• Content Marketing For Politics

    Feb 08, 2016 by Joe Fuld (he/him)

    content marketing for politics

    Content Marketing in the World of Politics

    In my 20 years working in politics, I have seen a lot of things change. Technology in particular has done a lot to change the way that we communicate with voters. Yet somehow, we in politics have access to more information about our audience than ever before, but our audience engagement is at an all time low. 

    That’s because politics relies on the same tools we always have: TV, radio, door-to-door, mail and now digital ads. Campaigns are missing an important piece of the puzzle: content marketing.  

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  • Four Tips for Nonprofit Facebook Ads

    Dec 14, 2015

    facebook advertising

    Four Tips for Nonprofit Facebook Ads

    Choose the Right Image for Your Ad

    Your nonprofit facebook ad will need an image to display on users newsfeeds or right-hand rails. In a platform like Facebook, where viewers are accustomed to scrolling continuously, you’re going to need an image that is arresting enough to stop the scroll. Make sure the photo or illustration you use has a clear focal point that is either intriguing or easily recognizable and relevant to a viewer’s interests. If you sell shoes, pick your snazziest pair, put them on a clean background that shows them off. If you’re running for office, you could use an image of a local landmark or a picture of a well-known person who is endorsing you. Whatever image you choose, make sure it is arresting, and communicates something important about you, your cause, or your business.  

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  • Winning Advocacy Strategies for 2015 and Beyond

    Jan 05, 2015 by Joe Fuld (he/him)

    Advocacy Strategies for 2015 and beyond

    The Evolution of Advocacy Strategies

    Advocacy strategies have changed a lot over the last 20 years. When I was a chief of staff in the New York State Legislature, I don't remember there ever being a real advocacy campaign around public support of an issue that focused on legislators. The main way groups moved legislation was to hire a lobbyist and that was really it. There were occasional print ads and lobby days, but day-to-day mass contact from constituents that were driven by member groups were few and far between. Today, we spend a lot of time running advocacy campaigns on the state level.  Issue advocacy tactics that were once only used on large, federal issues are now seen on smaller federal issues as well as state and municipal issues.

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  • Campaign Toolbox Tips

    Dec 11, 2014 by Joe Fuld (he/him)

    Working with a Campaign Toolbox

    Open up Your Campaign Toolbox, What Will You Find?

    We understand what it’s like to operate a campaign on a tight budget, so we’ve found some free tools to include in your campaign toolbox to help you along the way.  We hope you will find them useful as you launch your campaign or look for ways to better organize it. to ve clear no campaign tool will solve all of your campaigns problems.  Whether fundraising for a nonprofit, managing an independent expenditure campaign, or seeking office, a few of these tools will surely help you along your way.

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  • GOTV Tactics for Advocacy

    Oct 02, 2014 by Joe Fuld (he/him)

    GOTV Tactics for Advocacy

    Using GOTV Techniques for Advocacy and Organizing

    Advocacy campaigns get inspired by GOTV.  Get Out The Vote, has come a long way. A good GOTV program can give a political campaign a big lift and those tactics are now being used for advocacy. you can read more about GOTV techniques here and here. GOTV techniques have transcended their former use as “valued election tools”, and are now the core component of modern GOTV Tactics. They are being turned into engagement plans and are being used in advocacy, nonprofit organizing, and the corporate world. 

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  • Political Organizers Top Tips for Campaign Data Entry | TCW

    Jun 19, 2013 by Ben Holse (he/him)

    data entry tips for political organizers

    Political Organizers Top Campaign Tips for Data Entry:

    For political organizers, data entry and turf cutting are the two most likely tasks that will be keeping you up late into the night. Unlike cutting turf, which can be strangely comforting, data entry is only really enjoyable when it is complete. So to help out political organizers still in the field we have compiled a short list of tips to make data entry a bit easier.

    1. There are a number of campaign tools now available that can help reduce the amount of data that you have to enter at the end of the day. The technology exists for canvassers to enter data on their smartphones or tablets while they are canvassing and for phone bankers to input data in a virtual phone bank as they make each call. Check out or list of 100 campaign tools for political organizers here. For a paper list, you may also be able to use the barcoding feature, provided that you can get your hands on a barcode scanner. It is possible that your campaign will not have these pieces of technology on-hand. If your campaign’s field program is set up to utilize these technologies, then be sure to ask your volunteers to bring in their personal technology to use when you call to remind them about their shifts.

    2. Throughout the course of the campaign, you will likely encounter an individual who wants to help, but refuses to do any voter contact. These individuals are prime targets for data entry. While your data volunteer is working, make sure that the individual knows their contribution is highly valued. Ask them if they can come in once or twice a week to help with data entry.

    3. If you are working with other organizers or other campaigns, coordinate data entry time so you can have conversations to keep you awake and alert. But at a certain point, you do have to just crank up the tunes and knock it out.

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