Types of Lobbyist Seen in Campaigning

A resident of Clive, Iowa, Craig Schoenfeld has worked as a political strategist for various organizations in the state. Craig Schoenfeld serves as president at CR3 Connect in Des Moines, Iowa where he assists clients with developing strategies for campaigning, such as lobbying.

Lobbying involves a group or individual influencing government action through written or oral communication. The two types of lobbying most commonly deployed are grassroots and direct lobbying.

Grassroots lobbying involves gaining the support of the average person and galvanizing this support in a way that gets exposure for the issue to influence action in government. Grassroots lobbyists attract attention to their issues through common methods such as mail, email, and social media. However, the most effective way is through patch-through calls, which are conversations where volunteers tutor residents about a particular issue over the phone. Mobilizing people has historically been another effective way to build grassroots support.

Alternatively, direct lobbying involves face-to-face meetings with government representatives to help them understand the issue. While it has a negative connotation to backroom deal-making, direct lobbying can be a way for constituents to keep their legislators abreast of current issues.

Direct lobbying also involves other methods of contacting representatives. Making phone calls and letter writing is two other ways to reach out to the government to voice concern about issues, get information regarding a legislator’s stance, or to raise awareness of how a particular plan benefits the community.