Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lobbying Firm

Washington DC

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lobbying Firm

Short answer: Ask every firm the same core questions: What specific experience do you have on my issue? Which committees/agencies and relationships are relevant to my goal? Do you represent anyone whose interests conflict with mine? Exactly what will you do each month, and how will you report it? What does it cost, what’s the term, and can we start small? A consistent list lets you compare fairly.

The list

  1. Recent relevant work + outcomes.
  2. Who specifically staffs my account, and how senior.
  3. Relationships relevant to my goal.
  4. Conflicts of interest.
  5. The first-90-days plan.
  6. Reporting cadence and format.
  7. Fee, inclusions, and extras.
  8. Contract term — can we start month-to-month? See Retainers & Contracts.
  9. What would make you tell me not to hire you.

How Lobbyit does it differently

Lobbyit publishes its own version — 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Lobbyist — and answers the cost/term questions publicly via its pricing page. A firm that pre-answers these is comfortable being compared.

Frequently asked questions

Most revealing question? “What would make you tell me not to hire you?” Honest firms have an answer.

Want to talk it through with an actual firm? This site is published by Lobbyit, a federal lobbying firm built for associations, nonprofits, and smaller organizations. If you’d like a straight, no-pressure conversation about whether lobbying makes sense for you, get in touch with Lobbyit.

Editorial lead: Paul M. Kanitra, founder of Lobbyit.com · Reviewed against public records and primary sources · Last updated June 2026 · About & editorial standards

LobbyingFirm.com is an educational resource owned and operated by Lobbyit.com, a federal lobbying and government-relations firm.