Online Advocacy Petitions

Following are some specific ideas and general thoughts on constructing petitions for use as part of an e-mail campaign and/or for placement on a web site:

1. "Master Petition" Format. We've all seen the home-grown petitions concerned citizens or local groups circulate when they want to stop road widening or construction of a toxic waste dump next to the town hospital. These are usually photocopied, often legal-sized and are sometimes quite rough. The prospective signer sees which of his neighbors have signed on and gets a real sense of participation by adding his name to the form. We can steal this time-tested format and place it online easily - an impossibility in direct mail, TV, or radio. For an example of this format see: http://action.tscl.org/FairAnnualSSCola.asp where you can add your name to a petition and see it on the petition in real time. 
2. "Single Petition" Format. Some groups are concerned about privacy and or supporter security issues. If you feel you cannot or should not use the "Master Petition" format where any visitor can see the names of everyone who has signed the petition on the web, you need to use the "Single Petition" format. This is identical to the Master Petition except that the names of participants are not displayed on the web. A verification that the supporter's name has been added is thus essential since this is the only way in which a signer can confirm their name was added after they completed the form.
3. Acknowledgement/Thank You. Once a supporter has signed either type of petition, they should receive a simple acknowledgement to the effect that they have had their name added. Obviously, if you are using the "Master Petition" format they will probably have already seen that their name is on the petition, but an automated e-mail that thanks them for signing is a good way of reinforcing important facts, stressing a message, and building loyalty. It also indicates "someone is home" at the non-profit organization. Equally obvious is the fact that, the knowledge that they have signed the petition can be stored in your database on the supporter's record for use in future campaigns. We advise against using this acknowledgement as a fund raising tool.
4. Master Petition-Getting Started. To jump-start the petition and so as not to be in the potentially awkward situation of being live on the web with only one person signed up, we recommend dropping an e-mail to the supporter file (or part of it) urging them to click through and sign the petition before it goes live. Once a hundred or so signatures have been collected, you can go live and place those first hundred on the petition for all to see. Thus, when a visitor clicks through to the petition, they see a petition that already has a number of signers.
5. "Hide My Name" Option. It is technically easy to allow a person to sign the petition but also check a box so their name is not displayed.
6. Links. Place links to the petition in appropriate places throughout your web site, in your advertising, in public service announcements, in your newsletters. Be aware that placing instructions in your regular direct mail that suggest readers go to the online petition will probably depress mail results.
7. Contribution Links. By all means place a contribution link on the petition sign-up form, but for a better idea see #8 below. 
8. Pass-along. It costs nothing to embed a link in the petition instructions (or elsewhere) suggesting that once a person signs the petition, they can help in an additional way by e-mailing a link to the petition to any of their friends who may share their interest in signing it. Another good place to make this suggestion is on a so called "exit page."  This is a page that pops-up once the supporter has completed the petition sign-up process. It can thank them for their help and give them a link to a form they can use to create an e-mail to their friends.
9. Petition Text. Keep it simple-150 to 250 words is a good target.
10. Integration with Direct Mail/Other Media. Any petition used in your direct mail appeals can also be posted on the web. Thus, any person receiving mail whom checks your site will have the chance to sign the "online" petition.  
11. Treatment of Names Added to the Petition. You will have to decide how to treat these names and get the petition to its intended recipient. Options include forwarding the online petition to the end-recipient (e.g.: Member of Congress) via e-mail and adding the names gathered online to a master petition that is to be delivered on paper or in CD form. Keep in mind that some Members of Congress prefer to receive the entire name and address of anyone who signed a petition so they can respond to the individuals. You will need to consider the ramifications of sharing this valuable asset and whether your supporters will want their addresses shared.
12. "Printable Petition" Option #1. Some people like to print out forms such as petitions and send them via US mail. This is an easy option to implement and should be considered. 
13. "Printable Petition" Option #2. Consider an option that allows people to print out a blank petition on which they can collect signatures before mailing it back to you.
14. Term/Duration of Petition Campaign. If possible, note the "closing date" for the Petition (E.g.: "This petition will be active through Monday, December 20th because we plan to present it to President Bush on January 1st. Please help us add as many names as possible before December 20th.")

We welcome your ideas and suggestions and will add the best to this section.

Copyright 2002, NPAdvisors.  Permission to reprint is granted - please credit npadvisors.com.

April 2002

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