So Now What?

Nicole Schlinger 2 COVID -19

As Americans enter week two of COVID-19 lockdown, what seemed like a new adventure last week has turned into impatience and unrest. Posts of happy parents working alongside their kids have been replaced with angry rants about lack of toilet paper.

At this moment, your audience is thinking about what kind of world they expect and demand when this is over.

Do you want them to form these opinions while reading dubious posts on social media, or while hearing straight from you?

With door-knocking and in-person events off the table, here are four ways you can make a difference right now …

Telephone Petition Drives
Want to enter the post-COVID-19 era with an army of brand new supporters, ready to get out of the house and take action? Then a telephone petition drive is for you! We invite people to add their name to your petition in support or opposed to a particular policy.  This works best with issues that provoke a strong response, like an increase to the gas tax. People who agree to lend their name are asked for their email address and to volunteer for your organization in the future.

Patch Through Calls
Any time a government body is meeting, you can influence them with patch through calls from the voting public. Senators, governors, state lawmakers, and even mayors, county, and city officials have changed their vote based on grassroots pressure. Even in times of crisis, it’s important to remember that politicians work for the people and not the other way around. Since your army of supporters cannot meet with lawmakers in person, you can make sure they are heard.

Petitions to Get On the Ballot  
While some states have pushed back their primary election, not all have extended the deadline to return ballot access petitions. So how do you collect physical signatures in the time of social distancing? Ask likely petition signers by text and phone call to sign your petition to get on the ballot. When they agree, offer to send a volunteer to their door to (safely) deliver and collect the signatures, or share a link with instructions to download the petition, sign and return it by mail. Don’t let COVID-19 keep your name off the ballot!

Introduce yourself via MMS Video  
This may be your best chance to capture the attention of young voters, women voters, and swing voters.   You can introduce yourself or share your vision in a 20 second video we deliver via conTEXT (peer-to-peer texting) and ask each person to watch your video and share their opinions.  Remember, the value of peer to peer texting is that a real human being is making a connection with another. Make sure whoever is doing your texting promises to read and respond to every reply.

While it’s important to be respectful of the fears and uncertainty Americans are facing, what we’ve learned in the last week is that people desire connection, they want information, and they most certainly do NOT want to have their voices silenced.

You may never have an audience more available, more willing to listen, and more eager to share their opinions than right now.

Seize the moment!

We are here to help. Call (888) 722-4704, or email me at nicole@chq.us.

Nicole Schlinger