2
Partnerships
Partnerships with groups that target similar concerns, and even those whose mission inadventently supports the cause in some way. Horvath has a blog which frequently features these kinds of groups. For example, one post highlights the work of Carmen Guidi-- a man who has spearheaded a project to build a small community of 18 cottages in New York for use my the homeless community in memory of a homeless friend who committed suicide. A formal partnership between Guidi and Invisible People could bring this vision nationally as well. The established name that Invisible People has cultivated could even extend to potential partnerships with government bodies or real estate corporations which could mutually benefit from such endeavors.
3
Transcend the Trend
Effective media campaigns figure out ways to engage people past initial acts of clicktivism. IP must employ new ways to engage internet users past the 3 minutes it takes them to watch the video. One way IP could gain a long-term following would be by emailing out a weekly or twice monthly letter to those who showed interest in the cause. The email could present the reader with a list of 3 challenges they could try to meet that week to further their engagement with the issue of homelessness--getting to know a homeless person they normally ignore, writing to their congressperson to pass a certain piece of legislation, etc.
The email could also recommend homeless shelters or organizations in the reader's local community so that they could start regularly committing their time.
4
Know Your Audience
Are you trying to engage a particular group in your movement? Does your cause have the power to engage people from all walks of life? These are questions all social media activism campaigns should think about. IP has determined that homelessness is an issue everyone should be involved in because more people are vulnerable to poverty or financial trouble at some point in time. However, IP could determine certain people who, because of their influence, money, experience, stories or passion would help further the cause by spreading the name, "Invisible People," across a variety of sites. This would garner the attention of certain people who could use the tools at their disposal to enact change and get involved.
5
Diversify Your Media Types
Both Tactical and Strategic media should be employed to an even greater extent than they already have been in order for the campaign to become even more noticed and thus sucessful. It is also common for the most sucessful campaigns to have mixture of both, therefore organization Invisible people should attempt to recreate this strategy. As of now, the website counts as their
main usage of strategic media which represents the organization effectively whilst being visually appealing and easy to navigate. However, if they perhaps created an e-magazine that was updated monthly this could help the organization as well. Tactical media could potentially be used, but it is conventionally much more risky and controversial. For example, standout graffiti could be employed in areas where homeless people live in order to let passerby's become aware of their situation and presence.
6
Mobilize the Individual
So far, Invisible People prides itself in creating an open ended dialogue about homelesness throughout various countries in the world such as the United States and England. It could be beneficial to be explicit about exactly those interested could help, through linking them to nearby homeless shelters that might be in need of assistance, which is more productive than simply giving the option to donate money. Creating that level of connection with the targeted audience is essential in allowing them to feel apart of the cause, and therefore this positive feedback will increase their interest and action.
"It’s not that people are bad, but if we make eye contact, or engage in conversation, then we have to admit they exist and that we might have a basic human need to care. But it’s so much easier to simply close our eyes and shield our hearts to their existence."
--Invisible People, check them out here