CHECKLIST FOR STRATEGIC ACTION PLANNING
1. Clarify the Strategy: What do you want to call attention to with this action? How does this support your campaign goals?
2. Know the History: What has your group (or other groups) done before to address the issue? How can you build on the history to escalate your tactics?
3. Identify the Opportunity: Why now? What is the Action Opportunity? Is there a new development on your issue or change in the political climate that you can take advantage of?
4. Find Allies: Who are your existing allies in this work? Who should be involved? Who is also impacted by this issue?
5. Pick a Target: Who is the decision-maker? Who can help you pressure that decision-maker?
6. Develop Action Demands: What do you want from your target? What would a ³win² look like? Make sure these are realistic, measurable, strategic, and accountable to the impacted community.
7. Assess Your Resources: What skills does your group have? How many people will participate? How much money and supplies do you have access to?
8. Choose a Tactic: Make sure it will move you towards achieving your campaign goal and action demands. What exactly will people do? Why will it put pressure on your target? Why is it perfect for this moment?
9. Determine Your Audience: Who specifically do you want to mobilize with your action? Is it the public? Consumers? Shareholders? Government Officials?
10. Decide the Tone: What will the action feel like? Will the action be jubilant, angry, solemn, or calm? How will the tone impact the target and audience? Do you want to invite or repel them? How will the tone impact your group?
11. Focus your Message & Media Strategy: How do you make complicated issues understandable? Keep it short and simple. The message should reflect the tone & clearly communicate your demands. Develop media strategy: how will the action be covered, and by who?
12. Create Visuals and Audio: What will your action look and sound like? What imagery do you need to create? How will you amplify your voices and sound? How will the visuals and audio support your tone and convey your demands?
13. Choose the Location: Where will this action take place? What does that location look and feel like? Is it a community-based location or is it the decision-maker¹s territory? Are people familiar with the location?
14. Scout the Location: How will your action logistically take place at the location? How will people get there? What goes on there in the course of a day? Is there security on site?
15. Make an Action Plan: Think through the action from start to finish. Assign action roles, make a time schedule, list supplies and equipment needed, finalize logistics. Make backup plans just in case!
16. Practice the Action: Over and over. Then practice some more.
17. Perform the Action: Be flexible, stay true to your action goals and demands, and be safe- eliminate unnecessary risk.
18. Celebrate! Acknowledge your successes, even if your action demands were not met. Recognize new leadership, and congratulate new members.
19. Debrief the Action: What were the action highlights? Where was there room for improvement?
20. Follow up: Reach out to participants & members- keep them updated. Make calls to media- get the story out. Provide jail support if necessary, and keep track of ongoing legal issues.