Tips for Making Advocacy Visits

A personal visit is the most effective means of communicating with a legislator. It provides you with the opportunity to build a relationship with your elected official. The best time to make a personal visit is either when the legislator is home in his/her district office or when you are at the Capitol, visiting his/her Capitol office. You should attempt to make your visit timely. Visits prior to a vote by the committee in which your bill will be heard are particularly effective. Visits prior to a vote by either the full Senate or House also are helpful. It is also effective to visit when your issue is being discussed in committees.

Before the Visit:

Be sure to make an appointment to see the legislator. This is very important, especially during session. Although constituents can generally be worked in to see a legislator, if you drop in the office without an appointment, you will most likely speak with staff, not the legislator directly. When you do call to make an appointment, ask to speak with the scheduler and let them know you will like about 15 to 30 minutes to discuss the issue. Be sure to mention what issue you would like to talk about with the scheduler so the appropriate staff person is made aware of your visit.

During the Visit:

If you do not have an appointment, it is safe to assume that you will have only five minutes. While the legislator may be very busy, make the most of the time you do have with him/her. As always, be professional, concise, clear and respectful. Introduce yourself. Give your name, address, and the organization you are affiliated with (if that applies). Remain focused and briefly reiterate the bill or issue you are here to talk about. Explain why the issue is important to you. You can share your personal story now, but be sure to practice it beforehand and keep it focused. Give yourself time for questions, and if you don’t know the answer to a question, be sure to say so and follow up later. Explain how the legislator can help you by talking about the action you want him or her to take. Offer to be a resource on your issue and any other issue related to developmental disabilities. Leave a one-page fact sheet with the most important facts on your issue with the legislator and be sure to include your contact information on the document.

Afterward:

Always follow up with thanks. A thank-you note is fine, but you may want to write a thank-you letter to reiterate what you talked about and remind the legislator of the actions you asked him/her to take. You can also include the responses to any questions that may have come up during your visit.

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Public Policy Public Policy News TCDD Public Policy Input Advocacy 101 Texas Legislature TCDD Public Policy Priorities Position Statements Public Information Act Federal Policy Update Sunset Review	Tips for Making Advocacy Visits A personal visit is the most effective means of communicating with a legislator. It provides you with the opportunity to build a relationship with your elected official. The best time to make a personal visit is either when the legislator is home in his/her district office or when you are at the Capitol, visiting his/her Capitol office. You should attempt to make your visit timely. Visits prior to a vote by the committee in which your bill will be heard are particularly effective. Visits prior to a vote by either the full Senate or House also are helpful. It is also effective to visit when your issue is being discussed in committees. Before the Visit: Be sure to make an appointment to see the legislator. This is very important, especially during session. Although constituents can generally be worked in to see a legislator, if you drop in the office without an appointment, you will most likely speak with staff, not the legislator directly. When you do call to make an appointment, ask to speak with the scheduler and let them know you will like about 15 to 30 minutes to discuss the issue. Be sure to mention what issue you would like to talk about with the scheduler so the appropriate staff person is made aware of your visit. During the Visit: If you do not have an appointment, it is safe to assume that you will have only five minutes. While the legislator may be very busy, make the most of the time you do have with him/her. As always, be professional, concise, clear and respectful. Introduce yourself. Give your name, address, and the organization you are affiliated with (if that applies). Remain focused and briefly reiterate the bill or issue you are here to talk about. Explain why the issue is important to you. You can share your personal story now, but be sure to practice it beforehand and keep it focused. Give yourself time for questions, and if you don’t know the answer to a question, be sure to say so and follow up later. Explain how the legislator can help you by talking about the action you want him or her to take. Offer to be a resource on your issue and any other issue related to developmental disabilities. Leave a one-page fact sheet with the most important facts on your issue with the legislator and be sure to include your contact information on the document. Afterward: Always follow up with thanks. A thank-you note is fine, but you may want to write a thank-you letter to reiterate what you talked about and remind the legislator of the actions you asked him/her to take. You can also include the responses to any questions that may have come up during your visit.
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