Using Email

E-mail is a fast and inexpensive way to communicate with a large number of people at one time and it saves the time and expense of printing and postage. It can be used for one-on-one exchanges, group discussions, distributing information, and getting people involved. To make the most of this tool:

• Collect e-mail addresses at every opportunity. Add an e-mail space and a request for e-mail addresses to every page of your web site, not just membership forms and sign-in sheets. Create a field in your database for storing e-mail addresses. Start gathering the information now, even if you are not ready to begin online communications.
• Encourage your supporters to get online, especially those likely to respond to a call to action.
• Use a tell-a-friend application-which can be part of your website or the emails you send to constituents-that allows the campaign to take advantage of a technique called viral action. The application enables you to track how often and to whom emails you send are passed along to others.
• When composing e-mail messages, never leave the subject line blank; keep messages clear and concise; and always identify yourself with a signature line that includes the name of your organization, mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and e-mail and website addresses.
• Be discreet with group e-mail. Make sure you always put recipient e-mail addresses in the “bcc” line instead of “to” or “cc.” Otherwise the e-mail addresses will be visible to everyone on the list, making it possible for others to use the list for other purposes. If that happens, people may become annoyed with you and ask to be dropped from your list.
• Don’t overdo it. If your e-mails are too frequent or too long, people will not read them. Even worse, people will come to think of your e-mails as junk mail or spam, which will turn them off or away from your cause and hurt your credibility.
• Don’t put anything in an e-mail that you don’t want the world to know. Since they can be forwarded on and on in an instant, you never know where your e-mails’ final destination will be. They may wind up in the hands of the opposition.

Once you have set up an e-mail account and begun to collect e-mail addresses, you can:

• Establish a Listserv™
• Join other Listservs™
• Distribute newsletters
• Send out action alerts
• Gather signatures for a petition

Establishing a Listserv™ back to top

Listserv is a kind of software that allows you to create an interactive opportunity for you, your constituents and colleagues to sign up and exchange information with each other. To provide this feature on your web site, you can purchase Listserv software or you can use a free list hosting service from Google (www.googlegroups.com) or Yahoo (www.yahoogroups.com). Tools that are called Listservs allow you to send out mass e-mails that can disseminate information, facilitate an online conversation, or request action. It can help you to build, engage, and activate your supporters. In establishing a Listserv:

• Choose the type of Listserv based on your objectives. Do you want to initiate a dialogue? Do you want everyone on the list to have access to and use of the list?
  • o Announcement-only lists are for one-way communication; you send out information without expecting a response or revealing the list. Recipient e-mail addresses are included in the “bcc” line, not “to” or “cc.” In your e-mail, you should tell people not to reply to the message. Otherwise, they may be discouraged when they don’t receive a response from you.
  • Moderated (and unmoderated) lists encourage discussion among the people on the list. Moderated lists provide a screening mechanism for posts to the list; the moderator reviews and replies posts those to the list that are relevant. If you decide to establish a moderated list, make sure you to designate a moderater who will carry out this function in a timely, consistent manner.
  • Unmoderated lists are very low maintenance in that they allow for free-flowing, unrestricted conversation. Unlike announcement-only and moderated lists, recipient e-mail addresses are included in the “to” or “cc” field so that people can reply to the whole list. Because the list is wide open, unmoderated lists run the risk of having information posted that is irrelevant and annoying to other members. So be sure to include some guidelines for appropriate use of the list.
• Create different categories of lists-by topic, recipients’ interests, geography, or constituency-to be more strategic and focused.
  • If you are working on different topics, you may want to create different lists, depending on who is working on which issue.
  • If you are trying to get people out to a protest, to write a letter to the editor, or to testify at a city council hearing, you may want lists broken down acording to their interests in volunteering for specific types of activities or willingness to take action.
  • If you are trying to influence a local elected official, you will need action alert lists based on where people live, since phone calls, faxes, e-mails, and petitions from people who aren’t constituents are not effective.
  • If you want to mobilize specific constituencies, specialized lists such as youth, religious leaders, and seniors will help you achieve your goal.
• Don’t put people on your lists without asking them first.
• Give people an option to unsubscribe in every e-mail you send, and promptly remove them when they do.

Joining other Listservs back to top

There are already thousands of Listservs online. By subscribing to those that are relevant to your work, you can find out what is happening in other communities, pick up promising practices and lessons learned, find out about new reports and other publications, and-depending on the type of Listserv-ask questions, solicit advice, and build relationships with advocates in other places.

Distributing newsletters back to top

E-mail newsletters are an effective way of staying in touch with your supporters, sending information and updates, and building momentum. They’re cheaper than printed newsletters and are easily forwarded to others for wider circulation:

• Be concise and consistent. Newsletters should be short and distributed with some regularity, whether quarterly, monthly, or weekly, depending on your capacity and the phase of your advocacy effort.
• Make them interesting and easy to read. Headings are helpful in allowing people to scan a newsletter and focus on the parts they are most interested in. Consider putting the content in the text of the e-mail instead of an attached document. Photos are nice, but use them sparingly: they may be difficult for some people to download.
• Use them to help build your base. Include information in a newsletter about how to subscribe, so those who received it from someone else can sign up on their own.
• Reinforce them with your website. Include your website address in newsletters for those who want more information. And post the most recent newsletter on your website. Also, if possible, post an archive of all previous newsletters.

Sending out action alerts back to top

Action alerts are e-mails that urge your supporters to take a specific and immediate action, such as writing a letter, making a call, or sending an e-mail or fax to a public official. In sending out your action alerts:

• Have a clear and compelling subject line. With all the e-mail people receive, you want to make sure they take notice when urgent action is needed.
• Keep the text short and focused. Use accessible, clear language; no jargon. Ask for a specific, concrete action. If the alert is cumbersome or confusing, people will not take action.
• Provide sufficient information. Include a brief background with a link to your website for more information. Give people talking points if you ask them to make phone calls or lobby.
• Make it easy for people to respond. Include sample text for a letter, e-mail, or fax. Provide contact information for the decision-makers you want people to reach.
• Use time-saving tools. If you want an e-mail action, use the “mail-to” function with the decision-maker’s e-mail address, such as mailto:info@policylink.org, so supporters can just click a highlighted link in the text of the alert. If you have a website with a fax server, include a link to it so supporters can easily access the site. Consider using an online hosted fax service (e.g. www.greenfax.com) so policymakers receive faxed letters that originate as emails from your supporters.
• Include a deadline for action. You want people to respond in time and to stop forwarding the alert when the time for action has passed.
• Let people know how to contact you with questions. Since your alert may be forwarded to people who do not know you, include your address, phone number, and a link to your website.

Gathering signatures for a petition back to top

E-mail petitions are just like paper petitions, except that they are transmitted electronically. They usually include a request that you sign your name at the bottom, forward the e-mail to others, and send the petition to a specific person once it has a certain number of signatures.

A lot of people use e-mail petitions. They are frequently ineffective because the instructions are not always clear: the petition isn’t signed properly, it ends up having lots of duplicate signatures, or it bounces around in cyberspace indefinitely without ever reaching its intended target.

To increase your likelihood of success with your petition:

• Include background information and a link to your website for more information, a cut-off date, and a clear recipient to send the petition to once you have the requisite number of signatures.
• Host the petition on your website. Instead of sending the petition out into cyberspace, send an e-mail with a link to your website, where an online petition can be signed that you can forward to the appropriate decision-maker.
• Consider using an action alert instead for a more individualized response, which may have greater effect.
• Use an old-fashioned paper petition.