How to write a winning campaign strategy

1. How to write a winning campaign strategy

2. Today’s session • Introducing campaign strategy • Learning about theories of change • Understanding how to write a campaign strategy • How does this relate to your campaign or project?

3. Icebreaker

4. Campaign Strategy • An overarching approach to achieving our aims and goals, based on our ideas about what is most likely to make change happen • If X approach is taken • The impact will be Y • Z will be the outcome

5. Campaign Strategy examples • Ending Apartheid • Armed struggle and economic pressure (X) • Bring Government to negotiating table (Y) • Achieve (Z): the end of Apartheid • Stopping Fracking • Block fracking locally using planning, legal and local opposition, and amplify battles on to national stage(X) • Political/economic confidence is lost (Y) • Unviable to raise funds for it so it can’t happen(Z)

6. Why is strategy important? • Provides clarity on central choices for the campaign • Helps to think about what is and is not worth doing, and in what order • Makes sure you don’t miss opportunities

7. Theories of change • A hypothesis about what factors make change happen, different for different campaigns, e.g. • Individual change? • Work on interests of political decision-makers? • Grassroots mobilisation? • Be the change we want to see, and the rest will follow?

8. Friends of the Earth’s Theory of Change • An alternative must be possible • There must be pressure for change • The status quo must become untenable for the decision-maker

9. Fracking campaign example • The alternative: clean energy • Pressure for change: Public resistance in affected areas and across the country • We are making the status quo untenable through public pressure and legal challenge which makes it economically and politically unviable

10. What’s your theory of change? • Does your campaign have a theory of change, and what is it? • Can you explain why it’s the right theory of change? • Are there any ways in which your theory of change could be improved?

11. How to develop your strategy

12. Campaign Strategy • An overarching approach to achieving our aims and goals, based on our ideas about what is most likely to make change happen • If X approach is taken • The impact will be Y • Z will be the outcome

13. About strategic thinking How strategic thinking can be useful: • Introduce clarity in a mass of detail • Develop informed foresight into scenarios – what is likely to happen (impact and outcome) • Maximise the likelihood of achieving aims and goals Definition of strategic: An overarching approach to achieve aims or goals Definition of strategic thinking: A way of synthesising relevant information to inform a clear choice of approach to achieving aims or goals

14. Effective strategic thinking: process • Research (finding the dots – the relevant information) • Analysis (understanding the dots – assessing significance of info) • Synthesis (connecting the dots – developing a hypothesis about the most likely approach to achieve an aim.) In campaigning it is very important to: 4. Communicate (share a dot-to-dot picture) 5. Inspire (encourage people to adopt the picture – and probably to think they drew it!)

15. What makes a good strategy? • Aim • Objectives • Situation/Power analysis • Critical path • Strategic approach • Tactics • Timeline

16. Aim • Difference between an Issue and an Aim • Specific thing you are trying to achieve • Is about the change you want to see E.g. • Stop fossil fuel extraction by XX date • Get Nelson Mandela freed • Get the London Mayor to commit to ditching diesel

17. Objectives • Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Time-bound Examples: • 100 people come to an event • 3 pieces in the local media by XX date

18. Situation analysis • Political • Social • Economic • Allies • Opponents • Opportunities • Risks

19. Power AnalysisNot a real example! British Lung Foundation FoE, GP Support for our aim Caroline Lucas X X other person Chambers of Commerce X X X Lord Deben X George Osborne X Car maker X Theresa May How much power they have

20. Critical Path What MUST happen for your aim to be achieved. If the aim is for Theresa May to eat marmite on toast: • TM must have a toaster and some bread • TM must have marmite • Something (our pressure, or pressure from her friends, or something else) must make TM decide to eat marmite on toast

21. Strategic Approach This is your overarching approach to achieving your aim Eg • Get Government to phase out diesel by ruining the social licence of diesel in the UK • Stop fracking by resisting it wherever it is proposed and building up huge public opposition

22. Tactics MUST relate to your strategic approach, and what you think will make your decision-maker change their mind. You should be able to see/touch a tactic! Examples? • Petition to decision-maker • A stunt • A joint letter • A big media push • Meeting a politician

23. Not all plain-sailing Your strategy needs to be flexible, to respond to the external world: Examples? • General election! (Or other political changes) • Someone powerful taking up your cause • An unexpected back-lash

24. The REALLY IMPORTANT bits • Have a crystal clear aim • Understand the politics and power around your campaign • Develop your critical path • Strategy before tactics! • Have a clear plan, but be flexible too