Working with numerous advocacy we are always looking for effective methods to rally support and provide opportunities to take action on behalf of the campaign. Whether targeting congress, candidates or simply gathering supporters, petitions are certainly a mainstay of these campaigns actions.
I have used a variety of tools such as Convio, Kintera, The Soft Edge, CapWiz and others for such petitions and letter campaigns. These are important tool sets that enable the organizations to have a great deal of control and to capture contact details to build a database of constituents. These are great methods to activate current contacts and grow a list of supporters. However, it still calls upon the need to direct people to the organization’s Web site.
An addition of services from free petition sites can be used to add a broader reach. Certainly, this is not the best method for the core value of build a constituent database. However, using these variety of services can help extend the ability to reach many people beyond that your own Web site marketing efforts. You might not obtain registrations from all of these petition senders – but you will activate more people on behalf your cause. Certainly, offer a signup to your information stream via these services – but do not expect many signups. Do expect more petitions to be distributed.
Here is a list of free petition services I have found. I have not used all of them so please investigate each before you use the services.
Facebook
Of course you should place your petition on this and other social networks to deliver your message right where people play. The following Facebook applications help you create petitions very quickly and easily.
- Convio – The Convio Facebook Application extension is a great tool. Check out the application for Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives.
- PetitionBox
- Mission Petition
- Petitions
- Ultimatums
Dedicated Sites
The following sites offer free petition services. They appear to be quite popular. I have not tried these out. Let me know if you have and how effective they have been for you.
- www.petitiononline.com
- www.ipetition.com
- www.petitionspot.com
- www.gopetition.com
- www.thepetitionsite.com (Care2) – Run by the very respectable Care2
- www.epetitions.net
- www.petitionhost.com
- www.mycuase.com
- www.petitionhosting.com
- www.rallycongress.com – Also offers a paid services when you get to a certain volume and also allows you access to data and skin to match your site. But the free service seems like one that is also one to try out.
Have others? Think I am nuts. Drop me a line in the comments.
