A boycott is a protest that avoids the buying of a good or service and or the business that makes that good or service. But one must do this responsibly or the rules of unintended consequences will occur. So what can you do to avoid harming people unrelated to the boycott? How can one do this responsibly?
Step 1 Research: If you are intending to boycott a product, make sure you know why you are doing so. Is it because the chemicals in the product are causing cancer, harming the environment, or because the individuals manufacturing it are doing harm to their workers or other people. In short, know why you are going to boycott the product/service and or the business. If you do not, how can you make the boycott grow so that others will take up your cause?
Step 2 Talking points: Once research is done, you may have to make statements to the media, or more importantly potential supporters. No one wants to hear a long drawn out answer as to why you’re boycotting let alone your passion as that may turn people off. Instead, draft talking points that are short and succinct that can be told in less than 30 seconds along with follow up statements that can be used to answer questions that require more details.
Step 3 Start the boycott: Basically you need a start date to begin and a written statement handed to the business in question as to the reason why you are boycotting them. Otherwise how will they know why you are forming a picket line in front of there store or as to why your group is no longer buying what they are selling. At this point it is all a waiting game in which you try to gain support to continue the boycott further so as to force the business to change what they are selling, how they are selling it, or their business practices.
What you do not boycott: You do not boycott unrelated industries or people simply because they support the product or business you are boycotting. Keep it limited to your target otherwise you look vindictive and hateful (this will make you loose your support). Also, you do not boycott a business at people’s homes or anyplace beyond where the product is being sold. There is no reason to invade a person’s privacy to get your way. Also, if you are against a business practice such as a business resisting unionizing, make sure that it was the workers decision not to unionize because if it is then it was there choice, not the business. With that in mind, if it is not the businesses fault and your beliefs (for example: all businesses should be unionized) should not be imposed on others. If you are boycotting a specific product or service, then keep it limited to that alone even if the business sells other products of services. The reason for this is to prevent people from loosing there jobs unnecessarily do to a business cutting or stopping production of a product. In other words, you stick to your target so as to not do any unnecessary harm.
Conclusion: Always be respectful and maintain composure. Be respectful to the other businesses next to and around the business you are boycotting as you may be doing harm to them too. As such be responsive to their needs as well. You are there to boycott for a reason and to do so in a way that does not intend to harm a business, but to stop a product from being sold or to end a specific business practice. This is what it means to be responsible when conducting a boycott.
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