PANELISTS

• Beth Dahlman -- Online organizer for Faith in Public Life
• Jason Rosenbaum -- Activist and online organizer currently with the PCCC
• Patrick Schmitt -- Director of Global Campaigns at Change.org
• Neil Sroka -- PCCC press secretary, former communications director for Anne Kuster for Congress 2010*

*DCCC New Media Director Brandon English was slated to participate but was unable to due to illness. Thanks to Neil for pinch-hitting!

WHAT IS “RAPID RESPONSE”?

Ever had a negative story about your organization flying around the internet or in the media?  Has a recent event or emergency occurred, and you want to use the occasion to get people to take action?  These are just a few examples of times when you’ll need to craft and execute a “rapid response” plan.

TYPES OF RAPID RESPONSE

1.   Spread a message

• Misinformation: Address it head-on or ignore it?
• “Fight the Smears” approach (the head-on approach)
  
  - Obama campaign’s “Fight the Smears”
  - Healthcare for America Now (HCAN)


• Messaging in paid media
  
  - Faithful America’s “Driven by Faith, Not by Fear” campaign
  - PCCC’s Wisconsin protest ad


• Generating earned media
  
  - Change.org petitions driving “mainstream media” coverage

2.   Get members to take a specified action

• Sign a petition
• Contact your representative
• Send a letter to the editor

• Renew your membership
• Phonebank
• Canvass

3.   Solicit donations

• Allen West/Debbie Wasserman-Schultz recent example
• What are some of the standard best practices for fundraising emails -- both in terms of style and content?

GENERAL RECOMENDATIONS AND TECHNIQUES

• Turnaround time must be quick
• Talk about the enemy
• Start locally in targeting (usually)
• Incorporate real people with compelling personal stories

TOOLS

• Email
• Social media
•  Mobile
• Blogging
• Advertising (online ads + traditional paid media)
• Video

• Analytics
• Others?