Join Us Tomorrow at 3:00 PM ET!
Every Thursday, Indivisible co-founders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg host a participatory conversation on the week’s news, the state of our democracy, and our plan to defeat the authoritarian threats we face.
We build our national and local power by continually reaching out to new potential activists and developing them into Indivisible group members and leaders. Day in and day out, this is the work of building a strong network.
But every once in a while, there are moments when thousands of new, potential activists are actively looking to take action. Indivisible was born out of one of those moments in 2016. And the same thing is happening now.
Think about it. Since the news about the Supreme Court overturning Roe, have you:
- Had a friend reach out to ask how they can get involved?
- Ran into your neighbors at a protest?
- Met new friends and collaborators at your local abortion-rights rallies?
These are Indivisibles. They just don’t know it yet.
Here are our best tips for recruiting new activists in this unique moment:
- Treat every rally and event like a recruiting opportunity! Bring your clipboard, sign-in sheets, buttons, and organizer smile. Then go out and meet people. This can be daunting to some people at first but remember, you are offering folks a political home and a chance to make a difference. That is like giving out chocolate! And who doesn’t like chocolate?
- Heading to an event as a group? Challenge all of your group members to meet 5-10 new folks, collect their contact information, and invite them to your next meeting.
- Plan an event specifically geared towards your potential new members. This should be a low-bar ask like a postcard party, ice cream social, or another abortion rights event (hey! You know they like rallies!)
- Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up! Once you have your list of potential new members, follow up via email and phone to invite them to your next event. And make it personal! As you know, the personal touch can make all the difference. People will be more invested in coming when they know that you are invested in them showing up. Too many numbers? Split them up among your leadership team.
- Make small asks. This is good organizing. People will be more invested in events, and more likely to show up when they have a clear role. So ask some of your newer volunteers to take tasks. Maybe they can bring the pens?
- Get on EveryAction. EveryAction is our data and email management system for groups. Groups on EveryAction have access to our full email list for their Congressional Districts. And we are adding new folks every day! This is a great resource for potential new members! (If you’re not yet using EveryAction with us, reach out to your Indivisible organizer for more information.)