Final answer:
Interest groups encourage constituents to contact legislators in support of the group's position on a particular issue. This approach, known as outside lobbying or indirect lobbying, is complemented by direct lobbying efforts to influence legislation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Interest groups will often try to get constituents to write letters or call legislators to show their support for the group's position on a particular issue. These groups engage in a range of activities to influence public policy and legislation, such as providing expert testimony, participating in the budgetary process, and organizing letter-writing campaigns. For instance, companies and corporate organizations may form interest groups, such as Verizon or Coca-Cola, and these entities can have in-house lobbyists or hire contract lobbyists to represent their interests to legislators.
Such actions are designed to demonstrate widespread support for an issue and to persuade lawmakers to act in favor of the interest group's goals. Engaging the public to contact their representatives is a strategy known as outside lobbying or indirect lobbying and is a common tactic employed by organizations alongside their direct lobbying efforts.
For example, environmental groups like the Sierra Club might encourage members to reach out to Congress about environmental legislation. Members of Congress tend to take notice when many constituents contact them about an issue, making this a potentially effective strategy for interest groups.