Meetings Policymakers: Top Tips for Success

NAA advocates should keep these tips in mind before, during and after their meetings. Watch the video below and read more.

Top Tips

  1. Be clear on the goal. If you want your meeting to have influence, you have to be specific about how your Member can help you.” Go into your meetings prepared to ask the Member to do ONE specific thing.
  2. Keep it short. Keep your message short and concise. Most meetings on Capitol Hill last about 15-20 minutes. After a brief amount of small talk, cut to the chase.
  3. Deliver the ask in the first 5 minutes. Start by stating that you are a constituent and what you are there to ask for. Then make your case and ask for a commitment.
  4. Stay on message. Knowing your goal will keep you on message. Going off-message can only hurt you by detracting from the points you planned to emphasize. So stay on point. If staff insert another question into the discussion, acknowledge their question and suggest scheduling schedule a follow-up meeting to discuss it.
  5. The less paper the better. Storage space on Capitol Hill very limited; therefore, printed “leave behind” materials are likely to go straight to the recycling bins. So provide your meeting materials electronically BEFORE your meeting, (2-3 days in advance). This also gives the people you will be meeting a chance to review the materials and to prepare for their meeting with you.
  6. Know your issue. You are not expected to be fluent in Capitol Hill jargon and insider politics, but you want to be conversationally fluent about matters relevant to the issues you will discuss in your meetings. Things you need to know include the bill number; Committees bill’s have been referred to, bill status and the next step in the legislative process.
  7. Research the policymakers you plan to meet. Even if you have only 5 minutes before a meeting, use that time to do a quick Google search to check the basics like the Member’s Party, whether they serve in a leadership position, and their committee assignments. Most importantly, know whether they’ve taken a position on your issue.
  8. Connect your issue to the member. Since you’ve done your research, think about how you can connect the issues YOU care about to those the Member cares about. Remember that every Member of Congress cares about their constituents. So come prepared to provide district-specific data illustrating how your issue impacts the people, businesses and employers in their district. Also be prepared to tell personal stories that illustrate that district impact.
  9. Respect staff. Shockingly, one of every four congressional staff report that constituents are frequently rude during their meetings. Congress trust their staff. If you are rude to staff, the Member is going to hear about it. Some examples of rudeness staff highlight include: 1) argumentative; 2) questioning staff because they look too young; and 3) expressing disappointment about meeting with staff and not the Member.
  10. Follow-up. Remember, the average House office hosts 28 meetings EVERY DAY. That means that one month after your meeting, that office has hosted 560 meetings! Following up puts your issue back on top of the pile. It also tells the office that you take your request seriously and they should too.