PART 1: Scheduling an Appointment  |  PART 2: Preparing for the Meeting  |  PART 3: The Meeting  |  PART 4: Following-up after the Meeting

Part 2: Preparing for the Meeting

• Do your homework.

   Find out what issues your representative and senators care about and put out as their priorities. You can do this by taking a look at their websites (available at: http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov), asking their local offices for their newsletters, reading their biographies (e.g., in Politics in America), or finding out what congressional committees they sit on (available on their websites).

   

• Be prepared—practice speaking.

  After you create an agenda for the meeting, each person with a speaking part should create a brief two or three minute talk for their section and practice it with at least one other person. Be brief, clear and to the point and don’t be afraid to show your passion.

   

• Choose a secretary and manager for the meeting.

  Choose one person who will be responsible for taking notes and writing down any commitments your member of Congress made and any follow up that needs to be done after the meeting. Also, choose someone who will “manage” the overall meeting, keeping the group on task and making sure all the requests are covered.

   

• Inspire yourselves.

  Prior to the meeting, spend at least a few minutes having each person speak about why he/she cares about this issue and why you are going to this meeting

FAQS:

• What do I do after the meeting is scheduled?

  Once the meeting is scheduled, it is absolutely critical that the group which will be meeting with the Senator/Congress member or aide spend at least one hour together preparing for the meeting.

   

• How should I prepare for a group meeting?

  The group should decide who will be the group leader, everyone should go over what he or she will say and how you will answer any anticipated questions, and discuss what your key message is. Many people often feel that they can be effective by just "winging it", but this always a mistake. No one should be allowed to meet with the Senator/Congress member (or aide) if they are not willing to prepare individually and with the group.

   

• How should I prepare to answer specific questions?

  You should expect the Senator/Congress member or aide to ask you questions about your concerns. Generally, local office staff doesn’t have much expertise on every issue, so you should be prepared to do a lot of education. Try to think of every relevant question that you may be asked, and have an answer ready. The better prepared you are, the more the aide will view you as an expert.

   

• What materials should I bring with me to the meeting?

  You should also decide what written materials you want to leave with the Member or aide at the meeting. You should leave them with some background information on the issue, a sheet explaining who your group is and what you do, and something general outlining what you would like the Senator/Congress member to do. Do not overload the Member or aide with paper, or none of it will get read.

   

• Who should attend the meeting?

  Elected officials and their staff have limited time, so make the meeting as brief and as politically valuable as possible for him/her. Bring along several (not too many) other people who share your viewpoint, but who also represent as diverse a cross-section of the electorate as possible.

   

• How many people should I bring to the meeting?

  Avoid bringing too many people (i.e. more than 5 or 6), as it will be harder to stay “on message” and people may feel frustrated if they are invited but never get a chance to speak.

   

While it is almost always preferable to actually meet with a Member, you may well end up meeting with one of his/her aides. Don't be discouraged, as these meetings can be almost as effective as meeting with a Senator or Congress member.

When you are first meeting with staffers, always make sure to get their names, as you will probably want to contact them again in the future. Treat them with the same respect you would a Member of Congress. Even if they are much younger than you or do not seem to understand the issue, don't be condescending or talk down to them as this will only decrease the likelihood of a favorable response. If you do end up meeting with a Member of Congress, you will probably have to be much more succinct in your explanation of the issue. While you might have 30 minutes to meet with staff, you may only get about 10 minutes with the Member.

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