After the Meeting

What you do after the meeting can be just as important as the meeting itself. Follow-up via a thank you letter and persistence will be necessary to achieve your goals.

Evaluate the Meeting

Immediately following, discuss what happened at the meeting. Were your goals accomplished? Why/why not? What commitments did the member make, if any? What follow-up is required? Did you promise to provide additional information? What points were best communicated during the meeting? Which were weakest? A written summary prepared by the note taker and distributed to meeting participants will be a helpful tool for follow-up, and ongoing advocacy efforts.

Send a Thank You Letter

Be gracious and polite, even if your meeting doesn't go well. Include in your letter any information you promised to provide the member. Restate your concerns and what you want. Suggest how the member can help you, even if he/she does not entirely support your position. Remind him/her about the consequences of his/her position; who will be helped or hurt by his/her vote.

Let Your National Networks Know What Happened

Please send a written summary of your meeting immediately to CADCA’s Public Policy team by fax  703-706-0565 or email. Be sure to point out the member's bottom-line position, if any. Was a commitment made? Does he/she want/need additional information? Did you have any particular problems communicating your message? What concerns did the member raise during the meeting?