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In earlier posts I outlined two key strategies for preparing for the 111th Congress, specifically closing the books on the 110th (to the extent possible) and preparing the team. This posting provides a list of a couple “quick and easy” things advocates can do in the next couple months to build and strengthen relationships with new and returning members. They are:

Fill out a Legislative Profile: Information is power, and advocates can enhance their knowledge of elected officials by filling out a Legislator Profile form. By filling out this document, they’ll learn important things about the legislator, including his or her policy priorities and previous position on the policy issues that matter to your organization.

Send an Introductory Letter: Now is a great time to provide advocates with a template “introduction” letter they can use to send to new and returning members. Sure, the letter itself may get lost in the shuffle of an elected official’s office, but it does offer a great opportunity to engage advocates. Once they agree to send the letter, encourage them to follow-up with a phone call or in-district meeting.

Review Online Resources: It’s not always clear how the priorities of a new Administration or Congress will impact the policy issues your members care most about. Help them get up-to-speed with resources like Congress.org (where they can read about new members) or the CNN politics page. These resources will help them become better informed advocates, while making your life easier as well.

Once you’ve helped your advocates with a few activities, it’s time to think about ways to prepare yourself for a tough budget environment, the topic of the next post.