Selling to the State is difficult, time-consuming and often risky for small companies, writes Mark Hennessy

The relationship between politicians, civil servants and the business community is living proof that people can use the same language and still fail to understand each other.

Few if any in business ever really understand the mania that surrounds politics, whose inhabitants occupy a world in which everything can change in minutes.

The lack of comprehension has created opportunity for public consultants, lobbyists, mixers and greeters. Some are genuine. Others are charlatans. All are costly.

Some lobbyists bill at €400 an hour while monthly contracts can cost €5,000 a month. An average "blended" fee for different grades of staff is €200 an hour.

But do they offer value? Frequently, they can, particularly if a company is inexperienced in dealing in manoeuvring around the labyrinthine world of "the State".

Firstly, there are a few golden rules. Selling to the State is difficult, time-consuming, and often very risky for small companies.

Contracts will take forever to agree. Not because the system is incompetent, but because civil servants generally spend the State's money as if it is their own.

But it is usually quite a straight business, regardless of the public's low opinion of politics after a decade of tribunals allegations.

"Ireland has one of the most honest, most patriotic civil services in the world," says Seamus Mulconry, a lobbyist with Edelman PR and a former government adviser.

However, policies can change, so that small companies can find that they have invested serious money for business that simply disappears.

In addition, most contracts are sewn up long before they appear on the Government's e-tenders website - not because of corruption, but because other firms have been in early.

Ministers are forced to think in two-year frames - the time in which they can force through change before preparations begin for another election.

Some ministers do not particularly have an agenda for change. Indeed, they may not even have an agenda. Instead, they enjoy the occupation of power, luxuriating in it.

The lack of agenda offers opportunities for the clever businessman or woman, particularly if they offer an idea to a politician that makes the politician look good.

While consultants can provide many skills, they are not needed to get access to politicians. Companies could manage that by attending the ministers' weekend clinic.

Companies must know why they want to see a minister or an official before they go to see them. Though ministers are very important, do not forget about the civil servants. There's no such thing as an unimportant civil servant. Even if they do not look important, it could be that same low-rank civil servant who will draft up the key report that damns a company's idea to an early grave.

Never put forward an idea to a civil servant that creates a precedent. Civil servants have nightmares about precedents. Exploit precedents. Do not create them.

Furthermore, keep it simple. Avoid proposals that require inter-departmental meetings. Such meetings are the kiss of death for business. Identify the "key influencer", be it a politician, or a civil servant, and focus energies there.

Do not believe that "a meeting with the minister" will solve everything, even if a lobbyist is promising such entrée. Sometimes, it is just window dressing that helps the consultant to justify a well-padded bill.

Clever consultants will never adopt too public a profile on behalf of the client. Instead, they will help the client to make the wonderful pitch, not do it for them.

However, meetings with ministers should be handled properly, if such access is arranged. Keep your opinions about the state of the world and the politicians' expenses to yourself.

Ministers are, mostly, incredibly busy, stressed, often-harassed individuals. They do not have time to listen to problems. Bring them solutions. And then convince them that they were the ones to conceive of the brilliant solution.

Finally, don't forget about the photographs. Politicians are addicted to them. Put a lot of thought into them. Make the photograph fun. Make the politician look good.