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create_a_chain_manual

THis page is to brainstorm for and ultimately create a “handbook” to help people understand how to create a “chain of petitioners”.

The idea is to help people learn how to build networks so that each of us can find 10 friends to sign and then each of them go find ten friends to sign and so on.

That way, if we can each have ten friends that we can call and “lean on” to get their ten signatures, then we can perhaps lean on them to find ten friends to also go get ten signatures.

CREATING a CHAIN of “Signer Friends”
The goal is for each of us to create a “network” of 100 signer friends, by finding 10 friends to find 10 friends to find 10 friends to sign

BASIC STEPS
— For the Petition Period (Sept-Nov) Carry:
——- Petition Sheets for the towns you are in and some extra blanks
——- FAQ, Cards, buttons, etc
——- Pad of Paper with columns for: name, email, phone, town to get contact info

— Ask people to sign
— When they are signing, tell them that we need them to find 10 friends to sign, as well
— Many people will agree to do it, Many will not. Get used to being OK if they say no. Don't take it as a personal affront. It's important to let them know that this is a grassroots effort. No one is going to pay us to get money out of politics. So we have to “take control of our country”.

— If they agree, take their name/number/email, if you don't already have it
— Give them a blank form, the instructions, and the FAQ, as well as a bunch of cards and buttons
— Tell them to feel free to call the number on the card to ask questions
— Check in with them after a few days to see if they got their 10 and to answer questions
— Ask them to also ask their 10 Signer-friends to also get 10 friends to sign. We can't do this if everyone doesn't get 10 friends to get 10 friends

WAYS TO FIND YOUR ORIGINAL 10 “SIGNER FRIENDS”:

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
— get lists of people who are registered “D” “I” or “G” voters, or Rs who you know are oriented toward small business. You can get these lists at the Town Hall, often for free, or from your local Democratic Town Committee.
— just start knocking on doors and meeting people. use the Petitioner's Handbook for suggestions for your opening lines and answers to FAQ
— know that knocking on doors requires a bit of walking and patience. It may take some time to get signatures by knocking on doors, BUT it's fun, because you get to talk to your neighbors about an important issue, educate them, and make progress
— skip doors of folks who you feel won't be interested in helping. We've found that for people who lean in our direction, it's an easy signature. For those who don't, it's very time consuming and will probably not result in a signature

YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP / CHURCH / CLASS / BOOKGROUP, wherever people gather
— most community oriented groups will allow you to make an announcement
— if you do not feel comfortable making an announcement, then talk to people in your group. Chances are, there will be people who will want to sign, and

YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK
— while we have to have Massachusetts “registered voters” only, extended social media groups are a great place to find people who want to help with a cause.
— perhaps have a “tea” at your house and invite people over to learn about what we are doing
— perhaps just have a print-sign-mail campaign for people to mail forms back
— encourage people to find friends to help gather a few signatures

create_a_chain_manual.txt · Last modified: 2018/07/23 11:48 (external edit)