Grassroots Enterprise: What We've Been Thinking and Doing

...and We Build Great Web Sites Too!

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:59:00 PDT

"We don't just build web sites, we build movements," says Grassroots Enterprise CEO John Hlinko. Despite being a web developer, I happen to agree with John; some of our most valuable work happens outside of the sites, microsites, landing pages, etc. that we build for our clients. But at the same time, we still do build web sites. And if they are built really well, then they further the goals of the larger movement. Here are some examples of the stuff that we, as front-end developers, think about when we're building sites:

Grassroots Enterprise Adds Design Superstar Mark Maloney as New Executive Creative Director

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:35:00 PDT

Grassroots Enterprise Adds Design Superstar Mark Maloney as New Executive Creative Director; Aims to "Turbo Charge" World of Advocacy Design, Leveraging Past Experience with Coke, MTV, Other Consumer Mega-Brands

(WASHINGTON, D.C., July 7, 2009) -- Grassroots Enterprise (Grassroots), a bipartisan, high-tech communications firm specializing in building grassroots support for causes, products and companies, today announced it had hired Mark Maloney, a consumer-marketing design veteran, to serve as Executive Creative...

Several Grassroots Enterprise Clients Deploy Actions for Facebook

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:25:00 PDT

The ability to send message to Congress, state legislators, or other decision makers directly from Facebook is something that a lot of organizations and associations are looking to do.

Thanks to the Actions application developed by Grassroots Enterprise, some of our clients are beginning to do just that - and much more. Over the last few weeks we've deployed several instances of this application for our clients, and they are all seeing tremendous results - with conversion rates approaching 45% in some cases.

Below the jump are a few early examples of clients using this tool. Read on to get more details.

PRWeek, AllFacebook, and InsideFacebook Cover us

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:46:00 PDT

Alrightie then, when it comes to our new "Actions" product for Facebook, all we can say is... "You like us! You really like us!"

After great hits in the highly influential social media blogs, "Inside Facebook" and All Facebook, and even a shout-out from Facebook itself (see the Sotomayor blurb). next comes a really sweet hit in PRWeek. Check out an excerpt below, and if you want to know what all the fuss is about, go here for a screencast of the product in action.

'Roll Call' covers Actions for Facebook

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:30:00 PDT

Well that was quick... just days after launching our revolutionary "Actions" offering for Facebook, we're already in "Roll Call."

Thanks to a wildly successful launch for a "confirm Sotomayor" effort. You can see "Actions" in action, on the Grassroots site, including a screencast. And you can read an excerpt of the article right here:

Group Opens Quirky Sotomayor Push
June 8, 2009
By Tricia Miller
Roll Call Staff

Democracy in America reaches the people where they are. In the old days, voters could contact their elected officials through the mail, then by phone, then by fax, then by e-mail. Now, Grassroots Enterprise in Washington, D.C., has made it a little easier: Voters can e-mail their Senators directly through Facebook.

...

Facebook Innovation: 'Million Fan March'

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:33:00 PDT

From our latest press release, hot off the presses...

Grassroots Enterprise Technology Powers "Million Fan March" for Sotomayor Confirmation;

New "Actions" Innovation for Facebook® Platform Offers Nearly a Million "Fans" Opportunity to Lobby the US Senate for Sotomayor's Confirmation

(WASHINGTON, D.C., June 3, 2009) -- Grassroots Enterprise (GRE), a bipartisan, high-tech communications firm specializing in building grassroots support for causes, products and companies, today announced the official launch of its new, revolutionary "Actions" offering built on the Facebook® Platform, an offering that permits Facebook "fans" to send a letter to their Senators - without having to install an application to their personal...

Ecomagination

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:54:54 PDT

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." - Arthur C. Clarke

When I was in Kindergarten I was the only six-year-old girl in town with a computer in her bedroom and her own 2400-baud modem. So, after nearly twenty years of being an internet nerd, it's rare to find something that blows my mind...until a few weeks ago. A friend sent me a link to GE's "Ecomagination" campaign; she told me to print out a basic black and white image and hold it up to my webcam. I was...

Politico Covers Hlinko and McIntyre 'GuyPartisan' Effort

Tue, 12 May 2009 12:16:00 PDT

Well, McIntyre and I might be on opposite sides of the political fence, but it doesn't mean we can't agree on some things -- a good steak being one of them.

And thus was born the "GuyPartisan" dinner series a few months back -- a gathering of rabid Republican and Democratic guys who also agreed on the virtue of steak... but not much else.

But enuffa my yackin... let the far, far better writers at Politico flesh out the story:...

Grassroots launches 5 Facebook offerings

Mon, 04 May 2009 11:50:00 PDT

Planning an advocacy campaign? If Facebook isn't part of your organization's strategy, it needs to be. With more than 200 million members and a uniquely "viral" structure, Facebook is the ideal platform to reach your supporters, and turning them into evangelists.

Grassroots Enterprise is proud to have been at the forefront of the Facebook advocacy revolution. Our innovations using Facebook for online advocacy have won a string of "national best" awards, and broken new ground time and time again. And our most recent Actions for Facebook offering has brought true action center advocacy to Facebook pages for the first time.

So keep reading, learn about what we've got to offer, and when you're ready to launch a "faceroots" strategy, talk to us.

Palin-ated!

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:28:29 PDT

Palin-ated! Online Media Training, Don'cha know!

Early this year a PR hotshot tweeted about a client's town saying, "I would die if I had to live here!" Some of his Twitter followers from that company noticed and were appalled.

Right now, the CEO of a major PR firm uses a profile photo of himself on a popular social net picturing himself proudly cuddling with President Obama...I guess he doesn't care what his clients (or potential clients) think about that...but others do....

Grassroots wins GSA Approval! 'Stimulate' us!

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:21:00 PDT

Grassroots Enterprise is proud to announce that we have been officially approved for the GSA schedule (AIMS 541, "Advertising and integrated marketing solutions").

For those not familiar with it, it's sorta like being "on the list" to a hot, new club...Club Fed...if you will.

GSA approval speeds up the competitive process for government business, and permits deal-closing in weeks instead of months. We have been pre-vetted -- making it much, much easier for Federal officials to work with us on projects (literally, greatly streamlining the process and timeline).

We're extremely proud of having made it through this process, and...

Campaign Biz Predicts Tech Will Dominate in 10 Years

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:40:00 PDT

This past weekend, I attended the AAPC's Pollie Awards and Conference at the National Harbor outside of DC. AAPC is the trade association representing political and public affairs consultants. It was clear at this year's Pollies that the campaign industry now understands that technology is an "agent of change" for political communications.

At the conference, AAPC released findings of the State of Political Consulting Poll, which found that consultants believe that in ten years that the biggest portion of their voter contact budget will be spent on internet advertising and outreach,...

New Facebook Pages Get Socially Active

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:40:00 PDT

Among other announcements, last week Facebook unveiled changes to their "Facebook Pages" platform, making the pages behave more like the personal profiles of individuals. Brands, campaigns, and other organizations that have created Facebook Pages will see a new look and have their actions shared across the network.

This is a significant and fundamental change in the way Facebook Pages work...

Here Comes The Judge

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 19:33:00 PST

Remember Michael "Air" Jordan (the basketball player) and how everyone wanted to "be like Mike"? Well, I want to be like American Idol judge Simon Cowell...at least when it comes to judging the Pollies, the political excellence awards that will be presented in late March by the American Association of Political Consultants.

For those of you who don't know, the Pollies are kinda like the Oscars...but for political hacks and grassroots gurus (and the judging starts Feb. 18th). And Simon Cowell is the...

Creativity + Tech = Grassroots Enterprise

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:28:00 PST

The Public Affairs Council awarded Grassroots Enterprise two of its three coveted "Innovation Awards" at the recent National Grassroots Conference held in Florida.

We won the "Association Grassroots Innovation" award for our work on the Video Game Voters Network Wall of Protest on behalf of the Entertainment Software Association and the "Technology Grassroots Innovation" Award for our work on the "I Am Smoke Free" Facebook Application.

Speaking at Politics Mag 'Reed' Awards

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 17:19:00 PST

Well, the last few weeks have been a heck of a busy time for us here at Grassroots, between travel, new clients, and of course... the inauguration.

But this past week, I got to indulge in one of my favorite pleasures -- listening to myself speak. Next to looking at myself in the mirror, it really is my favorite pastime. Specifically, I gave a presentation at the "Reed Awards" conference, a new effort from the folks at Politics Magazine. (and might I say, their revamped magazine really is looking mah-velous...

The...

Newsroom Cuts Mean Opps for PR Pros

Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:42:00 PST

PR Week's story, "DC bureau cutbacks bring shift in comms" by Frank Washkuch is a compelling case for PR pros to fill the news gaps created by newsroom staff cuts. It's a good read...and there's an exceptionally brilliant quote in the story by Bill McIntyre (ahem...me)

Bill McIntyre, EVP at Grassroots Enterprise, says the reduction in the number of working journalists in Washington will make PR pros more influential to reporters who have less time but more demands than in the past.

"Frankly, I think it makes the red dress a little shorter. The PR professional becomes a heck of a lot more influential because journalistic resources are dwindling and they're going to have to rely more on people who can package a story for them," he explains. "What is really going to help the PR person is if they can deliver the additional source who can go beyond the company line."

'Grassroots Movement' - New GRE DC office

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:32:00 PST

We are excited to announce that Grassroots Enterprise's DC office is moving!

Effective December 12, our new address will be: 1625 Eye Street, NW Suite 202, Washington, DC 20006. Bigger, better, swankier, and with a sweet roof deck.

Telephone numbers will be unaffected by the move. However, as part of making the move, our telephone service will be out-of-service from 5:00PM on Thursday December 11 to 5:00PM on Friday December 12.

Social Media for Government Conference

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:03:00 PST

Mike Panetta and yours truly (Kevin McCann) are chairing a conference staged by our friends at the Advanced Learning Institute (thanks Kelly!) called Social Media for Government. Aside from introducing all the great speakers and workshop leaders, we will be leading a couple of lunch...

We're hiring!

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:17:31 PST

Well, the good news is that our Chief Operating Officer was just elected to the SF Board of Supervisors! The bad news (or perhaps "even gooder" news for you, if you are looking)... we now need a COO. And we're also looking for a Controller. Both positions are based in DC.

For those of you who are not familiar with us (which seems unlikely, given that you're on our site), Grassroots Enterprise is a 30-ish person grassroots-advocacy/technology consulting firm with offices in DC and SF. I won't go into the whole monologue about why we're amazing, why we're fun to work with, why we're just so damned cutting-edge, etc., but suffice to say we are...

WWW 2.0

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 18:50:00 PDT

In less than 150 hours the voting will be over and the "newly elected" will start making transition plans during November and December (and part of January). Most GovRel and cause-communications folks wait until after the new Congressional session has started before they initiate constituent-based communications. Why? Mostly because the Congressional contact info isn't available until after the swearing-in.

But by getting contact information while these Members-To-Be are still in transition you can...

Twitter 'National Debt' updates

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:53:00 PDT

Are you signed up with Twitter yet? If not, here's another reason to check it out...

You can now get daily updates of the National Debt, via Twitter. Thanks to our client, the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, you can now easily keep a watchful eye on our nation's leaders and their commitment (or lack thereof) to fiscal responsibility.

Check it out today. And...

Election 08 - On the Road to Social Media Optimization

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 07:54:00 PDT

The following article was published in the E-Voter Institute's 2008 Report on Harnessing the Power of Social Networks a part of E-Voter Institute's 7th Annual Survey of Political and Advocacy Communications Leaders.

If there is one political cliché that defines the 2008 election it is "change," as presidential candidates fight over who will be the agent of change for this nation. Since 2000, the Internet and technology emerged as the agents of change in political communications by fostering a range of innovations and tools in organizing, fundraising, and messaging while traditional political communications remain unchanged, augmented by technology, or decreased in efficacy. A new constant in political communications is change fostered by the Internet and technology.

Debates: Traps & Tricks

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:59:00 PDT

The second presidential debate was set up to be "Town Hall" style, with questions coming from "undecided" voters and not the host, Tom Brokaw.

But don't be fooled. The questions still present the same traps and tricks for the candidates even if they come from the public. There are 7 basic "trap" questions reporters (and others) typically use to elicit a dramatic response from the people they interview. So it...

(Media) Training Works

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:52:00 PDT

Wow! The debate clash between Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden was a brilliant example of media training at its best. Both speakers successfully neutralized weaknesses and exploited their personal strengths. Here are two examples:

Example #1: When moderator Gwen Ifill asked Sen. Biden to comment on his "lack [of] discipline" he didn't dodge or contest the character assessment. Instead, he responded, "You're very kind suggesting my only Achilles Heel is my lack of...