Omar Ahmad, vice-mayor of San Carlos, California, explains, perhaps counter-intuitively for digital natives, why “analog” paper-and-pen are more powerful tools for getting through to your politician than e-mails and calls.

In a quick, direct, six minute talk, Ahmad outlines his thinking. I’ve created an outline of his key points below, though you can watch the full video at TED.

Premise: You Are Passionate About An Issue (but so are many people)
Politicians’ Primary Interests: (1) Reputation & Influence (2) Preservation of Self

Guide To Writing An Effective Letter To Your Representative
Paragraph 1: Articulate Appreciation (of them, their burdens, or their challenges)
Paragraph 2: Get Blunt On The Issue (attack tactics, not people)
Paragraph 3. Leave An Exit (maybe they were misinformed or given poor info)
Paragraph 4. Offer Assistance/Advice As Expert On The Issue
Close With Name & Title (VP, PTA, Rotary Club – demonstrates sphere of influence)

How To Mail & Follow-Up
1. Send your original letter to the district office, and send copy to main office.
2. To develop influence and relationship, write monthly.

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Parting Thoughts: I know some have the reaction that politicians need to “get with it” and adapt to e-mail and digital correspondence, and that physical letters are an example of outmoded government. This thinking misses the point.

Politicians already have the infrastructure in place to receive vast numbers of phone calls and e-mails. Handwritten letters are a way to cut through the flood and volume of digital petitions and automated e-mails or faxed letters berating decisions via form response.

It’s simply a way to acknowledge and circumvent existing barriers to real impact on elected officials.

Or, as Max Kalehoff put it at MediaPost:

[T]he growing volume of communications in digital form also drives attention deficit, dehumanization and diminishing returns. It’s a tragedy of the commons when digital innovations, celebrated for their improvement on our interpersonal communications, have the opposite effect.

And, from TalkingPointsMemo, an example of what not to do when writing letters to elected officials:`

I just wrote 20 handwritten letters to 10 senators … For each one I made up return addresses in wealthy areas of their respective states.  I used the same formula for each one, saying that I and “my businesses” have long supported them, but I can’t support them with my vote, my money, or my influence if they do not support the most important legislation of our generation.

This example ignores all but the “get blunt” portion of Omar Ahmad’s formula, and fails to demonstrate the writer’s sphere of influence, while vaguely threatening senators and providing no follow-through value.