Executing a Campaign

Executing a Campaign

Lesson Objectives

• Learners will understand the execution stages of an issue-based campaign
• Learners will be able to follow these stages in their own organizing
• Learners will be able to utilize the tools provided in their own organizing

Stages of a Campaign

•Choose the Issues and Develop a Strategy

Stage 1

•Open Communication with the Decision Maker

Stage 2

•Announce the Campaign

Stage 3

Stage 4

•Begin Outreach Activities

•Stage Direct Encounters with Decision Makers

Stage 5

•Organization Building

Stage 6

•Win or Regroup

Stage 7

Begin outreach activities

• Now that you’ve made your campaign public, it’s time for outreach: you need to build your base of support
• For most campaigns, it’s a smart idea to enlist the help of other organizations – their resources can help your campaign, and if your values overlap then many of their members may want to join your organization as well
• There are plenty of ways to reach people outside of organizations as well: think about neighborhoods where your constituency lives and canvass there; petition drives provide a role for volunteers to play in finding supporters; social media can let you reach supporters from a variety of places

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Finally, it’s time to start trying to convince your targets
• Staying aware of the power dynamics – what power your targets have and what power you have over them – your organization needs to start having larger and more public meetings with the targets

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Early on, your group is probably too weak to effectively challenge the primary target(s)
• Instead, start by engaging your secondary target(s) – people who have some power over your primary target(s) that you can influence more easily who will then allow you to challenge the target through them

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Tactic criteria:
• It is focused on the decision maker or secondary target of the campaign
• It puts power behind a specific demand
• It meets your organizational goals as well as your issue goals
• It is outside the experience of the target
• It is within the experience of your own members, and they are comfortable with it

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Popular tactics:
• Petition drives
• Letter writing
• Turnout events
• Visits with public officials
• Public hearings
• Accountability sessions

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Popular tactics:
• Marches
• Mass demonstrations
• Educational meetings and teach-ins
• Civil disobedience and arrest
• Legal disruptive tactics
• Boycotts, pickets, strikes, etc.

Stage direct encounters with decision makers

• Checklist for Tactics
• All tactics must be considered within an overall strategy. Use this checklist to make sure that the tactics make sense given your strategy.
• Can you really do it?
• Do you have the needed people, time, and resources?
• Is it focused on either the primary or secondary target?
• Does it put real power behind a specific demand?
• Does it meet your organizational goals as well as your issue goals?
• Is it outside the experience of the target?
• Is it within the experience of your own members and are they comfortable with it?
• Do you have leaders experienced enough to do it?
• Will people enjoy working on it or participating in it?
• Will it play positively with the media?

Organization building

As you hold meetings and stage your tactics, remember that everything you’re doing should not only be working towards your current issue but also building your organization

Every event should be planned with an understanding and discussion of how to use the event to build the group

Holding effective meetings are key to both short-term wins and to long-term organization building

Organization building

• Meeting planning reminders
• Stay within the experience of your group
• Try to get outside the experience of the decision maker
• It is better to make an appointment to see the decision maker than to hope for a surprise encounter
• Case the joint
• Hold a dress rehearsal for participants
• There is only one spokesperson in a meeting
• Ask people to come to the meeting fifteen minutes early
• If media are wanted (they aren’t always), send a press release a week ahead of time
• Keep your demands clear and simple

Organization building

• Organizers should be aware of the current electoral cycle and use it to their own advantage – not just for winning their issue, but for organization building
• Use the publicity of candidate campaigns to push for your issue and attempt to win the endorsement of candidates
• Voter registration drives through your organization can help to elect political allies and win supporters to your cause
• Depending on your tax status, your organization could be able to make endorsements of politicians, an important way of building power

Win or regroup

• After a series of successful buildup events, it’s time to directly challenge your primary target(s) and force the issue
• Many outcomes are possible here:
• Outright victory
• Compromise victory
• Refusal

Win or regroup

• If the target refuses your demands, or a given compromise is unacceptable to your group, then you’ll need to regroup and decide how to move forward:
• Escalation or adaptation of tactics
• Broadening of issue to grow your support
• Selection of a new target
• Retreat

Resources

Checklist for Tactics

Checklist for planning a meeting (with target)

Checklist for planning a meeting (with public)

Organizing for Social Change, 4th Edition