Now that we know calling and writing our elected officials pays off, how do you make effective phone calls and write effective letters?

Let’s get into that today!

Before we do, know that, yes, you can be an activist from home. You don’t have to take to the streets to make change. You can make change from the comfort of your home thanks to our digital age. Of course, if you want to get out, get out! But, let’s all practice small forms of activism every day.

Are phone calls alone going to save the world? No, but they do help and every small action matters. Let this small action drive you to do more and more activism in your communities.

Use a script to stay on topic

My best piece of advice when calling is to use a script. Whether you write on yourself or use the help of apps like 5 Calls, a script can keep you on topic, on track, and also help you get it over with quickly if you have anxiety about it like I do.

Of course, you don’t need a script to write an email. But, if you use a script to make a call, use the script to also send an email. It helps to do both forms of communication!

So, how does 5 Calls work? Download the free app, enter your zip code, and it spits out your 3 reps along with their phone numbers. Pick an issue that means a lot to you (or more than one) and make the call with the provided script. It’s that easy!

You can even use this script as inspiration for emails.

But, alter your script

I’ve gotten reports of some folks on TikTok that their reps can tell when a script is being used en masse and they hang up on their constituents. This is wrong. You deserve to have your voice heard. So, first, report this wrong (and illegal) behavior. Second, alter the script ever so slightly to prevent this. Add your personal touches, emotions, feelings, and other stats if you have them.

Keep it to one topic

When calls are logged, they are logged based on the topic. It’s true that they likely don’t take down every single word you speak. Instead, they log the number of calls about each topic per day to pass along to your reps (that’s right, you don’t actually speak to your reps, but an aide). Yes, they may be able to tally multiple issues per phone call, but to keep it concise and clear, it’s best to stick to one topic per email and per phone call.

If you’re passionate about other things, call again!

Keep it concise

Speaking of, keep it short and sweet. Of course, you can use this opportunity to waste their time. This may be an effective strategy if you know they will not listen to you and will not vote according to their people but instead in their own self-interests.

So, keep it concise. I like to use about 4 sentences:

The issue I’m calling about
How I’m feeling about it
Why the issue is wrong legally, morally, ethically, and for the greater American public
What I want my reps to do (vote a certain way, speak up, pitch their own legislation, etc)

More or less is also okay; this is just my general outline. Honestly, this is the general outline of the 5 Calls app, too. Their scripts are short and to the point, and I honestly don’t use the full script half of the time to keep it even more brief.

The same goes for emails. You don’t need to type a whole dissertation. Keep it to the point!

Leave action items

As I just mentioned, don’t forget action items! Yes, it’s great for you to call and say, “Hey, I don’t like that Trump is going to do deforestation,” and call it a day, for example. Also, say, “Please use your voice to push back” or “Vote on XYZ legislation that will protect our forests,” for example.

Demand that they DO something. And, yes, voting against Trump is great. But we need to keep urging them to use their voices: host town halls, post to social media, pull a Cory Booker, and speak to the people and for the people! You get the idea. They have power; let’s demand that they use it.

Leave your contact info

But how will they prove to you that they are taking these action items seriously? Leave your contact info! It’s best to hear back via email. This is why I like calling in order to get my message across in a timely manner and emailing them in order to get a response back. They almost never call or email me back based on a phone call, so keep that in mind. I almost always get responses to my email, though.

Be kind but demanding

No one wants to be cussed at over the phone, especially an aide who is not actually making the decisions that your reps are making. Of course, if your rep is a horrible person, they deserve to hear that. But you can say they are a horrible person without making the life of the aide a nightmare.

Anyway, being kind doesn’t mean you have to use fluff and sugarcoat things. You can be demanding while also being nice. Use manners, keep your voice calm and neutral, and remember to stick to the main points.

Let them know that you hold the power of your vote

You have the power here. Sure, they’re the ones making and voting on the actual legislation, but you’re the one who can keep them in office or give them the boot in the next election. Let them know that. Let them know that if they work against their people, they won’t get that seat back. And to ensure that they take you seriously, give the name of someone you would rather vote for or tell them how you will be actively campaigning against them, such as going door to door or using social media to advocate for someone else.

You have power, too. Use it and remind them of it regularly.

Call after hours or send an email

Getting a real person on the phone makes me nervous. Practice makes it easier, but I get that some folks don’t want to speak to a real person, even if it is just an aide. So, call after hours! I do find this hard for California senators since we are the most populous state, so keep that in mind if you live here, too. Their voicemails fill up quickly, so it’s often easier to leave a message for CA senators in the early morning when their mailboxes are emptied.

But, truly, practice makes it so much easier, as does having a script.

Don’t like calling at all or can’t call? Stick to emails! The rest of these tips apply to them, too. I also like emails because I can copy and paste it to all 3 of my reps in under 5 minutes.

Inspire others to do the same!

Your one phone call matters, yes, but 100s or 1000s of phone calls make an even bigger difference. So spread the word! Tell your friends about the 5 Calls app. Host a calling party. Attend a mutual aid event and spread the word. You get the idea. Give them these tips and formulate your own tips and other action items.

And don’t forget to make this a habit for yourself. Try to call daily or write daily. If not daily, remember to call whenever a new issue comes up (which is frequently). It’s not that long or hard to set a few minutes aside to do.

Let this fuel you to do more!

As I mentioned in the beginning, our actions matter, but one phone call won’t save the world. If you’re able to, let this fuel you to do more! Maybe that’s signing petitions and sharing online resources. Maybe it’s joining a local mutual aid organization or attending a protest. It could be reading a book or attending a town hall. Do what works best for you!

Here are more tips for activism at home. Leave your activism tips below to inspire the rest of us!

But, how do I find my reps?

You can do it the old-fashioned way by heading to Congress.gov. Plug in your zip code, and it will give you your 3 reps. Here, it usually directs you to their website where you can find emails, phone numbers, and also, sometimes, online comment forms.

Otherwise, the 5 Calls app is fantastic for phone calls. It provides it for you, along with scripts. And using Resistbot is great for writing emails via your text message app. It does all the work of finding and sending the emails, you just need the content!

So, let’s get to action!

Thank you so much for your time and continued advocacy for the planet and its people. We can do this!

As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)

Emma

Tips for Calling and Writing your Elected Officials