1.      Be clear and concise about who you are and what you want.

2.      Prepare in advance how you want to identify yourself and your organization, and be easily identifiable using a lapel pin or sticker. 

3.      Know who you are communicating with:

• find out who your own legislator is and speak with them first

• learn about individual legislators (background, occupation, interests, biases, the characteristics of the legislator’s district, etc.)

• find out to what committees the legislator is assigned

• find out which legislators are most relevant to your issue

4.      Make sure you keep you information simple:

• 30 words or less

• use personal examples & statistics

• mention any third party endorsements

• use comparisons to explain, rather than technical language

• repeat your message before closing

5.      Be perceived as reasonable, likeable, someone that legislators will not want to avoid.

6.      Be credible at all times; always provide reliable information.

7.      Be polite at all times.

8.      Be available to legislators or staff as a resource in your area of interest.

9.      Timing is everything:

• Don’t call legislators off the floor on untimely issues

• Find out what is going on in the Chamber at the time you’re trying to see your legislator

• If you can only come to the Capitol for a limited amount of time, send in a note to the floor or go by the legislator’s office and leave a note there.

• Use the time when the legislature is not in session to build relationships with and educate your legislators.

10.    Thank your legislator for their time and/or support on the issue!

Adapted from Ahead of the Curve, “Tips for writing your state or federal legislators”, 1998