One of the biggest complaints I hear about organizing on Facebook is the difficulty in getting people to actually show up to events that are promoted on Facebook. By using the social psychology principles of social proof and consistency/commitment you should be able to dramatically increase your event turnout.

Social Proof

According to Dr. Robert Cialdini, the principle of social proof “states that one means we use to determine what is correct is to find out what other people think is correct.”

This is the principle that bar and club owners use when they keep people waiting in line outside even though there is space available inside: you are creating the perception that the place is popular in order to make more people want to go there. If people like the place so much that there is a line to get in, it must be good.

In terms of Facebook events, you want to increase the amount of social evidence showing that people want to attend your event while limiting the social evidence that shows people not wanting to attend your event.

Hide “Not Attending” RSVPS: When you create a Facebook event, you have the option to hide people that have declined the event invitation. This feature exists largely because of the social proof principle. If someone is checking out your event page and see 42 people attending but 231 people declined, even without consciously thinking about it social proof disinclines them from attending (the exception being when the attendees are in the person’s own social network providing a more intense social proof).

Have a core group of people RSVP for an event before sending mass invites: Most people create their event and immediately invite everyone and their mother. Unfortunately this means that the people that view the invitation early on are going to see an event that looks unpopular. By first inviting the people that you already know are planning on coming to the event, the mass round of invitees will see what appears to be a more popular event.

Commitment/Consistency

“Once we have made a choice or taken a stand, we will encounter personal and interpersonal pressures to behave consistently with that commitment.”

Follow up on RSVPs: In the past I’ve talked about how an RSVP on Facebook is not a true RSVP because people don’t view it on its own as a real commitment. However, by following up with those people that have said they would attend with a phone call, email, or Facebook message you can turn their RSVP into an “exploitable public commitment.” Here is an example:

Hey Kevin, it’s [Name] from [Event Host Org]. I am calling/emailing because you said that you would be attending our event on [Date] and wanted to make sure you had all of the details. If you have any questions let me know. Look forward to seeing you on [Day].

This tells the person you are calling that their commitment to attend (RSVP) was noticed. In the case of a phone call, you can get them to recommit based on their prior commitment, which has a much stronger effect.

By using these tactics based on the principles of social proof and consistency, you will be much more effective at growing attendance for your events.

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In the wake of the release of the Powerpoint presentation revealing the Republican Party’s strategy of fear, a new ad scaring young Americans away from supporting health insurance reform.

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Some young Kentuckians sent this to me and asked me to post it.

An Open Letter to the Young Citizens of the United States

Fellow Young Americans,

Here in Kentucky we pride ourselves in civility, hospitality, gentility and all the components of a polite society. As such, we are customarily compelled to extend to you our sincerest apologies for the actions of Kentucky Senators Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell.

To you we say…Our Bad!

Senators Bunning and McConnell were elected to represent the values we hold dear here in the Bluegrass – honesty, fairness, opportunity and hard work. Nevertheless, they have abandoned our cause for the values of their financial and ideological backers – values that are destroying America – greed, privilege and radicalism.

We are sure many of you can relate. This seems to be a growing trend among the elected leaders of the GOP. You, too, are probably fed up with the Republican members of Congress who oppose any move towards rebuilding America, while making zero proposals of their own.

Last week was unfortunate for our Commonwealth. Senator Bunning again embarrassed us deeply with his one-man crusade to stop the extension of unemployment benefits for hundreds of thousands of Americans. Yet another disgraceful act among a distinguished career of disgraceful acts. His show of misguided demagoguery points to two concerns: the hypocrisy of his radical political philosophy (he has had no problem extending corporate tax breaks or paying for two wars on the national credit card) and a bad case of the crankies due to his general decrepitude.

As Senator Bunning grandstanded in the Senate Chamber, 200,000 of his constituents stood on the brink of further financial uncertainty. Mothers worried about how they would continue to provide food for their children. Families feared foreclosure. Individuals prepared to choose between sustenance and medication. Senator Bunning kicked those who were already down. Talk about constituent services!

In all honesty, Senator Bunning has never cared about the Kentuckians he represents. We should have been apologizing for this years ago. But is Senator Bunning really to blame? When children misbehave, whom do we hold responsible? The parents! Often this approach must be applied to our Senators as well.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has stood idly by while the members of his caucus work day in and day out against the interests of working families. Where was the Minority Leader during Senator Bunning’s procedural temper tantrum? Was he assuring his fellow Kentuckians that the Republican caucus would pressure Bunning to retreat? No. Did he display any sense of outrage or any concern for those who would suffer? No.

This is what happens when you raise a group of Senators to oppose EVERYTHING! Saying no becomes second nature. Members of the Republican Caucus are incapable of developing their own solutions to our national problem. God-forbid they ever utter the word “yes!”

Senator McConnell is no leader; he is a defender of the status quo. During the catastrophic George W. Bush Administration, Republicans catered to every whim of the nation’s elite. As a result, the tax burden was shifted to the middle class, jobs were exported overseas, and financial institutions were deregulated and allowed to prey upon venerable citizens. Mission Accomplished! No more work for them to do but defend their disastrous policies – regular people be damned! His greatest legislative accomplishment is his tenacious opposition of every reform designed to raise the quality of life in Kentucky, let alone the nation.

But why do they remain? Young Americans from across the nation are asking this question about their representatives. The answer is simple. We allow the obstructionists and radicals to define the terms and divide the ground each step of the way.

Senators McConnell and Bunning have no vision for their party, their home state or their nation. They have shown zero leadership. They do not represent the hardworking, honest people of Kentucky. Rather, they broker power and wealth for the elites on the backs (and dreams) of those too blinded by fear to see the truth.

Please accept our apology, on behalf of the good people of this Commonwealth. We vow to you today that we are learning our lesson on civic responsibility – votes have consequences! We understand that the 200,000 Kentuckians in danger of loosing unemployment benefits were lucky this time. We cannot afford for there to be a next time! We need your help!

Apologies aside, there is good news! Fortunately, Senator Bunning is retiring at the close of this Congress! (Feel free to take a moment to sigh with relief before continuing.) This fall we have a chance to reclaim Bunning’s seat! Now, consider the possibilities! For the future of this state and the nation, we must stop the Republican candidates vying to be nominated to defend his seat. Both of these men not only refused to confront Bunning during this most recent fiasco, but actually cheered him on like a delusional tea-bagging hero. It was shameful.

The Democratic candidates have a vision for Kentucky! They see a Kentucky where hard work is rewarded and every member of our community is valued. Kentucky Democrats recognize that we are each a few unlucky circumstances away from unemployment, disability or any other needed assistance. Kentucky Democrats know that the safety net, forged by progressives over the last half-century, protects us all! We, and our candidates, are committed to honest discussion about the issues facing each Kentuckian and every American. McConnell’s brand of fear mongering must end in 2010. Sending a Kentucky Democrat to the U.S. Senate would provide a clear message to Senator Do-Nothing and his lolly-gang of pessimists.

We are going to need your help! Please, come to Kentucky. Help us do what the Republicans will not – meet with our wonderful people. We will talk about the problems Kentuckians face and work on fair and equitable solutions. We must dispel misconceptions about health care reform and the economic stimulus. The people of Kentucky will listen. They will talk. And, when presented with honest discussion, they will choose optimism over fear, community over division and Democrats over Republicans!

Yours,
The Young People of Kentucky

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This graph was created by using state of the art predictive analytical software.

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Last weekend Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli sent a letter to VA public colleges and universities encouraging them to drop discrimination bans against gays and lesbians.

In the wake of Cuccinelli’s homophobic actions, Virginia students have been using Facebook to take a stand against this attempt at discrimination and the Virginia Young Democrats are mobilizing against the repeal.

Here is VAYD President Sean Holihan addressing the situation:

The Virginia Young Democrats are taking part in a Facebook Day of Action using Facebook statuses to show opposition to the discrimination repeal and encouraging members to contact Governor McDonnell about the issue.

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It looks like the “Coffee Party Movement” is starting to get serious about online organizing. I just saw this Facebook ad to drive traffic to their Facebook Fan Page, which currently sits at just under 100,000 fans.

Their Facebook strategy appears to run on the central-hub model, with a national Coffee Party Page and child pages for major cities across the United States that can be found on the Favorite Pages section of the hub.

The Tea Party Patriots Fan Page has only 107,000 fans, and I expect that with this active recruiting the Coffee Party will overtake it in the next 48 hours.

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