In-Person Guide

Tips for a Successful In-Person Visit With an Elected Official 

An in-person visit with an elected official is the most direct form of advocacy. Mosaic is here to help you plan and ensure you have a successful visit. Your visit may not last more than five to 10 minutes, so have your advocacy message and ask ready. Refer to the S.P.I.T. technique for some reminders about telling your story.

Introduce yourself and Mosaic.

Here is a sample introduction:
Thank you, [Name], for meeting with us today. Mosaic is a nonprofit, whole-person healthcare organization reaching across 13 states in more than 700 communities and providing supports to nearly 4,900 people. We help empower people with disabilities, mental and behavioral health needs and autism, as well as aging adults, to live their best life. We primarily provide Home- and CommunityBased Services. In [State], we support [Number] people with [Number: employees+contractors] members of our workforce.

Tell them about your work in the community.
Share a story about how you positively impact your community through your advocacy or volunteering.

Present the ask.
The ask describes the action you want your elected official to take. Ask for only one or two things and make it specific. For example, “Please vote for HR 1234. It will have a positive impact in your district, because it promotes inclusion for people with disabilities.”

Share a Mosaic mission story that relates to the ask.
Share a short one- to two-minute impact story regarding a person in service, Mosaic at Home provider or direct support professional that relates to the ask of the legislator.

Answer any questions raised.
It is perfectly fine if you do not know the answer; simply tell them you will get it, and be sure to get back to them in an expedient manner.

Thank them for meeting.
Thank them for their time and the opportunity to meet. Leave your contact information and offer to be a resource on future issues impacting people with disabilities.

Post meeting follow up.
Within five to seven days of meeting with an elected official, send an email to them, and thank them for meeting with you. If you need to send a follow-up to them, this is a great opportunity to do so.

It is always good to leave the meeting asking to meet with them again. If you do that, then follow up with them on a future meeting. It could be Direct Support Professional for a Day, visit at the Capitol, touring services we provide, etc.

Determine who the right contact person is, and if they do not follow up within a week, then follow up again. It is best to research and understand when members of Congress or your state legislators are out of session. This will give you a timeline to work towards when scheduling visits.

Here are some additional suggestions for success:

1. Treat the elected officials and their staff with respect. Even if you strongly disagree with elected officials’ positions, it is extremely important to always be respectful of their work and time.
2. Be flexible. Always be ready to pivot, if the schedule changes at the last minute.
3. Dress for success. Professional or business casual is best when talking with elected officials or their staff.
4. Take photos. Document your visit and share your experience with others. While you don’t need written permission to take pictures of officials and their staff, you should ask their permission before doing so.
5. Ask for help. If you’re unsure how to start advocating, communicating or sharing policy issues with internal and external partners, feel free to reach out to Mosaic’s Vice President of Government Relations, Cheryl Wicks. Her email is [email protected], and her cell phone is 970.640.9408.