leveraging technology for successful advocacy in higher education

© 2005. GetActive Software. All rights reserved Proprietary and Confidential 04/10/23 page 1

Leveraging Technology for Successful Advocacy

Sean GannonSenior Manager, Education Sector

GetActive Software

Mike DeanTipping Point Strategies


Why Grassroots Advocacy is Important

Educates and empowers major constituents

Creates a balanced approach

Grassroots pressure is noticed and effective


Educate and empower major constituents

University Constituents: Alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and community members

Universities have a natural base of supporters that are underutilized

Invest in your constituents


A Balanced Approach

The three legs of Advocacy

Lobbying

Media

Grassroots


Grassroots Pressure is noticed

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

% o

f re

sp

on

de

nts

Postal letters E-mail messages

Influence of Individual Communication

A lot of influence

some influence

Source - Communicating with Congress, Congressional Management Foundation


Everyone else is doing itBusiness Trade Associations

Special Interest Groups


Growing Power of the Internet

52% of internet users, or about 63 million people, said they went online to get news or information about the 2004 elections. We call them online political news consumers.

35% of internet users, or about 43 million people, said they used email to discuss politics, and one of the most popular email subjects was jokes about the candidates and the election.

11% of internet users, or more than 13 million people, went online to engage directly in campaign activities such as donating money, volunteering, or learning about political events to attend.

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project


Effective Advocacy revolves around the web

It is where people go to get informationEasy to participateMore engagingProven that it works


How Technology Makes it Easy

Improves the speed and efficiency that you can get information out

Your messages can spread to a wider audience

Save time and moneyAdvocates expect itCan evaluate and target impact


A Case Study of a University client

Went from 3,000 advocates to 15,000 advocates in less than one yearOrganized over 150 face to face meetings between legislators and constituentsRegistered over 3,500 people to vote


University client Case Study Results

Increased base budget funding by $106 million

Received 86% of request

Received 134 million for capital requestMoved Football Stadium project from last to first in state’s priority list


5 Best Practices in Online Advocacy

1. Personalize2. Be Timely3. Create a Theme4. Engage the Advocates5. Create a Balanced Approach


Send your message from an individual, not from an organizationAddress the person by nameInclude personal data and legislator contact information in the body of the emailSign the message with your name and organization

1. Personalize


“Personalized or individualized messages to Congress have more influence on the decision-making process of Members of Congress than do identical form messages.” – Communicating with Congress, Congressional Management Foundation report, 2005

Letter Carousel

Using letter carousel, universities increase the uniqueness of each communicationProvide constituents with several options for including personal content in their letters


Establish Regular, Personal Interactions


JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. OCT. NOV. DEC.

1 1 1 2 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1

1 1 1 1

Action Alerts

e-News

Petitions

Tell-a-friend

Plan Your Year:Create a Marketing Schedule


Pyramid of EngagementUniversity Alumni/Advocate

Tier 4

Tier 3

Tier 2

Tier 1

eNewsletters

Action Alerts

Interactive/Informative Advocacy

website

Petitions

Receiving eNews

Visiting Advocacy website

Learning about issues


Pyramid of EngagementAlumni/Advocate

Tier 4

Tier 3

Tier 2

Tier 1

Targeted and

personalized emails

based on

participation,

legislative district,

etc.

Additional

information about

possible events for

advocates to

participate in

Visiting advocacy website

with purpose

Writing letter to legislator

Letting their voice be

heard

University



Tier 4

Tier 3

Tier 2

Tier 1

Continued targeted

and personalized

emails based on

participation,


etc.

Asking advocates to

join you for a

legislative event

Asking them to place

a call on the

university’s behalf

Continued Advocacy on

University’s behalf

Event participation

Calling a legislator

Very engaged advocate at

this point

University



Tier 4

Tier 3

Tier 2

Tier 1

University Continued targeted

and personalized

emails based on

participation,


etc.

Hosting events and

going on trips to the

capital

Sending advocates on

missions; e.g., meet

with Senator

Kennedy and discuss

this issue

Continued Advocacy on

University’s behalf

Further Event

participation

Calling a legislator

Visiting with a legislator

Advocate feels that they

are making a difference in

the University’s efforts


June-Sept 2003

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

6/1/2003 6/15/2003 6/29/2003 7/13/2003 7/27/2003 8/10/2003 8/24/2003 9/7/2003 9/21/2003

New

Mem

ber

s b

y D

ay

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Tot

al N

ew M

emb

ers

New Members by Day Email message sent Total New Members

Establish Regular, Personal Interactions


2. Be Timely


3. Create a Theme

Sample emails from their 3 year campaign

UMN’s Successful “Bring Gopher

Football Back to Campus” Campaign

Victory!!


4. Engage the Advocates


5. Create A Balanced approach


The Future is Now

Americans spend more time on the Internet than any other activity

Number of hours Americans spend on these media activities: 3.6 – Internet, 2.5 - TV, 1.3 – Radio, 1.3 - Telephone

OMD, a New York based media services company, November 2006

An increasing number of people now believe that the web can give them more political power;

USC Annenberg School, December 2005


Recruit, Engage, Retain™

Online Communications Solutions that Strengthen Relationships

with Alumni, Parents, and Friends

leveraging technology for successful advocacy in higher education

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grassroots advocacy

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letter carousel