The NAIFA Government Relations team's workshop at NAIFA’s Career Conference focused on the importance of building relationships with legislators. Advisors are experts when it comes to building relationships with clients. They can use many of the same communication and relationship-building techniques when interacting with Congress.

Typically, members of Congress have knowledge across a broad range of subjects, but they rely on constituents and experts, such as NAIFA members, to provide depth. To make your voice heard, the GR staff explained, frequent contact is important.

“Get in front of your members of Congress often and in multiple ways,” said NAIFA Vice President of Federal Government Relations Diane Boyle.

The ways NAIFA members can interact with members of Congress include:

• Attend NAIFA’s Congressional Conference
• Attend state or local legislative day events
• Attend the NAIFA PIC/PAC training day on the Hill
• Invite state and local legislators to local NAIFA meetings
• Visit members of Congress in their districts, such as part of NAIFA’s August walk-ins
• Attend town hall meetings
• Make an IFAPAC contribution and wear the IFAPAC pin during face-to-face meetings with the member of Congress
• Host a fundraiser
• Deliver an IFAPAC contribution
• Volunteer on a campaign
• Become an APIC contact if they have an existing connection or relationship with a member of Congress
• Respond to NAIFA GovAlerts
• Follow and interact with legislators on Facebook and Twitter