Advocacy Tips

Six Practical Tips on How to Educate Your Legislator or Elected Official

1. Establish your agenda and goals.

• Know what subject you are going to address. Don't overload with issues-stick to no more than two or three.
• Decide what you would like to get out of the visit, i.e., a commitment to vote for your issues, leadership on the issues, or you may decide the visit is simply informational.
• If it is a group visit, decide who will start the discussion and put your agenda on the table.

2. Listen well.

• Much of advocacy is listening, looking for indications of the elected official's views, and finding opportunities to provide good information.
• If you are meeting with a "silent type," draw her/him out by asking questions.
• If you are confronted with a "long-winded type," look for openings to bring her/him back to the point.

3. Be prepared, but don't feel that you need to be an expert.

• Most elected officials are generalists, like many of us. Do your homework, but don't feel that you need to know every little detail of an issue.
• Know when to admit, "I don't know," and offer to follow up with the information.
• Be open to counter-arguments, but don't get stuck on them. Don't be argumentative or confrontational.

4. Don't stay too long.

• Try to get closure on your issue. If you hear what you had hoped for, express your thanks and leave.

5. Remember you are there to build a relationship.

• If the elected official is good on an issue you've been involved in or has supported your position in the past, be sure to acknowledge your appreciation during the course of the visit.
• If the opposite is true, think of the phrase, "No permanent friends, no permanent enemies." Some day, on some issues of importance to you, s/he may come through. In the meantime, your visit may prevent the official from being an active opponent.

6. Follow-up is important.

• Be sure to send a thank-you note after the visit. If the commitments were made in the meeting, repeat your understanding of them.