Lobbying in Washington is often portrayed in terms of power, influence, and access. The reality is far less glamorous and far more practical. At its core, lobbying is about relationships, preparation, and helping policymakers solve problems.
Members of Congress are focused on their states and districts. When you can explain how a proposal supports jobs, strengthens hospitals, or helps local communities, the conversation becomes far more meaningful.
From my vantage point at a New York-based firm representing companies and nonprofits across sectors like health care, education, energy, and technology, one lesson stands out: Credibility matters more than anything.
Offices want to know that when you show up, you’ve done the homework and are bringing something thoughtful to the table.
Blue State Challenge
Representing New York-based clients can be challenging in today’s political environment, where federal funding is tighter, and scrutiny of “blue state” priorities is more pronounced.
In representing colleges and universities in New York, many of which serve diverse and first-generation student populations, I often focus my lobbying activity on protecting existing funding streams. This includes advocating for Pell Grants to help students afford college, along with protecting programmatic funding for Minority-Serving Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and HBCUs. In today’s environment, this often involves aligning these programs with workforce development and economic competitiveness priorities while addressing skepticism around higher education funding.
Representing hospitals and health-care organizations in New York presents its own challenges. When advocating for safety-net institutions that serve high volumes of Medicaid and uninsured patients, I try to work across the aisle to ensure that urban safety-net providers are included alongside rural hospitals in broader health-care discussions. I try to demonstrate that support for these systems is essential to maintaining access to care for vulnerable populations nationwide.
The challenge is not just policy, but framing. It’s essential to provide New York congressional offices with the information needed to demonstrate how investments in New York institutions deliver national value and strengthen systems well beyond state lines.
Understanding Clients
After years working in Washington, I’ve learned that effective advocacy begins long before you walk into a congressional office or federal agency. It starts with understanding the client.
The most important thing a lobbyist can do is build a genuine relationship with the people they represent. That means understanding not just what they want from government, but why it matters. What problem are they trying to solve? What does success actually look like? What is the long-term goal?
Many organizations arrive in Washington with ambitious ideas but not always a clear path forward. Part of the job is helping refine those ambitions into realistic priorities. Washington moves slowly. Legislation is complex. Political dynamics shift quickly. Being honest about what can be accomplished and how long it may take is essential.
Setting realistic expectations doesn’t limit ambition. It makes progress possible.
Once priorities are clear, the next step is identifying people inside government who are willing to champion the issue. Policy rarely moves without someone pushing it forward.
Doing that well requires understanding how Congress actually works. Committee assignments and leadership dynamics matter.
Another reality every lobbyist understands is how busy congressional offices are. Meetings are brief, votes constantly disrupt schedules, and staff are juggling multiple policy issues at once.
Provide Clarity
The most productive conversations are concise and focused. You need to be able to quickly explain the problem, the solution, and the specific request. Clarity matters. If you can connect that ask to real benefits for constituents, you’re far more likely to make progress.
But lobbying isn’t just about making requests. Often, it’s about being useful.
Congressional offices are constantly processing information. Staff are briefing lawmakers, preparing for hearings, and responding to constituents. Reliable, well-presented information is always in demand.
Some of the most valuable interactions happen when there isn’t an immediate “ask.” It might be sharing research, flagging a local policy development, or connecting staff with experts who can help them understand a complicated issue.
For example, in working with the Coalition for Ticket Fairness, much of the effort has focused on educating offices about the ticketing marketplace. Our team works to connect lawmakers with industry experts, explaining how fees and market structures impact fans, and helping build consensus around commonsense reforms like those in the TICKET Act. Even with broad bipartisan support, getting legislation across the finish line requires sustained engagement.
The same is true in other areas. Each year, I work with the Helen Keller National Center to meet with lawmakers and staff to raise awareness about the needs of DeafBlind individuals. Those conversations often start with education, highlighting the nationwide shortage of trained professionals and the growing gap in services. Over time, that consistent engagement helps build understanding and support for increased funding.
These interactions don’t always produce immediate results. But over time, they build familiarity and trust.
Reputation matters. If you exaggerate or push unrealistic ideas, people remember. But if you consistently provide accurate information and thoughtful insights, relationships strengthen.
And time is the defining factor. Lobbying is rarely transactional. Policy changes take years. Priorities shift. Administrations change.
The Long Game
The firms that succeed understand this is a long game. Relationships have to be maintained even when there isn’t a pending request. You check in, stay engaged, and continue to be a resource.
For organizations across health care, education, energy, technology and beyond, federal policy shapes everything from funding to regulation.
But success doesn’t come from simply showing up. It comes from preparation, credibility and relationships built over time.
In the end, lobbying isn’t about influence in the abstract. It’s about trust between lobbyist and client, and between lobbyist and policymaker.
When that trust is earned, advocacy becomes more than access. It becomes a way to move ideas through government and turn them into real results. That requires a deep understanding of where your clients operate, how their work impacts communities at the local and state level, and the ability to translate that into benefits for constituents. Representing many New York-based organizations, I’ve found that the most effective advocacy connects policy to real outcomes back home.
This article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc., the publisher of Bloomberg Law, Bloomberg Tax, and Bloomberg Government, or its owners.
Author Information
Jonathan McCollum is a registered lobbyist and chair of the federal government relations group at Davidoff Hutcher & Citron.
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