Have an effective meeting and stand out from the crowd by following these steps.
Members of Congress receive thousands of meeting requests from constituents and interest groups every year. Most of these requests are delegated to staff members who manage the subject, while a select few, typically those of particular relevance to the Member's district or legislative priorities, may be granted a meeting with the Member directly. During a typical week when Congress is in session, staffers will attend dozens of meetings covering a wide range of issues, including with veteran service organizations like The American Legion.
To have an effective meeting and ensure that you stand out from the crowd, American Legion Legislative Division Director Julia Mathis shared these 10 steps to follow with members of the Legislative Commission at the 106th National Convention in Tampa, Fla.:
Step 1: Research Your Members of Congress Know their educational and professional background,
committee assignments and key legislation. Understand what matters to their district and identify shared interests. Read their official bio.
Step 2: Be Organized and Assign a Primary Speaker Limit your group to 2-3 people; congressional
offices are smaller than expected. Include constituents when possible. Choose one person to lead. Consider optics, for example: bring a woman veteran when discussing women veterans’ issues
Step 3: Develop Your Meeting Plan Who is telling the pertinent facts and issues? Decide on a clear
request that makes sense for this Member of Congress. Do they need to support an existing bill? Or write new legislation? Have your “ask” ready, and ensure it’s something realistic they can do.
Step 4: Arrive on Time Arrive no more than 15 minutes early. Do not knoc just walk in and let the staffer
at the front desk know who you are and who you are there to see. If your meeting leader has a business card, present it (only one) to the staffer.
Step 5: Remain Flexible Remember that Members of Congress do not control the floor schedule, thus your
meeting time might shift. Be flexible and professional. Sometimes, in order to still meet with you, they may
move your meeting to a new location/time, such as a hallway or committee room.
Step 6: Build Rapport Building a relationship with your Member of Congress is vital to your success.
Ensuring you meet with your Members at least once a quarter, particularly back home, is a great way
to establish a professional relationship.
Step 7: Focus on Two or Three Issues Our legislative agenda covers many topics. Choose 2–3 you’re
passionate about. Don’t overwhelm the meeting. Bonus: Give the agenda or point paper at the end of the meeting so they focus on you, not the paper.
Step 8: Make Your Ask Personal When delivering your “ask,” make it personal by telling your Member
of Congress how it will help veterans in their district.
Step 9: Thank Them for Their Time Make sure you thank them, even if you do not end with an agreed-upon action. Respect goes a long way; remember, you represent The American Legion.
Step 10: Take a picture! Share it on social media and tag your Member of Congress. Don’t forget to submit your contact report to www.legion.org/action.
- Dispatch