Strategic Planning 101

1. Strategic Planning 101 Joseph LaMountain President, Sparklight Communications

2. A little background… President, SparkLight Communications Communications, advocacy and marketing consulting, mainly health groups. VP of Vision Council National Director of Advocacy American Diabetes Assn G’town professor since 2009, attended Wake Forest, raised in NJ, live in Alexandria www.SparklightCommunications.com

3. Background… Some of the health groups we’ve represented and worked for since 2006. We’ve worked in collaboration with many more.

4. And a little more… Founder of MV Big Flea charitable event ($93,481) (www.mvbigflea.com). Campaign manager, Mimi Carter for School Board electoral campaign. Both are successful campaigns that rely on grassroots networks. You can learn a lot from a political campaign

5. Today’s Session... Definitions Review strategic planning in communications Importance of alignment Case studies Group exercise Questions and discussion

6. Remember the GOST

7. Getting Started… Getting Started Where do you begin when you’re starting (or inheriting) a campaign??? Analyze existing efforts and recommend where to go Must develop a strategic campaign to achieve objectives. Planning process results in campaign that can be implemented

8. Getting Started… Remember the GOST Goals Objectives Strategies Tactics

9. My “Holy Grail” GOST = Campaign Framework

10. My “Holy Grail” My Holy Grail (Strategic Planning) 1st Step: Create Goal, Objective, Strategy and Tactics (in that order): This is the starting point for all effective campaigns. It’s critical that that these three elements are in place at the beginning Also important that all of these are in alignment with one another.

11. My “Holy Grail” A Word About Goals... Your goal is what you want to ultimately be known for. Akin to a mission or vision statement. A Few Examples: Starbucks Facebook PeTA Greenpeace Fox News

12. Definitions Definition of terms… • Objective, strategy and tactics:

13. Definitions Definition of terms… • Objective, strategy and tactics: • Objective: WHAT you specifically want to achieve

14. Definitions Definition of terms… • Objective, strategy and tactics: • Objective: WHAT you specifically want to achieve • Strategy: HOW you would like to achieve it

15. Definitions Definition of terms… • Objective, strategy and tactics: • Objective: WHAT you specifically want to achieve • Strategy: HOW you would like to achieve it • Tactics: WHAT you are going to do (and ask others to do?)

16. Definitions Analogy #1 10,000 foot level (objective) - the big picture goal you are trying to achieve 5,000 foot level (strategy) - more specific details about how you’re going to achieve it 1,000 foot level (tactics) - even more details about what you’re going to achieve

17. Definitions Analogy #2 Generals (objective) - Set the overall direction and objectives of a conflict for the military forces. Colonels/Majors (strategy) - Have regional responsibility for achieving specific aspects of the overall goal. Lieut/Capts (tactics) - Responsible for local aspects of regional plan

18. Objective The Objective is… WHAT you want to achieve. Sometimes known as goal. Objectives must be specific, measurable, achievable/ realistic & timely (SMART) Must be aligned with your existing organizational capacity Must be meaningful and easily understood by advocates/supporters

19. Objective: Examples The Objective: Examples • Organizations can have multiple objectives. • A Few Examples: • Starbucks • Facebook • PeTA • Greenpeace • Fox News

20. Objective: Best Practices Objectives: Best Practices • Ideal = a primary objective at a time on which to focus • Secondary objectives can focus on tactical achievements • Critical that all stakeholders know the desired outcome • If possible, constantly measure progress against the achievement of the objective. • Repeat, repeat, repeat

21. Strategies

22. Strategy Strategies: Overview Your strategy tells you HOW you are going to achieve your goal? AKA The roadmap. What is the path (or paths) you are going to take to achieve your goal? There is more than one way to achieve an objective. You may have multiple strategies to achieve objective

23. Strategy: Example #1 Strategy #1: Microsoft Sales • Microsoft’s Objective: Increase sales by 1% by end of 4Q12 • Strategy #1 - Sell more xBoxes to teens • Strategy #2 - Sell more software to small businesses • Strategy #3 - Sell more laptops to urban professionals • One man’s objective is another’s strategy. Confusing nomenclature.

24. Strategy: Example #2 Strategy #2: HDSA Advocacy • HDSA Objective: Enact HR 718 into law by Dec 2012. • Strategy #1 - Mobilize patients to contact Reps. to support bill (60%) • Strategy #2 - Meet with Hill staff and discuss bill (35%) • Strategy #3 - Generate favorable media coverage about need (5%).

25. Strategy: Example #3 Strategy #3: Friends of Mimi Carter • Objective: Secure 3,000 votes on School Board Election Day (May 5) • Strategy - Contact likely voters and ask for their vote on May 5th. • Obama 2008 Primary Campaign Strategy: Secure 1,800 delegates (50% plus 1 of total # available)

26. Objective: Examples The Strategy: Examples • Grassroots is a mostly communications strategy • What strategies could these organizations use to achieve their objectives? • Starbucks • Facebook • PeTA • Greenpeace • Fox News

27. HC’s Strategic Mistakes Hillary Clinton’s 2 Big Mistakes

28. HC’s Strategic Mistakes Hillary Clinton’s 2 Big Mistakes (1) Focused on being front runner rather than winning primary/caucus votes. She lost sight of the key objective in an election. (2) Was the “Experience” candidate when people wanted “Change.” Can you win under these circumstances, whatever your tactics?

29. Strategy: Best Practices Strategy: Best Practices • Involve stakeholders in the formulation of strategy • Make all stakeholders aware of the campaign strategies. • Repeat, repeat, repeat • Be willing to consider adjusting the strategy if it’s not working • Make sure the strategy leads to the achievement of the goal. Critical!

30. Tactics

31. Tactics Tactics: Definitions… • WHAT are you going to do? • Supporters need something to do. Call to Action is key. • The most difficult aspect of a grassroots advocacy campaign. How can I help? • Actions must be meaningful and commensurate with ability • Each strategy should have multiple tactics. Be creative

32. Tactics: Example #1, Microsoft Tactics: Microsoft Strategy #1 - Sell more xBoxes to teens Strategy #2 - Sell more software to small businesses Strategy #3 - Sell laptops to urban professionals. What grassroots tactics can they use for these strategies?

33. Strategy: Example #2 Tactics #2: HDSA Advocacy • HDSA: Enact HR 718 into law by December 2012. • Strategy #1 - Mobilize patients to contact Reps. to support bill (60%) • Strategy #2 - Meet with Hill staff and discuss bill (35%) • Strategy #3 - Generate favorable media coverage about need (5%). • What grassroots tactics can they use for these strategies?

34. Strategy: Example #3 Tactics #3: Friends of Mimi Carter • Objective: Secure 3,000 votes on election day (May 5, 2009) • Strategy - Contact likely voters and ask for their vote on May 5th. • What grassroots tactics can the campaign use for these strategies?

35. Alignment

36. Objectives, Strategies and Tactics • This is your Campaign Framework, Business Plan, Communications Plan • 2 Key Things to Remember: • Objectives, Strategies and Tactics must be aligned • Strategy must achieve objective, tactics must be appropriate for the strategy

37. When they are unaligned… • Many groups focus first on creating tactics w/o considering strategies • Result= tactics do not lead to achievement of goal • Strategy determine tactics, not vice versa • Goal: Going to Philadelphia weekend of October 10-11

38. Going to Philadelphia • Strategy = How I’m going to get there

39. Going to Philadelphia • Strategy = How I’m going to get there • Car, train, plane, bus, boat, bike, walk, skip, jump, hop, slither, hitchhike, etc

40. Going to Philadelphia • Strategy = How I’m going to get there • Car, train, plane, bus, boat, bike, walk, skip, jump, hop, slither, hitchhike, etc • Tactics: What I am going to do

41. Going to Philadelphia • Strategy = How I’m going to get there • Car, train, plane, bus, bike, walk, skip, jump, hop, slither, hitchhike, etc • Tactics: What I am going to do • If car…gas, tolls, directions

42. Going to Philadelphia • Strategy = How I’m going to get there • Car, train, plane, bus, bike, walk, skip, jump, hop, slither, hitchhike, etc • Tactics: What I am going to do • If car…gas, tolls, directions • If plane…ticket, airport, ID

43. Going to Philadelphia • Goals and strategies determine your tactics, not vice versa! • You wouldn’t buy airline ticket (tactic) w/o strategy (fly to Philadelphia). • Many groups develop tactics w/o strategy. • Don’t make this mistake.

44. Tactics Case Study: Fundraising • TC Williams Football team organized a mattress fundraiser. • 100+ kids and parents distributed flyers, organized the sale (hundreds of hours of labor on project). • Average amount raised - $2,000 - $5,000. • Is this a good tactic? Why?

45. Tactics Case Study: Fundraising • Strategy is good: mobilize players and families to help raise money for the team. • Tactic is bad because it (mostly) does not lead to the objective of raising money. • What would be a better tactic for 100 kids and family members to perform? • Tactics must achieve the objective at hand.

46. McCain for President 2008 • Tactics must achieve goal. Must also be in alignment with strategy • McCain Strategy = Experience, Strength • 3 Tactical Mistakes: Suspending campaign, 9/26 debate and Sarah Palin • Undercut his key strategy and message

47. Strategy Drives Tactics (repeat) Strategy must achieve primary objective Tactics must advance strategy and achieve your SMART goal Going to Philadelphia … does crawling really work? Hillary Clinton in 2008 primary campaign Tim Gerhart for Heisman. General public does not vote for Heisman candidates.

48. GOST Review Fundamental, starting point of campaign Stakeholder buy-in and awareness of all elements Don’t be afraid to change course if it’s not working Alignment of all elements Will your strategy achieve your objective?

49. Group Exercise

50. Group Exercise “Let’s Change” DS Campaign • Develop strategy and tactics for the “Let’s Change” Down Syndrome campaign • Objective: Collect $25K in spare change in your community. • Identify a strategy to achieve this objective. • Create three tactics that implement the strategy and achieve the objective.