Battling the Bystander Effect

In our last post we discussed the “bystander effect” and how it is likely killing the response rate to your organization’s action alerts. So, how can your organization ensure that your supporters know you are counting on them?

Studies prove that with activism, just like in crisis situations, the personal ask is key. Imagine you are in a a car accident, you need help, but no one seems be taking action to get the police on the scene. The single most effective thing you can do in this situation is to single out one passer-by, look them in the eye and clearly state, “You, in the green shirt! Please call the police.” This direct, clear request is almost guaranteed to be met with quick action. In the world of activism, effectiveness works in the same way: we must make personal requests.

This is the power of the “personal ask” in advocacy. When you personally ask someone by name to take action, they’re highly likely to do so. Think about it– it’s hard to say no to someone who took the time to ask you personally, especially when you share similar passion for an important cause. It’s even harder to break a promise to take action when you know you are likely to receive a follow-up phone call.  For this reason, personal asks are at the core of effective advocacy.

Of course, organizations should maintain large healthy databases of supporters and continue sending email blasts to keep supporters educated and engaged around the latest news effecting your agency’s focus. However, remember that an activist network is only as strong as the relationships that exist within it. The single most important thing you can do to build an effective response advocate network is to identify your most responsive advocates and deliberately cultivate personal relationships with those people. When it comes time to mobilize your advocates, follow up every impersonal action alert with calls to these “go-to” people and make a personal appeal for action.

Whether you are asking your members to take action or trying to influence legislators through grassroots communication, using more personalized methods of communication will result in greater impact. As the personalized nature of communication decreases the quantity necessary to make a significant impact increases. Prioritize tactics that establish real human connections over mass impersonalised methods. These simple personal appeals for action may take a little more time, but effectively eliminate the bystander effect, dramatically increasing your response rates. Add in an effective strategy and strategic action items, and you get meaningful change effecting both your cause and your supporters.