CVP Boot Camp

Campaign Planning 101

Wednesday, June 2, 20102:00 – 4:00 EDT

Webinar agenda

I. Overview of CVP, Boot Camp and Webinar Goals

II. Taking a Closer Look: What’s holding you back?

III. Identifying Target Audiences

IV. Goal SettingV. Communications Planning

Basics and Tips

VI. Branding Your Campaign

VII. Ways to reach out (venues and mediums)

VIII. TimelineIX. BudgetX. MeasurementXI. Top Five Take-a-ways

The Curbside Value Partnership

• National program, under umbrella of KAB, designed to help communities grow participation in curbside recycling programs through increased education and measurement of data.

• CVP invites eligible communities to partner and works closely with them to create, launch and measure a localized education campaign.

• CVP showcases best practices nationally so others can benefit.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Webinar goals

1. Provide you with strategic direction for your education efforts.

2. Give you tools for planning more effective education campaigns.

Photo credit: Google Images

Smart strategic planning + solid execution = high return on your investment.

CVP Boot Camp• All materials discussed today are available at:www.RecycleCurbside.org/planning

• Don’t forget to download a free copy of our toolkit at www.RecycleCurbside.org

Let’s get started!… First take a close look at your programWhat are the barriers to recycling? What problems do you face? What

can you impact with communications?

Some of the most common:– Not all residents have bins or carts needed to participate– Residents don’t set out bins/carts regularly– High contamination – Low participation in select neighborhoods/routes– Lack of awareness of program and/or recycling– Program change (switch to single stream, new materials accepted, etc.)– Mistrust that items are being recycled – Operational issues (inconsistent/infrequent collection, small containers, poor

customer service)

Questions to ask before starting a campaign

1. Will you be able to handle success operationally?

2. What do you want to achieve?

3. Who is your target audience?

4. How much time and resources can you (and your staff) dedicate?

5. Who else can help? – Other departments, MRF operator,

hauler, other corporate entity, third party?

Photo credit: https://access.coffeyville.edu/ics

Target audiences

• Who are your highest recyclers?• Your lowest?• Who could be motivated to recycle

with the littlest effort?• Are these people concentrated in

certain neighborhoods?• Whom do they trust? • Where do they get their information?• What do they read? Watch? Visit?• What types of messages would likely resonate with them?

– Humor, family values, straight facts, etc.

Photo credit: Mike Laughline Cartoons

Goal setting: Set realistic, internal goals for 6 months and 1 year

• Develop SMART goals

• Goals can be quantitative or qualitativeQuantitative:- Tonnage- Set outs - Web site hits/phone calls

Qualitative:- Awareness/buzz- Feedback

Photo credit: International Association of Business

Before you develop your plan…

Photo credit: http://novavista.ca/development.html

What your plan should include• Key components:

– Goals – Strategies– Target audiences– Key messages– Tactics

• Activities, events, speaking engagements• Marketing materials• Web site, on-line presence• Media documents

– Measurement– TimelinePhoto credit: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/checklist-1.jpg

Communications plan examples

For full examples of these communications plans please visit:

www.RecycleCurbside.org/planning

Branding your campaign• Do you ever think of your

recycling programs as a brand?– What do you want the campaign to

convey to the residents you serve?– What do you think it actually

conveys?• What are some messages that

could help overcome the differences?

• Who is/are the best person(s) to spread these messages?

Photo credit: http://thefinancialbrand.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/big-brands-using-twitter.jpg

Branding 101

A good brand should…

• Convey who you are• Deliver your message clearly• Be consistent• Be simple yet memorable• Be appropriate across

mediums• Connect emotionally to your

target audience• Motivate

A good brand should not

• Create false impressions about what you do or offer

• Try to do too much• Be just a logo• Be limiting

Good branding in practice

What the brand communicates:•Recycling is easy and convenient•It’s for everyone/everywhere•Diversity (yard, home and work)•It helps the environment

www.rethinkrecycling.com

Good branding in practice

What the brand communicates:•Recycling is a local tradition•Community-pride•Carts available = convenience• Recycling is fun, hip

Promoting recycling to the target audience

• What can you do to promote recycling to the audience you’ve identified?– Events, speaking engagements, press conferences– PR activities: media outreach,

promotions, contests, other attention getting ideas

– Paid or public service ads– Guerilla marketing– Social media

Photo credit:: http://www.whataboutclients.com/archives/Man%20with%20Megaphone.jpg

Examples of ways to communicate

Sporting events

Press conferences

Festivals and events

Photo opps

Campaign materials• What materials do you need to develop?• What are some materials that will get attention? Think

traditional and non-traditional….– Media materials: press release, fact sheet, Web copy, op-ed,

etc.– Marketing materials: coasters, flat characters, billboards, online

widgets, campaign Web site or page, t-shirts, etc.• What mediums do you need to use?• What can you afford?

Photo credit: http://www.uphill.com/images/art_supplies.jpg

Traditional campaign materials and mediums

Non-traditional campaign materials and mediums

Using third parties to help spread the word• Other stakeholders can greatly

increase the impact of your campaign– Provide further credibility– Reach more residents– Increase visibility in campaign and

recycling– Provide additional resources to

help: funding, staffing, etc.

Photo Credit: Google Images: shop.conservatives.com/product97024/were-all-in-this-together-poster.aspx

Who to engage• Third party organizations

– KAB affiliates, civic organizations, Boy/Girl Scouts, retiree groups • Other city services/departments• Public officials• Business community• MRF operator(s) and/or hauler(s)• Local media

What to consider when selecting groups….• What organizations in your area are supportive of

environmental issues?• Do they have regular events?• What vehicles do they have for reaching their

members?– Web site, events, newsletter, volunteers

• Who are their leaders and could they be effective surrogate spokespeople to your campaign?– What public officials do you need to be supportive? What

could they do to demonstrate their commitment?

Engaging local businesses/retailers• What local businesses have reputations as being tied

to the community and/or community improvement?– “Main street” establishments – hardware/grocery stores– Distributors: Coke and Pepsi, beer brands– Companies

• Where do people buy most of the commodities that should later be recycled?

• What could these businesses do to help communicate to their customers?

Using the media 1. Advertising/Paid media:

– Get the most bang for your buck if buying advertising– For PSAs work with outlet to give them the format they

really need– Concentrate on media outlets popular among your target

audience2. Free/Earned media (media coverage):

– Identify reporters who have already covered and/or are interested in similar issues and invite them to an exclusive unveiling of the campaign

– Provide local media outlets with fun materials from your campaign

Building your timeline• Factor in planning/development – at least 4 weeks,

more if you add in Web or creative development• Build in measurement milestones

– For bin requests, etc., monthly review is recommended– For tonnages, give yourself enough time to make an

initial/measurable impact (at least three months)• Address short and long-term needs• Assign deadlines and responsibilities• Enforce.. but be flexible

Budgeting basics• Consider all aspects of the campaign.• Be realistic. CVP recommends $1/hhld per year, more if

major changes are being made.• Review past expenditures.• Get sign off before you spend!• Remember.. There is a lot you can do FOR FREE!

Photo credit: Getty Images

What to budget• Costs will most-likely fall within these categories:

– Operational implications– Graphic designer– Web developer/programmer/hosting– Printing and production– Advertising– Events (sponsorship, entrance fees, displays)– Misc.

• Give-a-ways, contest prizes, travel, catering

Measurement• Measure monthly:

– Bin requests, Web traffic, media coverage, third parties engaged• Measure quarterly (at least):

– MRF data, participation/set outs• Other considerations:

– Financial/other in-kind contributions, volunteer use• Calculating ROI:

– Cost of the campaign/incremental revenue generated from recycling– For example: In Brevard County, they spent $6,000 on a 6-month

campaign that netted them $15,000 in NEW recyclables: their ROI was 132%

Top five take-a-ways…

1. Understand your barriers and needs.

2. Focus/target the right people.

3. Don’t go in alone… engage everyone!

4. Be creative, diverse and consistent.

5. Measure in more ways than one.

Photo credit: Mike Laughline Cartoons

Contact us• www.RecycleCurbside.org

• CVP Program Director:

Steve Thompson (804) 798-5750sthompson@kab.org

• CVP Public Relations/Marketing

Heather.McNamara@hillandknowlton.comLena.Davie@hillandknowlton.com