You are currently reading the Tools section in a five part series, click here for the intro and ToC
- Obviously, voter database and engagement tools like NGP/VAN, PDI, NationBuilder, etc…
- Don’t be afraid of Slack. Keep confidential info off Slack, but use it as a constant engagement tool for volunteers. Done right, Slack can serve as a rapid response Bat Signal. Just make sure the administrator is strict with permission settings. Rooms programmed to track social media and RSS feeds are critical.
- Hustle. There could be similar tools out there, but this is the only one I’ve used. SMS open rates are 98%, compared to 22% for email, so having a strong texting team in place is critical. As covered in Step 1, you can repurpose the same people who traditionally did folding campaigns. It can be a social occasion where people share text return stories and help each other answer questions properly.
- G-Drive. A shared drive is commonplace for any organization, but having several public folders allows for the crowdsourcing of pictures, memes, video etc…
- Trello. If you have done a proper job and rely on an army of volunteers to get projects done, a lightweight project management software like Trello can be helpful in keeping track of tasks.
- Trello, G-Drive, and Slack can also be integrated depending on what level of subscriptions are made.
- Smartphone accessories. Make sure the candidate’s body person always has these on hand. Never miss an opportunity to generate content and/or engage with your voters. For a minimal cost, campaigns can whip up a great deal of high-quality content.
- VoterCircle. We found this tool to be helpful with precinct captains. If the campaign has data with a large number of emails matched to the voter file, this can be a powerful tool.
To learn more about VoterCircle, contact Sangeeth Peruri at sang@votercircle.com or sign up for the VoterCircle newsletter here.
Peter Hinga is a vagabond writer and political hack looking to settle down a bit…maybe.