Make friends and influence them …

A new dawn for Europe; new, new, new and change, change, change for the UK government and Tony Blair is off to the Middle East to form New Hamas and New Fatah.

You may be skeptical about real change happening or are optimistic for moving forward but the scenery and the arenas for influencing decision making are certainly different today or are likely to be in the near future.

These events of the past week or so offer opportunities for lobbysts and PR practitioners to recast their programmes to influence Public Affairs. Are we ready to do this and have we got the tools to make effect? Every new administration is keen to be seen to be listening to, consulting with and understanding what they now call their stakeholders. The new Europe and Gordon Brown's ministers will no different.

Strike now whilst the iron is hot and reset the networks of influence. Exploit the inexperience of the new brooms and use your experience and knowledge to get a foot in the door. All cliches, but in reality, its what your competitors who are worth anything will be doing.

Don't just rely on the blogs and Web2.0 apps, get in their faces and shake their hands. Be like a peacock and make a show! All the so-called advisors need the knowledge and they are keen to impress their new or not so new bosses. Make sure it is your message and is your network that is the one that is called upon to stand next to them and to guide the conversations.