Groundbreaking Strategy Session with Unite America

We had a great strategy session today with Unite America to lay out the elements that will ultimately become the core of our strategy!  Some very good thinking by the team all done in our garage – it felt very much like a Silicon Valley startup.

Anyways, here was some of the thinking that the Team put forth.

1. Structure to Form the Leadership Foundations
   1. Package
      1. includes Media Kit, Vision, Mission, “Why?,” Values, Declaration of Independents, Policy Objectives, Value Prop, Elevator Speech, FAQ, Strategy, Multi-Generational Plan, Leadership Team, Key links (e.g. web site, Facebook, Twitter, MeetUp, Chapter Promo video, etc.), brochure to handout during canvassing, biz card template
   2. Multi-Generational Plan
      1. 2018
         1. Q3 – Collectively create our strategy (Ranked Choice Voting event before August 14th primaries!); attend first National Unite America Summit!
         2. Q4 – Launch strategy!  (Package creation complete; All of Marketing Strategy elements begun (social media platforms ID’d, posting schedule determined, PR firm hired, first Letters to Editors written, 1 external speaking engagement, etc.), double active members by end of year to about 25
      2. 2019
         1. Q1 – Networking policy partnerships in place with top 3 groups for each policy; Policy pathways clearly understood by team
         2. Q2 – Fantastic front-runners for 2020 identified; Community engagement plan for summer in place to go big; Active members doubled to 50
         3. Q3 – Activate Community engagement plan for huge summer visibility; Madison, Appleton, Greenbay chapters established
         4. Q4 – Fantastic front-runners on board, Active campaign members doubled to 100
      3. 2020
         1. Q1 – Policy Promoters “in every block” in place; Fundraising strategy clearly understood;  Forms / Signature engine revved up and ready to go
         2. Q2 – Huge push on Marketing to support independents.  Almost all monthly meetings are to support them; Phone banks begun
         3. Q3 – Continue to fund and fuel to win
         4. Q4 – Elect first set of independents!
   3. Rotate our Presence
   4. Formalize the positions (Organize around 4 elements of strategy.  As we get bigger, organize around 12 subpoints of strategy. Consider organizing by workstream?
      1. Run with tools like
         1. ActiveCampaign
         2. Monday.com
         3. Aha
         4. Nationbuilder
2. Structure to Achieve the Leadership Objectives
   1. Identify Policy Action Pathways
      1. Ranked choice voting in general election
      2. Open / blanket primaries
      3. End gerrymandering
      4. Money in politics
   2. Network Policy Partnerships
      1. Represent.US
      2. FairVote
      3. FixTheSystemWI
   3. Establish Policy Promoters (“one on every block” concept)
      1. obtain map of Waukesha and Milwaukee counties
      2. plant flag wherever we have a person
      3. target key open areas (starting with Cities first then Wards, then Blocks)
3. Marketing – Maximize the Media
   1. Social
      1. Facebook (1x/day)
      2. Twitter (4x/day)
      3. YouTube (1x/week)
      4. MeetUp (1x/mo and before after meetings)
      5. LinkedIn (1x/mo)
      6. NextDoor
   2. Digital
      1. Websites / blogs
         1. UA MKE website (need good landing page)
         2. UA website MKE chapter page (need good landing page)
         3. blog same content on both sites
         4. Adwords, SEO and content marketing
      2. Email list through ActiveCampaign
   3. Traditional
      1. Billboards
      2. Radio
      3. TV
      4. Publications
         1. JSOnline
         2. MKE Business Journal
         3. Milwaukee Magazine
         4. Shepherd’s Express
         5. City Magazines
4. Marketing – Act to Attract
   1. Connect
      1. Universities
         1. Marquette
         2. UWM
         3. MSOE
         4. MATC
         5. WCTC
         6. UW-Madison
      2. Local businesses (restaurants?)
      3. Churches / religious institutions
      4. Key reporters
   2. Recruit
      1. “Never Trumpers”
      2. Town Hall Attendees
      3. Local politicians?
   3. Hire
      1. PR firms
         1. www.trefoilgroup.com
         2. www.responsory.com
5. Marketing – Communicate to Convince
   1. Write
      1. Letters to the Editor about independents, policy proposals,
      2. Write a book
   2. Speak
      1. Become known as opinion leader for independents
      2. Become a regular on a local talk show (radio and/or TV) or column
      3. Get listed in Speakers’ bureau’s
      4. Talk with other civic groups, high schools colleges, etc. who look for speakers
   3. Promote
      1. Create cool Chapter Promo Video
      2. Conduct contests to give away Unite America SWAG (t-shirts, sunglasses, towels, bags, jackets, cups, mugs, etc.)
6. Community – Attend Public Events together
   1. Farmer’s Markets
   2. Town Halls
   3. Debates
7. Community – Serve Community Causes together (babies, puppies?)
   1. United Way
   2. March of Dimes
   3. Local clean ups
   4. Habitat for Humanity
8. Community – Give towards Community Needs together (babies, puppies?)
   1. Food banks
   2. Blood drives
   3. Education / schools
   4. Health-related
   5. Local charities
9. Community – Host Cool & Compelling Events together
   1. Ranked Choice Voting wine tasting
   2. Gerrymandered pizza bake
   3. Red & Blue dinner dialogues
   4. Ben Franklin discussions
10. Candidates – Find fantastic front-runners
    1. Fiscally responsible
    2. Good governance
    3. Economic opportunity
    4. Social tolerance
    5. Environmentally responsible
    6. Well-known, strong history of accomplishment
    7. Short list is:
       1. US Senate
       2. US House
       3. State Senate
       4. State House
       5. Govenor
       6. Other State role
       7. Local roles
11. Candidates – Fire up the forms / signature engine early
    1. Policy promoters on each block in place early and ready to gather signatures once we know our candidate slate
12. Candidates – Fund and fuel to win together!
    1. Need to register a 501c3 organization
    2. All become familiar with campaign strategy
    3. Everyone is a Founding Member
    4. Top potential donors identified

I hope you’re getting excited as I am about the opportunity to “bridge the partisan divide” even as Jesus “bridged the spiritual divide” between God and Man for us!