Overcoming Cacophony:Making your voice
heard in government.
Sarah Schacht, Executive Director of Knowledge As Power
Say your name.
10 Downing
✤ UK MP’s office got 3,000-5,000 emails a week.
✤ Staff were overwhelmed
✤ Didn’t know how to manage
✤ Didn’t see it as an opportunity to engage or communicate directly.
10 Downing
✤ Constituents share responses with 5 to 15 peers.
✤ 10 Downing missed out on:
15,000-75,000 voters/week
780,000-3.9 Million voters/year
Didn’t know...
Bureaucracy Under Technology
Hundreds of years of government meets rapidly changing communications technology.
DaveSag, via Flickr
Least effective communication
s✤ Form letters--impersonal
✤ Petitions = data management
✤ Mass email blasts break antiquated email management systems
✤ Hardcopy letters need irradiation
✤ Click & Send communications
✤ Comments, tweets, etc. go unread.
✤ Form letters--impersonal
✤ Petitions = data management
✤ Mass email blasts break antiquated email management systems
✤ Hardcopy letters need irradiation
✤ Click & Send communications
✤ Comments, tweets, etc. go unread.
Least effective communication
s
✤ Form letters--impersonal
✤ Petitions = data management
✤ Mass email blasts break antiquated email management systems
✤ Hardcopy letters need irradiation
✤ Click & Send communications
✤ Comments, tweets, etc. go unread.
Least effective communication
s
Social Media Limitations
✤ Comments on blogs, OpenCongress, etc. aren’t read (often) by legislators.
✤ Twitter can’t confirm you’re a constituent.
✤ Allows for low-quality communications.
✤ Doesn’t account for a legislature’s process or resources.
Communications technology requires new strategies.
1. Use Basic Advocacy Headlines
Basic Advocacy Headlines (BAH): A simple email subject headline format helps your email be more effective.
1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4.
1. Cite your legislation’s ID number.2. Name your position.3. Mention your zip code.4. Add your zip +4 number.
1. Use Basic Advocacy Headlines
Basic Advocacy Headlines (BAH): A simple email subject headline format helps your email be more effective.
1. 2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4.
1. Cite your legislation’s ID number.2. Name your position.3. Mention your zip code.4. Add your zip +4 number.
Position Options
1. ProUse when you’re registering support.
2. ConCon registers your disapproval, dislike, etc.
3. ?Got a burning question?
4. InfoYou’ve got info or data to share.
5. AmendSuggest an edit.
Use Social Media to Listen
✤ “Follow” your electeds.
✤ Subscribe to event alerts via groups.
✤ Comment cautiously.
✤ Don’t expect to become friends.
Ignore Petitions & Form Letters
✤ Speak in your own voice.
✤ Write your own email.
✤ Learn how to write effective letters.
✤ Research before you react.
Ignore Petitions & Form Letters
✤ Speak in your own voice.
✤ Write your own email.
✤ Learn how to write effective letters.
✤ Research before you react.
Time Your Communicat
ion✤ Build relationships off-session.
✤ Don’t email at the last minute.
✤ Use different communications tools for different situations.
Be You.
Civic Spark--Coming Soon!
Sarah [email protected]
@SarahSchacht on Twitterhttp://KnowledgeAsPower.org
Thanks to:The Ford
Foundation
Vote for us at: bit.ly/k-pow
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