campaign planning 101

Campaign Planning 101

Jed Thorp, ManagerSierra Club, Ohio [email protected] x303

mailto:[email protected]

Sierra Club: Campaign Planning 101

Sierra Club Founded in 1892 (Ohio

1968) 17,000 members statewide Work on wide variety of

issues (energy, water, fracking, transportation)

Member-led, member-driven www.sierraclub.org

http://www.sierraclub.org/


What is the secret to success in organizing?


Grassroots Organizing Win real, immediate and concrete

improvements in people’s lives Re-align power relationships by building

strong and effective organizations Empower people to become active and effective in the political process, and in their communities


A note on organization building… Ask

Thank

Inform

Involve


Campaign Planning Matrix

1. Issue Focus 2. Campaign Goals 3. Lay of the Land 4. Strategy 5. Campaign Communication 6. Tactics and Timeline 7. Resource Management


1. Issue Focus

What problem are you seeking to address?

How does it relate to your community? Will working on this issue strengthen

your organization? Is this winnable?


2. Campaign Goals Conservation Goals:Example…Immediate: Stop the toxic waste incineratorInterim: Inform public that such facilities endanger public healthLong-Term: Eliminate all toxic waste incinerators from the state

- Realistic, achievable and quantifiable


2. Campaign Goals (cont.) Organizational Goals:- How will our organization be larger and

stronger because of this campaign?- Example:- Recruit 20 new members- Create Facebook page- Raise $2,000


3. Lay of the Land

Organizational Strengths and Weaknesses How much money do you have? Volunteers?

Skills? Workspace? Experience? Relationships with decision-makers and media?

Allies and Opponents Who else has a stake in this issue? What

resources could allies bring to the campaign? Who can we neutralize?

Know your opposition!


4. Strategy

“Strategic Vehicle” Legislation Regulation Pressure manufacturer Ballot initiative

Consider: political climate; existing relationships; resources


4. Strategy (cont.) Targets

Who can give you the outcome you want? Strategy: as much about what you WON’T

be doing as hat you WILL be doing. The more resources you can focus on your

primary target, the better Name names: (John Kasich, Scott Nally,

the CEO of company X, etc.)


4. Strategy (cont.)

A Note about legislative bodies… Divide into 3 groups

Our Base (for us) Their base (against us) Persuadables (up for grabs)

Do the Math! Don’t take your base for granted


4. Strategy (cont.)

Primary vs Secondary Targets

Who can influence your primary target? Community leaders? Other groups?

Public audience - don’t forget that you are also trying to win over the public. Make them a “tertiary” target


5. Campaign Communication

Clear Concise Connected Compelling

Contrasting Credible Consistent

Seven ‘C’s of effective Campaign Communication


5. Campaign Communication “Start where they are” Don’t just “preach to the choir” Focus your argument on what will be

most meaningful to them Use understandable language:

“Particulate matter” vs “soot” “ecosystem” vs “habitat”


5. Campaign Communication

Message Short: “Protect America’s Environment –

For Our Families, For Our Future” Story (short paragraph)

Problem Victim (person or place) Villain (best to individualize) Hero (public) Resolution (way to solve the problem)


5. Campaign Communications

Media Practice message discipline

“When the campaign staff and reporters become physically ill over the repetition of the message, only then have you begun to penetrate the public consciousness”

Which media outlets will reach your targets?


6. Tactics and Timeline Note: this is step 6, NOT step 1

Create Demand (Build base) Direct contact; Visibility

Make Leaders Accountable (for, against, persuadables) Use media

Take Delivery


6. Tactics and Timeline Media, can be used to…

Influence decision-makers Generate activism Verify the record Force a position to be taken Reveal motives

Note: Media is a tactic, not a goal in-and-of itself


Tactic Checklist

What is our goal of this activity? Who is our target for this tactic? How will this communicate our message? Will this alienate our partners or hurt our

credibility? Do we have the time, money, and people to pull

this off? Is this “newsworthy?” How will our partners contribute to this effort? Will this be fun? Is this simple, achievable and effective? How will this set us up for our NEXT tactic?


7. Resource Management

Know what you need Have a fundraising plan Know who to ask Know WHAT to ask Have a campaign budget

KNOW how much things cost Spend wisely!

campaign planning 101

Documents

sierra club

primary target

campaign

public

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resources

media

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