On Friday, I spoke about how Generals fight the last war. Campaigns fight the last election. If someone we like decides to run for President in the 2008 cycle, success depends on not doing what DFA did last time, but to find the next generation of ideas that will mobilize and use the enthusiasm and skills supporters bring to a campaign. This needs to be done at all levels and areas of the campaign. This continues that discussion.
Different Drums
With a dedicated volunteer base that can be provided with useful, interesting work based on database queries of their time, interest and experience, the path is opened up to using volunteers in unique ways. The "Iowa Perfect Storm" was such a unique way to use volunteers, albeit one badly executed, but its failure is no reason to stop. Its weaknesses can be corrected and its strengths focused. Here are some ways to use volunteers differently:
Surge volunteering -
- The idea of "give a week for the campaign". Iowa Storm was a bad example of how to do it, but it's useful.
- Campaign must have useful, interesting work for surgers to do
- People must be trained
- People must be supervised
- Only works if there is time for training - probably one week minimum
- Surge tasks should be "projectized" with a goal, measures and success criteria
- Can be done remotely from HQ, but should be done at a "Campaign site"
Project volunteering -
- Aim a specific group of volunteers at a specific project
- Make use of expertise groups - these projects should be built around expertise
- There should be a schedule and deliverables
- Maybe pay project lead. Maybe provide incentives for performance.
- Examples - Brochure creation, develop radio ads, plan and implement an event
One obvious use of volunteers in the past has been for repetitive tasks, the classic "stuffing envelopes." Using volunteers for repetitive (mailings, phone banking, etc.) projects has strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are obvious, apparently lower cost. The weaknesses are non-trivial. The questions that need to be answered are:
- Do volunteers provide the quality necessary?
- Is the cost (time, training, mistakes, etc.) of volunteers less or more than the cost of using a professional service?
- If volunteers are to be used, can the effort be distributed as "projects"?
My final (for now) thoughts on this topic tomorrow.