--- title: "11 Tips for Hosting Local Events and Site Visits for Members of Congress" id: "10624" type: "post" slug: "11-tips-for-hosting-local-events-and-site-visits-for-members-of-congress" published_at: "2017-09-05T00:00:00+00:00" modified_at: "2017-09-05T00:00:00+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/09/05/11-tips-for-hosting-local-events-and-site-visits-for-members-of-congress/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2017/09/05/11-tips-for-hosting-local-events-and-site-visits-for-members-of-congress.md" excerpt: "Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local”—which is why members of Congress and their staff often attend local events and site visits. In fact, Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) research (opens in a new tab)..." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Advocacy" - "ASAEcenter" - "constituent engagement" - "Facilities Management" - "Live Events" - "Lobby" - "Meeting Planning" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » 11 Tips for Hosting Local Events and Site Visits for Members of Congress Former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local”—which is why members of Congress and their staff often attend local events and site visits. In fact, Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) [research (opens in a new tab)](http://www.congressfoundation.org/storage/documents/CMF_Pubs/cmf-social-congress-2011.pdf) [PDF] finds that 98 percent of congressional staff say that attending local events is important for understanding constituents’ views and opinions. What does this mean for associations? “Site visits and in-district events are important for two reasons: They educate lawmakers and help build relationships,” says Nick DeSarno, manager of the digital and communication practice at the Public Affairs Council. “Site visits, in particular, provide immersive experiences that let legislators learn more about your association. And when events and site visits go well, bonds of trust are formed that can carry over into the policy-making process.” With that in mind, here are 11 tips for your association’s next local event or site visit: **1. Follow the invitation rules.** Each member of Congress prefers to receive invitations to local events and site visits [differently (opens in a new tab)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8PM87DIJaI&t=0m21s) . Some want them sent to their scheduler in Washington, DC, while others prefer that you contact their local office. Before sending your association’s invitation, find out the correct process to guarantee that it gets into the right hands. **2. The sender matters.** Who sends your association’s invitation can be as important as the invitation itself. When reaching out to elected officials, ask yourself: Who from your association can make the most influential request? It could be your association’s CEO, but it also might be a local member with a strong personal relationship. > Site visits and in-district events are important for two reasons: They educate lawmakers and help build relationships.—Nick DeSarno, Public Affairs Council **3. Make it hard to say no.** Make sure you tie your invitation to the legislative calendar or local interests. For example, if Congress is debating tax issues, highlight how the site-visit location benefits from certain tax policies. Likewise, if your association employs hundreds of constituents, accentuate that point in your invitation. **4. Timing is everything.** Along with using the [congressional calendar (opens in a new tab)](http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/2017_the_hill_congressional_calendar.pdf) [PDF] to ensure lawmakers will be available, you should work with an individual member’s staff on timing. This includes finding the best time of day and length for the event. CMF research finds that site visits should be between 30 minutes and two hours. **5. Make a plan and stick to it.** When planning the event or site visit, you need to select the right venue, develop a compelling agenda, identify hosts, and create talking points. During the event, limit the number of participants who share information with the lawmaker, and ensure that everyone uses their talking points, so your association’s message is delivered effectively. **6. Set up interactions with the lawmaker’s constituents—your members.** For elected officials, a critical part of any event or site visit is constituent interaction. Whether through informal discussions or town hall-style Q&A sessions, your association should provide a forum where the member of Congress can meet those they serve. **7. Show and tell.** Telling lawmakers how policies affect your association is important, but [showing them (opens in a new tab)](http://hospiceactionnetwork.org/a-look-inside-a-successful-site-visit-from-your-member-of-congress/) is more powerful. Include visual and hands-on experiences to accompany key advocacy messages. For example, if a manufacturing association wants to talk about the impact of international trade, they should do it on the shop floor. **8. Be camera ready.** Members of Congress love to [wear hard hats (opens in a new tab)](https://www.buzzfeed.com/bennyjohnson/congress-has-an-compulsive-obsession-with-taking-photos-in-h) . They also love to share event photos with constituents and the press. Have a professional photographer at your events, and share the best pictures through social media, in association publications, and with local news outlets. **9. Communicate before and after.** Tell your event stories beforehand by alerting the media and your members. Afterwards, place op-eds in local newspapers, share highlights via social media, and distribute event summaries to your members. **10. There are multiple VIPs.** While local events and site visits are great for building relationships with elected officials, they are just as important for strengthening bonds with congressional staff. Make sure they are also treated like VIPs, because they are vital to ensuring that their boss understands your association’s work and issues. **11. The end is not really the end.** After the event, continue building those relationships by sending thank-you notes and sharing pictures and press clippings. Additionally, ask your staff and members for their feedback to help make your next event even better. “Nothing advances advocacy like an event or site visit on a lawmaker’s home turf,” says Dr. Cheryl Phillips, CEO of the [SNP Alliance (opens in a new tab)](http://www.nhpg.org/about-us/snp-alliance.aspx) . “It gives the elected official and staff a firsthand understanding of the work and value of your association. Making that personal connection is worth 100 Capitol Hill meetings!” [Tommy Goodwin, CAE](https://associationsnow.com/author/tommy-goodwin-cae/) [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/tommy-goodwin-cae/) Tags: [#Advocacy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/advocacy/) [#constituent engagement](https://associationsnow.com/tag/constituent-engagement/) [#Facilities Management](https://associationsnow.com/tag/facilities-management/) [#Live Events](https://associationsnow.com/tag/live-events/) [#Lobby](https://associationsnow.com/tag/lobby/) [#Meeting Planning](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meeting-planning/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [TemplateMembers onlyGovernment Affairs MetricsJanuary 8, 2020](https://associationsnow.com/2020/01/08/government-affairs-metrics/) - [TemplateMembers onlyLobby Day Fly-In Meeting ReportSeptember 24, 2019](https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/24/lobby-day-fly-in-meeting-report/) - [TemplateMembers onlyTESOL Lobby Day Fly-In Conference AgendaSeptember 23, 2019](https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/23/tesol-lobby-day-fly-in-conference-agenda/) - [TemplateMembers onlyIAPD Lobby Day Fly-In Event Marketing Email BSeptember 23, 2019](https://associationsnow.com/2019/09/23/iapd-lobby-day-fly-in-event-marketing-email-b/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2017%2F09%2F05%2F11-tips-for-hosting-local-events-and-site-visits-for-members-of-congress%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !