It is the little things that count....
I believe when it comes to online recruitment and fundraising it is the little things that count and make all the difference. While these sound like really stupid little things they could make a big difference in whether someone will contribute their time, support or money to a campaign.
First off all campaigns out there should make sure that if someone signs up online to volunteer, they should be contacted in a prompt manner. An individual should not have to wait around to hear that a campaign would appreciate any little effort they are willing to make and when and where their services could be needed in the near future. I signed up to volunteer for one particular race on May 31 and as of today I have not heard from them. Not only does that piss me off, it makes me feel as if the campaign does not need my help. I certainly do not want to vote for a candidate who does not value my time as a supporter. What good is having a volunteer option if you are not going to contact me?
Next, if I take the time to write out my correct contact information, a campaign should take the time to spell my name correctly on anything they send me. This may sound silly also, but a mistake could turn someone away from a campaign as well.
Also, make sure the Web site is up to date. If it is June 12, 2005 and I click on the upcoming events link the upcoming events should not list what happened on May 1, 2005. Not only does that make a campaign look sloppy, it makes them look like they have nothing going on. I might even question if they are still in the race and I certainly do not want to invest my time or money in a non-viable candidate.
Sure these sound like suggestions a twelve year old would make, but it is the little things that count. These little things that sound obvious to you and me should not be overlooked during a campaign no matter how intense the political season may be.
For example, it is imperative that if a person puts their name on a volunteer list, they should not have to go to the trouble to contact the campaign again. The day that a person volunteers they should be contacted to not only thank them for signing up, but to also inform them about the most recent events in which their help would be instrumental in making the event a success.
First off all campaigns out there should make sure that if someone signs up online to volunteer, they should be contacted in a prompt manner. An individual should not have to wait around to hear that a campaign would appreciate any little effort they are willing to make and when and where their services could be needed in the near future. I signed up to volunteer for one particular race on May 31 and as of today I have not heard from them. Not only does that piss me off, it makes me feel as if the campaign does not need my help. I certainly do not want to vote for a candidate who does not value my time as a supporter. What good is having a volunteer option if you are not going to contact me?
Next, if I take the time to write out my correct contact information, a campaign should take the time to spell my name correctly on anything they send me. This may sound silly also, but a mistake could turn someone away from a campaign as well.
Also, make sure the Web site is up to date. If it is June 12, 2005 and I click on the upcoming events link the upcoming events should not list what happened on May 1, 2005. Not only does that make a campaign look sloppy, it makes them look like they have nothing going on. I might even question if they are still in the race and I certainly do not want to invest my time or money in a non-viable candidate.
Sure these sound like suggestions a twelve year old would make, but it is the little things that count. These little things that sound obvious to you and me should not be overlooked during a campaign no matter how intense the political season may be.
For example, it is imperative that if a person puts their name on a volunteer list, they should not have to go to the trouble to contact the campaign again. The day that a person volunteers they should be contacted to not only thank them for signing up, but to also inform them about the most recent events in which their help would be instrumental in making the event a success.
