The ABCs of Lobbying
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This is Chris McGraw with Amnesty International USA’s Government Relations program. In this slideshow, I will highlight some key points to keep in mind during your visit with your elected official or their staff. Amnesty International USA relies on grassroots activism, like Congressional advocacy, to keep human rights issues at the forefront of the minds of Members of Congress.
First, think of your upcoming meeting with your elected official's office as an opportunity to begin building a relationship with your elected official or their staff.
During your meeting, you should always ask for something specific. For example, "Please cosposnor this bill X, or please add your signature to this letter…"
It is a good idea to send a meeting agenda and background information on the issue to the person with whom you are meeting at least a week in advance. This will allow her or him the opportunity to become more familiar with what you will be meeting about.
Follow the ABCs of successful advocacy. That is be Accurate, be Brief, and be Courteous.
First, being accurate is imperative. During your meeting you should provide the person with whom you are meeting the facts with which Amnesty International USA provides you, so be sure to prepare in advance. If there is a question you cannot answer, contact your volunteer state Legislative Coordinator or an Amnesty International staff person after the meeting for the answer, and then get the information to the person with whom you met at a later date. (If you do not know who your Legislative Coordinator is, you can call our Washington DC office at 202 544-0200 to find out.)
Next, always remember to be brief at your meeting. Limiting it to no more than 30 minutes is ideal. Planning your agenda in advance will help you manage your time at the meeting.
And finally, being courteous to the person with whom you are meetingis important. Courtesy will help you in continuing to build a relationship with the offices of your Congressional representatives. Always follow up meetings with thank you notes to the person with whom you met.
Remember, when lobbying, it is important to be persistent. Set a follow-up meeting if there are issues to resolve.
After your meeting, be sure to fill out the online meeting debriefing form at http://www.amnestyusa.org/debrief. This will help Amnesty International USA better track the positions of Members of Congress.
Thank you for leveraging your efforts by enlisting your elected officials in human rights work. Together we are making important progress to make a better future for human rights.