Policy & Politics

Direct lobbying is making personal contact with your elected official. This can be done through e-mail and phone calls.

Lobbying through E-mail

• Identify yourself as a member of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and their constituent. Elected officials are accountable to members in their district first and foremost, which is why it is important to let them know you are in their district. Putting emphasis on your Chamber membership immediately gives you credibility as part of the best lobbying organization in the state.
• Keep it simple. It is important to stick to one issue per message/conversation for ease of communication. Keep it short, direct to the point and respectful. If you have a personal connection to the legislation, be sure to include it. For example, if approval of this legislation means you can create 75 new jobs in your community, be sure to include this information in your communication. It makes your message more powerful. 
• Ask for a commitment in the form of a reply. Don’t be afraid to close the letter with “I look forward to hearing your response.” This shows your level of interest and commitment to the issue.
• Include relevant contact information. To ensure ease of follow up, be sure to include all of your contact information including: your name, company name, address, phone number and email address. 
• Use the Chamber’s Legislative Action Center. The Legislative Action Center helps you identify your lawmaker and includes our most recent Action Alert, including a draft letter you can use as a template with which to contact your lawmakers.
• Share with the Chamber. Please share any correspondence you receive from a lawmaker with the Chamber. You may send them to Grassroots Action Coordinator Jennifer Hoff at jhoff@michamber.com. Any response you receive could be valuable information for our lobbying team at the Chamber.

Lobbying through Phone Calls

• Visit the Chamber’s Legislative Action Center to gather contact information on your lawmaker.
• Placing the call. Ask to speak with the legislative director. Offer relevant information including:
   
  • Your name
  • Company name
  • Address
  • Phone number
  • E-mail
  • Indicate you’re a member of the Michigan Chamber
  • Identify the bill number and state your position
  • Here is an example of what to say: “Hi, this is Fred Smith and I’d like to speak with the legislative director about House Bill 1234.” If you get voicemail, leave them a message. A sample message: “Hello, this is Fred Smith, CEO of Smith Company from Nice Town, MI. As a member of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, I am asking the Representative/Senator to vote yes on H.B/S.B. X. This legislation will help our state and my local community by allowing companies like mine to hire more people. I would like a response on how the Representative/Senator plans to vote. Again, my name is Fred Smith, CEO of Smith Company in Nice Town. My address is 123 Main Street, Nice Town, 54321. You may also reach me by phone at 555.555.5555 or email me at fs@smithcompany.com. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

• Share with the Chamber. Let us know how your elected official responded to the call. Call or e-mail Grassroots Action Coordinator Jennifer Hoff at 517/371-7640 or jhoff@michamber.com.