Matt Stauner Public Relations Communications Plan Spring 2011

Pierce County Democrats Situation Analysis_____________________________________________

The Pierce County Democrats, a wing of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, is a political organization with goals of electing Democratic Candidates at all levels of government. With 42 dues-paying members and other supporters, the Pierce County Democrats make decisions on running candidates in local races and assist the state and national parties during campaign season. In a time of political turmoil, when so much rests on the decisions and actions of political parties and those involved, importance must be placed on gaining new members, may they contribute through financial means or by volunteering. Standards must be set from an organizational standpoint so that communications from the party to its members and followers is clear and void of misguidance. The goals of the organization should be apparent and parallel to the wishes of its driving force, the members. And so I present the Communications Plan for the Pierce County Democrats, which will concisely show the goals of the organization and how to attain them.

Goals________________________________________________________
With a potential special election looming due to recall efforts of Republican State Senator Sheila Harsdorf and the eligibility of Republican Governor Scott Walker fast approaching, membership has never been so crucial. The goal of this Communications Plan is to increase the membership of the Pierce County Democrats by 5% by July 2011.

Research_____________________________________________________
Access the Voter Action Network to see registered voters and their voting habits. Conduct a phone survey of the individuals found to gauge awareness of the organizations existence and willingness to get involved. Study demographics to get a sense of which target markets would be most beneficial to tap into. It is important not to profile, but rather to target to people of different income levels, levels of education, etc. Communicate with other county parties to compare public relations efforts. Adapt the plan if necessary.

Tactics, Timeline, and Budget___________________________________

By April 22: Compile a list of Democratic voters. These are people that will be sympathetic to the cause and will give a percentile of dues-paying members to the voter base. This will narrow outreach efforts. People of differing opinions simply are not worth the time. Cost: None -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By May 6: Use the compiled lists to conduct phone surveys. These phone surveys will not only serve as a way to calculate awareness of the organization, but also as volunteer outreach. With the election fast approaching, a strong volunteer base is essential. Contact the state party to get access to mobile phones for volunteers to place the calls. Cost: None -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By June 10: Organizing lit drops is nothing new to a political organization, but to maximize efficiency, they must be targeted. By researching demographics and personalizing the lit, voters will be able to connect and sympathize with the organization with ease. Cost: $100 for paper and printing -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By June 24: With the volunteers collected through the phone bank and other means (e-mail, Facebook, etc.), conduct a canvass/lit drop to raise awareness and reach out to voters. With a couple weeks to go until Election Day, voter outreach is the top priority. Cost: $50 for snacks/water for volunteers -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By July 1: Hold a rally to energize your base and attract media attention. Land a keynote speaker that will draw a crowd and hit publicity on all levels. Prepare a media kit, place ads, go

viral. This is the last push, apart from direct contact (canvassing/phone banking), to get people to the polls on Election Day. Cost: $1,000 for advertisements, equipment and event set-up -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Total Cost: $1,150