The Unspoken Rules of Political Influence

1️⃣ Public vs. Private Conversations: What Really Matters?

🔹 Public advocacy—petitions, media campaigns, social media pressure—can help raise awareness and apply pressure. But it’s rarely where the actual decisions are made.

🔹 Private advocacy—quiet conversations in hallways, informal chats over coffee, strategic alliances behind the scenes—this is where real influence happens.

💡 Example: If a government minister is publicly pushing back against your campaign, that doesn’t mean they aren’t open to discussion in private. The public stance is about optics. What matters is whether you can get a behind-the-scenes conversation to keep the door open.

🚀 Lesson: If you’re only engaging publicly, you’re missing half the battle. Learn to navigate both spaces—the public stage and the private backchannels.

2️⃣ Relationships Matter More Than Policy Briefs

You can have the most evidence-based, bulletproof policy argument—but if you don’t have the right relationships, it’s not going anywhere.

✅ Know the gatekeepers—Who actually advises the decision-makers? Special advisers, committee clerks, and researchers often hold more sway than you think.
✅ Engage before you need something—If the first time you contact someone is to ask for support, you’re too late.
✅ Be useful—If you can help them solve a problem, they’ll remember you when it matters.

💡 Example: A group advocating for mental health reform didn’t just send reports to policymakers. They built relationships with key advisers, provided briefing materials they could use in debates, and became a trusted source of information. When the time came for a policy shift, their recommendations were already on the table.

🚀 Lesson: Influence isn’t about shouting the loudest—it’s about becoming the person policymakers trust.

3️⃣ Timing is Everything (And It’s Never the “Perfect” Time)

Advocacy isn’t just about having the right idea—it’s about knowing when to push and when to wait.

📌 Window of Opportunity: Major policy changes often happen after a crisis, election, or leadership change. Be ready to move fast when the moment comes.
📌 Play the long game: Just because something isn’t politically viable today doesn’t mean it won’t be in six months.
📌 Don’t wait for permission: Policymakers will rarely say, "Now is the right time." You have to create urgency and momentum yourself.

💡 Example: A campaign for increased support for survivors of domestic violence had zero traction for months—until a high-profile case hit the news. They immediately ramped up their advocacy, got media coverage, and within weeks, secured a policy commitment.

🚀 Lesson: Policy windows open and close quickly. Be ready.

4️⃣ Persistence, Patience, and Adaptability Win in the End

Not every campaign is a quick win. Some take years to gain traction. That’s why the most successful advocates aren’t just passionate—they’re persistent.

🔹 Patience: Most policy changes happen in increments—small shifts that build momentum over time. If you expect instant results, you’ll burn out.
🔹 Persistence: If you don’t get a yes today, stay in the conversation. A no now doesn’t mean a no forever.
🔹 Adaptability: If the political landscape shifts, so should your strategy. Know when to reframe, regroup, and try a different angle.

💡 Example: The push for free school meals during lockdowns wasn’t won overnight. Advocates kept up pressure, adjusted their messaging to match public sentiment, and eventually secured government action.

🚀 Lesson: Keep showing up. The people who stick with it the longest usually win.

Final Thought: The Real Secret to Influence

The most powerful policy advocates don’t just know the rules—they know when to break them strategically.

✔ They navigate public and private conversations with skill.
✔ They invest in relationships long before they need them.
✔ They know when to push, when to wait, and when to shift tactics.

And most importantly? They don’t give up.

📢 Over to you! What’s one lesson you’ve learned about how policy influence really works? Hit reply or drop a comment—I’d love to hear your experiences!

Struggling to Get Policymakers to Listen? Here’s How I Can Help

If you feel like your policy message isn’t landing, decision-makers are ignoring you, or your advocacy efforts aren’t leading to real change, you’re not alone.

The problem isn’t always the policy—it’s how it’s framed, who hears it, and when it’s delivered. That’s where I come in.

✅ Diagnose what’s not working – I help you uncover why your message isn’t getting traction and how to reframe it for impact.
✅ Develop a winning public affairs strategy – Get a clear, step-by-step plan to engage the right policymakers at the right time.
✅ Turn influence into action – I help you navigate public consultations, political networks, and media engagement to drive real change.

🚀 Want to get your message heard? Let’s chat. Book a free consultation by emailing hello@policy360.co.uk.

Struggling to Get Policymakers to Listen? Here’s Why (and How to Fix It).

You’ve done the research.
You’ve written the policy brief.
You’ve sent the email… And then? Silence.

📌 No reply.
📌 No action.
📌 No change.

It’s not that policymakers don’t care—it’s that they don’t have time for unclear, unfocused, or overly long messages.

If your policy message isn’t clear, concise, and aligned with their priorities, it will get ignored.

That’s why I’ve created this practical, no-fluff course to show you:

✅ The 3-step formula for a message that gets read—and acted on
✅ How to structure the perfect one-page policy brief
✅ How to frame your ask so it aligns with what policymakers care about

Policymakers will listen—when you know how to make them.

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Until next time,

Ellen

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