How to Build a Vote Tripling Campaign
In the article:
How to build a Vote Tripling Initial Outreach Programs
How to build a Vote Tripling GOTV Reminder Program
Most Voters have a friend that needs that little extra nudge to vote. By implementing an easy friend-to-friend voter turnout tactic called “Vote Tripling” using TextOut, campaigns and organizations can nudge thousands of Supporters to get those “on the fence” friends out to the polls.
Based on behavioral science research and validated by a rigorous study finding that it produces a statistically significant increase in turnout, Vote Tripling is an optimized commit-to-vote pledge that involves two steps:
- Securing a Supporter’s promise to encourage three friends to vote, gathered during the Vote Tripling "Initial Outreach" Program(s).
- Following up with a timely text reminder to the Supporter to encourage those three friends to vote (the Vote Tripling "Reminder" Program).
Check out our Vote Tripling Guide before building a Program for deeper insights into how and why Vote Tripling works!
How to build a Vote Tripling Initial Outreach Programs
First, ask Supporters and secure their promise to encourage three friends to vote with a "Vote Tripling Initial Outreach" Program. Follow these steps:
- Create a Program
- Build the Initial Outreach Vote Tripling Script. Refer to the TextOut Script Template Library for easily customizable Vote Tripling Script Templates. Start with Initial Outreach, gathering Supporters who say, "Yes, I'll remind three friends." The essential parts of this script are as follows:
The Ask: Texters will send Supporters a "Tripler Ask" within the Initial Outbound message*. The ask is: "Can we count on you to encourage 3 friends to vote <by date>?"
The script follows up with those Supporters who respond Yes, with a secondary ask: "What are the first names of the 3 friends you'll encourage to vote?" It's important to understand that the organization will not be contacting those friends. If the Contact responds with the names of their friends, use the “Tripler Names = Yes” Recommended Reply, and then enter the names into a “Friend Names” free-form data field. These names will be used to customize the reminder to the Supporter in the follow-up Reminder Program.
The Data: Every Contact who agrees to be a Vote Tripler will be marked with a “Tripler = Yes” Data Tag. These Contacts will be contacted again in the follow-up “Vote Tripling Reminder” Program. Our script template has appropriate data tags to capture those who respond with yes, no, or maybe. We also capture those Contacts who take the extra step and share the names of the friend they'll remind to vote (Tripler Names = Yes). Recommended Replies for Frequently Asked Questions: Our Vote Tripling script templates include tested replies for frequently asked questions that come up during these Programs. - Create a "Friends Names" Free-form Data Tag in the TextOut Workspace. For ease of use in the follow-up Reminder Program, train Texters to separate each Friend Name with a comma and include an “&” between the last two names. For example: “Michelangelo, Raphael, & Leonardo” or however they are given, for example, "all my baseball team" or "my mom and my sister."
- Load the Contact List.
- Launch the Vote Tripler Program!
How to build a Vote Tripling GOTV Reminder Program
Use this Program close to the election date and are running a GOTV campaign. Use the identified "Tripler = Yes" responses from previous Programs and follow up with a timely text reminder during GOTV. The “Vote Tripling Reminder” template gets Supporters to encourage their friends to vote. An abbreviated example is below. An abbreviated example is below.
- Export Vote Tripling Program Conversation Data Tags. This information is used to build a new audience of Contacts who have committed to being a Vote Tripler (“Tripler=Yes”).
- Segment Program data to create Vote Tripling Reminder Programs. Admins can make two lists: Contacts who shared names and Contacts who did not and, run two reminder passes. Each Program can have customized outbound messages with each Contact's friends' names, and the other a general reminder, OR a general reminder Program with all Supporters (“Tripler = Yes.")
- Create a Contact List. Admins must first create a Vote Tripling Reminder Contact List by filtering for all those Contacts who responded yes and tagged with “Tripler = Yes.”Learn how to filter data files for Excel (Microsoft Office) here, for Numbers (Apple) here, and for Google Sheets (Google Drive) here.
To create a customized Reminder Program. Admins must create a custom Contact List by filtering Contacts tagged "Tripler = Yes" and" Tripler Names = Yes." The audience field must include a column of the friend's names data previously exported from the initial outreach Program(s). {{FriendsNames}} should be the header of the column.
Tip! Name Contact Lists with descriptive names that will match Program names and Initial Outbound messages. For example, Jones_Tripling_Reminder_A_Shared_Names.csv; Jones_Tripling_Reminder_B_No_Names.csv - Create the Vote Tripling Reminder Program(s). Create just one Reminder Program for sending both Contact Lists - those who shared names and those who did not. Use two different Initial Outbound messages, creating an A outbound and a B outbound. Select the Initial Outbound message that matches the first segmented Contact List (A) and launch that Program. When done, select the second Initial Outbound message (B) to be sent to the second list that you'll upload after the first is complete.
- Build the Vote Tripling Reminder GOTV script. There are two types of Vote Tripling Reminder GOTV scripts. The only difference between the two is the Initial Outbound message. (Tripler = Yes) + (Tripler Names = No) A Program where people said yes to tripling (Tripler = Yes) but didn’t share any names (Tripler Names = No). This does not use any dynamic fields. (Tripler = Yes) + (Tripler Names = Yes) A Program where people said Yes to Tripling (Tripler = Yes) and shared names. This does use Dynamic fields and requires step 3.
- Load the first Contact List.
- Confirm that the selected Initial Outbound message in the Script matches the Contact List loaded.
- Launch your Program.
- Once done with the first Contact List, close the Program temporarily for new requests. Select the second Initial Outbound message. Load the second Contact List, and relaunch the Program.