The US Chamber of Commerce is taking a stand against card check legislation that would abolish the secret-ballot system currently in place for employees who are voting on whether to start a labor union. Regardless of how you feel about card check, take note: The Chamber is using some very neat social media strategies to get the word out that will work for any cause.
On their campaign Web site, the Chamber makes it incredibly easy for activists to rally around the cause by offering a simple form that users can fill out, which will send a letter that addresses the issue directly to their legislator.
But wait, there’s more!
Instead of the old “Thanks for submitting your letter — by the way can we have some money?” email that usually comes next, the Chamber takes their online campaign a step further on the social media ladder: Activists can create a personal avatar that you can tweak to match your physical features. (Think Nintendo Wii characters).
Once you have submitted your personal info and created your own avatar, the site directs you to a satellite image of the National Mall, where you will see thousands of “virtual protesters” marching on Washington. And look, there you are! You can also find yourself on a map of the country, and see more than 13,000 others who have signed onto the campaign.
So instead of taking that long bus ride to march on Washington, the Chamber of Commerce has found a fun way activists can get involved and still make their voices heard.
They also created a Facebook application that will show that you’ve taken a stance on the issue. This fulfills the most important rule of social media: Make it easy for people to tell their friends. People are far more likely to take up a cause if a friend makes them aware of it than if an institution makes the pitch.
The card check issue is just one part of the Chamber’s Vote for Business campaign, which incorporates social media to get the word out on lowering taxes, addressing energy policy, health care reform, transportation issues and more.
