We’re answering a letter from a lonely heart this month:
Dear Speak4,
Where have I gone wrong?
I’ve realized all of my advocates are single-action takers. They send one letter and then disappear forever. I’m unsure how to ever get them back.
My campaign is important, my landing page is dynamic, and I’m ready to take the next step.
I’m tired of single-action life. How do I build a long-term relationship with my advocates?
Sincerely,
Single-Action and Desperate
Dear SAD,
You want to find “happily ever after” with your advocates – but it seems like a fairytale, doesn’t it?
SAD, please know that you’re not alone in your advocacy woes. Everyone goes through top-of-funnel dry spells where you get a lot of first impressions and not a lot of follow up engagement.
As your grassroots matchmaker, I want to give you the best possible chance at getting more activity.
Here are some things to think about if you’re looking for long-term:
1. Don’t be afraid to double-text.
I know, I know, you don’t want to seem desperate. But waiting by the form for your advocates to take action again will only end in heartache.
If you want repeated actions from your advocates, ask for them. Reach out via email, text, carrier pigeon – Speak4’s embeds work pretty much anywhere – and ask your advocates to take action again. (Pro tip: use Send+ to entice your advocates to immediately double their next action.)
And do it relatively soon after they’ve entered your life. Advocates are more likely to take another action if they met you recently: it’s much harder to get them to agree to another action if they haven’t heard from you in months.
2. Spice things up.
Take someone out to an Italian restaurant every week and they’re going to get sick of it, even if it’s the best pizza in the world.
Make sure your follow ups have some variety. We’ll be your wingman:
- Petitions & Custom Fields help you ask customized questions of your advocates (i.e. “Cats or dogs?” and “Would you be willing to help make my Aunt Brunhilde’s annual borscht cake?”);
- StoryTeller Mode allows your advocates to record a personalized testimonial about how much they love you;
- Gamification tools like Progress Bars or Countdown Clocks add a level of urgency to help keep things moving (e.g., “Will you go to prom with me? Say yes in the next two minutes.”)
3. Not everyone is long-term material. Keep putting yourself out there.
When it comes to advocacy, quantity and quality are both important. Not every advocate is going to become a champion, and that’s okay – single-action takers are important for showcasing the power in numbers. Keep putting yourself and your cause out there to capture as many fish in that advoca-sea.
Can’t wait to see how it goes – and to be able to say “congratulations on your engagement!”
All the best,
Speak4