I have a few questions and think the guys at LW probably can help. I’m not sure LW is the best place to ask this, but I don’t really know any other place.
Many people (politicians, famous, or what-have-you) have a website and have a “contact” page. How can I write a message that will have an impact? I’m assuming that:
They receive a large volume of email and may not respond or even read it;
The mail may not be delivered to them; maybe they have someone else to take care of it for them.
Those are the things that pop out of my head right now, anything else I should double-check?
Now, if those were the preperations, now we have to get the actual cooking done. How can you make an impactful message? Something that will definitely get their attention, something they might just start thinking in the middle of the day. Something that will make them stare at the screen and make them seriously think about it. Most important of all, something that gets them to reply, and a good reply that can make the exchange continue.
I’m willing to put significant effort into this, so don’t be afraid to recommend a book or two, or three.
Leaving sex aside, the traditional things are money and power. Impactful letters begin like this: “I { control a large voting block | can direct cash flow from a network of donors } and would like to discuss X with you”. Oh, and, of course, impactful letters are NOT sent to the “contact page” address.
My first impulse is that it’s worthwhile to focus on actual substance instead of focusing on trying to engage a politician for the sake of influencing a politician.
The second step is making sure that you don’t as appear as clueless as the average person who writes the politician. Actually try to understand the positions of the stakeholder in the debate you want to comment on and what the issue is about from the view of the politician.
Third would be to have a role in the debate. You can act as a member of an NGO. You can be a blogger.
Failing that you could be a person who edited the Wikipedia page of the politician and who tries to understand the policy of the politician better.
The standard way lobbyists use to get a politicians interest is also to give them campaign donations.
I have a few questions and think the guys at LW probably can help. I’m not sure LW is the best place to ask this, but I don’t really know any other place.
Many people (politicians, famous, or what-have-you) have a website and have a “contact” page. How can I write a message that will have an impact? I’m assuming that:
They receive a large volume of email and may not respond or even read it;
The mail may not be delivered to them; maybe they have someone else to take care of it for them.
Those are the things that pop out of my head right now, anything else I should double-check?
Now, if those were the preperations, now we have to get the actual cooking done. How can you make an impactful message? Something that will definitely get their attention, something they might just start thinking in the middle of the day. Something that will make them stare at the screen and make them seriously think about it. Most important of all, something that gets them to reply, and a good reply that can make the exchange continue.
I’m willing to put significant effort into this, so don’t be afraid to recommend a book or two, or three.
In the usual way: offer them something they want.
Leaving sex aside, the traditional things are money and power. Impactful letters begin like this: “I { control a large voting block | can direct cash flow from a network of donors } and would like to discuss X with you”. Oh, and, of course, impactful letters are NOT sent to the “contact page” address.
My first impulse is that it’s worthwhile to focus on actual substance instead of focusing on trying to engage a politician for the sake of influencing a politician.
The second step is making sure that you don’t as appear as clueless as the average person who writes the politician. Actually try to understand the positions of the stakeholder in the debate you want to comment on and what the issue is about from the view of the politician.
Third would be to have a role in the debate. You can act as a member of an NGO. You can be a blogger. Failing that you could be a person who edited the Wikipedia page of the politician and who tries to understand the policy of the politician better.
The standard way lobbyists use to get a politicians interest is also to give them campaign donations.