Tips on Effective Advocacy
No one can do everything everywhere, but everyone should do something somewhere!The commitment required to be an effective advocate can be as short as a 1 minute phone call or as long as organizing a coalition visit to an elected official. Below are some tips on each of the most likely methods, organized from most effective to least effective.
After a visit, writing letters and making telephone calls are by far the most effective means of advocacy. Postcards, petitions, and emails (provided they include your name and address) have some impact, but considerably less. Online petitions can be good for raising awareness, but may be inaccurate and are typically not effective advocacy. Petitions forwarded by email are almost always outdated and/or wrong and should be avoided.
Please remember to identify yourself as a Unitarian Universalist when communicating with Members of Congress and their staff. You'd better believe that they're hearing from conservative religious activists all the time. They need to hear from us a whole lot more!
Most Effective: Visiting Members of Congress
A face-to-face visit with an elected official, or their staff, is the most influential form of advocacy. This direct lobbying can be time-consuming, but it can also be fun, interesting, and rewarding. Elected officials, particularly on the federal level, have very demanding schedules. Don't be disappointed if you have to meet with a staffperson—chances are good that they know more about the issue than the member anyway! Group visits are particularly effective, especially when different organizations or constituencies (such as religion, labor, and business) are represented. If you're determined to meet with your Member in person, a group visit increases your chances. For more information on how to prepare and conduct a visit, consult Tips on Visiting Members of Congress resource.
Letters
Writing letters in your own words is an efficient and effective way to influence Members of Congress. Since congressional offices receive only a handful of letters on most issues, each carries real power. Identifying yourself as a person of faith make your letter be even more compelling! Please keep in mind that due to irradiation, many letters do not reach Congressional offices for 3-5 weeks. If you're writing about an urgent issue, fax your letter.
Think about your letter as having three paragraphs, or parts. The opening part should clearly state your position and why you hold it. Urge the Member of Congress to take specific action (e.g. vote for/against a particular bill or amendment; co-sponsor a bill; etc.). The second part should give more information on the bill/action in question and evidence supporting your position. The third part should be a brief summary and provide final encouragement. When possible, try to thank your Member for some action they've taken in the past.
Letter-Writing Tips
- One-page letters are ideal. Say what you need to say, but be as brief as possible.
- Keep your letter to one issue. A letter with a laundry list of issues has less impact than a letter on one topic.
- Make it legible and neat. Legible handwritten letters and well-typed letters are both effective.
- When possible, include a specific bill number.
- Do not write nasty or insulting letters. It is not an effective means of persuasion.
The Honorable ____
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The
Honorable ____
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC
20515
Telephone Calls
Although not as effective as letters, telephone calls are very important—especially when the respective legislation is being debated or voted upon. A constituent will rarely get through to a member of Congress on the telephone, but talking to or leaving a message for the relevant staff person definitely has an impact. Remember to identify yourself as a Unitarian Universalist.
The U.S. House of Representatives Switchboard is (202) 225-3121; the Senate is (202) 224-3121. Be prepared to ask for your Member's office by name When you've reached the office, you can either (1) name the issue you're interested in and ask to speak to the staffperson who works on the issue; or (2) make your statement to the person who has answered the phone. The former is probably more effective; the latter more efficient.
Petitions
Petitions, though relatively easy to circulate, are not a highly effective means of persuasion unless they will be delivered in person to an elected official. It is precisely because they are easy to gather that they are not as compelling as, say, a few personal letters. A petition is better than nothing, but taking the extra time and effort to write a letter is considerably better.
Postcards
Postcards have some influence, but they are not nearly as effective as letters. A postcard that you write yourself is much more effective than a preprinted postcard. However, if your choice is between writing a postcard and doing nothing—write the postcard.
Emails
Although few if any emails actually reach the Members themselves, most are seen or addressed by the staff in some way. How emails are handled varies widely from office to office—some will make sure you get a personal reply, some will send an automatic reply and nothing else.
Keep in mind that sending a letter through the mail is much more effective than an email. If you are going to email—which is certainly better than nothing—be sure to include your home mailing address in your message! Not only are you more likely to get a response, but your viewpoint will carry more weight.
Least Effective: Internet Petitions
Online petitions can be good for raising awareness about a subject, but may be inaccurate and are typically not effective advocacy. Perhaps their best use is for building a database of people interested in your cause.
If you're going to sign an internet petition, do so only through a website—not by email. Email petitions are often wrong, outdated, or both. Also, there is nothing to prevent the petition from being changed after (or before) you've signed it. Most importantly, these petitions are essentially meaningless to elected officials because they never include the street addresses of signers.
Petitions hosted on a website do not change, and they are more secure, but they can still be inaccurate or outdated. Personal letters or telephone calls are infinitely more effective.
For more information contact uuawo @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
