There’s still time: 4 steps to help finish your Build Back Better advocacy campaign strong
Written by Zoe Alexis Whitehorn
Zoë Alexis Whitehorn is a passionate advocate for policies that support families. As a Director at Forthright, she supports our clients as they build thoughtful policy campaigns. As our clients rally in the last push for Build Back Better, she has a few tips for getting to the finish line.
To our friends and colleagues who work in early childhood and paid leave advocacy: we see you, support you and hear you. Your steady and tireless advocacy has taken national conversations so, so far already. While the compromise package may not be the compromise we’d hoped for, what remains is still an opportunity for significant investments in child care and preschool; higher ed and workforce; and nutrition security for children’s health.
Now, when it feels like it may be the final mile in the marathon of advocating for once-in-a-generation investments in child care and paid leave, don’t forget to drink your water.
As we push until the very last moment, now is the time to reuse, repurpose and refresh the things you already know are working—to get even more out of the existing strongest messages, messengers and tactics that can take us across the finish line.
Here are four things that you can do in less than 15 minutes to sustain—or build—momentum at the end of an advocacy campaign:
1. Refresh and push out your Calls to Action.
You can empower your audiences by ensuring they know that by taking a specific action, right now, they are building toward a realistic solution. Especially toward the end of an advocacy campaign, it’s important to convey why this exact moment matters and outline exactly what taking action will help accomplish. In short, make sure you’re asking something that is clear, urgent and specific. For example, ask your audience to sign on to a timely letter or submit a form with a specific demand to policymakers. Make sure to include a clear deadline, too!
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2. Amplify your best performing content.
Take a look back at the most recent data on your social posts. Ask yourself:
Is there a post or sentiment performing particularly well?
Is it data-driven messaging that's gaining the most traction and engagement?
Repurpose those messages into new content! For example, research shows that even retweeting your own successful content from past posts is an easy and impactful way to highlight important messages. If you have the resources, consider paid promotion to boost just those specific posts that you know will give you the greatest ROI.
Or, maybe your data tells you that stories have been particularly impactful in reaching a specific audience that you need to move to take action. Reshare them! Feature them on the front page of your website, through your newsletter, on social media and in important conversations.
3. Help your partners help you.
Now that you’ve looked at what content is performing well, make it easy for your partners to share it, too! Consider drafting sample content for trusted partners to share on their handles to reach their networks for one final push. This can be as simple as sharing a quick one-page document that includes:
Campaign messaging they can easily pull from
Your campaign hashtag
2-3 sample social media posts they can easily drop into their own channels
Your social media channels in case they simply want to promote your content
Any links or graphics they can easily share
4. Simultaneously, lift up the work of trusted partners.
Whether you’re part of an organized coalition or you simply collaborate with like-minded advocates, partners who share your mission or vision for change are powerful teammates throughout an advocacy campaign. Reach out to known, trusted partners to ask what materials they most want amplified. Highlighting the voices of strong, diverse partners through your existing channels (newsletters, social, blog, etc.) provides validation to audiences about the scope of an issue—and adds color and perspective to the narrative you’re trying to communicate!
You’ve already conquered *so many* of the big things! Now, the key to success is focusing on consistency and amping up the volume on issues that matter deeply to families all across the country.
The bottom line: we know right now especially time is precious, and you likely already have the best tools at your disposal to make the most of that time.
It’s not over until it’s over, friends!
