Want to make your franking budget go further? Consider member-recorded phone calls as an alternative to conventional frank correspondence. Franked phone calls are a widely used substitute for traditional franked mailings. All the same rules apply to both types of communication, but the advantages are much greater with calls.

Franked calls cannot be targeted for political purposes, but they can be aimed at pertinent constituent groups. For example, a call cannot be made solely to Democrats, but a call about changes in Medicare benefits can be made only to seniors. Franked communication cannot be made to individuals or groups outside of a member's district.

According to the House Franking Commission, franked communication can be conducted at any time except within 90 days of a general election or primary in which the member appears on the ballot.

Phone campaigns can be arranged in a much shorter span of time than mail pieces, and they can be completed in a matter of hours. Also, unlike mailings, phone calls have an easily definable contact rate, and results can be discerned almost immediately. When using phones, messages are not only more personal because they are delivered with the member's own voice, but also they are more successful. Members reach more people and communicate more effectively via the phone.

Franked communication can only be used to send non-political messages. All the messages must be pre-approved by the Commission. Some suggestions for frank calls include:

• Introduction Calls
• Legislative information updates
• Issue identification and survey
• Event or program announcements
• Government benefits alert/Grant announcements
• Reports on public and official actions from "Regulations on the use of the Congressional Frank" by the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards.

View our franking brochure