There are some tips and tools you can use to be an effective legislative advocate, including:

• Educate yourself: Learn and understand the arguments for and against a cause or issue. Then you can take a position from an informed perspective. The Current Issues and Resources sections can help you become more informed.
• Educate others: Once you are informed, you can truthfully explain your position to others. Share the pros and cons, then explain why you hold the position you do.
• Don't initiate a battle or conflict when the same change can be initiated through a consensus approach.
• Get to know candidates and incumbents. Educate them and treat them fairly.
• Find out who and get to know those charged with executing the laws and provide assistance when possible; prod them when needed.
• Most importantly, don't ever underestimate your power as a well-informed and determined individual. Every vote and every voice does count!

Ready to take the next step and talk to your legislator? Information is key to advocacy, so once you are informed, you're ready to meet with or contact the legislator or other political figure relevant to your cause.

• Determine who to talk to. For instance, do you need to speak to your Virginia legislators or to members of a House of Delegates committee or Senate of Virginia committee?
• When meeting a legislator, begin with a warm, friendly introduction, including that you are a constituent.
• Ask the legislator what he or she thinks about a bill, issue or budget item.
• Know your issue, including the bill number, so that you can reference it if needed
• Describe why the issue is important to you and/or the group that you’re representing.
• The more personal reasons or examples that you can provide the better. Personalizing an issue will increase the legislator’s attention—and perhaps provide a repeatable story for the legislator.
• Be direct and honest: say why the bill/issue/budget item is important to you and to his or her constituents. Legislators are truly interested in the thoughts of the voters, and rely on individuals like you to provide information and opinions.
• If you don't know an answer, offer to find out and get back to him or her. Then follow up.
• If there is not a bill and the legislator agrees, ask if he or she would be willing to sponsor a bill. Offer to help by providing information.
• Be brief and concise. Try to focus on one or two issues.
• Ask if there is a bill for which he or she is trying to get support, and if he or she is familiar with the bill or issue about which you are contacting them.
• Even if your legislator doesn't agree with you, be courteous, and agree to disagree. Use the opportunity to move to another topic.
• Have a one page summary of what you’re advocating and why to leave with the legislator.
• Verbally thank the legislator that you speak with for their time.
• Write a thank you note to the legislator. Remind the legislator of the issue that you’re advocating and why. If he or she does not agree with you, you may want to include more details about why you are advocating this issue and—especially—those constituents/groups that agree with you on the topic.

JLR thanks the Junior League of Atlanta for assembling many of the tips above.

Additionally, the non-partisan group Voices for Virginia Children has a very informative booklet called “Legislative Advocacy Guide,” which includes a good summary about how the General Assembly of Virginia operates.