Guide to State Legislative Lobbying, Revised Edition [Paperback]

Robert L. Guyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 10, 2003

Guide to State Legislative Lobbying is an inside look at the tools proven to win in the state legislature. It provides in detail, principles and techniques necessary for effective state lobbying.

Topics include:

What Is Lobbying?

Assessing Your Chances of Success;

Developing the Lobbying Campaign;

Hiring & Working with Contract Lobbyists;

Negotiating;

Legislative Procedure;

Lobbying Visits;

Succeeding with Committees;

The Rest of the Session and Post-Session. 10 flow charts describing the more than 100 steps related to state lobbying, 23 action lists, and an extensive glossary of legislative terms help to provide a clearer understanding of successful state legislative lobbying. Whether you represent government, professional or industry associations, the public interest, or business, the Guide's tools will help you become a better lobbyist.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An effective lobbying effort needs to be able to control the development and passage of the needed legislation. This requires close attention to even the smallest detail. The step-by-step instruction given in this book will give an association a firm basis for a winning effort." -- Don Shoultz [D., Waterloo] Iowa House of Representatives Des Moines, Iowa

"Bob Guyer has written the ultimate reference book for the newcomer and veteran alike on how to effectively lobby for one's cause." James G. Cavanagh, Esq. Kelley Cawthorne Lansing, Michigan -- James G. Cavanagh, Esq. Kelley Cawthorne Lansing, Michigan

"Having walked the halls of our Capitol for many years, I wish I had read this book before taking the first step. The details contained within are very revealing. I felt like I was privy to the most relevant information, like being in the locker room of an opponent learning how the game is really played. No assumptions, you'll know how to score." -- Kathryn A. Parker, R.D., L.D. Former President and Legislative Chair Florida Dietetic Association Gainesville, Florida

The Guide is...sufficient to...those who are legislative novices.. pearls of wisdom sprinkled throughout...useful to those with extensive experience lobbying... -- Book Review NP Central for Nurse Practitioners

From the Author

"Guide to State Legislative Lobbying" is for those who want to win in their legislature. Over the years, I found that most lobbying is done with insufficient strategy and without realizing a group's full legislative potential. To remedy this I offer the "campaign approach" to lobbying. This consists of a series of planned aggressive steps to gain the law you want or stop the one you don't want. To the best of my knowledge no one has written as comprehensive book on how to run a state lobbying campaign.

Winning in the legislature starts well before you talk to the first lawmaker. The Guide doesn't discuss what most people call "lobbying" until chapter 7. This is because the first 6 chapters of the book show you how to build the momentum that makes is harder for legislatures to say "no" and easier for them to say "yes" to you. If you wait until the start of the session to start your campaign, you have already lost your best chances of winning.

In our seminars and in letters I hear from our readers. In one seminar a participant, who I had no idea had the book, started explaining to the class how the book showed him what his association had done wrong in a recent legislative battle. Now they know how to do it better. An experienced lobbyist, after reading the book, said she wished she had read the book before taking her first step years ago as a lobbyist.

These readers' comments are very gratifying for me because they tell me that the purpose of the book is being realized. Veterans and novices are finding that the book demystifies lobbying and gives them a new perspective on how they can be more effective with planning, organization, and the techniques found in the Guide. They are being empowered. I hope that you will find the Guide useful and will let me know how it has helped you in your lobbying.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Engineering THE LAW, inc.; Revised edition (September 10, 2003)
• ISBN-10: 096772421X
• ISBN-13: 978-0967724218
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,463,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shortly after I was laid off as Legislative Counsel at Ralston Purina Company my wife Laura asked, "OK, you are 50 years old and out of work. What are you going to do to support this family?" I replied with a number of things that I didn't want to do within my expertise as an attorney. So she asked me, "OK, so what is it that you have always wanted to do?"

I said, "I have spent my entire professional career making corporations richer. What I would really like to do is to show people how the system of US government really works. Most people have little idea of how to influence their lawmakers. I want to show them how effective lobbying is really done."

After nine years lobbying in many US states, in Washington, Canada, and internationally, I had a lot of thoughts on what makes effective lobbying. I had seen much done well, some done terribly, and saw how to do more better. For the next six months she encouraged, extracted, wove, organized, and worded my experience, theories, and ideas that are "Guide to State Legislative Lobbying."

The Guide became the foundation for the "Campaign Method for More Effective State Government Affairs." This methodology for winning with state legislatures and regulatory agencies is taught in live seminars I give across the US each year and on video.

Over the past 10 years, thousands of have taken my how-to-lobby seminars and more thousands have purchased the Guide. I am always so happy when a reader or seminar participant sends me an email telling me how successful they were by using the campaign method. Example testimonials can be seen on my website www.lobbyschool.com.

And I will always be grateful to Laura for launching me on a new career of helping people to do better with lawmakers and regulatory agencies and thereby making more responsive and better our US system of government.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guyer's on the money, May 18, 2000

By 

Evan G. Bane (Glendale, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guide to State Legislative Lobbying (Paperback)

A seasoned pol once said that "Getting the vote is 10 percent access and 90 percent heat."

Frankly, what Bob Guyer's guidebook doesn't teach is what it can't teach - building personal connections with legislators to gain access. For everything else, Bob has written a complete and carefully thoughtout guide to preparing and successfully steering legislation. In other words, bringing the "heat."

He doesn't offer all the answers, since the nuances of each bill and state legislature prohibit a cookie-cutter approach. Instead, Guyer asks, and gets you to ask, the right questions to guide your bill writing, lobbying team organization and strategic plan.

His many years of experience are condensed into a book that reveals the secrets of the temple.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Lobbying Handbook, January 4, 2001

By 

Ron Phillips, Legislative Asst.- Florida Hous... (Tallahassee, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guide to State Legislative Lobbying (Paperback)

The Guide to State Legislative Lobbying is a MUST HAVE handbook on the world of lobbying. No other guide exist today that has so much in depth information on the correct form of lobbying state and local government. Your chances of success will greatly increase if you read this book before you lobby a legislative body. If your organization or cause does one thing in it's lobbying plan - READING THIS BOOK SHOULD BE ITEM #1! Bob Guyer is a master lobbyist and great instructor. His experiance is very valuable. Information is the lobbyist best friend - get it, you will be glad you did.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Talking to Lawmakers, October 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Guide to State Legislative Lobbying (Paperback)

The Guide shows that speaking to lawmakers is about 10 percent of what it takes to win their votes. It reveals, and shows readers how to do, the other 90 percent of activities that are 'behind the scenes' but make all the difference between winning in the legislature and just talking to lawmakers.