Last year, on a Monday, I was driving down my local highway when I noticede a few of people holding a banner on the corner, in a parking lot, by the traffic light.  I drove by too fast to read it.  A week later they were there again, I slowed down to read it.  I blurrily read the word "Impeach" as I passed and continued to work.  All week I thought about that.  Oh, how I would love to Impeach Bush!  So after that, I anxiously looked for the people.  They were not there again until the next Monday.  I saw them when I stopped for the traffic light.  When I saw them I wanted to stop to talk, but I was late to work and couldn't.  While waiting for the light, I took the time to read the whole banner, "North Jersey Impeach Grup". By this time, I realized that they gathered on Monday mornings.  I looked them up on the web.  They had a yahoo group.  I read about them.  I liked what they had to say.  The next Monday morning, I purposefully left for work early, hoping to see them.  They were there.  I pulled in and asked if they had a petition or letter I could sign.  They said they did, but didn't bring it with them.  They gave me a button with their website address on it and invited my to print out the petition from on-line and mail it in.  They also told me they had monthly meetings.  I signed it, delivered it at their next monthly meeting and have been active ever since. 

  The moral of the story is, get out where the public can notice you.  Advertise, have a big flashy sign in a place that no one can miss it.  The roadside was especially good because a bored driver loves interesting sites along the road, especially if he's stopped at a traffic light.  Have regularly schedualed events that interested strangers can plan around.  Be patient.  It took a month of Monday banner flying before I got the whole message.  If they had not been there for even one of those weeks, I might not have received enough info to join.  If the banner holders had one more volunteer on the side of the road, waving leaflets a few yards past the sign, then interested drivers could pull over down the road, and reach for a flyer through the window.  Advertise a topic that everyone in interested in like Global Warming.  That should capture a lot of attention.  That could be your hook.  Once they start coming to meetings, also introduce a range of progressive topics.

Thanks for the notion, Margaret. Yes, public visibility is a good way to grow.