M O D U L E 11

H O W T O U S E D I G I TA L
TO SUPPORT LOBBYING
EFFORTS

Digital Advocacy Center Training

G O A L S O F T H I S T R AI N I N G

After this training, you should have a

strong understanding of:

1 How online tools can power

your offline tactics

2 How to set up a petition online

3 est practices of online to offlin e events


CAMPAIGN PLANNING
1. OBJECTIVE
• Pressure Ministry of
Health to introduce bill
to Federal Executive
Council
4. OUTCOME
• MOH introduces bill.
• MOH cites petition
signatures as helpful in
FEC negotiation
START WITH YOUR
2. TACTIC 3. RESULT
• Deliver 5,000 • 5,432 petition
grassroots petition signatures
signatures in upcoming
MOH closed door
meeting
5. NEW INSIGHT 6. GOAL REFINEMENT
• MOH in Nigeria • Keep online petition a
susceptible to online focus in national assembly
vote phase, set goal in 5-
grassroots pressure
10K range.
• Novelty of tactic indicates
5,000 an adequate goal
 TACTICS FOR THE FOUR BUCKETS

DECISION MAKERS & TRADITIONAL MEDIA PUBLIC AWARENESS PUBLIC ACTION

KEY OPINION
LEADERS
● Press releases and ● Posts on social media ● Call to action asking
● Petitions demanding press conferences accompanied by an them sign a petition
change or thanking ● Op-eds by thought offline public facing ● Asking the public to
them leaders. Or blogs campaign talking about send a text message or
● Letters/Faxes sent to ● Submission of health harms make a phone call
them from the public petition results to ● Getting influencers to ● Using social media to
● Text messages/calls illustrate public talk about why the policy organize gatherings
to a number to show support is important in videos offline
public support for an ● Marches or promoted online ● Asking people to
issue gatherings that ● Using photographs, submit their stories
● Marches, gatherings, include a schedule data to get people to online
etc. that address of asks sign up to stay involved ● Asking people to report
specific individuals or with the campaign on implementation
bodies through online reporting
mechanisms.
 WHO ARE THE ORGANIZATIONALS
TAKEHOLDERS

Integration with
organizational
stakeholders is a key
factor to success
THEORY
Digital
OF
Field Staff

“
CHANGE

Communications Lobbying
You can’t win a campaign
based on social media, but
you won’t win without it.”
 LADDER OF ENGAGEMENT:
MOBILIZING FROM ONLINE TO OFFLINE

Organize an activity
Offline
Host an event
Actions
Attend an event

Submit written/creative testimonial

Forward to a friend
Online
Actions Email decision makers
Start Here:
Submit online comments for hearings

Sign an online petition

Like, share and follow on social media

 S TA R T I N G U P T H E L A D D E R :
C R E AT I N G A P E T I T I O N

Are you petition ready?

1 The goal or your petition should be specific and achievable. Ensure that it is
a SMART goal, as defined in MODULE 1.
A petition can be a very effective
way of drawing the attention of a Which influencers and decision makers are you targeting?
target decision maker.
2 A petition is a demonstration of public support or pressure: who are you
However, before you create a supporting or pressuring? How will that demonstration be communicated to
petition, make sure that you, the target audience effectively? You need a delivery plan to maximize the
along with your campaign staff, impact. Eg: Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister of India for a petition about
have found answers to the tobacco taxation.
following questions:
3 How will your petition make an impact?
Can you use the petition to get a meeting or start a conversation? The ask
to a decision maker has to be accompanied by an occasion to present the
petition and have a dialogue. E.g.: 300,000 people sign a petition for smoke
free schools and you present it to the Health Minister on the steps of
Parliament at a press conference and ask that they discuss your
recommendations with your advocates.
Starting a Petition on Change.org
 I

•
.
Write your petition title
This isthe first thing peoplewill seeabout your petition. Get their attentionwith a
short title that focuseson the changeyou'd likethem to support.

[I
90

11;;.;:;;
Keepit short andto the point
Example:"Buy organic, free-range eggs for your restaurants"
Not:"Stopthe inhumanetreatment of chickensin batteryfarms that are force
fed_"

Focus on the solution

Example:"Raise the minimumwage in Minneapolis to 515 anhour"
Not: "Stop rising incomeinequalityin Minneapolis"

Communicate urgency
Example:"Approvelife-savingmedication formy daughter's insurance before
it's too late"
For Example:
The Prime Minister
or Finance Minister
Explain your Theory of
Change:

E.g.: Tobacco causes cancer,

people use tobacco because
it’s cheap.
If you increase prices through
taxes, consumption and thus
illness will decrease.

Use an individual’s story to

make it personal:
E.g.: Tobacco victim’s story
1 An attractive photograph is a must.

2 A video, if crisp and to the point, is

even more powerful.

Try and use a picture of a human

3 being to put your message across.

Use pictures that are 1600x900 pixels

4
or larger

5 Do not use graphic or non-child

friendly content
. .
. '

change.org Start a petit ion ·- Browse Q. Search 1,.. Dipanwita Das v

Your petition Dashboard Edit

Now let's get your first 5 signatures

Getting t o 5 signatures makes your petit ion visible t o t he whole Change.org community

mil Arun Jaitley : Influence Finance.-

(J Post to Facebook

.,, Tweet to your followers

B Send an email to your

friends

Skip sharing for now

 EXAMPLE OF A
POWERFUL PETITION

1. You can find samples of

petitions on the DAC.

2. You can use social media to

promote your petition: This
Facebook post asks tobacco
control advocates to sign a
petition protecting kids from
Big Tobacco marketing.

3. It has a clear theory of

change, a call to action and
data to back up the request.
A TALE OF TWO PETITIONS:
YOUR DELIVERY MATTERS

A petition was posted online and

received 200 signatures but was
never delivered to the decision
maker.

A petition was posted online, received

thousands of signatures and was
delivered to the governor in an
integrated online/offline event.
 THE BEST PETITION DELIVERY
ARE “DIRTY”

Dramatic

Inspiring

Relevant

Timely
 CASE STUDY: SumOfUs vs. GOOGLE

Google was a member of the Chamber of Commerce which

was filled with climate deniers. By continuing their
membership, they implicitly validated the deniers arguments.
SumOfUs campaigned to get them to quit the chamber.

They collected over 300,000 signatures and delivered them to

Google in-person as well as a 115 feet long aerial banner and
a man dressed as a Google Android.

In response, Google leadership said that “while we are

members for now, it’s something that we do review.”

This indicated that they had taken note of the problem and
intended to fix it.
 CASE STUDY : J H ATK AA vs . UNILE VE R

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) owns a mercury thermometer factory

in South India which it was forced to shut down in 2001. Many
of HUL’s workers were exposed to toxic mercury, weren’t
provided with adequate protective gear, and 30 ex- workers
and 15 children had died.

HUL did nothing till Jhatkaa used its music video to garner
massive public support for compensating the workers.

“8 months after we launched our viral “Kodaikanal Won’t”

music video and petition, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has
announced that they are going to compensate their ex-
workers in Kodaikanal! This is a huge victory for human
rights, workers’ dignity, and corporate accountability.”

LINK:
http://jhatkaa.org/unilever-clean-up-kodaikanal-mercury-
pollution/
 CASE STUDY: MoveOn’s 2015 VICTORIES

MoveOn.org has been able to make positive

changes on a number of issues through its
petitions, with political and press coverage
driven by its creative delivery methods.

Read more here:

http://front.moveon.org/our_top_10_in_2015/

Note: the choice of issues, their accompanying

messaging, and how they power mapped for
maximum influence.
 IMPACT FUL PET IT IO N DE LIVE RY

Get
4 personal
2
1 Go live 5
Deliver 3
outside Don’t
the box forget the
Consider other media
social media
techniques
 LADDER OF ENGAGEMENT:
FROM ONLINE TO OFFLINE EVENTS

Organize an activity
Offline
Host an event
Actions
Attend an event

Get activists to Submit written/creative testimonial

lobby online:
Forward to a friend

Email decision makers

Online
Submit online comments for hearings
Actions
Sign an online petition

Like, share and follow on social media

 D I G I T A L L O B B Y I N G PROCESS

Process Goal Sample Tactic

Before Lobby Visit Capture attention of target, Add to Tag decision-maker on social media, post photo of
urgency of lobbyist meeting. decision-maker asking where they stand on issue

During Lobby Visit Empower lobbyist with proof of Print out reach/results of social posts tagging decision-
public support, Engage decision- makers, Bring petitions, photos, comments of constituents
maker. or the public.

Document photos, videos, pledges of support from

decision-maker, request decision-maker to post on
their social channels as well

After Lobby Visit Hold decision-maker accountable, Post updates to followers with results from meetings
Celebrate their support via public with positive/negative messaging
report back
 T Y P E S O F D I G I TAL L O B B Y I N G
TA C T I C S

 Tag decision makers, as much as possible

 Ask followers to write messages on their Facebook wall
 Ask followers to send an email
 Ask followers to make a phone call
o If they can follow up and let you know how the call was
received, great!
 Leverage free tools like Thunderclap, which
 allow your followers to sign up to all tweet a message on the same
day for the most impact
 D I G I T A L L O B B Y I N G 101

Use both positive and negative accountability tactics

1 o Thank decision makers for supporting your campaign
o Call out decision makers

2 Create a Facebook Album of supporters or decision makers

you want to vote your way
o In the description for each picture, include the decision
makers contact information (email and phone) so your
followers can contact them

Hand-deliver social media comments showing public

3 support for the bill during key moments such as a bill
reading
o Tell your followers ahead of time that you’re going to
present their comments at the hearing, and ask why
they support the bill. Boost the post to get a higher
reach and more comments!
4
Print out the reach of the post and bring it to meetings
 LADDER OF ENGAGEMENT:
FROM ONLINE TO OFFLINE EVENTS

Organize an activity
Mobilize
activists to act Host an event
offline:
Offline Attend an event
Actions
Submit written/creative testimonial

Forward to a friend

Email decision makers

Online
Submit online comments for hearings
Actions
Sign an online petition

Like, share and follow on social media

 TEN STEPS TO IMPAC
TFUL ONLINE TO OFFLINE EVE
NTS
Check other key dates Capture photographs
1 5 Create Facebook Event 8
before scheduling and videos

Decide on event hashtag

2 6 Send a press release 9 Thank attendees
early and promote it

Plan your theory of change: 10

3 7 Live Tweet Plan daisy chain asks
who are you delivering to?

Plan media engagement

4 and pitch your story
ADDITIONAL TYPES OF ONLINE
TO OFFLINE FIELD EVENTS

1 Letter-writing party
o Letters to decision makers
o Letters to editors of newspapers
2 Call night

3 Social media meet-up

4 Local clean up -- cleaning up

cigarette butts from a park or
public place
5 Monitoring event: people can
document any violations of
tobacco control laws
 EQUALLY IMPORTANT
TO CLOSE THE LOOP

Appreciate everyone Post pictures in a

that took action Facebook album
after the event

Tell them how they Empower your followers

made a difference and inspire them to take
future actions
EXERCISE: INFLUENCING THE
POLICY PROCESS
 You have now completed MODULE 11 of 12 of Track 1.
NEXT STEPS You can move on to Module 12 or go back and finish any modules you
: have not yet completed. Module 0 is compulsory.

Use this table to navigate through the remaining Track 1 modules

TRACK 1: MODULES STATUS
0: IS YOUR ORGANIZATION DIGITAL READY?
1: HOW TO USE DIGITAL TO WIN YOUR CAMPAIGN
2: HOW TO DESIGN A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN
3: HOW TO CREATE A POWER MAP FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN
4: HOW TO CREATE A MESSAGING FRAMEWORK FOR YOUR CAMPAIGN
5: HOW TO MANAGE CONTENT & COMMUNITY ONLINE
6: HOW TO CREATE & USE A FACEBOOK PAGE
7: HOW TO CREATE & USE A TWITTER ACCOUNT
8: HOW TO SET UP AND MONITOR INDICATORS OF SUCCESS
9: HOW TO USE FACEBOOK INSIGHTS
10: HOW TO USE TWITTER ANALYTICS
11: HOW TO USE DIGITAL TO SUPPORT YOUR LOBBYING EFFORTS COMPLETE
12: HOW TO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES WITH DIGITAL
THANK

YOU