Step-by-Step Guide to Spread and Share a Petition
The keys to success:
The key to the success of a petition is that it is supported by many. The key to get people to support your petition is to let them know you have started one. How will they know? You must share it with them.
If your petition target ascertains that your petition is only supported by a few people, he may find himself in an easy position to ignore it. On the other hand, if your petition is supported by many (even by thousands), and your addressee is not only aware of that but also receives emails (automatically sent by the system) whenever an individual signs your petition, he will no doubt feel more inclined to attend to it.
If many people are going to support your petition, they first have to know that you started it!
Tell the whole world about your petition through:
- Social Networks
- The Internet in general
NOTE: You may spread your petition immediately after you created it and at any point after that.
This is the number one means that people use to spread news and information.
How to use email to spread your petition:
Once you have completed and signed your petition, you will be redirected to a page where you will read:
Click on the red button (Email) and send the petition to all your relatives, friends, and contacts. Surely more than one will understand, be thankful for receiving it, sign your petition, and share it.
- When clicking on the button, a new email template will open in the program you use to send and receive emails (e.g. Gmail), where the subject matter is already stated (with your petition’s title) and a message line encourages the reader to support your petition.
You can change or add what you want (in the subject matter and message body).
- Add all addresses from contacts with whom you want to share your petition and send them an email. You have started to create your own surge.
NOTE: Whenever you access your petition (when you are logged in with your username and password on our website) you will see three buttons that allow you to spread your petition.
Basic rules to spread your petition by email
- Subject matter: Use an action verb and mention the subject matter of the message you are sending to your addressee
Example: Sign this petition, help me save the Mothers Support Association
Be descriptive in your subject matter, as if you were about to publish a (good) headline in the papers.
- Message body:
- Greet in a friendly way.
- Explain your petition briefly. If you can include a piece of data and/or image to illustrate your petition, all the better.
- Link to your petition.
- Explicitly ask your addressee to sign your petition.
- Highlight the importance of his signing it (advantages of doing it and disadvantages of not doing it).
- Greet again, thanking him, and...
- Explicitly ask that person to share your petition.
- Style: Be brief. Use short sentences. Use emotions and adjectives (not abusing them).
Social Media
The best known and most widely used social media platforms are Twitter and Facebook.
Social Media is the second best means (the first one being email) to spread your petition. They also possess an impressive multiplying power, and are the most comfortable way for everybody to share and link information.
Besides the red button to share your petition by email, you have two additional buttons at the top of your petition, which allow you to spread your petition via Facebook and Twitter.
Prior to sharing your petition on these two Social Media platforms, you must have a working account on them.
Notifications
Ask your friends to make sure they adjust their notifications status (in Facebook) so that they receive updates of your activity in Facebook. Ask them to adjust them in their mobile device too.
Groups and interest lists
Create and mange your interest groups well (lists).
Invite your friends to subscribe.
Ask your friends to share
Ask your friends openly and explicitly to Like the petition on Facebook.
Ask your friends openly and explicitly to Share what you publish.
Twitter is probably the fastest information transmission tool available.
Some suggestions:
- Always link your petition.
- Do not use the 140 characters available in Twitter, leave some space for others to add something if they wish when they retweet you (RT)
- Use #hashtags
- Ask explicitly for RT (retweets)
- Share in the conversation
- Tweet several times, over a number of days, about your petition, maybe highlighting different aspects each time
- Create lists and share them (related to your petition)
- Use trending topics to boost your petition.
Internet in general
Do you have a blog?
That’s the best place to talk about your petition! And if you don’t have one, you may know somebody who does (directly or through Social Media). Get in contact and ask him or her to help you spread your petition.
Do you contribute to any Forum?
If that is the case, and without deviating from the Forum topic, you can let them know that you have launched a petition... and ask (explicitly, directly) anybody who is ready and willing, to sign and help you spread it.
You may also like to read...
Handbook (suggestions) to Create a Petition | Step-by-Step Guide to Create a Petition
