Tips for an effective written request

• Be respectful.
• Your greeting should include their title or if they don’t have one, Mr. or Ms. “Hey Dude” is too informal and sets a poor tone for your request.
• There is a difference between passionate and rude. Think about how YOU would feel after reading your request. If it makes you mad, then you probably need to rephrase your request.
• Keep it short.
• Whoever is reading your request probably has 100 or so other requests to go thru on a daily basis. If you make your point and call for action clear and concise, you’ll have a better chance of something getting done.
• There is power in numbers.
• Studies have shown that 5 – 7 requests on the same subject get attention
• 10 – 15 requests on the same subject motivates research or further inquiry
• You got their attention and now they’re curious about what all the fuss is about!
• 20 – 25 requests on the same subject generate some kind of action, whether it’s negative or positive.
• Use your own words.
• This sample is how I might write the request. Use it as a guide and make it your own! The recipient will be impressed that you took the time to write and your personal spin on the issue of grid stability will help them understand why it’s so important – real people are going to be affected and they’d better take notice and do something.
  
  

ANY response to your request – no response, positive response, negative response – is important information. A positive response helps us know who will advocate for this issue. A negative response lets us know that we probably don’t need to work very hard to change their minds. No response is GOLD! That’s someone who’s not formed an opinion one way or the other and is persuadable – those are the folks that are important to follow up with! So, about 2 weeks after you’ve sent your request, please let us know what result you got – we want to broadcast your success!

Share your efforts with your friends – let them know how easy it was for you to take action and encourage them to do the same.

At any point along the way, if you have questions or want more help, please contact us – we’re happy to hear from you!

[Sample Written Request]

Hon. _____________[title of elected official]

 OR

[Name of administrator]

[address]

[city], [state]

Re: Our aging electrical infrastructure – Take Action Now!

Dear[name]:

My name is _________________________________ and I live in [city,state].

Recently in the news are more and more reports about power outages and I’m worried about that in our community.

If we suffer an extended power outage:

[Here’s where you share your personal story; how a power outage will affect your:

• Health
• Business
• Family
• Community & Vulnerable populations - elderly, sick, children]

In your position [ie. as my State Representative, State Senator, Mayor, County Commissioner, PUC Commissioner, Director of Emergency Management, etc.], I want to make sure that my [electric, water or sewer] utility is protected from cyber, weather and all threats - foreign and domestic. 

But, it doesn’t matter what the source of the attack is, an extended power outage will be destructive, and the loss of lives is a certainty. But, being proactive in shielding or hardening against these types of attacks is important and should be your first concern.

As our society adds more and more demand to the electrical grid, it’s only a matter of time before this aging infrastructure fails. That’s why I’m asking you to please prioritize this need and actively support and facilitate all efforts to harden and maintain our electrical grid.

Respectfully,

[Your name]

[Your address – you can just put your city and state, if you’re uncomfortable putting your full address]

[email]

[phone number]