Campaigning essentials to consider

Posted on 10 Oct 2024

By Matthew Schulz, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia

Institute of Community Directors training lead Nina Laitala has been involved in campaigns at the local, state and federal level, as a volunteer, as an activist, as the CEO of an advocacy organisation, and most recently as a Greens candidate in local council elections in Melbourne.

Community Directors Intelligence asked Ms Laitala for her top tips for campaigning organisations, and she said they must have:

clear goals

campaign strategies that suit their audience

clear, consistent messages on multiple platforms

effective research

a plan for dealing with the haters

an understanding that rest is essential.

Be clear about your goals

“Campaigning requires time, energy and good planning to be effective. It's important to start your campaign with a clear idea of what the intended outcome is. Is it to get people to vote a certain way? Is it to raise awareness for an issue? Or is it to stop or start something?” 

Laitala stressed there were many campaign methods, and said, “It's a good idea to think about which ones will be most effective for the audience you are trying to reach.”

“A good campaign will employ a few different approaches so you reach all of your target audience.”

Be true to your message

Laitala believes, “Clear messaging is crucial to effective campaigning.”

“Prepare messages for those who are supporters, those who might be on the fence, those who aren't interested and those who are against your campaign.”

And she warned campaigners considering tactics that would discredit their opponents that such methods shouldn’t simply “put them in the spotlight”.

“Be prepared to always bring the message back to what you want people to hear,” she said.

Creating that strong message required good research and planning, she said, including allowing enough time for your views to reach others.

“It is suggested that it takes people hearing a message seven times before they actually pay attention to it,” she said.

That was why those messages must remain simple. She said campaigners should “focus on breadth” and “getting it out there”.

Effective campaigners should not have to rely on costly advertising, Laitala said.

“It doesn't have to be expensive; posters, stickers and organic social media or short paid social media runs can be very effective if they are done often and get in front of the right people.”

Those materials should, of course, align with your beliefs.

“Be true to your message during your campaign. Nothing undermines a message more if the means of spreading it doesn't align; for example, a campaign about reducing waste in our waterways would not hold up very well if part of the campaign involved handing out single-use plastic wristbands.”

Talking about inexpensive communication, Laitala declared, “Word of mouth is not to be underestimated,” and said audiences were more likely to listen to someone they already trusted.

“Engaging other people, community leaders and organisations that align with your values to spread your message is a great strategy.”

“Have a plan for dealing with the haters and the trolls.”

Protect yourself from the haters, and burnout

Having recently ridden the highs and lows of a local campaign, Laitala also urged campaigners to create armour against destructive social media attacks.

“Have a plan for dealing with the haters and the trolls,” she said.

“If it's clearly trolling that is offensive, untrue or just ridiculous, delete and block. If it's someone that has legitimate (albeit oppositional) perspectives, then it can be worth replying in a way that stays on brand with your messaging.”

“The most important thing is not to be drawn into arguments on social media. I've found a very effective way to quickly put an end to comments that are starting to turn into trolling is to suggest they catch up with a representative from the campaign in person to chat. Usually this is enough to stop them in their tracks.”

“Finally, make sure you build in rest time so that you have the opportunity to rest and recharge. Have specific activities you can keep doing to keep you as refreshed and relaxed as possible and understand that the ultimate goal you are trying to reach might be a long-term one, so celebrate the little wins along the way to help keep up your motivation.”