Building Relationships with Louisiana Policymakers

Practical Tips for Building Lasting Connections

Effective advocates know that it takes more than just a letter or meeting to get their message across to policymakers. Success comes from building long-lasting relationships with policymakers and their staff.

Here are some tips for building relationships with legislators, other policymakers, and their staff.

  1. Learn about your legislators. Find out about their personal story, legislative activities, voting record, and political background. Do not limit your search to your representative and senator. Learn about other legislators who have supported disability issues in the past. Also learn about legislators in leadership roles, like committee chairs and caucus leaders. Learn about other policymakers like the Governor and the heads of state agencies and departments. For information about the personal and political background of your policymakers, visit Who Are My Legislators?, BESE, and Office of the Governor. Many policymakers have personal websites or social media accounts. Google them to learn more.
  1. Make contact. Communicate with your policymakers by phone, email, regular mail, social media, or by setting up a meeting to introduce yourself. 
  1. Be visible. Attend DD Council and LaCAN events, and other community events where policymakers are. Introduce yourself to them so they get to know you before you need them.
  1. Be a resource. Most policymakers and their staff are not experts on disability issues. But you are! Let policymakers and their staff know you are always available to answer questions or share information about disability issues.
  1. Always say thank you. After a meeting with a policymaker, follow-up with a thank you note. This helps build relationships. Do the same when a policymaker offers to support your issue or sponsor a bill.
  1. Stay in touch. Building and maintaining relationships takes work. So, stay connected with your policymakers during and between legislative sessions. Stay informed about what they are doing by following the news and social media. Congratulate them on their successes.
  1. Hold your policymakers accountable. Check their voting records and follow-up on what they promised to do. It is ok to politely share your disappointment if they did not do what they said they would. But, do not burn bridges! Click here to learn how to get legislators’ voting records.