The beginning part of each year means one thing for many on Capitol Hill – fly-ins. From the largest corporations to the smallest non-profits, civic groups and grassroots advocates flood the steps of Congress. Though they come from all points of the country – and both sides of the aisle – they all want one thing: the yes. Or, in other words, congressional support for their agenda or cause.

And, with new faces in Congress, and a new party in control of the U.S. Senate, there is even more heightened activity in Washington. It seems like everyone is eager to get engaged.

With so many groups visiting the Hill however, getting through "to the yes" becomes even more difficult. Questions abound, but one sticks out above the rest. How can you ensure that your policy agenda will be considered? According to research done by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), the process starts with an effective meeting.

In late 2014, CMF released Face-to-Face with Congress: Before, During, and After Meetings with Legislators, a report to provide research-based guidance for scheduling, conducting, and following up after office meetings with Members of Congress and staff. Today, we highlight some of it to help you get closer to the yes!

What's the first step in an effective meeting? Planning. Here are four tips from the report that will get you started in your planning process, and even closer to a yes for your policy agenda or cause.

1. Include constituents. The United States is a representative democracy, which means that Senators and Representatives are beholden to the people they represent before anyone else in the country. One of the biggest pet peeves expressed by House Schedulers was a constituent "bait and switch," when a constituent is promised but does not materialize when the meeting occurs. If a meeting is scheduled with a constituent, then someone who lives in the Senator's state or Representative's district should be in attendance.
2. Know the congressional schedule. Though the day-to-day schedule can be unpredictable, each chamber posts its annual calendar online at the beginning of each year, and usually sticks closely to it. When votes are scheduled in the House of Representatives or Senate, legislators will be working in Washington, D.C. When there are no votes, many can be found working back home. Know the schedule and plan around it!
3. Be flexible about time and location. If the date and time for a meeting are rigid, it will be more difficult to schedule with a Senator or Representative. The more flexible attendees can be, the more likely it is that they will be given a meeting. Home or district meetings can even happen on weekends, while D.C. meetings much shorter and during the work week, so be flexible.
4. Keep the group small. While Senators usually have larger suites, space is severely limited in most Representatives' offices. In fact, many offices are so cramped that meetings may occur in informal settings like the reception area, cafeteria, hallway or even in an elevator as the legislator is on the way to vote. A large group risks overflowing the small spaces. So if you must, tell some advocates to stay home, they can visit Washington next time.

These tips were taken from CMF's Face-to-Face with Congress: Before, During, and After Meetings with Legislators report. If followed you are much more likely to get that meeting with a Member of Congress, and even closer to a win for your organization! Read more tips from the report, here.