« Commutes are longer, and in the west we may know why | Main | 30 late, and a bus not a train .... »
November 02, 2007
Campaigning Mantra - Philosophy behind the case
I'm talking at the Rail Users National Conference on Saturday and part of my presentation relates to our philosophy here at "Save the Train". I have tried to quantify some of it in a campaigning Mantra ...
On knowing the case
* Have a superb case, but understand and admit any weaknesses
* Listen to and respect the experts
* Understand the case
* Understand statistics
* Answer all questions - an open debate
* Sound Bites
On working with people
* Right letter to right person
* Work with other groups
* Keep everyone on side
* Push on open doors not closed one
* Avoid Party politics
* Make your self easily available
* Respect Privacy
On reaching the right place
* Be pracical and flexible within your objectives
* Work within the system and don't try to change the system
* Look for new ways of doing things
* Be Persistant
* Beware campaign fatigue
* Positively celebrate small victories and honesty
* Not just Melksham
Some things to avoid
* Don't ask for too much
* Don't exadurate
* Don't knock other campaigns
* Don't be afraid to say "no"
* Don't be a Luddite
* Don't try to fix it for everyone
* Don't tell a railwayman how to plan or run a railway
* Don't be an anorak
* Don't waste people's time
And finally
* Always have a "where now"
"Where NOW?" Have a look at the full presentation at http://www.savethetrain.org.uk/national/
Posted by gje at November 2, 2007 07:06 AM