How to Create a Petition

Before you create a petition...

If you want to create a petition, this short article provides essential guidelines. Creating a petition is not as difficult as you might think. However, you first need to decide whether to start a paper petition, an e-petition or both. The points raised in this outline can be applied to making both online petitions (e-petitions) and paper petitions. The issues raised below are designed to help campaigners write and start petitions that will have a positive impact for specific and well defined causes.

Factors to consider before you create a petition

You need to take into account a number of issues such as the requirements of your target (procedural, legal or otherwise), proper research, clear communication, and how you will market or promote your petition.

Target requirements

Before you create your petition, we recommend that you ask your target for petition rules (if the target is a government organization, legislature or parliament). But please note that many petitions do not need to comply with any guidelines because many petitions are written to organizations and groups that do not have guidelines. Petitions to parliaments should follow local jurisdictional procedure. You may however bypass Parliament or Congress by sending your petition to the Executive Branch of government such as directly to the President or 10 Downing Street, or directly to your State or County representatives.

Accurate research before you create your petition

A petition should begin with a request, followed by well researched reasons for making the request. Each petition should provide a description of relevant circumstances and links to documentation or facts that support that description. Importantly, a petition should contain information that suggests its request is feasible. Ultimately a petition will request specific action or a call for someone (or some group or organization) to refrain from specific action(s).

Clear  communication

Don't clutter your petition with background or requests that have no essential connection with the main message. Proofread your petition carefully. Make sure it:

• describes the relevant circumstances,
• suggests what is needed, and
• explains why it is needed.
  

Be clear and concise with your message.

General guidelines for writing a petition

• The petition preamble should be short and understandable in layman's language.
• Make a petition that has clear logic and argumentation in the preamble.
• Begin your petition statement with a phrase like: We the undersigned hereby affirm. . .
• Keep all campaign statements as short as possible, while laying out your concerns.
• Start with general principles and progressively get more specific, ending with your requests.
• Create a petition that has a clear focus so that others can follow and commit to your cause.
  

How to promote your petition

How you promote your petition will have a critical influence on the outcome of your campaign.

• Combine your e-campaign with a paper campaign and synchronise your signature lists. Thus you may bring your petition to events where you expect there will be people who support it and can sign on the spot.
• Follow up: It is important because it demonstrates that there is real commitment behind the signatures. Contact your supporters. This will make your campaign both progressive and viral. For example, encourage signatories to write, call, or visit MPs to explain why they signed the petition.
• Ask your target to respond to your petition within 45 calendar days of its presentation. If this fails to occur, then follow the matter up with someone to whom the target is accountable.
• Contact media groups with an explanation of your campaign.

There are many examples of high quality petitions at GoPetition. So we suggest that you read some of our more popular petitions and use these as templates before you create your petition. For further advice on how to write a petition, don’t hesitate to contact us.

How to create a petition with instant access now!

GoPetition has advanced edit software that allows you to add updates, news items, photos, videos and other material to your petition at any time. You may also link to your website from your petition. A free forum facility is also provided with every petition.

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How to market your petition

How can I market my petition? We suggest a strategic use of social media such as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. You may also wish to issue a media release and contact key media and news groups directly. How you market your petition will have a critical influence on the outcome of your campaign. Please refer to our help page or contact us for a free consultation.

Customer service

We are committed to quality customer service and advice. If you have any queries about petition creation or how to write a petition, or you need help to write a petition, please contact us and we will reply as a matter of priority. If you need help to create a petition we can assist with petition writing advice and provide feedback on how to write a petition. In short, we can advise on how to create a petition and how to market your petition.

To create a petition with instant access now, click here.

Tips on How to Write a Petition

Writing a petition is not as difficult as you might think. There are four key ingredients to successful petition writing. The first is identifying your petition's target which could range from an individual to a large corporate organization, government, NGO or even an international entity such as the United Nations. The second is to properly research the target's rules or protocols for acceptance of your petition for review. The third critical issue is conducting proper and thorough research into the petition's subject matter so that the call to action (or refrain) is both believable and feasible. Last, the petition must pass a communication test: its language should be clear, concise and believable.

Identifying Petition Targets

The first task of effective petition writing is to properly identify the petition's target (the ultimate recipient of the signature list). An effective petition will correctly indentify the key players in a campaign or cause, including key interest groups. It is critical, however, that the ultimate target is correctly identified. The list below illustrates some popular targets:

• Governments, parliaments, politicians: local, state, federal, national, EU, UN;
• Political parties, presidents, prime ministers, senators, ambassadors, campaigners;
• Educational institutions;
• Sports organizations;
• Media organizations;
• Entertainment producers - TV stations, Film and TV producers, studios;
• Neighborhood authorities or home owner associations.

Petition protocols and rules

Many petitions will not need to comply with any specific petition rules or protocols because many targets don't require strict procedures in the lobbying process. However, petitions written to governments and parliaments will generally need to comply with standing orders, rules, or local regulations. Moreover, these standing orders may have specific additions in relation to internet petitions. Several jurisdictions throughout the world now recognize internet petitions. For example, 10 Downing Street, UK, accepts electronic petitions as does Scotland (e-Petitioner, a parliamentary service), Queensland Australia (state parliament), while the Federal Government of Australia is now considering the introduction of electronic petitions.

Proper research is essential

A petition should begin with a request, followed by well researched reasons for making the request. Each petition should provide a description of relevant circumstances and links to documentation or facts that support that description. A good petition may includes links to PDF documents, video and relevant websites. Overall, a petition should contain information that suggests its request is feasible.

It is advisable to view a variety of petitions in your field of interest to see what evidence is being used in these causes and how the relevant arguments are structured. Ultimately, a good petition is logical, compelling and backed up with good research and facts.

Clear and concise communication

A petition should not be cluttered with information or requests that have no essential connection to the main message. It should:

(1) describe the relevant situation,
(2) suggests what is needed, and
(3) explains why it is needed.

The message should be clear and concise. There are many examples of excellent and well written petitions. Some of the more popular petitions can be used as petition templates in the petition creation process. 

Often brief and succinct petitions are the most powerful and effective. Signers are more motivated when their cause is clear and their objectives are easy to understand.

In conclusion, those who are interested in starting a petition (traditional or electronic) should observe the above principles in the petition writing process. By properly identifying the players in your cause, observing any relevant protocols and conducting thorough research, your campaign will have a good foundation for success. When packaged with clear communication and marketing, your petition will have the ingredients necessary to make a lasting impact.

John Pope is the CEO of GoPetition.com and has an interest in how internet petitions function within social networks. For more information see http://www.gopetition.com/howtowriteapetition.php