I have been asked by companies and Foundations what “would you look for from an Agency or NGO before paying them to run a campaign for you”.
I have sat down and written out a checklist of 20 questions I would ask.
The questions are focused on a political campaign on EU legislation, regulatory decisions or public policy decisions. It is not directed to communications campaigns.
The questions are appropriate whether you are funding a NGO campaign or industry campaign.
The questions may be considered direct. They are. Important things are at stake and they deserve clear answers.
I have seen good and bad proposals. I think if these 20 questions can be answered clearly you are off to a good start to winning.
Checklist
- Do they (Agency or NGO) understand the issue: political, regulatory, legislative?
- Have they challenged your brief? Hopefully, the agency/NGO will have a better understanding of the process than you. They may, reveal misunderstanding on your part, and save you a fortune.
- Do they understand the legislative process/public policy process at play?
- Have they gone through a similar or identical process? Did they win?
- Do they know the real decision-makers and influencers on your issue in Brussels and national capitals?
- Do they have access to the key decision makers and influencers?
- Do they have a good working relationship with the key players? A good proxy is to ask to see the mobile numbers. Can they step into the regulator/politicians shoes and understand the other side?
- Do they know the real rules of the game? Every area will have unwritten rules known only to real practitioners. You better have someone advising you who knows the real rules of the game.
- Have they run and won on this issue or similar issue before? You will want people who have gone through the fire and back a few times and lived to tell the tale. You would not hire a guide who drives his clients off a cliff.
- Can they show you the pathways out of where you are to where you want to go? If they can do it visually with a process map it is better.
- Can they make your issues clear for the right audiences? Simply repeating your mantras is not going to help you.
- Can they coach you to say the right things, to the right people, at the right time?
- Can they scale up and down, bring new skills and expertise on board, as and when needed.
- If you ask them to wear “GoPro” whilst working on their work, they say “sure thing”? Are they happy to know where your money is being spent 24/7? Do they have a clear budget and clear reporting on spending? Will you know what you are paying for?
- Do they project manage by email or do they provide an accessible online and updated program management?
- Do they have a Rolodex of the 250 key decision-makers in the opinion formers on your issue in their proposal?
- Can you afford them?
- Do they have the skills to translate your case and message to 27 political cultures in Europe? Values in different countries and for different political Parties vary. Can they bridge the gap?
- Who are you really buying? Are buying an expert but land up buying an intern working 18 hour days.
- Do you trust them? This is the most important question.
What I would not ask
- Do you understand their industry? There really are more than enough technical experts around. If technical experts were needed, you would not be hiring political consultants.
- Will you work with other service providers? The client will source the best expertise they can, and they will want their consultant(s) to work with other service providers.