Plan Your Congressional Visit
How to Make the Most of a Congressional Visit to Your Business
Congressional site visits can be a highly effective advocacy tool. By inviting your members of Congress to visit your company, you provide them with a unique opportunity to witness firsthand the impact of government actions on your industry.
What’s more, these visits can help establish a vital relationship with the member and their staff, which is paramount to successful advocacy. While members of Congress may be familiar with certain 3PL issues, it is important for you, as their constituent, to communicate the specific challenges and opportunities that government mandates and regulations have on your day-to-day operations.
Members of Congress want to hear your perspective, and a site visit allows them to see where the “rubber meets the road,” gaining a better understanding of how 3PLs operate. By setting up an informal site visit meeting, you can help explain the impact of government policies on your business.
Steps for Organizing a Congressional Visit
Coordinate with the TIA Government Affairs Team: We are here to help you! The TIA team will handle the initial outreach on your behalf. Even if you do not currently have a working relationship with your representative/senator’s office, we do! Our team can help facilitate the visit logistics, ensuring a smooth process.
Once your visit is on the calendar, our government affairs team will continue to help you prepare by providing the correct protocols, the latest industry statistics, key TIA policy issues before Congress, and other pertinent information. All you have to do is sit back and let them do the talking.
Prepare Your Staff: Inform your staff about the upcoming visit so everyone can help “spruce” up your office/site, as well as dress appropriately the day of the visit. Consider displaying a “Welcome Congressman X” banner or a sign in an area with high visibility. If you work with a local shipper, invite them to join or mention your relationship, as highlighting your broader footprint can be impactful.
Contact Your Local Business Reporter: Once you receive approval from the delegation’s Communications director, reach out to your local business and/or community reporters. Inform them that you will be hosting your member of Congress and provide background information on your company – such as size and scope of work, how many people you employ, your economic impact on the community, etc. This helps set the scene for the importance of your business.
If you need help identifying who is the right media contact or how to create a media advisory, the TIA Communications team is available to guide you!
Take Lots of Pictures: Politicians love a good picture! Take photos of your leadership team with your visitor, as well as your staff. Group shots always make good shots. After the visit, post the best photos on your social media channels and be sure to tag your visitor’s social media.
The End is Not Really the End: After the visit, continue to build the relationship by sending follow up thank-you notes and sharing pictures and any press coverage. Additionally, ask your staff and the visiting members for their feedback to improve future visits. Furthermore, inform TIA about the visit, providing a recap and some photos for TIA to share on our social media channels as well.
Protocols to Remember
DON’T give any gifts: Because of lobbying and ethics rules on Capitol Hill, do not present the member or his/her staff with any gifts. Instead, provide an informational packet highlighting your company and the services you provide.
DON’T let the site visit run longer than the amount of time that has been allotted: Be respectful of the member’s tight schedule and other commitments.
Enjoy the experience: A site visit is a unique opportunity to showcase your business and help your member of Congress be your voice in government
