One of the best ways to make change happen is to reach the hearts of politicians to inspire them to bring changes into parliament.

There are a few ways to get their attention. Writing a letter is one of them.

Politicians get hundreds of letters every day. I imagine most have staff sorting through the bulk of their unsolicited mail. Here are some tips to make yours stand out so you can make it past the slush pile and reach their intellect and emotion, and — hopefully — inspire them to make a change.

1. Greeting

• I loathe formalities, but I’d use one here. Address the politician by their title to avoid sounding too casual (aka disrespectful) out of the gate. They get a lot of angry letters. It’s easy to put one down. You don’t want to lose your audience before they even get to the ask.

3. Get in Quick

• Introduce Yourself: Who are you? Where do you live? What do you do? Don’t give your whole life story — keep it to one brief sentence if possible — but show them how you’re connected to their constituency, whether you live there, work there, or both.
• State Your Purpose: Why are you writing? One sentence again, like “I’m writing to urge you to vote against the proposed LNG project.”

4. Body of the Letter

• Explain the Problem: Tell them what you’re worried about.
• GIve Some Facts: Show them why you’re worried. Be specific about how the issue impacts you or your community.
• Deepen the Ask: Tell them what you want from them, in slightly different words, like, “Please speak up in congress against this harmful project.”

5. Personal Connection

• Share Your Story: If you have one, include a personal anecdote. You can reach someone’s heart more easily if you share something meaningful from yours. They can also use your anecdote on the legislature floor to make a compelling case for their colleagues to vote the same way.
• Share A Success Story: Give an example of when what you’re asking for has happened somewhere else — and show how well it worked.

6. Get Out Quickly

• Summarize Your Ask: One sentence again: reiterate your call to action.
• Offer More Information: Let them know you’re available to discuss the issue in person, or provide more information if needed.

Tips for Maximum Impact:

• Use as Few Words as Possible: Politicians get a lot of letters — a page with less words will be more appealing for them to dive into.
• Be Respectful: Use a warm, respectful tone, even if you’re expressing frustration.
• Bonus Points: If you can, compliment them on something they’ve done since taking office. Politicians get a lot of complaints — stand out (and make their day) by calling them out on something they’ve done well.
• Follow Up: If you don’t hear back, follow up with a phone call or email to reinforce your message.
• Copy your local newspaper: Maybe they’ll print it for more people to see. An open letter might also make a politician sit up and take note.

Even if your message feels like it’s falling on deaf ears, it isn’t. Every time we speak, write, or post about making the world a better place, we’re taking a sustainable step we can feel good about.