Tips for Legislator Meetings

Always offer a business card upon introduction.

Legislative staff
The legislator’s staff is as important for your issue as is the legislator. The staff should be treated courteously and graciously when setting up appointments or stopping by a legislator’s office. The keeper of the schedule may or may not schedule you on the agenda. Remember the golden rule.

Time constraints
Be prompt and patient. A legislator has approximately 500 other people trying to get their message to him or her - keep it short and simple. Be able to state your views in 10 minutes. Be patient with interruptions.

Ask for advice
During the discussion on an issue, it is easy to ask the legislator what he or she thinks. Everyone wants to give you advice.

Be prepared with your subject matter
If you want to meet to discuss a specific issue, it is important to become familiar with key aspects of the issue before meeting. The meeting should be an exchange of ideas, not a lecture. You should be prepared to answer all questions forthrightly even if they are in opposition to your issue. Provide information and answers, but do not argue.

Provide honest, straightforward and complete information
The staff will be getting information from the other side as well. It makes your position look bad if you leave out something important.

Never misstate the facts
If you do not know the answer to a question, be honest and say you do not know. Tell the legislator that you will find out and get back to him or her with the information; then, be sure to follow through. Your reputation for integrity is easily lost and never forgotten.

Never challenge or say that you are a voter
This is rude and gives a competitive flavor to any further conversation with the legislator. Whenever possible, demonstrate the connection between your position or what your are requesting and the interests of the legislator’s constituency.

Be polite and courteous
If the legislator does not agree with your position, thank him/her for their time and their service to the people of the state of Texas. There will be other issues tomorrow.

Say thank you
After the meeting, follow up with a letter of thanks that includes a reiteration of the key points that were discussed. You may also write a note of thanks to the staff people who helped arrange or participated in the meeting. Also send any data or information that you may have promised to provide.