If you use social media, chances are that you’ve been asked to sign a petition in support of a cause, a political candidate or the passage of a law. Often, the petitions that get the most attention and signatures are national in scope, like supporting new environmental legislation or reforming the criminal justice system. These campaigns are usually led by large organizations that have significant resources and are politically connected. The petition is usually just one small part of their plan for success.

While large-scale campaigns can be exciting and glitzy, in my ten years working with “citizen” petition creators, some of the most inspiring change I’ve seen has happened at the local level, sparked by petition drives created by everyday people who want to make a difference in their community. I’ve seen a little boy in Kansas successfully defend the little lending library in his front yard, the tragic death of dog inspire the creation of an animal abuse registry, and a transgender teen convince his school to create gender neutral bathrooms.

It can be daunting to mount a campaign yourself, so here are a few tips that will help you get started and on the road to success.

Find out who’s in charge

The first thing any petitioner should do is to figure out how change happens. One of the most common mistakes I’ve seen is targeting someone without the power to do what the petition asks. It may take a little sleuthing to find the right person; local government bureaucracy can be complicated and convoluted. Take, for example, Oakland, California, where if you want better maintenance of your neighborhood park, you don’t contact the Department of Parks and Recreation, but the Department of Public Works. Before you put yourself and your neighbors out there about an issue, make sure you are set up to have maximum impact.

Go online

When most people think of petitions, images of eager-eyed college students with clipboards come to mind. While these old-school paper petitions are still great, the Internet opens up a world of opportunity to give your petitions more impact. Creating an online petition allows you to reach a much broader audience much faster, and without the intense man hours.

There are a plethora of online platforms you can use to create your petition. Many are great options, but when making a decision about which to use, keep a few things in mind.

First, make sure that both creating and signing your petition are easy to do. Some sites will offer tips about how to write persuasively and how to reach out to your network. It’s also helpful to look at what other petitions are on the site and which are doing well. This will give you a sense of what issues the audience cares about and how much they’ll be able to help your cause.

Don’t discount offline action

I always tell the organizations I work with that the best way to reach people is to do it lots of times, in lots of ways. While your main petition may live online, offline action can be just as important, both to gather signatures and share your concerns with the powers that be.

If you’re hoping to get funding for a new music class at your local high school, attend the PTA meeting with that clipboard and ask for physical signatures. If you’re hoping to get a playground repaired, canvass the park and pass out flyers about your petition to the people you see and tell them about ways to sign online and encourage them to share the petition with their neighbours.

While you can usually send your petition signatures and letters to your target by email, don’t underestimate the power of an in-person appeal. Look up your city council’s agenda and show up with your petition letters in hand on the day they’re talking about your issue. If it’s not on an agenda, gather some other passionate supporters and show up anyway to make your appeal for serious consideration.

Reach out to the media

This part may sound intimidating, but it’s actually easier than you might think. What most people don’t realize is that reporters like tips. Even the best and most conscientious journalists can’t be everywhere, and thus rely on their sources to be extra eyes and ears and help them know what’s happening on their beat.

First, figure out who is best to reach out to. Sure, it may be hard to get someone’s attention at the national newspapers, but those readers likely aren’t your audience. Start with your local paper or local city or neighborhood blogs. Then, figure out which reporter covers your issue. The more homework you do on the front end to find the right person, the more likely your story pitch is to get a second glance.

Next, write a short pitch. This is different than the argument you’ll make to potential supporters. Instead of talking about why the reporter should care about an issue, you want to show them why this is news. It could be that 1,000 people have signed your petition to clean up a local creek. Or perhaps you’re planning on presenting your petition asking for more street lights at the next police commission meeting.

Getting the media to publish a story about your cause raises awareness among community members, potentially generating more signatures, and elevates your issue in city hall. The ultimate power of petitions is that they show people in power that their constituents, customers or communities want change. The better you can do that, the more likely you are to make a positive impact at home.

Joe Baker is the Vice President, Editorial and Advocacy for Care2 and ThePetitionSite. He is responsible for recruitment campaigns for nonprofit partners, membership growth efforts, and all editorial content. Prior to Care2, Joe was the Executive Director of N-TEN. Joe serves on the Board of Directors of Death Penalty Focus, the Advisory Board of GiveForward.org and volunteers for the Sierra Club and Amnesty International.