Throughout your campaign, provide staff with powerful learning experiences to increase their knowledge and marketing, communication and advocacy skills. Campaign participation will drive staff to become active and effective advocates for your library now and in the future.

Encourage

• Include your staff in all areas of campaign planning and implementation. Ask for their marketing and event ideas, not just their buy-in—throughout your campaign.
• Invite staff to share their additional skill sets beyond their regular responsibilities; allow them to use their expertise (e.g., writing, photography skills, or public speaking) to promote the campaign.
• Ask staff about community connections; staff relationships might make approaching a local celebrity or a potential partner much easier.

Inform

• Every staff member should be aware and educated about the campaign—not only the who, what, when, why and where, but also the goals to maximize impact.
• Provide reference material and tools, as needed, to help start conversations.
• Consistently update staff to ensure they are aware of new details, events, and activities.

Train and empower

• Set up a meeting to discuss how to position the campaign to start conversations and include tips, guidelines, key messages and role playing exercises.
• Explore ways to leverage the community to build support for the campaign and the library.
• Delegate simple tasks to include everyone, and identify those superstars who can provide additional campaign support.

Activate

• Cultivate excitement and encourage participation with opportunities to be part of the campaign (e.g. inclusion in creative displays, wearing custom campaign buttons, lanyards or
  
• t-shirts) and consider offering prizes if staff are seen wearing these items outside of work.
• Invite opportunities to engage their networks and enlist strategic partners to help share the value of the library with patrons, key stakeholders, business leaders, and the wider community.
• Allow staff to speak publicly about the campaign and the library with local schools, businesses, and community and civic organizations.
• Create opportunities for staff and volunteers to get each member out in the community at events.