Tips for Meeting with your Legislator or Other Decision Maker

Face-to-face meetings take the most time and effort, but are also the most effective form of communication with legislators because they give you a chance to create a personal relationship and to demonstrate how important the issue is to you and other constituents. Lobbying in groups makes an impact and is a good media opportunity.

Before the meeting…

Prepare yourself with the facts. Get a copy of the bill and read it. The legislator may not have all the information she/he needs to take a position on your issue, so you should be prepared to answer questions accurately and provide additional information as needed. Make the issue personal by presenting stories or statistics relevant to your issue from the legislator’s state or district.

Develop two or three “talking points” — clear messages that summarize your position. Practice your appeal beforehand, so that you can articulate your concerns clearly without straying off the point.

At the meeting…

Be professional. Arrive five minutes early, dress neatly, and come prepared with a concise packet of information about your issue that you can leave with the legislator. Be polite and friendly, never confrontational or aggressive.

Introduce yourself.

Get to the point. Tell the legislator why you have come to speak with her/him, stay on message and get directly to your point. Tell the legislator why you and your group care about the issue and how it affects you.

Be honest. If you don’t know an answer to a question, don’t make something up. Tell them you’ll find out the answer for them and get back to them — and then do it! Or tell them you’ll have the professional lobbyist follow up.

Ask for action. Be specific about what you’d like the legislator to do for your issue: co-sponsor legislation, vote for or against a bill, or speak up at a hearing.

After the meeting…

Leave in good graces. Thank the legislator for her/his time and keep in mind that you’d like this to be the beginning of an ongoing relationship with her/him and her/his staff. Leave a good impression.

Follow up. Before you leave, thank the staff in person. Then, send a thank-you note to the legislator and the staff members who arranged the meeting.

Note: Things happen quickly on Capitol Hill — last-minute business may prevent your legislator from keeping your appointment. If that happens, you will probably meet with his or her legislative staff, but you should conduct the meeting with the same level of professionalism and with the assurance that your concerns will be relayed to the legislator.