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Here are some more tips for success from Haugh:

• "Don't argue with people. Your job is to get signatures ... when you're debating with people, then first you're not spending time getting signatures and second you're turning off everybody around you."

• Payment centers are an excellent place to find registered voters.

• "When people say no, don't get discouraged."

• "Have a pamphlet to hand to people."

• Make sure people sign their legal name, not their nickname.

• "Smile sweetly at people who want to take issue with you or your petition."

– Ethan Case

Raise Awareness for Your Cause

• Jared Neumark
• ANIMAL ATTRACTION: PETA at work

So you've got your cause, you're full of passion and you're ready to get out there and change the world. But before you meet your first brick wall and a cacophony of naysayers, take some tips from some folks who've been doing this for a while: local advocates June Blotnick from the Carolinas Clean Air Coalition and Martin Zimmerman for Bicycle Advocacy for Charlotte Mecklenburg (aka B.I.K.E.S.).

• Get the word out. Flyers in the right places can attract the perfect potential audience. Setting up a display table can be a great way to get information out and meet interested people; set up at an event where a lot of people will be walking around. A meeting or event can be difficult to pull off, but if there's a good turnout, it can be a great catalyst for action. These days it's crucial that you have a Web presence. Also, a mailing list or e-mail listserv can be extremely helpful in getting support.

• Focus your message. Don't get bogged down by trying to make your issue too broad. Zimmerman recommends that you "limit the areas of advocacy you want to focus on; otherwise you'll run out of steam."

• Know your audience. Research who you'll be talking to so you can be the most convincing. PETA suggests on its Web site that you customize your arguments to fit your audience so they can relate.

• Get out there. Be out in the community, Blotnick advises. "You need to be out there and be active; get your name in the paper." Any media coverage you can score is priceless.

• Connect with other groups. Team up with established groups of similar interests; chances are you have the same target audience. Blotnick proposes getting on their mailing list so their members can learn about what you're doing.

• Get some money. Being an activist isn't easy, and it's usually not free either. Zimmerman suggests filing with the IRS for a 501(c)(3) non-profit status. "It allows you to seek tax-deductible donations."

• Meet people. Finding people who share your mission will help you spread the word. You don't have to form a group to get a message across, but it will be much easier with more people.

• Seek support. Blotnick recommends finding a mentor. "Find someone who has done this kind of work and been successful -- find out how they did it and learn from them."

• Don't get burned out. Zimmerman stresses the importance of setting short and long-term goals that "help determine how much time and energy you can devote to something."

• Be passionate and motivated. "You have to be passionate about your issue or you won't be as committed to the overtime and little pay. Be personally motivated to put up with some of the more difficult days," says Blotnick. For Zimmerman, passion is the "fundamental characteristic and driving force that creates non-profits. Never become a CEO!"

– Erin Sutton

Look Like an Activist

• Web action: Petitionsite.com

Displaying political affiliations has become progressively less dramatic and subtler since its documented origins in the 1960s. Society's concept of socio-political expression has evolved from extreme wardrobe partisanship to small pieces of jewelry or messages displayed on clothing.

This may be due largely to a change on the sentiments of what political activism is all about. Many may be coming to the realization that the anti-war hippies didn't need to wear bright, groovy colors to strengthen their stance against fascist warmongers and that the Black Panther Party wasn't dependent upon coal-colored garments to develop their philosophies. After all, activism is about making a cause and following it, not allowing your cause to make you.