I'll be candid. I had serious reservations when my colleague, Jaime Werner, suggested that we co-present a webinar to provide tips for planning fly-in events. Ask anyone who has planned a fly-in with me (by the way, I understand there's a regular support group for those who have), and they'll emphatically warn you: "never-never-never-ever let Seth plan a fly-in – EVER!"

Then I remembered that CMF research finds that nearly 90% of congressional staff believe that the typical citizen advocate could be better prepared for their meetings. And I considered the possibility that, on their quest to organize the perfect event, fly-in planners might be overlooking one of the most important details – training their citizen advocates.

Anyway, that's my justification for co-presenting the webinar and I'm sticking to it.

Tips on Preparing Your Citizen Advocates

• It's about more than the meetings: Here's a common pitfall. Fly-in planners and their citizen advocates often fixate on the meetings in isolation. Include fly-in participants in the scheduling process; teach them in advance to compile localized information about legislative impacts; and hold them accountable afterward for doing their follow up. By doing so, you teach your fly-in participants (in the context of their meetings) advocacy skills they need to engage their Members between their annual trips to DC.
• Use research to connect what you care about to the things Members care about: Urge your supporters to develop legislator profiles, ideally weeks in advance of your fly-in. Train them to use their research to tailor their pitches to resonate with any legislator.
• Avoid the waste basket: CMF research finds that nearly two-thirds of congressional staff think that fly-in leave behinds could improve. Congressional staff say that long reports go right in the recycling bin. They prefer short issue summaries (one to two pages – tops) and appreciate getting briefs one or two days before meetings. Sending issue briefs in advance spares your citizen advocates from explaining basic information by empowering congressional staff to prepare. It also gives your briefs a longer shelf life because staff will be able to retrieve them from their inboxes at relevant times.
• There's a fine line between being smart and being scary: Cards on table – any advocacy professional who's organized a fly-in event knows that it's an important time to demonstrate their value. Using a litany of legislative jargon and getting deep into the legislative/procedural weeds is a sure-fire way to make your supporters think you are smart. Unfortunately, it scares too many citizen advocates into thinking they have to become policy experts overnight. Resist the temptation. Don't scare your supporters with jargon. Give them confidence by preparing them to provide the localized information their Members need to hear.
• Make your supporters practice: The first time a citizen advocate delivers an advocacy pitch shouldn't be during their Hill visits. Carve out time for your supporters to practice; do what you must to make them take it seriously; and discourage your VIPs from usurping the time to make remarks.

Case Study: A Planner's Worst Nightmare Transforms into Success

Two years ago, the forecast for Washington, DC called for significant snow and ice, leaving a high-profile patient-advocacy group no choice but to cancel all the meetings scheduled for approximately 300 fly-in participants. It seemed like a disaster.

Here's how they turned it into a win. They validated their participants' disappointment, while reminding them that they were just as prepared to meet their Members back home as they were to meet them in DC. Weeks later, CMF helped the organization to turn lemons in to lemonade by conducting a training webinar on district engagement.

Regardless of whether your fly-in goes off without a hitch or something unexpected happens, paying attention to training your fly-in participants is the key to ensuring that your fly-in pays off.