Crafting a Digital Strategy for
Practical Political Advocacy
Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat - Sun Tzu
Conference audio: call 805.309.5900
Enter ID: 590-814-35

Colin Delany

Former political staffer (Texas)

Founder/editor Epolitics.com


Online communications
consultant
Political advocate

What I Do
Communications strategy planning, including social media,
email campaigns, online fundraising, influencer outreach &
more
Audits of organization websites, social media properties, email
campaigns & online fundraising
Technology planning & project management
Planning and implementation for specific online comms
projects & advocacy campaigns
Training on digital advocacy & politics topics, including
email campaigns, Facebook, Twitter, communicating with
Congress, fundraising & more

The Essentials
What IS online advocacy?

The Essentials
What does effective online advocacy look like?


Examples
Rules of thumb:
-- relationships
-- content

The Essentials
Where online advocacy fits in a communications
strategy
Amplifier

Force-multiplier

Key aspect: integration

Key resource involved: time

The Essentials
Typical structure of an online advocacy campaign:

Online hub (website, Fb page)
Ongoing communications with supporters
(email, social media, SMS)

Outreach (recruiting, influencing the
conversation)


The Essentials
Typical Goals:

Long-term agenda-setting

Short-term policy opportunity/threat

Recruiting

Supporter mobilization (ex: voter turnout)

The Tools
Choosing the right tools:
Rule #1: Base the tools you choose on
your goals and capabilities

The Tools
The secret tool: databases

The Tools

Website (persuasion/recruiting hub)

Petitions (outreach, recruiting, engagement)

Email (sustained contact/mobilization)

CRM (enables email, sometimes social media)
Social media (persuasion/recruiting outreach +
sustained contact/mobilization)


Advertising (persuasion/recruiting outreach)

Direct contact (blogger/influencer outreach)

Strategy
Creating an online strategy in a fast-moving
political/policy environment

Identify pressure points

Identify channels

Identify resources

Strategy
More rules of thumb:
Leverage existing narrative/conversations (media
outreach, hashtags, memes, infographics)

Integrate your communications – be relentless in
your messaging


Keep up the pressure – keep your advocates busy

Strategy
Good content matters!

Strategy
Relationships matter!

Direct outreach

CRM/email

Social media

Strategy
Managing supporters

Regular contact (but don't overdo it)

Ladder of engagement

Tiered actions

Super-volunteers

Strategy
What's next in digital advocacy?
What's next for your organization?

Thank You
Colin Delany
Epolitics.com
cpd@epolitics.com
@epolitics
+1 202 422 4682