WellstoneAction! Educate. Advocate. Organize. Online Organizing 101

The rapid rise of technology 2008 – iphone applications 2009 – ??? 1996 – websites and e-mail 2002 – text messaging 2004 – social networking 2006 – YouTube

How big is the race? The budget? Complex systems require complex care How does the technology help achieve your win number? Balance desire to “wow” with your needs Technology activism isn’t persuasion Technology should be your friend How much technology is enough?

How big is the race? The budget?

Complex systems require complex care

How does the technology help achieve your win number?

Balance desire to “wow” with your needs

Technology activism isn’t persuasion

Integral part of the campaign Complements and improves Fundraising Communications Voter Contact and Field Online needs an offline component Integrating technology

Integral part of the campaign

Complements and improves

Fundraising

Communications

Voter Contact and Field

Online needs an offline component

Desired Audiences Supporters The Media Undecided Voters (but how effectively?) Undesired Audiences Your opponents will be watching! Website and E-mail Audiences

Desired Audiences

Supporters

The Media

Undecided Voters (but how effectively?)

Undesired Audiences

Your opponents will be watching!

Communicating Online Know the medium : Crisp, compelling, and updated content is most important First impressions : Website, email and social networking are many people’s first impression of the campaign

Know the medium : Crisp, compelling, and updated content is most important

First impressions : Website, email and social networking are many people’s first impression of the campaign

Website Basics Email sign-up Donate News Events Volunteer Bio – who we are Issues Page Press Room Contact Us

Email sign-up

Donate

News

Events

Volunteer

Bio – who we are

Issues Page

Press Room

Contact Us

Keep them comin’ back! Content: Timely – Compelling – Passionate – Short Refreshed often Visuals: Energy and personality project campaign image and message Boring visuals = boring campaign Tone: Write like you are writing to a friend – conversation!

Content:

Timely – Compelling – Passionate – Short

Refreshed often

Visuals:

Energy and personality project campaign image and message

Boring visuals = boring campaign

Tone:

Write like you are writing to a friend – conversation!

The Basics Plus

The Basics Plus

The Basics Plus

Smaller races still need a presence

The Basics

Don’t do this …

..or this!

Email must be personal Subject line is key Easy ways to take action Timing is everything Using Email effectively Email goes to your supporters but competes against an in-box with an ever growing amount of clutter. It does not substitute for personal contact.

Email must be personal

Subject line is key

Easy ways to take action

Timing is everything

Tools Letters to the editor, Petitions, Tell a Friend Timely issue campaigns Fundraising – Friendraising campaigns House parties Reminders – registration deadlines, volunteer needs, phoning and canvassing needs, media monitoring Email should not always be fundraising!

Letters to the editor, Petitions, Tell a Friend

Timely issue campaigns

Fundraising – Friendraising campaigns

House parties

Reminders – registration deadlines, volunteer needs, phoning and canvassing needs, media monitoring

Tuesday – Thursday Time 10 a.m. to 1 p.m . FREQUENCY : 1, 2, or 3 times a week, depending on phase of campaign EXCEPTIONS: Breaking News; Rapid Response Timing is everything

Tuesday – Thursday

Time 10 a.m. to 1 p.m .

FREQUENCY : 1, 2, or 3 times a week, depending on phase of campaign

EXCEPTIONS: Breaking News; Rapid Response

Online Petitions Ask supporters, donors, tell a friend, rallies, events Work with State Party, previous candidates and endorsements Growing your email list Never buy e-mail addresses without first running a test and making sure it’s useful/profitable Organic Growth is Best

Online Petitions

Ask supporters, donors, tell a friend, rallies, events

Work with State Party, previous candidates and endorsements

Supporters consider online donating a form of activism. Make it easy! Fundraising on-line MESSAGING KEYS : Ask from a position of strength “ we’ve got them on the run” explain the urgency (e.g. FEC deadline) You can capitalize on time-sensitive events. Be as specific a possible (Help us respond to this nasty attack and put our ad on the air!)

Supporters consider online donating a form of activism. Make it easy!

MESSAGING KEYS :

Ask from a position of strength

“ we’ve got them on the run”

explain the urgency (e.g. FEC deadline)

You can capitalize on time-sensitive events.

Be as specific a possible (Help us respond to this nasty attack and put our ad on the air!)

http://www.actblue.com (federal, state, local candidates) PayPal Democracy in Action Aristotle NGP Democracy Data & Communications Blue Utopia – lower level Argo Strategies – lower level Wellstone Action! Educate. Advocate. Organize On-line Fundraising Vendors

http://www.actblue.com

(federal, state, local candidates)

PayPal

Democracy in Action

Aristotle

NGP

Democracy Data & Communications

Blue Utopia – lower level

Argo Strategies – lower level

Blogs

Know which blogs are important For your race, the media, and supporters – then treat them accordingly Find your major state-based blogs Search on MyDD or LeftyBlogs for help – ask political reporters what they read Listening in on the other side Blogs are great resources to hear what the opposition and media are saying Blogs can break stories Sometimes before the traditional press Not everything on blogs is true or factual Check your sources Web Blogs

Know which blogs are important

For your race, the media, and supporters – then treat them accordingly

Find your major state-based blogs

Search on MyDD or LeftyBlogs for help – ask political reporters what they read

Listening in on the other side

Blogs are great resources to hear what the opposition and media are saying

Blogs can break stories

Sometimes before the traditional press

Not everything on blogs is true or factual

Check your sources

You Tube Podcasts MySpace; Facebook Flickr Twitter Web 2.0 As always do these meet an offline goal?

You Tube

Podcasts

MySpace; Facebook

Flickr

Twitter

Acknowledgements New Organizing Institute : Zack Exley and Judith Freeman MoveOn.org : Nita Chaudhary Laura Packard, Doug Kelly, Lina Brunton, Lindsay Hanson, Karen Gaspar, Stefani Garcia Created by Sujata Tejwani for WellstoneAction!

New Organizing Institute : Zack Exley and Judith Freeman

MoveOn.org : Nita Chaudhary

Laura Packard, Doug Kelly, Lina Brunton, Lindsay Hanson, Karen Gaspar, Stefani Garcia

Created by Sujata Tejwani for WellstoneAction!