Be An Advocate

Tips For Telephoning

• Telephone the district or capital office and request to speak to the legislator or his or her aide with responsibility for early literacy and education issues.
   
• Explain that you are from the legislator’s district or state.
   
• Identify the issue, including the specific bill number or title if available.
   
• State your support or concern for the issue.
   
• Ask how the legislator expects to vote.
   
• Ask when action is expected.
   
• Ask the legislator to vote in favor of your position.
   
• Be polite and firm.
   
• If you are a constituent, let the legislator know, but do not threaten with the power of your vote.

Using a Telephone Tree

A telephone tree can be an effective and efficient mechanism for mobilizing many people on a particular issue. When the point person for legislative action identifies a need to activate the telephone tree, the tree provides a system for passing the appropriate information to many people in a very short period of time.

To establish a telephone tree:

• Plan the calling sequence and list the names and day and evening telephone numbers of all involved parties.
   
• Print a copy of the “tree” for all participants.
   
• Try to assign no more than five calls to one caller.
   
• Secure alternate callers in the event that a caller is not available.
   
• Ask callers to report back the results of their calls.

Remember that the telephone tree call be used to activate any communication strategy: letters, faxes, e-mails, telephone calls, etc.

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