Manny Herrmann AFL-CIO Online Mobilization ACLU, American Rights at Work, AFL-CIO, 2010-Present

List Growth & Testing Organic Organic –Your activists are your biggest fans –They recruit their friends –Master fundamentals of this BEFORE doing a major list-growth effort. Paid Paid –Care2/Change.org/Etc –Online ads Collaborative Collaborative –Build alliances with other groups –Quid pro quo, or more informal –Everybody wins

Organic List Growth GET THIS RIGHT FIRST. Your strongest supporters grow your list for you. Your strongest supporters grow your list for you. You give them a compelling action, and the tools to spread the word via: You give them a compelling action, and the tools to spread the word via: – –Social media And when possible, you can also use: And when possible, you can also use: –In person events –Canvassing –Text messaging –Phone calls (member to member) –Other real life venues that require higher engagement

Structuring Your Program for Strong Organic Growth Your program is about building and maintaining relationships with your list members. Your program is about building and maintaining relationships with your list members. Your first goal is opens. Your first goal is opens. Your next goal is actions. Your next goal is actions. And you want a high % of action takers to tell their friends, expanding your program. And you want a high % of action takers to tell their friends, expanding your program. Ultimately, you also want to convert people to a higher level of activism – being a donor, text messaging member, or super-activist. Or, a equivalent but separate level (like following you on social networking). Ultimately, you also want to convert people to a higher level of activism – being a donor, text messaging member, or super-activist. Or, a equivalent but separate level (like following you on social networking).

List-Growth Campaigns Start with a good . Start with a good . Take users up the ladder of engagement Take users up the ladder of engagement –Take action –Tell friends –Segmentation for follow-up Try new things: youd be surprised Try new things: youd be surprised Test to increase response rates Test to increase response rates –Subject lines, senders, long v. short Send segmented follow-ups Send segmented follow-ups –Took action? Tell Friends. –Didnt take action? Send a reminder

Ladder of Engagement

Tell-a-friend

Dont forget The series is important The series is important –Segment your list to take people up the ladder of engagement Tell a story – like delivering your petition and getting pictures or even video. Tell a story – like delivering your petition and getting pictures or even video. If your response rate isnt high enough If your response rate isnt high enough –Change the campaign, or ASK HARDER –There is a response rate for you –Test, test, test: subject lines, content, and new approaches. One thing at a time.

Other things to note… Its good to use a broad definition of your list. Its good to use a broad definition of your list. –Twitter and Facebook followers are valuable – but for different purposes than . –Understand the mediums, and their strengths and weaknesses. –When you can, move your activists into as many mediums as possible. –Engage people ON social networking when you can. Act.ly petitions vs petitions Act.ly petitions vs petitions Facebook pages vs. petitions Facebook pages vs. petitions BUT is still the most powerful tool, even with declining performance. BUT is still the most powerful tool, even with declining performance.

Collaborative Cross-Promotions One of my favorite ways to grow your list One of my favorite ways to grow your list You build relationships with outside groups. You build relationships with outside groups. Quid quo pro, or something more informal works. Quid quo pro, or something more informal works. Link to each others campaigns, or do a co-branded campaign with a joint opt-in and swap names. Link to each others campaigns, or do a co-branded campaign with a joint opt-in and swap names.

Messaging to New Acquisitions Send a welcome message to new activists Send a welcome message to new activists –At least to new activists from big campaigns, paid growth and cross-promotions. –Good to introduce your organization and give an easy action to warm people up. Some organizations even send a series of welcome messages. Some organizations even send a series of welcome messages.

Paid List Growth Change.org and Care2.com Change.org and Care2.com –Maintain lists with millions of members –They recruit activists to sign your petition –$1-2 per name –Since these are generally CPA (cost per acquisition), they handle the testing process for you.

Online Ads Blog Ads Blog Ads –Performance is based on how compelling the ad is. –Generally anywhere from $3-5 per acquisition with a good ad. –Plus, you reach a blogs audience, and support progressive bloggers.

News Sites Google Text and Banner Ads Google Text and Banner Ads –Great bargains on CPM and CPC ads –Generally best to big per click, with a few exceptions. –C3 organizations can sometimes get free Google text ads (exceptions apply)

Test & Keep Content Fresh For big campaigns, create multiple versions of ads to test. For big campaigns, create multiple versions of ads to test. Run them both Run them both The optimized ad wins The optimized ad wins Its worth hiring a firm if you need help Its worth hiring a firm if you need help

Dont Forget Offline Growth! Where can you grow your list offline? Where can you grow your list offline? Canvassing existing members. Canvassing existing members. Asking members for , cellphone #, etc. often, in many places. Asking members for , cellphone #, etc. often, in many places. Ask Facebook followers to join your list, etc. (limited returns, but worth doing – if youre creative you can increase cross-medium conversions.) Ask Facebook followers to join your list, etc. (limited returns, but worth doing – if youre creative you can increase cross-medium conversions.)

Questions?