It takes a special kind of person to rock up to a policy meeting with only a vague set of talking points. But sometimes it comes across like that.
I train lots of people (movers and shakers) to prepare for high level meetings and quite honestly their vocal skills, body language, stage presence are usually pretty good. But what I observe is how a policy pitch can start to waver and go off track. The way you frame your pitch makes the difference between capturing your audience or losing them in directionless complexity.
Policymakers operate under time constraints and need information delivered in a structured, actionable format. We only have two or three minutes to get our interventions right first time round. You can’t exactly ask to have another try if you mess it up.
A great pitch sounds natural but in actual fact has been carefully refined and rehearsed.
Here is my cheat sheet for preparing a policy pitch.
| Why are we talking to you? Issues for decision / key updates (in one or two sentences) | Frame the issue and priorities in your first two sentences. What, who, impacts and what next? |
| Context – what is happening now? | The update – what has recently happened? Top level details only. |
| Impact – who does it affect? | What is the effect on citizens, businesses, consumers…? |
| Implications for policy decisions? | Why does it matter to your key opinion former? What do we suggest to do about it? |
| Recommendation – take aways | What is the decision we are looking for? What should they do as result of this? |
Why are we talking to you?
Start with a clear reason for the meeting in one sentence:
• Are we addressing a policy decision, regulatory change, or urgent update?
Frame the issue in two sentences
Policymakers need relevance fast. Align your issue with their priorities:
“The upcoming legislative review on digital markets will impact SME growth across Europe. We need a regulatory framework that supports innovation and fair competition.”
Context: What, Who, Impacts, What’s Next?
• What happened? – Key events triggering the discussion.
• Who is involved? – Institutions, stakeholders, decision-makers.
• Impacts? – Effect on businesses, consumers or society.
Why it matters and what is outstanding
• How does this affect their agenda? Economic growth? Consumer protection?
• What has been agreed, and what gaps remain?
Implications for policy decisions
• Is the situation under control, or does it require intervention?
• What action do you need from them? Public support? A policy amendment?
A strong call to action will help you articulate the ‘ask’.
For example: “We encourage you to raise this issue in the upcoming committee meeting and advocate for a balanced approach that supports innovation and competition.”
Final thoughts
Presenting to policymakers is better served up focussed and to the point. The next time you step into a policy briefing, structure your message strategically—because in policymaking decisions, clarity wins.
Good luck and call us
And…. If you would like training on how to structure and deliver your big policy presentation, please get in touch at info@formativecoms.com
It’s what we do best.
