Generic Communication
Capitol Contact addresses the very nature of organic grassroots communication. Moreover, it innovates a much-needed grassroots advocacy email platform.
Advocacy Leaders, a group, sponsored by the Congressional Management Foundation, cites a Rasmussen report that 81% of people believe Congress doesn’t care about what they have to say. Not surprising given the barricade Congress puts in front of citizens to communicate with lawmakers. To illustrate such barriers, please understand that Congress’s online form system collects emails:
- Form System batches emails under the same topic.
- Congressional staffers email constituents a form letter back explaining legislator positions.
- The process is generic in both directions.
To this end, the Capitol Contact platform assumes that both constituents and lawmakers prefer individual communication and Capitol Contact’s Email Power Package delivers advocacy messages using a unique methodology:
- Advocacy leaders collect hundreds of individualized messages into ONE email.
- Two staffers are selected in each office to protect against too much messaging.
- Advocacy leaders can request more targeted messaging.
- The platform allows lawmakers to reply to constituents.
Advantage to Lawmakers
Capitol Contact format enables lawmakers to identify constituents by district, zip code, city, and state. In addition, the message comes in from an association, the lawmaker message in reply can be specific to the association’s concerns.
For instance, from the association’s side, each supporter message is vetted and placed in the best order for the most impact. Therefore, advocacy leaders have much more control over the process:
- Advocacy leaders determine who writes lawmakers
- Lawmakers receive messages in a specific order for impact
- Individual messages unite into a common message of joined voices
Capitol Contact delivers a Petition Package for when advocacy needs the fastest possible delivery. Thus creating multiple solutions to email advocacy and facilitating positive relationships between lawmakers and constituents.
Capitol Contact grassroots email advocacy transforms relations between Congress and constituents. A critical innovation.