Inviting a public official--such as a city councilmember, mayor or even a state senator or representative--to your event can be beneficial to your organization or cause. Writing the invitation to a public official is not very different from a standard invitation. But there are a few guidelines to consider when inviting a public official to make an impact and encourage the busy official to attend.

Start your invitation by outlining the pertinent information about the event, including event name, date, time and location. Elected officials have busy schedules, so it is important to have all of the details of your event confirmed so there is no last-minute scheduling change.

Detail the purpose of the event (i.e. fundraising, community celebration, awards ceremony) to give the public official an idea of what he will be supporting. The presence of elected officials is requested at many events. Offering interesting information about the mission of your organization or cause may help persuade them to attend.

Outline specifically what you are asking of the official. You may only be requesting her attendance, or you may want her to give remarks, accept an award, or take part in a ceremony. The more information you can provide in the invitation, the easier scheduling will be for the elected official and her staff.

Advise the public official of other high-profile attendees who will be in attendance at the event or media which is expected to cover it. The official might be more apt to attend an event with an opportunity to network or gain media exposure. It is ideal if you can make the event mutually beneficial to your organization and the public official.

Provide complete contact information, including multiple ways of reaching the person in charge of arranging the event. It is crucial that the attendee can easily reach someone for additional details and scheduling assistance.

Review your invitation for completeness and grammatical and spelling errors. You should also have another person proofread the invitation for accuracy and correctness, so the invitation looks professional.