Mobilization vs persuasion
Definition
Persuasion is campaign or advocacy effort aimed at changing someone's mind, targeting people who are undecided or opposed. Mobilization is effort aimed at getting already-supportive people to actually act, like voting or contacting a lawmaker, rather than trying to convince anyone new.
Why it matters
Because persuasion is harder and more expensive than mobilization, campaigns and interest groups often default to activating their existing base rather than engaging genuine skeptics, which can deepen polarization instead of building broader consensus. Distinguishing the two also matters for evaluating advocacy claims: a group that says it "moved public opinion" may have only mobilized people who already agreed with it.
Seen in the wild
Analysis of the 2012 Obama and Romney campaigns by the Sabato's Crystal Ball newsletter at the University of Virginia showed both campaigns weighing how much to invest in persuading the shrinking pool of true swing voters in battleground states versus mobilizing their own reliable supporters to turn out.