An Advocacy Day app is a specific app designed for organizations with Advocacy Days, Lobby Days, Legislative Days or Fly-Ins. You know the days set aside by nonprofits, associations and grassroots organizations to collectively advocate legislators. Dressed with matching pins and matching logo t-shirts hundreds of groups make their presence known annually upon their local State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.

The Advocacy Day app can be used as an effective event tool to organize and keep attendees engaged. Many of the features of the app include elected official profiles, meeting schedules, feedback forms, in-app chat, and push notifications.

So, what’s the big fuss about having an app beyond your Advocacy Day event? Three words: Privacy, Engagement, and Community. Think of the Advocacy Day app as your organization’s personal app similar to your website. You might be thinking if we have a website why do we need an app too? Our website is mobile-friendly that should be enough, right? Wrong. Your website is for the public. It is a space for anyone interested in learning more about your organization; the place someone finds out who currently works there, your mission and if you are hiring.

Your app, however, allows for privacy. Only registered users can access your app. Also, you can go a step further by blocking content to certain members if you have levels of membership.

Stop the social media madness. Instead of trying to figure out Facebook, Instagram and Twitter’s algorithm to keep your content top of sight in a sea of content, with an app you can keep your members engaged with your organization in one central location. Within your Advocacy Day app, your members can view your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, and Youtube Channels.

Lastly, grassroots advocacy can be exponentially propelled with an effective and organized community. With an Advocacy Day app, you can create a community of advocates. Mobilize your advocates with how-to videos, policy briefs, and a Community Forum outlet. Members can communicate with one another in the Community Forum similar to social media. Therefore, your organization has its very own private social media channel for members to post content privately for the group to see and comment on.

But how can the quick mobilization of members continue after they return home? It’s simple. Tailor your Advocacy Day app to suit your needs throughout the year.

Live Video: Host meetings, town halls, and mini-conferences through live video. Not only can live video be used during your virtual Advocacy Day but live video can also be used to broadcast monthly and quarterly meetings. The video stream is kept private for only registered users of the app. Often association members are not able to make Advocacy Days in person, that is where virtual Advocacy Days can still keep members informed.

Stream Audio: Host a monthly or weekly podcast. Create in-depth content in which members of your organization interview thought leaders in your industry.

Send Push Notifications: Leverage push notifications to send policy news announcements to members. Also, keep important events at the top of members' minds with push notifications.

Survey Members: Want to get a sense of what is working and what is not working at your organization? Use feedback forms to survey your members. Get to know your members with periodic surveys with feedback forms.

About the Author

Cheree Felder is the Founder of Policy TakeOver, a legislative advocacy consulting company. The goal of Policy TakeOver is to improve, involve, and educate communities in advocacy. 

Make sure your organization’s Advocacy Day is successful. Get a custom Advocacy Day App from Policy TakeOver today. Our app features elected officials’ profiles, meeting schedules, push notifications, social media integration, and much more.