The Hauser Group | Public Relations in the Public Interest

When the Grassroots Calls

Though this blogpost will often deal with national themes, today I want to take it down to mundane core of progressive communications.

With right-wing zealots self-immolating in town hall meetings, I thought it was a good time to offer progressives some practical advice on how to actually communicate during a congressional recess.

First, grassroots organizing and grassroots communication are very different.  With the former, you are trying to build an activist base.  With the latter, you are trying to use that base to reach a wider audience.  Not surprisingly, the style and tactics of each are different.

Let me focus on just one example (and it is a tactic greatly underutilized by progressives).

It is talk radio.  During the August recess, progressives should be all over their local talk radio shows.  But to do it well, you have to be both smart and thorough.  Here’s a primer:

1)      Build a group of callers.  Without a group of dedicated activists ready to call, numbers 2-9 that follow don’t matter.

2)      Do the research.  Know what shows take calls.  Don’t ignore smaller markets, and don’t bypass conservative radio!

3)      Write a schedule.  Literally.  For a week, make specific assignments for which activist is going to call which show, and when.  Shift assignments for the next week.  Treat this as a job.

4)      Be prepared to get busy with the re-dial button.

5)      Be prepared for far-flung tributaries.  Talk radio flows all over the place, but your activists need to pull it back to your message.  Memorize this line: “what the last caller said was interesting, but the real point is …”

6)      Be prepared to convince the producer who answers the phone that your call is worth putting on the air.

7)      Encourage your activists to speak with more wisdom than zeal.  With more tolerance than rage.  With more persuasion and less confrontation.  With more sincerity and less script.

8)      Use personal stories but make them brief and factual.  You are not calling Dr. Phil.

9)      Harness the power of streaming Internet radio.  Meaning, utilize activists who don’t live in the market to tune in to the web and call-in.

And a final encouragement … as someone who worked on the Hill for 10 years, I know first hand what August recess is like back in the district.  For many Members, it’s driving from one town to the next for an endless parade of meetings.  And believe me, the car radio is on more often than not.  Otherwise, the Member would have to chat with the staffer in the car.

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