STEP 1: SITUATION ANALYSIS
Include a short descriiption of the issue.
Why is it important for you (e.g., policy impact, financial impact)?
What priority is this issue?
What is driving the issue?
What is the schedule for adoption of the file (e.g., initial debate in Committee, schedule of Council Working Group discussions, EP Draft report, deadline for amendments, deadline for compromises, vote in Committee, vote in plenary)?initial debate sounds good.
Identify key journalists, academics, think tanks and issue experts on your file. List them, their position and contact details.
STEP 2: DEFINE OBJECTIVES
Have Concrete goals, realistic goals are time measured and granular. For example, “secure a specific amendment to the final adopted Directive” or “amend the draft delegated act with specific text during inter-service consultation.”
What are your SMART objectives?
What are the short-term, mid-term and long-term objectives?
Are these acceptable to members or clients?
What are major risks to achieving campaign goals. How to mitigate against them?
STEP 3: BUILD COALITIONS AND ALLIANCES
Will you lobby alone or in a coalition? What are the costs and benefits? Who to include?
Will you take a leading role in the coalition?
How will you mobilize your allies?
How will you leverage your network?
STEP 4: DEFINE KEY AUDIENCES
who are the influential policymakers
political alignments
timing is of the essence when targeting decision-makers. First, to get a first-mover advantage, the public affairs campaign should kick off as soon as possible.
incorporate a timetable and an overview of which policymakers will be contacted when and how (steps 5 and 6).
STEP 5: IDENTIFY KEY MESSAGES
What are your key messages?
What is the evidence to support your key messages?
What policy alternatives will be proposed?
What are your key materials (one pager, key messages, Q&A, amendments, standard letters, emails, evidence, studies and data)?
Which content will be sent to whom, when and how?
STEP 6: IDENTIFY COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Public campaigns tend to be more influential when the goals are phrased in the media as if they are in the public interest
Public campaigns are more successful when supported by an advocacy coalition rather than one single organization
Identify your plan of action: Which channels will be used to contact whom, when, with what content and for achieving what goal? Include this in a timetable or flowchart.
Make an overview of the cost of each item in your plan of action.
Adjust your plan of action in light of your available budget.
Establish pre-mortem, continuously, and post-evaluation impact assessments.
Where the SMART objectives achieved?
Was the achievement of a SMART objective the result of your campaign?
How do internal and external stakeholders assess your campaign’s impact?
What lessons can be drawn for future campaigns? Communicate these.
