Meeting with Your Member of Congress: Meeting Tips

How you conduct yourself during a meeting with your Member of Congress contributes significantly towards the overall impact you make on the Member and his staff. By following a few simple guidelines, you can help ensure an effective, productive meeting with your legislator.

Be sure to contact your member agency prior to your meeting to get the latest legislative information and topics for discussion.

Arrive on time (early, if possible). This is essential. Members of Congress operate on tight schedules, so arriving late could prevent your meeting from occurring

Turn off your cell phone.

Expect to receive only 15 minutes of your legislator’s time. Have a plan in case 15 minutes turns into 5 minutes. When your 15 minute period is up, start to say goodbye. Of course, if the legislator shows interest in meeting longer, you may stay as long as your schedule permits.

Review your talking points beforehand. Begin with the most important message and work your way down the list. This way, if your meeting ends suddenly you are not waiting to make the most crucial point.

Expect interruptions and a quick ending to the meeting.

Do not be offended if your member of Congress is unable to attend your scheduled meeting. The member’s absence may be the result of numerous factors, including a vote on the House or Senate floor (if in Washington, DC). Members of Congress rely on their staff for guidance on legislative issues. If your legislator fails to show for your meeting, present your views to the staff person as you would have to your legislator and ask the staffer to relay your concerns to your legislator. Staff members recommend courses of action to their members and inform them of constituent concerns.

State clearly who you are, who you are representing, and your connection to the Member’s district/state.

Briefly state what you do for a living but do not spend much time on introductions

If others from the life insurance industry are participating in your meeting with the Member, know beforehand what role each of you will play (i.e. who will discuss the key issue(s), who will ask for the Senator’s support, etc).

The strength of your argument rests largely on the quality of your facts and how well you relay them. Know your argument and speak with confidence.

Be clear, direct, and confident.

Do not use industry jargon, acronyms, or technical language.

Know when to stop. Rambling will cause you to lose your audience’s attention.

Succinctly address the legislative issues you wish to discuss and give a reasoned explanation why the legislator should support your position.

To illustrate the importance of the life insurance industry in the Member’s district/state, use local, real-life examples.

Explain the impact changes in the law would have on American families.

Leave briefing materials and issue papers that explain your position in greater detail with the staff. Attach your business card to the issue papers.

Ask the legislator if you can expect his or her support on the legislation or issue. DO NOT be demanding or remind the legislator of political contributions that have been made to his or her campaign, either by you or the industry as a whole.

Offer to serve as a resource for the Member and his staff on this and other related matters in the future.

Thank the legislator and staff for their time.

When you return home, follow up with a thank-you letter reiterating what was discussed at the meeting.