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Starting from the Finish Line
Start with a goal. Strategically assign tactics to achieve that goal. Mission accomplished. Sounds easy, right? Well, not so. Often it is -- mission impossible.
Stephen R. Covey’s principle "begin with the end in mind" conveys the most important part of embarking on a project -- developing a clear vision, mission or goal BEFORE the project is implemented. This seemingly simple theory often winds up being more difficult in practice.
On a client project, our goal was to influence the California Coastal Commission’s vote on the Foothill Toll Way extension through San Onofre State Beach through the media. We wanted to use an uncommon media campaign to stop an increasingly common problem, the encroachment of society's "progress" on the environment. If the proposed toll road was approved by the Coastal Commission, it would mean a loss of nearly 60 percent of one of the most popular parks in the California State Parks system.
To achieve our goal, we took a non-traditional media approach to reach the policymakers involved, the California Coastal Commission. Instead of writing a press release or organizing a traditional letter writing campaign, we helped mobilize surfers, campers and park supporters to participate in a grassroots, viral YouTube video campaign where they could show their opposition to the Foothill Toll Way extension through San Onofre State Beach.
We implemented the “begin with the end in mind” principle after identifying the goal with stakeholders and then developing innovative tactics to achieve the goal. We not only visualized, but affirmed our objective. In our execution, we employed key tactics of Covey’s approach to meeting goals: we made sure our resulting media strategy highlighted the personal, positive, present tense, visual and emotional aspects of the larger campaign to save San Onofre.
First it was personal. More than 500 surfers, campers and park supporters posted videos on YouTube, pleading for their beach to be saved. Second it was positive. Each video focused on how the person used the beach and why they wanted it saved for the future. Next it was present tense. Each video showed and spoke of how the Toll Way would affect their daily lives. Finally it was visual and emotional. Many of the videos were filmed in the person’s living room or at the beach, showing the visual element of "every day people" explaining the emotional side effects of how their lives would be changed if they no longer had access to San Onofre State Beach.
After more than 500 videos had been posted on YouTube, media and the Coastal Commission took note. Stories about the videos and pending vote ran in newspapers throughout California. Despite an initial indication the Coastal Commission might vote in favor of the Toll Way, it was rejected in February 2008.
"Beginning with the end in mind," is a simple principle often overlooked in our busy lives. Clearly identifying goals and visualizing your desired results allows us to develop and execute tactics to achieve results.
About the author: The SPRA Lifetime Achievement award winner in 2006, Kassy Perry is President and CEO of Perry Communications Group, Inc., an independent, full-service public relations and public affairs firm in Sacramento. Kassy assisted the California State Parks Foundation and San Onofre Coalition as they worked to defeat the proposed Toll Way extension and continues to advise them on additional projects.
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