11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

“STRATEGY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING IN

CAMPAIGNS”

Presentation byChristopher ArtertonDean of The GSPM

10 de Mayo 2007

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

I. OVERALL APPROACH TO THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGYA. Separating Strategy from Tactics

II. CAMPAIGN PLAN OVERVIEWA. What is a Campaign PlanB. Sections of the Campaign Plan

III. CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN

IV. THE CAMPAIGN BUDGET AND SCHEDULE

V. AUDIENCE AND MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO CAMPAIGNING

1. An Approach based on Military Thinking

2. A Planning Approach3. A Communications Approach4. An Interactive Approach

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

Strategy from a Military Perspective

• Goals and Focus over the Longer Term • Thinking on the Highest Level• Keeping the Larger Picture in Mind• Command and Control of the Campaign

– Integration of Units

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

Strategy from a Communications

Perspective

• Who is my Audience?

• What is my Message?

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

THE MESSAGE GRID

What WE will say about OUR candidate.

What THEY will say about OUR candidate.

What WE will say about THEIR candidate.

What THEY will say about THEIR candidate.

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

Strategy from an Interactive Perspective

• Conflict between Two (or more) Intelligent, Antagonistic, Competing Wills

• Outcomes Reflect the Joint Interaction of Opposing Forces

• Strategy is Controlling the Interaction

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

Strategic Planning in Campaigns

The Written Campaign Plan

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN PLAN?Why do I need one?

1 RATIONAL ALLOCATION OF (SCARCE) RESOURCES

2 FOCUSING DEVICE: STRATEGY VS. TACTICS

3 AN INTERNAL TREATY [personalities, access, power, and disputes over direction]

4 PERSEVERANCE AND CONSISTENCY “Hanging in there” when the going gets rough Knowing When to Revise(?)

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

SECTIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN (Part 1)

1. PRECISE STATEMENT OF GOALS 2. ASSUMPTIONS 3. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

a. Candidate’s b. Opponent’s

4. VOTER ANALYSIS a. Past Elections b. Polling c. Targeting

5. RESEARCH a. Policy Issues b. “Opposition research” (self and opponent)

Guillermo Bertoldi

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

SECTIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN (part 2)

6. OPTIONS AND DECISIONSa. What factors are in your control?b. What factors don’t you control?c. When do decisions have to be made?

7. MESSAGES AND THEMES8. THE BUDGET9. A (REALISTIC) FUNDRAISING PLAN

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

SECTIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN (part 3)

10. FREE MEDIA11. SCHEDULING PLAN12. PAID ADVERTISING13. CAMPAIGN STAFF

a. Headquarters Staff b. Field Organization c. Volunteers

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

CENTRAL THREADS OF A CAMPAIGN PLAN

[What resources can be allocated?]

• MONEY• GEOGRAPHY (TRAVEL)• TIME (USEAGE AND CALENDAR)• PERSONNEL (STAFF AND

VOLUNTEERS)• IDEAS/MESSAGES

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

MONEY…..MONEY..MONEY

THE CAMPAIGN BUDGETHow to Spend the Campaign DollarWhat to Spend Your Money OnWhen to Spend your Campaign DollarRunning up a DebtMaintaining Budgeting ControlSelf DisciplineControlling Others

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

THE CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE (Part 1)

• TIME IS SCARCEMinimal “personal” timeSum of campaign time

• GEOGRAPHY AND THE SCHEDULE• SCHEDULING BY TYPES OF EVENTS

FundraisingMediaVotersStaffPersonal

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

THE CAMPAIGN SCHEDULE (Part 2)

• THE CAMPAIGN DAY

• CONFLICTING DEMANDS AS A PROBLEM

• WHOSE IN CHARGE?

• INSULATING THE CANDIDATE

• FUNDRAISING REVISITED

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

The Audience:Targeting your message;Focusing your campaign

• THE CANDIDATE, CONSULTANTS AND CITIZENSLeadership, Responsiveness and ManipulationWho “Owns” The Campaign?

• LEARNING YOUR ELECTION DISTRICTWho’s whoMeeting peopleDriving the districtData, data, data

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

MESSAGE ELEMENTS

1. What does the Candidate want to say?2. What are audiences prepared to hear?

a. The General Electorateb. Activists and Your Organizationc. Your Basec. The Undecidedsd. Non-Voterse. Journalistsf. Micro-targeting

3. Creativity and dramatization4. Simplicity and repetition5. Message Control and Discipline

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

SECTIONS OF THE CAMPAIGN PLAN

1. PRECISE STATEMENT OF GOALS2. ASSUMPTIONS 3. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES 4. VOTER ANALYSIS 5. RESEARCH6. OPTIONS AND DECISIONS7. MESSAGES AND THEMES8. THE BUDGET9. A (REALISTIC) FUNDRAISING PLAN10. FREE MEDIA11. SCHEDULING PLAN12. PAID ADVERTISING13. CAMPAIGN STAFF

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

EIGHT RULES OF STRATEGY

1. Competitive interaction creates a fluid dynamic. Planning cannot be a straight-jacket. Flexibility not formulas.

2. Monitor your assumptions.3. Strategy is cerebral: thinking not doing!4. Perception is as important as reality.5. Actions and timing need to be considered separately.6. Maintain the initiative (OODA loop)7. Attend to “hinge points” in coalitions (theirs and yours)8. If your opponent is in crisis, do nothing. If you are in

crisis, get the whole story out fast.

11 Mayo 2007 “ Strategy and Strategic Planning in Campaigns”

“STRATEGY AND STRATEGIC PLANNING

FOR CAMPAIGNS”

Christopher Arterton The Graduate School of Political Management

The George Washington University1-202-994-5843

ARTERTON@GWU.EDU

Thank you!