Susannah Vila

Sustain a Social Movement After Initial Successes

At Mashable, I just posted some tips for keeping supporters engaged around a campaign or cause, in the context of recent and ongoing pro-democracy campaigns in the Middle East and North Africa. Here’s an excerpt:

Egyptians’ effective use of Facebook has given life to a slew of hopeful pages and groups throughout the region. This makes sense: Facebook, if combined with the right message, the right environment and the right people can indeed help to spark massive crowds. New technologies make it easier to get more information out to more people, more quickly. The result? Town squares and plazas teeming with protesters. Two ousted dictators and two more on the brink.

Unfortunately, the quicker you mobilize, the less time there is to plan. The less the need for a traditional organization, the bigger the vacuum left after an initial big success. Whether it’s a huge protest, a victorious election, an ousted dictator or a momentous piece of breaking news, it’s more important than ever for movement builders and members to prepare for day two.

  1. Build on Success
  2. Get More Organized
  3. Adapt Your Vision
  4. Get Feedback
  5. Go Public With Your New Vision
  6. Redefine Leadership

As Egypt demonstrates, it’s a lot easier to complete the first day of a revolution than the second. Holding together a large coalition is simpler when everyone is on board and the goal, be it an election or an ouster, is obvious. It’s not as easy to come up with a new vision, especially when the changed landscape is marked by infighting, confusion and the same entrenched interests as before. But, if you support your movement building with strong strategy and long-term thinking, then the chances are a lot higher that all of your demands will be met — and will stay met.

For more resources on this topic take a peek at the strategy guides at Movements.org.

1 year ago