The document outlines a two-day training on online advocacy for immigration reform, focusing on the essentials of online campaign strategy. It covers topics such as online organizing, narrative creation, engagement tactics, and the importance of connecting online and offline efforts. A case study on the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is included, along with practical exercises for participants to develop their own advocacy calendars.

1. New Media Track
December 16 & 17, 2011
Nicole Cairns & Allie Carter
Reform Immigration FOR America online team

2. New Media for Advocacy
We have learned the components of an online campaign – now we will
discuss what online campaigns look like in action.
1. Basics of online organizing
2. Creating a narrative and determining content
3. Online and offline actions
4. Targeting
5. Reporting back and fundraising
6. Break for questions
7. Case study: Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee
Rights
8. Breakout exercise: creating a one-month calendar
9. Report back and closing questions

3. Basics of Online Organizing
Online organizing is online
communication, outreach, and
mobilization that allows individuals to
take part in your work, as a complement
to traditional organizing.
- This includes recruiting, building up, turning out,
and fundraising
Online organizing has advantages:
- dynamic
- targeted
- nimble
- meeting people where they are

4. Creating a Narrative
What’s the story you want to tell?
• Your communications should be guided by an overarching theme,
goal, or message
• Leave open moments for campaign moments to fit in to your arc as
your campaign progresses
• Control your story – or someone else will
Different channels will be best for different
components of an overall story
• What are the best ways to communicate on Twitter, Facebook, email,
SMS alerts, YouTube, blog?

5. Content Analysis: What Goes In, What
Comes Out
From A List Apart:
All of your content should be written and distributed with
attention to your audience. Some pieces of content to keep in
mind:
- Press releases
- Legal documents or white papers
- Fundraising reports
- PSAs, videos, and multimedia
- Stories from individuals
- Region- or state-specific information

6. Types
of Online Asks Donate
Join a strategy conference call
Crowdsource: a video, logo, slogan, design
RSVP for an event
Write a letter to the editor
Write a blog post
Make a call with a script
Submit your story or photo
Change your profile picture
Leave a comment on a news article
Take an online quiz
Share with friends
Download a document
Sign an online petition
Join us on Facebook or Twitter
Sign up for emails

7. Connecting Online/Offline
Connecting with community Research local voices on Twitter,
leaders blogs
Turning out supporters for a Create Facebook event, ask
town hall others to invite friends
Day of calls to a representative Ask followers to post as their
status (or tweet bomb)
Producing a radio ad Source stories from online
outreach through crossposting
Recruiting school campus Target emails, Facebook posts to
coordinators young members
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8. Reaching Key Audiences with Targeting
Targeting ensures that you can reach
key audiences quickly, or test without
reaching out to your entire membership
- location, age, language, donation history,
action history, length of time as a member,
specific interests, or other qualifiers
Example = RI4A house parties
-Through SMS targeting, we organized 1,009 house
parties in 45 states and Puerto Rico to join the call

9. Closing the Loop
• Owning your victories
• Acknowledging your defeats
• Reporting back
- For your members: inspiration and measured proof of effect
- For your team: record of online campaign work for later
reference, metrics and lessons
- For grant proposals: demonstrate robust, creative online work

10. Online Fundraising: A Quick Note
Successful fundraising is honest,
creative, and meaningful.
- Clarity will make donors trusting
- Creative asks will bring in new donors
- Donors and potential donors need to feel
sincerely feel engaged and appreciated

11. Case study: ICIRR’s campaign for
the Illinois DREAM Act
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12. YOUTH
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15. VS
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19. Social Media Communications Outside of Organizational Control
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21. www.icirr.org/illinoisdream
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22. Breakout Exercise: Integrating
Online and Offline Organizing
Using the information on various new media tools,
planning a narrative, defining your targets, and getting
members more and more involved with your work, you
will create a one month calendar around a rally at the
state capitol:
- Recruit volunteer organizers and rally attendees
- Create necessary materials (signs, flyers, logos, Facebook
profile pictures, etc.)
- Record and document the work before, during and after
the event
- Determine a ladder of engagement to keep attendees
involved with the organization after the event
- Use moments of success as ways to fundraise
- Anything and everything else!
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23. Thanks for coming to the session!
Have questions? Contact us!
Nicole Cairns, Online Director, RI4A – ncairns@communitychange.org
Allie Carter, New Media Associate, RI4A – acarter@communitychange.org
Garlin Gilchrist, II, National Campaign Director, MoveOn.org – garlin@garlin.org
Nathan Ryan, Online Advocacy Manager, ICIRR – nryan@icirr.org
2011 Immigrant National Convention