Citizen-Driven Media Messaging and Digital Organizing
Digital Media
- Build a community around your brand. ReclaimtheAmericanDream.org is a good website for drawing people in.
- Focus on the messaging of what you are about; keep it simple / easy to understand; don’t confuse it with multiple ideas; be aspirational; visually striking images and striking 4-5 word messages; for Twitter a simple message from several famous people can be very effective; be creative; talk about the future – what legacy are we leaving for the next generation; tug at the heart using very cute and clever pictures; corruption is a poor frame for drawing people in; go to bit.ly/rethinkmip and moneyinpolitics.us and wiuta.org for help with messaging
- You need to get people’s interest in 3-10 seconds on social media or they will turn off
- Repetition matters. People need to hear a message 10-15 times before they pay attention.
- Attract people by getting other organizations to share your message; build relationships with groups that will do this; most things go viral because of large networks
- Promote events on Facebook and with Twitter hashtags; reporters and people will follow you on Twitter; pull in other community organizers; find a large network and connect one-on-one with influencers
- Facebook Live is a good way to broadcast events; a large audience can watch on-line; can write in questions; can record the event and people can watch it at a later date; very easy to use – basically stand in front of an iPhone
In-person Presentations
- Understand the audience. Go into the room and listen to find out where you are and what the person/people you are talking to thinks. Start conversations – what do you think about money in politics?
- The messenger matters. Content is not as important as the ability to connect with the audience. Find a shared value/experience with your audience and they will trust you more.
- Use messages that cut to the core – not statistics. Go into shared principles – what it means to be a member of the Republic. “I keep hearing from other people…”
- House parties can be a good way to get people together. Can share pictures on social media – my neighbor is supporting this.
- Video screenings can also be effective. Hedrick Smith’s The People vs. the Politicians video will be on MSNBC this summer – 6 stories, 6 states, 6 rebellions.