Learning from a Loss

Digital Lessons from the 2013 BC NDP Election Campaign

Michael RoyBC NDP Director of Communications

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@mikelroy

“Trying is the first step

towards failure.”–Homer Simpson

Social Media

• Fresh

• Engaging

• FAST

Teradek Bond

LESSONSPEED IS THE KEY METRIC

WHEN IT COMES TO COVERAGE AND ENGAGEMENT

“Ground Game”

1. Identify your supporters 2.Get then to the polls

NDP Vote

NDP Vote

NDP Vote

“Cross Tabs”Analytics Database

Reports

Better lists

DataAnalytics

NDP Vote

NDP Vote

LESSONWHEN TIME AND MONEY ARE SHORT,

YOU HAVE TO BE ADAPTIVE, CREATIVE AND FLEXIBLE. DON'T LET PERFECT BE

THE ENEMY OF THE GOOD.

CiviCRMFundraising database

Donor Segments

•Previous online donors

•Previous donors who’ve never given online

•New donors

A/B Testing• Big font vs small font

• Large button vs small button

• Long email vs short email

• With “P.S.” vs without “P.S.”

• Profanity vs no profanity

• Ugly email vs beautiful email

LESSONTEST EVERYTHING. THEN TEST AGAIN.

NDP Vote

“CrossTabs” Analytics

PredictiveDialer

CiviCRM Website (Drupal)

VAN Bluestate Digital

Predictive Dialer Build the Hope

Obama 2008

LESSONBREAK DOWN SILOS

– BOTH HUMAN AND DIGITAL – BY PLANNING AHEAD

Tracking poll image removed by request of presenter

LESSONDON’T RELY ON JUST ONE METRIC.

USE MULTIPLE DATA POINTS TO ASSESS HOW YOU’RE DOING.

LESSONSTART EARLY,

TRAIN YOUR END USERS, AND INTEGRATE THEIR FEEDBACK.

Lessons learned• Speed matters most.

• Be adaptive. Perfect isn’t the enemy of good.

• Test everything. Then test again.

• Break down silos - digital and human

• Don’t rely on just one metric

• Start early. Train your people. Integrate feedback.

Questions?

@mikelroy