Sample Letters You Can Send To Congress and the Media

Use these Samples to Prepare Your Own Letters!

My last post offers tips and strategies to help you impact the political process in your favor. Now that you have an overview of the process, here are some sample email letters you can use to reach out to the media and your representatives in Congress.

          

Remember that these letters are meant to be samples and they have already been used effectively by IBN member Lisa Rodgers of Cactus & Ivy to set up a conference call meeting with a South Carolina Senator's staffer, and also by IBN member Starlene Moore of Supplies by Star so set up a conference call meeting with a Texas Congress woman. It's always a good idea to include a sentence or two that personalizes them so that they don't appear cookie-cutter to the person receiving them. While these samples are designed to address issues associated with the FDA Globalization Act of 2008, they can be used for most any political outreach you may be involved in at the federal, state or local level.

Sample Initial Email to Congressional Representative

This letter can often be easily and quickly sent through email forms that most political representatives have at their websites. Choose representatives whose websites indicate a small business-friendly commitment.

Dear Representative [or Senator] Name:

I own a small cosmetics business in [state] and I am writing to you because I am familiar with your commitment to small businesses in our state. The draft discussion of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 is now being marked up in the House Energy & Commerce Committee and I am strongly opposed to it.

The stated purposes of the draft law are to provide FDA with funding and to protect consumers. But cosmetics have a stellar safety record and there is no need to pass laws that would hurt small businesses while offering no safety benefits consumers.

If passed, the new law would impose fees on my business of from $2,000 to $12,000 per year and require me to comply with burdensome paperwork and manufacturing requirements that no small business can afford.

I write to ask you to vote against the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 when the time comes. At a time when small and family businesses like mine are dealing with increased shipping and materials costs, as well as increases in consumer prices, it is unfair and unnecessary to enact new laws that would put small businesses out of business. Please refer to a Petition that a trade group I belong to [am familiar with] has prepared to help spread the word. At the link, you can watch a short video, read the Petition and then read the comments of literally thousands of people across the nation, many in our state, who oppose this new law.

I would like to request a short telephone conference call meeting with a staffer in your office who handles important issues affecting small businesses. Please call or email to let me know who to contact about this urgent issue.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[signed]

Sample Initial Email to Media Representative

Dear Mr./Mrs. Media Person:

I have been a longtime fan of your [show/column/segment] in [name media outlet]. Thank you for using your platform to inform the community about issues affecting families and small businesses.

I own a small cosmetics business in town and I am writing to you because I think your audience [readers/listeners] should know about the draft of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008, which is now being marked up in the House Energy & Commerce Committee. This new law, if passed, would put me and hundreds of other small cosmetics businesses in this state out of business.

The stated purposes of the draft law are to provide FDA with funding and to protect consumers. But cosmetics have a stellar safety record and there is no need to pass laws that would hurt small businesses while offering no safety benefits consumers.

If passed, the new law would impose fees on my business of from $2,000 to $12,000 per year. What small business can afford that??! It would also require me to comply with burdensome paperwork and manufacturing requirements that no small business can afford.

At a time when consumers and small and family businesses in our state are dealing with skyrocketing gas prices and the ever-increasing cost of everything from eggs and bread to back to school supplies, it is unfair and unnecessary to enact new laws that would put small businesses out of business.

I would like to provide you with more information about how this new law, if enacted, would hurt so many small businesses like mine in our community. Please refer to a Petition that a trade group I belong to [am familiar with] has prepared to help spread the word. At the link, you can watch a short video, read the Petition and then read the comments of literally thousands of people across the nation, many in our state, who oppose this new law.

I will contact you to follow up in a few days. In the meantime, if you feel that this information would be of interest to your viewers, please do not hesitate to contact me at phone/email.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[signed]

What about you?

Have you reached out to the media or your Congressional representatives about the FDA Globalization Act of 2008, or anything else for that matter? Do you have some tips and experiences to share? Please post them in the comment section below so others can follow your example. It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

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Comments

[Star Moore]

I just want all of you to know how easy it is to get that telephone conference set up with Donna Maria, you and a staffer at your congressman's office. Just send the letter that Donna Maria, has posted above or give your district office a call. I was lucky enough that my Congresswoman's district office is in the same building where I work, so I just went up and ask who I could talk to. They are there to help us. So I encourage each and everyone of you to please contact your representaive and get a telephone conference set up with you and Donna Maria. I just cannot tell you how very impressed I am with Donna Maria and all of the help she is giving us.

Remember this is your business we are talking about here.

[Lisa M. Rodgers]

dM,

I found your sample letter to be very helpful in approaching politicians in my state. In most cases, a simple email is all that is needed to get their attention.

In addition to the letter, I mentioned how I got started in my business and put a more human touch as to how devastating this draft discussion would be to my business, if passed. Not only would it be a financial stranglehold on my business but it would harm the livelihood of my family as well.

I encourage everyone to contact their state legislators. There is definitely power in numbers and "Indies" ROCK! Once you've got their attention, ask to set up a meeting or conference call and more importantly, have Donna Maria in on the meeting. Don't worry if you aren't well versed on the proposed act, Donna Maria will take care of that!

Thanks again Donna Maria for all you've done and continue to do. You are an empowering presence!

Lisa M. Rodgers
Cactus & Ivy, LLC

[Colleen Johnston]

Thank you for posting these samples. I have been following this topic, even put the buttons on my two blogs. I did not feel confident drafting a letter myself & am glad to now have examples to help me. Thanks again for all your hard work on behalf of Indie Business Owners!

[Melissa]

Thank you for the sample letters. I too, did not feel confident drafting my own letters. It was not hard to find the right people to reach out to. I found mine by googling RI congressman. I have sent letters to my Congressman, Patrick Kennedy of RI and the Projo's(local newspaper) business editor.

Donna Maria thanks for all your hard work and support, you are amazing! I hope a meeting can be set up for Rhode Island in the near future.

[Candance Sweeney]

I am not a stranger to writing to congress and urging them with a message close to my heart. I have emailed them many times regarding funding for childhood cancer research. They finally passed it, and President Bush signed it!!

I went to CureSearch to use their engine to find my representatives again and see which ones focus on small business. I emailed my senator using Donna Maria's sample letter and included a personal note thanking my senator for his support in the conquer childhood cancer act and also explaining to him the main reason I started this business was to work on bringing some income into my family while being able to take care of my son, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2004. It is ironic that this is the month he was diagnosed 4 years ago. I explained to the senator what the FDA Globalization Act would do to my family if enforced as is. I am waiting for a reply.

Writing to your representatives is easy peasy. I urge you to take 5 minutes to do it, and take just a few more minutes to make it personal and share your story of impact.

Moving Forward!

[ElleX]

I am not a member of your network but I, too, don't agree with the Act. I took time today to send an email to my NC Congressman to ask him to vote against this. Thank you, Donna Marie for your diligence in this matter.

BTW, I found Indie Business Blog byway of YouTube.

[Ando]

Cheers for this guide on putting together a powerful and meaningful letter to congress. I've written a few in my time and am happy to see you posting this type of stuff. Cheers to you and best of luck!