How to meet with an MP or Minister
A meeting with an MP or Minister might last ten minutes. Here's how to make sure it counts — before, during and after.
You’ve landed the meeting. Now you’ve got somewhere between 10 and 30 minutes to make your case to someone who has another one lined up straight after yours.
Ministers and MPs are some of the most time-poor people you’ll ever meet with. Get the preparation right, use the time well, and follow up properly, and a single meeting can move your issue forward for months. Get it wrong, and you’ll be lucky to get a second one.
Here’s how to approach it at each stage.
Before the meeting
Know your elevator pitch. This is a 30-second summary of your issue and your ideal solution. Build one and use it early, because it’s not unusual for a Minister or MP to be pulled out of a meeting halfway through. Your elevator pitch is the insurance policy that makes sure they hear your message before they go.
Do your homework on who you’re meeting. The most common mistake advocates make is walking in and telling a Minister or MP something they already know. It’s an easy mistake to avoid. Review notes from any previous meetings, read their recent speeches and social media, and read their inaugural speech if you haven’t already. Inaugural speeches are one of the best windows into what a politician actually cares about, and they usually include a list of thank-yous to colleagues worth noting down — a handy signal of who they’re aligned with.
Know what the other side is saying. Politics is adversarial. If you’re advocating for something, there’s a good chance someone else has already put a contrary view to your Minister or MP. A political monitoring regime keeps you across what detractors are saying, so nothing catches you off guard in the room.
Check who else on your team has met them. It sounds obvious, but even small teams lose track of who’s met with whom and what was said. Keep a simple record, or use a Government Relationship Management (GRM) tool to do it for you — walking in blind to a relationship your colleague already started is an avoidable own goal.
During the meeting
Respect the clock. Whether you’re in Parliament House or a Commonwealth Parliamentary Office, assume your meeting is one of two dozen in their diary that day. Be on time, be prepared, and don’t be surprised if it gets cut short — that’s normal, not a snub.
Skip the small talk. A brief introduction is enough. Politicians and their staff are used to getting to the point fast, so use the time on the issue, not the pleasantries.
Structure your ask as problem, solution, benefit. What’s the issue? What do you want done about it? Why should the government care? Keep each answer simple and free of extra context that doesn’t help make the case.
Drop the jargon. The Minister might be the decision-maker in the room, but the subject-matter experts are often the advisers and public servants around them. Industry or departmental jargon slows everyone down and risks confusing the person you’re trying to persuade.
Remember the staff are the relationship. Most of the ongoing work on your issue will happen through advisers and the department, not the Minister directly. Build a genuine relationship with the staff you meet — check in regularly, offer useful information, and be a source they can rely on at short notice.
After the meeting
Send everything through, fast. Follow up with an electronic copy of anything you presented, and respond quickly to any request for more information. This is also the moment to flag anything that needs a longer conversation with the relevant department.
Keep them posted. If circumstances around your issue change, let the office know. Silence between meetings is how issues quietly drop off the radar.
Say thank you. Thank the Minister and their office for their time, in writing. If your issue gets a positive outcome, say so — and if it’s appropriate, consider a public acknowledgement of their support.
Meeting a new Minister?
The same rules apply, with one difference: they’re still getting across their portfolio. Keep your ask even more concise, don’t assume they have the background a returning Minister would, and treat the meeting as the start of a relationship rather than a chance to resolve your issue on the spot. There’ll be plenty of time for the detailed follow-up later.
Want to walk into every meeting knowing exactly who you’re dealing with? Advoc8 tracks MP biographies, inaugural speeches and social activity in one place. [Get in touch for a demo.]
