Are you passionate about a cause and want to make a difference? Do you feel frustrated that your efforts are not getting the attention they deserve? Do you want to mobilize your members and supporters to take action?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need to learn how to launch a successful grassroots advocacy campaign. A grassroots advocacy campaign is a strategy that uses the collective power of your membership to influence decision-makers and create change.
I have been working in government relations for over 20 years, helping not-for-profit and corporate clients advocate for their interests. I have seen firsthand how politicians take things seriously when they hear from many voices with a united message.
In this blog post, I will share with you 10 steps to get you started on your own grassroots advocacy campaign. These steps are based on my experience and best practices from the field.
Let’s dive in!
1. Mobilize a Unified Stand
The first step is to find common goals and values among your members and create a shared vision for your advocacy campaign. Remember, some of your members may be new to advocacy, so make the process as simple and organized as possible.
2. Draft the message
The next step is to craft a clear and compelling message that explains your issue, your ask, and your impact. This message will be the basis of your communication with decision-makers and the public. You may need to tailor your message slightly for different jurisdictions or audiences, but keep the core message consistent.
3. Compile Your Essential Contact List
The third step is to identify the people that your members should contact to deliver your message. This may include elected officials, government staff, agency representatives, media outlets, or other stakeholders. You should create a master list of all the potential contacts, and then assign each member a specific contact list based on their location or affiliation.
4. Equip Members with Effective Skills
The fourth step is to train your members on how to send, follow-up, and prepare for meetings with decision-makers. You should provide them with the tools and resources they need to be confident and persuasive advocates. This may include templates, scripts, talking points, factsheets, or webinars. You should also encourage them to share their personal stories and experiences to make the message more relatable and impactful.
5. Master the Art of Follow-Up Communication
The fifth step is to to train your members on the importance of building relationships with decision-makers through consistent follow-up. By doing so, you can ensure that your message is heard and acted upon. Providing your members with the necessary skills and resources to effectively communicate with decision-makers can help strengthen your advocacy efforts. I will share more tips on how to follow up effectively in a later post, but here are some substeps to get you started
• Remind your members that decision-makers are busy and may not respond right away. They are not ignoring you, they are just juggling many priorities. So be persistent and polite in your follow-up. Don’t give up until you get the meeting.
• Make sure that each member knows their riding and who they should contact. You can use public databases to find the email address of the person in their riding. You can also use tools like Swordfish to find their phone number and social media profiles.
• After the initial email, wait at least 48 hours to follow up with a phone call. Refer to the initial letter you sent and restate your ask. Be prepared to answer any questions or objections they may have.
• Follow up with another email after 48 hours from the phone call. Then call again 48 hours after that. Repeat this cycle until you get the meeting. You can also try to reach them on social media, but be tactful and respectful. Don’t spam them or be pushy. Try to establish a mutually beneficial relationship.
6. Establish Your Membership Support Hub
Your members will need a reliable point of contact to turn to when they have questions or require guidance. This support hub, or help center, should be staffed with knowledgeable individuals ready to provide clear instructions and address any concerns, helping to ensure the smooth running of your advocacy campaign.
7. Navigate Successful In-Person Meetings
Each member should have a short, one-page document on how to conduct in-person meetings with decision-makers. In-person meetings are one of the most effective ways to deliver your message and build relationships. You should offer your attendance if possible with video conferencing software this is increasingly more doable.
8. Leverage Post-Meeting Feedback
After each meeting, you should debrief with your members to help them process what went well and what could be improved, and what are the next steps and who is responsible for them.
9. Draft a Post-Meeting Memo
Take what you’ve gathered in your post meeting debrief and properly document it.
This document will summarize the key points and agreements from the meeting, as well as the action items and deadlines. This will be useful when presenting to your leadership, other officials, and to determine an action plan. It will also help you to have a record of your campaign for future analysis.
10. Create An Action Plan
The last step is to create an action plan based on the results and outcomes of your campaign. Your campaign may have some challenges, but it will also have some successes that you can leverage to create change. You should document your goal, strategies, tactics, results, challenges, lessons, and recommendations. You should also develop phase 2 of your plan to keep the momentum going and to elicit changes.
Congratulations! You have just learned how to launch a successful grassroots advocacy campaign in 10 steps. I hope you found this blog post helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. I would love to hear from you and help you with your advocacy efforts.
Thank you for reading and happy advocating!
