Use the Call Legislator/Person action type to connect phone calls from your stakeholders directly to congressional offices, state legislators, or other targets. SparkInfluence uses click-to-call technology, meaning that the system calls YOU once you input your contact information (phone number) and connects you to your targets. There is no call-in number or need to dial the Capitol Hill switchboard.

To set up custom or non-legislator targets for your action, see Creating/Editing Custom Targets.

Starting with the “Let’s Dive Into the Basics” screen, be sure to set a time frame over which your form will be live, and add any tags that you’d like assigned to new stakeholders in the appropriate field.

The “Action Messaging” screen is the most important part of setting up your call action. Here, you’ll upload audio files (or use our pre-recorded files!) that will guide users through the call process and explain what’s happening at each step.

There are four parts to the call that need audio files: Introduction, Start, Transition, and Finale. The text on the screen will give you an idea of what to record for each of these prompts, as well as how long each should be.

Important note: Your audio files MUST be in MP3 format. If you upload anything other than an MP3 file, your action will fail/users will not be able to connect to their calls.

Copy and paste your talking points/call script on the right side of the screen. The talking points will remain on the screen during the call so your stakeholders know exactly what to say when their calls are answered.

Before moving on, select your recipients. These are the targets for your action. Selecting any of the “By Office” options will direct stakeholders to the legislators who represent them in each group. You can also select any Legislator Groups or Custom Targets you may have created here, too.

You will not be able to proceed to the next step until you have set your audio files and inserted talking points. Once done, click Save & Next Step to proceed through the remaining screens to publish your action.

Please note: Other advocacy platforms may require your stakeholders to call a specific hotline number or dial the Capitol Hill switchboard to connect with legislators, but with SparkInfluence, the system calls YOU as soon as you take action. It is important to make sure that your stakeholders understand that once their enter their information and click to call, the system will call them IMMEDIATELY.