With a Congress far less "D.C.-centric" than it once was, businesses must invest more than ever in grassroots efforts that highlight the concerns and issues of a lawmaker's constituents, former Rep. J.C. Watts told those assembled at the National Grassroots Conference.

Watts, who represented an Oklahoma congressional district from 1994 until 2002, presented the keynote address during the four-day conference in Orlando, Fla., hosted by the Public Affairs Council. He is now chairman of the J.C. Watts Companies, a D.C.-based firm that is one of the few conducting government relations, constituent mobilization and fundraising under one roof.

Grassroots organizing "is more important than it's ever been," Watts said, because the Internet, social networking and other developments have rendered Americans "smarter, more engaged and more informed than ever before." He noted that when he was first elected in 1994, congressional offices received about 50 million constituent communications that year. In 2003, he said, they received more than 200 million.

"(Constituents) have more sophisticated tools to spread the word and (to) organize," Watts told about 100 conference participants at a breakfast gathering. "Members, candidates and corporate America will have to put more resources into dealing more effectively with grassroots."

Still, he warned, there are dos and don'ts for any grassroots movement that hopes to make an impact in Congress. Drawing from his years in the House, Watts gave grassroots organizers helpful tips on capturing the attention of Hill lawmakers. Among them:

Do present the message with a hometown spin. "I want to know what's the good in it for Frederick, Oklahoma," Watts said.

•Don't always aim for the D.C. staff. "If you can talk to the district director, or get to the right people in the district office, don't think that's not effective, or sometimes even more effective."

•Do be prepared and keep it brief. "When you get a member, a staffer (or) a district director on the phone, know the subject matter, be prepared. You almost have to get it said and to the point in about 15 to 20 minutes."

•Don't always ask for something. "Most calls, if not all calls, you make to a member's office are to debate them, to tell them what they're doing wrong, to scold them. Very seldom do we just call to say, ‘Hey how are you? Thank you for coming.' Boy, that matters."

•Do tell the truth. "The thing (members) hate more than anything... is when they get manipulated data. Sometimes they can't handle the truth, but they still want the truth."