as primitive and non-cultural. Ad hoc, on the other hand, is an informal variety, but respecting the rules of a given company. When considering the two practices, attention should be paid to the immediate goal that is the reason for the discussions. Mostly, wild lobbying results from a desperate attempt to influence a person or authority. It is not accompanied by appropriate substantive arguments and business language. It can also be the result of ad hoc failure. 

From the PR point of view, the most important is professional lobbying. Public relations agencies they use marketing instruments aimed at representing domestic and foreign clients. Thus, they deal with one of the areas of lobbying, acquiring experts. The companies involved in these activities and consulting companies, on the other hand, represent foreign clients. They use available strategies, incl PR instrumentsin order to legally and ethically achieve the intended effect.

Lobbying - methods of action

Lobbying activities can be undertaken in many ways. The goal of lobbying is to establish a relationship between the pressure group and the state apparatus making the decision. It can therefore be said that it is a form of communication that is supposed to make an impact. There are two basic lobbying strategies: offensive, which involves an attack, and defensive, used to maintain the status quo.

The offensive strategy is used in situations where lobbyists do not want to allow projects that adversely affect the interests of the group to be carried out. What counts in offensive lobbying is the ability to predict problems and skillful prevention. By adopting an attack strategy, it sustains and supports those projects that favor the interests of the group, and focuses its activities in particular on communication. This could be a reference to public opinion or the use of related polls.

Lobbying can also be divided according to the adopted tactics. In this case, one should speak of direct and indirect lobbying. The former is considered by many to be the most effective. Why? Because it is based on reaching the decision-maker and providing him with the information necessary to make decisions. Direct lobbying is divided into:

• written - providing specialist information, e.g. statistical data, letters, e-mails,
• personal - meetings and talks with decision-makers, public speeches, conferences, parties.

Indirect lobbying aims to shape public opinion and requires the participation of third parties. The methods of operation tend to use environmental authorities, scientists or experts in a given field. Indirect lobbying techniques include image building, public opinion mobilization and financial lobbying. The latter is based on obtaining funds necessary for the implementation of specific projects.

Lobbying in Poland

Lobbying is of interest to law firms, consulting companies, PR agencies and industry organizations. Virtually every larger enterprise has its own public affairs department, i.e. a specialized organization that is responsible for the company's contact with the public environment. In the public affairs market, the most popular are people who until recently were closely associated with politics. Over time, they have found that they prefer not to be in the center of the action, as they will eventually earn more on the outskirts.

Lobbying in Poland is an informal activity that does not require a report on the course of the meeting, and where politicians are persuaded to take specific legislative actions. This, in turn, gives a lot of room for manipulation and covering up inconvenient facts.

What should the exemplary actions look like?

Lobbying, which is to serve the state above all, as is the case in democratic countries where lobbying groups are considered natural and necessary, needs to undergo a thorough transformation. First of all, any entity that submits its suggestions to change the law or reject changes in the legislative process should be treated as a lobbyist. Lobbying should be banners, but today it is only a good way to use knowledge and information available only to the chosen few. If the current situation is to change, all lobbyists should be listed, and any action taken should end with a report.

Lobbying is not a bad thing, but in Poland, influential people and institutions often abuse power and connections to achieve tangible benefits. This, in turn, makes it a useful pressure tool, it cannot function as it is.