Prerequisites: Planning a Milestone Series

Are you ready to take your advocacy program to the next level? Engaging your advocates through a well-structured milestone series can be a game-changer. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of planning, creating, and launching a successful milestone series that resonates with your participants. Let's dive in!

Begin by giving your milestone series a distinct and memorable name. While this name remains for internal reference, it sets the tone for what's to come.

The milestone series description is a pivotal tool to captivate advocates within the advocate portal. Use this space to passionately explain why their participation matters. Outline how they can earn points, highlighting campaigns and referrals. Provide details that guide them towards unlocking all milestones in the series for maximum benefits.

Select the programs that advocates can engage with to be a part of the milestone series. Keep in mind that a program can't be featured in multiple milestone series with overlapping dates. Once the milestone series goes live, participants from the associated program(s) will see the milestones upon logging into the advocate portal.

Timing is crucial. The start date determines when the milestone series becomes visible to participants upon publishing. The end date dictates the cut-off point for advocates to unlock milestones. It's also the point when their current milestone status vanishes from the advocate portal.

Participant completion behavior determines what happens when a milestone participant completes the final milestone in a series, before the series has ended. You can choose to let them remain at the final milestone, repeat the series, or advance to a different program.

Milestones are the heartbeat of your series. To strike the right chord, opt for 3-5 milestones, providing advocates with multiple opportunities throughout the year to shine. Experiment with themes for milestone names, such as levels or tiers, creating an engaging narrative.

Visuals matter. The color of each milestone affects how it appears in the advocate portal. Choose from an array of over 100 colors, including pre-designed podium themes like bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.

Position milestones strategically through points. For instance, Milestone 1 could be 400 points and Milestone 2 could be 800 points. Achieving 400 points unlocks the first milestone, while reaching 800 points reveals the second. The list auto-orders milestones by points, clearly indicating net new points needed for each achievement.

Milestone rewards not only celebrate advocates but also sustain their engagement. These rewards fall into two categories: automated and manual. Automated rewards are instantly granted upon milestone completion. Manual rewards are marked as "Needs Fulfillment," requiring your team's attention for fulfillment.

Unlocking a milestone is cause for celebration! Craft a personalized congratulations email that prompts advocates to redeem their rewards through the advocate portal. Customize the sender details, subject lines, copy, and theme colors. Test the email to ensure it resonates perfectly.

Before the big reveal, take a moment to review all details. Ensure accuracy and verify that the milestone series mirrors your intentions in the advocate portal.

Publishing depends on your chosen start date. If it's in the future, the status remains "Planned," and the series commences at 12:01 am Mountain Time on the start date. If the start date is today, the series goes live immediately. Once published, advocates can access the series via the advocate portal.