Creating an Effective Sierra Club Campaign Matrix

What the heck is a campaign planning matrix?

Campaign Plan Webster’s Definition “Series of military operations with a particular objective” or “a series of planned actions”

Campaign Plan “If it ain’t written, it ain’t a plan” -Bingaman

Campaign Plan Strategic and sequential guide for an organizer to create public demand and build power necessary to achieve the goal.

It is the strategery with which we beat the bad guys, build power, & WIN. Here’s how it works:

Theory of Change Questions What do we want? Who has the power to deliver what we want? Who does that person listen to? What will motivate those people to act?

Building a Plan is like Building a House Sequence is key

Goals (What do we want?) Conservation goals-developed by the campaign Organizing Goals-developed by organizer & local volunteers Goal setting should be a collaborative process between campaign and organizing staff and volunteers

Conservation Goals Goal for the environment – What is the big vision? Specific Campaign Outcomes Interim Milestones – Short Term (1 year) – Medium-Term (5 year) – Long Term (10 year plus)

Organizational Goals Power Building Create shared goals and tactics to engage new people and strengthen existing relationships. – Leadership Ladder – Diversity – Coalition Partners Building Power Metrics: # of Team Leaders # of Teams # of Participant Activists # of Grasstops Diversity

Specific person Has power to deliver the goal Target (Who can get it for us?) Goals Target Secondary TargetsTarget Audience Tactics Messaging Partnerships

Target Selection Decision or Decision Path to Influence – Strategic Vehicle – Delivers a Win Strategic Rationale Primary Target – Must be an individual – Has the power to deliver victory

Secondary Targets (Influential to the target.) Can influence primary target Power Mapping Goals Target Secondary TargetsTarget Audience Tactics Messaging Partnerships

Who does the target listen to? Groups of people that can influence the target Grasstops

Partnerships

Messaging (What will motivate these people to act?) Place for strategy Frame and narrative capitalizes on our strength and exploits opponent weakness

Messaging Media Story, Key talking points and slogan – Overarching media story – Talking points to support message frame – Repeatable Slogan (less than 10 words) Organizing Narrative – Motivational and connecting

Tactics ( What will motivate these people to act?) Events directed at target Drumbeat that builds power

Tactics In person Online to offline Media

Tactics

Integrating Sierra Club Outings into Campaign "They're riding the things everywhere now," said area rancher Lee Jeffs. "[ORVs are] kind of like lice on a cow...introduce one of them to an area and pretty soon they're everywhere and before long the area looks like it's about to die.” (Salt Lake Tribune)

Tactics

Timeline Flow should create drumbeat Names of responsible people – bottom- liner for each tactic.

The Plan is Complete Bad Guys Beaten

Small Group Work MATRIX ANALYSIS – STRENGTHS AND RECOMMENDATIONS STEP ONE: Review the strategy, target and tactics in the provided campaign plan on your own. Look for strengths and weaknesses in the plan. (7-10 minutes) STEP TWO: In your small group (15 minutes) 1.Identify the elements of this plan that you like – what works and why? Be specific in identifying why you think the plan makes sense in how it’s articulating a strategy to win. 2.Identify the elements of the plan that you think could be strengthened. What would you do differently and why? Be specific in both identifying the weaknesses you see and the alternatives you would propose. STEP THREE: Prepare to report out one strength and one weakness that your group saw in the plan.

Organizing Department Planning Process & Timeline Organizing Department Planning Guidance released Q4. Organizing Site Plans Due Q1 Organizing Sites Plans Evaluated & Updated Q2 NOTE: Planning should be a group process involving organizers and Organizing Managers; volunteers; and staff from campaign, on-line, communications, outings, compliance.

SUMMARY Campaign planning starts with goals...what real world outcomes do we hope to achieve and how will we build the organization? Campaign plans are a strategic and sequential guide for an organizer to create public demand and build grassroots power necessary to achieve our goal. Key components to campaign planning... Goals Targets Secondary Targets Message Tactics/Timeline Tactics are those actions we take to demonstrate or build our power.