Small Business Advocacy Toolkit /
Get in touch with your lawmakers
Overview
Policymakers want to hear from their constituents, particularly business owners and job creators. Below are some tips and guidelines for scheduling and having a great meeting with your policymakers.
Email your lawmakers
Make your voice heard as a small business advocate by sending an email to your lawmakers, urging them to support digitally empowered small businesses.
Find your lawmaker’s contact information
Schedule a meeting or tour of your business
Invite a lawmaker to visit your small business. It’s a powerful way to show the real-world impact of digital tools and give context to the issues that matter most to you.
Meeting request sample email
Dear [XX],
My name is [your name] and I am the [your job title] of [name of your business], located in [City/State].
As your constituent and a small business leader, I am writing to request a meeting with [Senator/ Representative XX] in [district office location] on [date] to discuss [policy issue, e.g., online advertising].
Please let me know when [Senator/ Representative XX] or the appropriate staffer might be available to meet with me. I can be reached via email or by phone and am able to provide additional windows of availability, if needed.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your business]
[Your phone number]
Tips for sharing your small business story
Help your lawmaker understand the issues and why they matter to you and your community.
Start by introducing your business
- Who are you?
- What’s your business? Where is it located?
- What does your business mean to you and your community?
- How are you using digital tools to adapt and grow?
Define what’s at stake
- What policy issue are you concerned about?
- How does it affect your ability to run, grow, or protect your business?
Make a clear ask
- What should lawmakers do to address your concerns?
- How can they follow up with you?
Tips for a great lawmaker meeting or event
Get ready for your meeting, keeping in mind a few simple dos and don’ts:
Do
- Know the reason for your meeting and make your objective clear
- Practice sharing your story in your own words
- Keep it short, sweet, and respectful
- Plan to arrive with plenty of time before your meeting
Don’t
- Say anything you wouldn’t want connected to your business
- Speak in jargon, ramble, or use filler words such as “um”
- Lead with partisanship
- Rush or forget to say thank you
Post on social media
Social media is one of the fastest ways to get your message in front of lawmakers. Offices monitor platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to see what constituents are saying and how issues are trending.
If you post, tag you lawmakers by handle and use #AllAboutAdvocacy and other suggested hashtags to help amplify your message.
If you meet with a Member of Congress:
📸 Include a photo if you can
Just met with [@lawmaker] to talk about the policies small businesses need to succeed. Grateful for the time and the chance to share my story. #AllAboutAdvocacy #SummerofSmallBizAdvocacy
Thanks to @ConnectedCouncil for helping me meet with [@lawmaker] and speak up for small businesses and digital innovation. #AllAboutAdvocacy
I’m meeting with [@lawmaker] this week to advocate for policies that help small businesses grow, hire, and compete. #SummerofSmallBizAdvocacy #AllAboutAdvocacy
If you want to post about the value of digital tools to your business and concerns about new laws making them harder to use and more expensive:
Digital tools are an invaluable part of running and growing my small business. [@lawmaker], don’t break what’s working for me and millions of other small businesses! #SummerofSmallBizAdvocacy #AllAboutAdvocacy
Digital tools such as online advertising, marketing, back office software and so much more help me run and grow my business. [@lawmaker] Don’t pass new laws that make digital tools harder and more expensive for small businesses to use. #SummerofSmallBizAdvocacy #AllAboutAdvocacy
Can you take the next step and share information with your community too?
Need more help?
Contact 3C for additional support