Legislative Advocacy Tips
| Share |
Here are a few tips to remember...
Your Senator and Representative work for you. Their job is to represent the concerns and priorities of their constituents – that is, YOU. The best way for them to do this is to hear directly from you.
Your call will be handled by a staffer and you’re doing the staffer a favor! Aides have way too much information coming across their desk every day, and you’re calling their attention to something really important for millions of people. By sharing your views and priorities with the staffer, you are helping them prioritize. You can also be a resource for HIV/AIDS in general, or you can connect them to excellent resources. You’re giving them an opportunity to represent your community well … and save millions of lives in the process.
Have fun! Be positive and relaxed. The legislative aide answering the phone is a person just like you. And, very likely, the aide is in his/her job because s/he wants to make a difference in the world and do good things for people – just like you! Be friendly, positive and relaxed.
 |
| Take 10 minutes today to voice your HIV/AIDS spending priorities. |
Follow up, follow up, follow up. Persistence is KEY. If they don’t answer, leave a message and call back. Once you’ve spoken to someone, send a follow-up email. Then, 24 hours later, you can call again to check on progress of your “ask.” None of your follow-ups require long emails or long conversations - it’s just about checking in. This is extremely important!
Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”You’re calling as a concerned citizen, not the world’s foremost policy or HIV/AIDS expert. If they have questions you’re not comfortable answering, just say “let me get back to you on that,” and let someone know if you need help answering their questions. HIV Law Project is here to help.
Thank you for contacting your Senator and Representative!
