How do you run an effective digital advocacy campaign?

Here are my best tips for running an effective digital advocacy campaign:

1. So-called “form letters” don’t work. The average Congressional office receives thousands of letters from constituents per week. Most of these are form letters, sent at the prompting of an organization or association with identical text, similar to a petition. In some offices, form letters get automatically grouped together as one letter. And, some Congressional offices don’t respond to form letters at all.

Rather than focusing on the quantity of constituent letters, organizations should focus on the sincerity and authenticity of those letters. Anna Vetter, Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director for Congressman David G. Valadao (CA-21) explained this to me, as well as other tips on how to craft a good letter to Congress. When done effectively, digital advocacy campaigns can help people engage in an authentic way.

2. Don’t be afraid to let your supporters write their own letters in their own words. There’s a fear-factor about giving up control of the message. Organizations often are nervous about giving their supporters free reign in writing letters to lawmakers. What would they say if we didn’t script it for them? I respond by asking the organization if they’re doing a good job of educating and informing their supporters. If so, then have faith in your supporters' comments! (If not, then do a better job of informing supporters.)

3. Figure out the campaign’s goals. Before starting a campaign, organizations also need to be honest with themselves about their goals. Is it truly advocacy and engaging lawmakers to secure more cosponsors or a vote on a bill? Or is the digital campaign about building your list or donor base? Organizations should pick the campaign tools and technology based on the goal of the campaign, and not vice versa. If your organization’s goal is to grow your list of supporters, then an advocacy campaign may not be the way to go.

4. Urge your supporters to research their Member of Congress and state or district. For example, if you’re running a campaign about children’s cancer, your supporters in a particular district may know whether the Member of Congress or their family has experience with cancer or is connected with the medical research community. (Perhaps the Member’s wife is a children’s nurse? Or, perhaps the district has a large medical research facility?) And, there may be a supporter that is personally connected with the Member. (Did they go to college together? Does their child play soccer with the Congresswoman’s son?) This information can really help the campaign and build relationships with the Member’s office.

5. Remember that Members and staffers want to build relationships with their constituents. That’s why they host coffees or town halls in the towns and cities they represent. As an organization, it’s important to encourage supporters to stay in touch with their lawmakers about the issue after they’ve taken an action. They can follow up with the office with a phone call or attend a town hall meeting, for example. And if their Member of Congress ends up cosponsoring a bill, encourage the constituent to thank them!

POPVOX’s Write Lawmaker tools allow for a field where organizations can ask participants a question. I often recommend asking whether they have a personal connection with their Member of Congress. It’s surprising how many people actually personally know their elected officials, either through school, church or sports!