• Be prepared. If you are lobbying in person schedule an appointment to meet with your Representative/ Senator (or in some cases, his/her aide(s)). Be sure to have clear information for the issue on which you are going to be speaking. Although not necessary, it is helpful to call or send a letter beforehand, and reference that in your visit.
  
• Be on time! Representatives and Senators are often busy in session, caucuses and committee meetings. Being late will minimize the amount of time you have to speak to your legislator.
  
• If your Senator or Representative cannot meet with you, ask to meet with his/her aide(s). Aides do much of the background work for Representatives and Senators, and have the responsibility to brief their boss on your meeting.
  
• Introduce yourself. Say where you are from and that you are a constituent and a voter. Mention your affiliation with the issue, how it affects you directly, affects your community and the state - anything that will help the Senator/ Representative understand your interest, expertise and stake in the matter.
  
• Be brief. You may end up with lots of time to talk, but chances are you will not. Be sure to cover your priority concerns at the beginning. If you are meeting as part of a group, be conscious that everyone will want to talk. Use the talking points or fact sheets for guidance, as well as any other relevant information you know of, to help you get your main points across in a concise manner.
  
• Be Clear. Explain what you want your Representative /Senator to do, and why. "I want you to talk with Speaker DiMasi in support of these 3 things (and list specific requests)” Be specific and direct. Be sure to listen for the Representative's or Senator’s answer.
  
• Use specific examples, when possible, but keep them clear and concise. Case examples are good ways to make policy issues real, but long and very detailed descriptions can confuse or bore the listener, or move you away from your main point.
  
• Be honest. If you do not know the answer to a question, say you do not know and offer to get back to the Representative /Senator with the information as soon as you are able. Then remember this follow-up task. Do not share information you are not clear about. If you do know the answer to a question, do not hesitate to answer as clearly, concisely and confidently as you are able.
  
• If the Representative or Senator disagrees with you, remain calm. Try to find out why s/he disagrees. Do not attack him/her. Ask questions to find the root of the disagreement to understand it. Keep the lines of communication open. Do not let emotions or negative statements to close off communication. Your Senator or Representative may not be supportive today, but things may change tomorrow.
  
• Follow up. Ask if you can get back to them in a week or so. If they cannot commit their support now, check back in a week to see if they have made up their mind. If you meet with an aide, check back to see what the Senator/ Representative thinks about the bill and what s/he will do. If they have promised to do something, check back to see if they have done so.
  
• Remember: If the Senator/ Representative says something you do not understand, ask for clarification. You may use this time to ask the Senator/ Representative questions. Thank your legislator for his/her time. Send a thank you note.

For more information or to get involved, call the Coalition at (781) 595-7570.