Contact Decision Makers

Is there an organization, business, or government authority who could help you achieve your goals? Go to People & Places to find out more about who the leaders are in different environments. Once you’ve figured out who the decision makers are, here are some tips on when and how to get in touch with them!

Is it time yet?

It can be a good strategy to put your message out there a bit before trying to meet with a decision maker. You know how you’d rather meet a celebrity than someone you’ve never heard of? Decision makers feel the same way. They might be more inclined to meet with people who have already gotten some public attention for their cause.

Should you go straight to the top?

While you might want to speak to the most powerful person in charge right away, sometimes a good strategy is to speak to the person who’s directly involved in the issue first, and move higher up if that first person doesn’t help you. E.g. if you feel a local store is discriminating against youth, try talking to the manager of the store first before going to the company president. (This is called escalation!)

Tips for getting a meeting with a decision maker

• Wondering how to get in touch with someone?
  • It’s often as easy as finding their contact information online.
• If at first you don’t succeed… keep it up!
• Believe in yourself, and keep pushing to be heard.
• You don’t need to do it alone. Work in a team, so you can share the work of trying to get meetings.

Tips for speaking to decision makers

• Plan with your team about what you’re going to say and who is going to say it.
• Rehearse your part before the meeting, you’ll be much less nervous!
• Don’t be too discouraged if the decision maker doesn’t want to help. It can take a lot of discussions before you find someone who can help!