Want to grow support for your campaign? Involve local partner organizations on the action! Working on two localized campaigns, Hunger Prevention and Lead Poisoning Prevention, has taught me the value of unifying organizations for your cause.

Sometimes, an issue and its solution can seem too large to swallow. Like 49 million Americans struggle with hunger or 38 million American homes contain known lead hazards. Localizing your content can benefit your target audience by helping them understand that the issue at hand affects people in their community and the solution is also within arm’s reach.

For Hunger Prevention, our national efforts direct consumers to feedingamerica.org to locate their local food bank, and our localized efforts do the work for them by providing the closest food bank and its contact information in the end frame. The net response is “Wow, hunger is a big deal in America, but I can help by donating, volunteering, and advocating at my area’s local food bank.”

For Lead Poisoning Prevention, we communicate the harmful effects of lead poisoning in young children and encourage parents to contact leadfreekids.org to find lead prevention resources in their area. The localized efforts direct viewers and listeners to the closest organizations in their area where they can test their homes for the presence of lead, test their kids’ lead levels, and learn tips on how to prevent lead paint poisoning.

Involving local organizations in your cause helps give the issue a greater voice, offers a personal touch on a national message, and increases your local media support. It gives viewers and listeners an outlet to learn more information and participate in the solution.

Though the benefits far outweigh the challenges, it can be difficult managing 200+ organizations.  It’s a tedious job making sure that phone numbers and URLs are accurate, keeping up with organizational name changes, and understanding DMA demarcation, but if you’re organized, the process runs smoothly.

The key to a successful localization is involving your local partners early, getting them excited, and keeping them updated on the progress of your campaign. Happy localizing!