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Public Affairs Professionals: How to Gather Actionable Intelligence to Gain Influence
Staying on top of all that’s happening in Washington isn’t easy.
Whether you’re a lobbyist drafting a proposed bill or a public affairs professional conducting research on policy trends, it’s essential to have access to timely and reliable information. But with jam-packed schedules, it can be difficult finding the time to track down the intelligence you need to develop well-informed strategies.
Our news and analysis team ensures you’re up to date on the issues that matter most, so that you can spend less time researching regulatory changes and more time executing on larger organizational goals.
Here’s how our news and analysis team can help you throughout your day.
Get an early start with coverage tailored to you
As you’re heading to work, you need to know about unfolding events on the Hill so you have the information you need to lobby effectively on behalf of a client or your organization. Our team of journalists and editors rise with the sun to deliver breaking news straight from Congress and around the nation.
“As deputy team lead for newsletters, I know that news starts early in Washington. That’s why I’m online every day at 5 a.m. to make sure that Bloomberg Government’s daily briefs have the latest and most actionable information,” says Deputy Newsletter Team Leader Kayla Sharpe. “I know how crucial it is for our subscribers to be ahead of the curve about everything from newly announced hearings to long-awaited legislation.”
During your morning commute, you may have time only to catch up on certain policy areas. With customizable news alerts delivered straight to your inbox, AI-powered advanced search functions, and comprehensive social media monitoring capabilities, Bloomberg Government gives you full control over how and when you receive news, analysis, and updates on the topics that matter to you – ranging from energy and natural resources to AI and emerging technology
Identify key players on Capitol Hill to meet
It’s no secret that building relationships is vital to success on the Hill. As you begin your workday, one of the first things you might do is run through your contacts to schedule meetings for the day or week ahead. But with rapid turnover in Congress, it can be difficult to keep track of new staffers, the committees they serve on, and the issues most important to them.
“I’m constantly using BGOV’s directories and bill analyses to make sure I’m reaching the right sources,” says Zach Cohen, Bloomberg Government’s Senate reporter.
Technology Reporter Oma Seddiq agrees. “To aid my reporting and to stay up to date, I rely on Bloomberg Government’s directories to connect to decision-makers.”
Updated daily, our congressional directories make it easy to find background information about congressional members and their staff to help you reach the right people and effectively grow your network, including:
- Contact information
- Career highlights
- Summaries and status of sponsored bills
- Recent news
- Press releases
- Voting records
Keep track of legislative developments to better position proposed bills
After meeting with important players on the Hill, you might need to do a deeper dive into current legislation to draft bills that advance a certain policy goal. Tracking both state and federal legislation within a single platform can streamline those efforts.
“I use BGOV’s legislative tracking tool to keep track of what bills are being introduced in the House,” says Bloomberg Government House Reporter Maeve Sheehey. “I recommend our Congress Tracker, usually authored by my colleague Jon Tamari, for a morning update on what’s happening on the Hill.”
Our legislative tracker includes bill summaries written by subject matter experts to help you quickly evaluate the significance, meaning, and histories behind legislation of interest. Plus, the bill comparison feature lets you review different versions of a bill as it progresses through the legislative process so you can understand the nuances and implications of specific bills and better position your messaging.
See how your firm stacks up against top industry players. Our complimentary Top-Performing Lobbying Firms report details revenue and growth metrics of dozens of high-performing lobbying firms.
Gain support from stakeholders on areas of interest
While advocating for proposed legislation, you’ll likely need to have a slide deck on hand to update stakeholders on any policy developments or legislative challenges you’ve encountered. Educating them on emerging policy issues – and helping them understand the context and implications of a bill’s passing or not – is key to garnering support.
But between meeting with Hill staffers, researching policy, and drafting legislation, you may not have time to create a compelling, informative presentation – and keep it updated every time something changes. Here’s another way Bloomberg Government can help. Our OnPoint presentations are ready-to-use educational tools you can share with key stakeholders and decision-makers. Created by our news and analysis team, they cover topics ranging from the budget and appropriations process to aerospace and defense policy.
“BGOV OnPoints and webinars are great ways to convey information,” says Greg Giroux, Bloomberg Government’s politics and election reporter. “I always want to tell our readers something that they don’t know.”
Stay ahead of the curve with Bloomberg Government
As a lobbyist, you need comprehensive coverage of legislative and regulatory development to better serve your clients or organization. Penned by our team of experts, Bloomberg Government OnPoints, daily newsletters, and custom news alerts will help you stay ahead of the curve and give you the intelligence you need to lobby more efficiently and effectively.
Download our TikTok Legislation OnPoint for an example of the strategic policy intel our news and analysis team delivers to help you adapt your government affairs strategy quickly.
Policy moves quickly, but Bloomberg Government makes it easy to stay ahead of developing legislation. Request a demo to see why Bloomberg Government is the only platform you need to influence better policy.