In the U.S., being a big corporation generally means you have a big budget for lobbying legislators and investing in political campaigns. But what about the little guy? How do small businesses access national representatives and affect or influence federal policy?
“Brand name firms charge up to a six-figure annual retainer for their formidable connections; opensecrets.org will tell you who others in your industry have retained and for how much. “The intimidation factor shuts out a lot of people,” says Paul Kanitra, whose start-up firm Lobbyit.com offers services from $995…”
“The game-changing lobbying firm for businesses, associations, municipalities and non-profits has completely rebranded from Keys to the Capitol to LobbyIt.com. The new name comes as LobbyIt.com’s transparent business model reaches new heights in bringing government access to the people…”
“For years large companies have enjoyed many advantages over smaller firms. Economies of scale. The ability to pay higher salaries to recruit talent. International networks and outsourcing to help maximize speed and cut prices. Perhaps most important, the big firms employ teams of lobbyists in Washington, D.C., to help them nail down government contracts, win favorable regulations, and persuade Congress to pass legislation helping them on a range of issues. Though small companies have their own trade associations that lobby in Washington, the power of these lobbyists pales in comparison to behemoths like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which focuses on broader business issues and is generally considered the most powerful business lobbyist in the capitol.
“LobbyIt.com works on a completely different business model than other federal lobbying firms. Rather than locking clients in to yearly contracts, the longest commitment LobbyIt requires is three months. Instead of using an opaque, case-by-case pricing structure (often running into the tens of thousands of dollars per month), LobbyIt.com offers three affordable pricing options, available to everyone. The firm also prides itself on clear, concise deliverables which holds the firm accountable for its results.”
“Kanitra’s company offers contracts starting at $995, month-to-month agreements and prices and other details spelled out on the company’s Web site. The effort, which formally launches Friday after months of preparation, amounts to a bold experiment to remake the idea of Washington lobbying, where fee schedules are opaque and opulence is often viewed as part of the price of doing business.”
“The young lobbyist’s unusual new venture, Lobbyit.com, targets small towns, humble associations and others of modest means that can’t even consider signing the $10,000-a-month retainers required by many top Washington firms.”
“Kanitra’s transformation into fledgling lobbyist mogul came while lobbying for Carfax, the Fairfax-based company that markets vehicle history reports. With his top client’s blessing, Kanitra started to quietly begin laying the foundation for LobbyIt.com.”
“I guess you can call it McLobbying,” said Kanitra, 30, adding that his inspiration comes from such cost-killers as McDonald’s, Wal-Mart and Amazon.com. “Every other industry embraced this kind of model a decade ago or more. The lobbying industry is stagnant and stuck in its ways.”