Special: Turn Your Fly-Ins Virtual

Fly-ins are cancelled. In their place, successful organizations are going virtual and that means VIDEO. Easy and just as effective, we break down, step-by-step, how you can leverage Zoom to connect your advocates on video calls with each other and with staffers – and why they can be MORE successful than face-to-face meetings! Everyone is sending letters, tweets and doing calls. If you want to stand out and have your voice heard – “Show your face! Use Video!”

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Special: Associations & COVID-19

As groups shuffle, reschedule, suspend and cancel their events in response to COVID-19, AHD is joined by Mary Kate Cunningham, VP of Public Policy @ ASAE to dive into how associations are helping to guide their membership. From being a central point of industry related information and setting up specific webpages, to advising on pushing fly-ins and dealing with potential financial impact, we touch on a variety of scenarios that can potentially help associations, coalitions, corporations and non-profits dealing with how to be a resource in a time of need.

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New Ep: Small Data = Better Data

“Well, you told me I have a plethora. And I just would like to know if you know what a plethora is.” – Three Amigos

While everyone is talking about data in advocacy these days, does anyone really know what that means? On this episode of the Help Desk, we’re joined by Henri Makembe, Partner at LPS Campaigns, who dives into what data your group should be looking to capitalize on, where you can find it, and what the best practices look like for getting started. It’s not Big Data, it’s better, smaller data points that really drive effective advocacy efforts.

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New Ep: Leveraging LinkedIn for Advocacy

LinkedIn. Even mentioning the name conjures up images of uploading a resume, browsing job postings, and even writing recommendations for trusted friends and colleagues. But if that’s all that comes to mind when thinking about LinkedIn, you may be missing the full potential of the platform. This week we’re joined by Erica Pyatt, Manager, Advocacy and Government at LinkedIn who walks us through how advocacy efforts, organizations, brands, and more are leveraging the platform to reach everyone from decision makers to potential new advocates. Download the latest episode and watch the video today.

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New Ep: The Future of Advocacy…

In the advocacy space, we talk a lot about what’s coming next, what’s down the line, and what practitioners should be looking towards in the future. This week, we bring on Mike Panetta of Beekeeper Group to talk through what he sees as some of the challenges and opportunities of new technology. From Virtual Reality to Voice to Tik Tok, how organizations are employing the latest tools, and – more importantly – the things organizations should keep in mind when pitching new ideas to leadership.

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New Ep: Podcasting for Associations

Did you know that more than 160 million Americans have listened to at least one podcast? Or that roughly 1 in 3 Americans listens to at least one podcast each month? Or that that average listener has more than 5 shows they listen to each week? With that in mind, it’s not crazy that many associations and advocacy efforts have jumped into podcasting. On this episode, we cover exactly what you need to know to get started. Blake, who literally wrote the book on association podcasts, dives into workflow, benefits, and examples so you start getting your voice out there today.

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New Ep: Advocacy as Sales

We talk about the idea a lot here at SparkInfluence, but in reality, organizing and advocacy is just sales by a different name. This week we’re joined by Jenna Golden, former Director of Political Sales at Twitter and now Founder of Golden Strategies. We’re diving in on how important it is to think like a salesperson in advocacy. We’ll talk through how to read the room and pinpoint your language to get your advocates’ attention, speak their language, and get them to act.

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New Ep: Rounding Out Your Advocacy Effort

With all the tools available, how do advocacy professionals know which are best for what they’re trying to accomplish? This week we’re joined by Caitlin Donahue, Senior VP and Head of Digital at the Curley Company as she dives into a can’t miss episode on how to leverage social, video, advertising and more to get your story across. It all starts with a story, the tools are there to help you tell it on the right medium at the right time to the right people.

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