e.politics: online advocacy tools & tactics

Climate Change Helps Conservative Groups Grow Their Activist Lists

July 30th, 2009

Climate change has certainly been good for the health of at least one ecosystem, judging from a piece that appeared in National Journal’s Under the Influence blog this week:

Ire over cap-and-trade is helping conservative groups grow their Rolodex of supporter e-mail addresses this summer as their online advocacy efforts enjoy unprecedented participation levels.

It’s a classic observation in the world of online politics — advocacy grows your list, assuming always that you don’t overdo it and wear out your welcome in the process. Sara Jerome’s Nat Journal piece neatly captures another dynamic as well, the idea of moving activists up tiers of engagement:

For Freedom Works, each new e-mail address represents an opportunity to rear a new small government advocate. “The real value added is when you keep moving these people up the food chain on any issue,” Brandon said.

Also note that e.politics managed to sneak into the article, with a solid quote about using your activist list for something OTHER than just mass identical emails to congressional offices, which in turn fits neatly with the idea of the ladder of engagement. Check out Sara’s article, and see also the Congressional Management Foundation’s findings on engaging Congress through grassroots activism, as well as an e.politics piece from last Fall about finding creative ways to put your supporters to work.

– cpd