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How to design a campaign on behavioral change

In the following section, you will find some tips that TRANSIT project partners have collected for supporting civil servants and local stakeholders’ representatives in the designing process of a campaign on behavioral change.

PHASE 1

  • Identify your audience (citizens) – group/categorize citizens to be influenced. Agreement of political governance to be acquired. Age, gender, profession, family status, location etc. may be some of the factors you need to focus on.
  • Get use full data to prepare a realistic plan – use the example of the survey and data analysis of this project. You may use part of the questions used in the project’s questionnaire in order to create a base line of scopes and goals of your campaign.
  • clarify the municipality goals in the long term, midterm or short term, in case of emergencies. Make sure these goals are in line with political decisions, are smart, measurable and realistic.
  • Prepare and agree on a concept note concerning the total project parameters and don’t forget that adults’ attitudes do not change easily. Consistent and coherent messages and actions need to be implanted as well as strong ethical and sentimental motives to be gathered.
  • Decide on the following:
  1. time schedule – when and for how long activities and messages will take place and last.
  2. multipliers & influencers – select and persuade them to engage in the campaign.
  3. prioritize citizens groups/categories – according to time schedule and budget prioritization is needed in a way of a gradual growth and influence from one group to the following one.
  4. combine budget restrictions with goals – small budgets can make the difference when volunteers and sponsorships are attracted, inspired and enhanced.
  5. attract allies (cycling business, employees associations, wellbeing & fitness clubs) which reflect and multiply results to their audiences, over and above the campaign targets.
  6. Design materials and schedule production early enough in order to be used for awareness and communication actions (moto, logo, leaflets, video clips etc).

PHASE 2

  • Awareness & communication plan is very important! Remember you need to promote and “sell” the benefits of the new sustainable mobility habits in all aspects to all targets and stakeholders involved.
    • involve stakeholders (allies- sponsors-influencers)- they should be proud to participate in your project/campaign.
    • inform media representatives (journalists – editors – bloggers), make them feel important for their multiplier role.
    • engage politicians (mayor – region MPs ) – must reflect strong will and belief for the good cause and importance for the scope of the project
    • apply economies of scale – network of audiences with similar or related or crossed characteristics to be selected in order to address campaigns messages. eg. parents societies in schools ( they are of correct age range, campaign activities will be communicated and crossed with their working and social environment. This offers strong local visibility on views declared , actions to be undertaken and change of habits attitude and acceptance follows.
    • communicate appropriate messages with verbal and concept common ground to all your audiences. Key words that reflect the meaning of your project and campaign is of critical importance. Find the common ground of understanding between members of school community and business or merchants of the town – they perceive differently (benefits) but understand commonly community reflects. Same happens when leisure or professional environments receive same messages. All need to feel are rewarded.

PHASE 3

  • Communication is important and implementation has peculiarities. The plan has pre and post dissemination actions.
    • press release – (keep your text short – up to 200 words – with sharp words and accurate meaning on title. The very important info are stated on the first paragraph and answer the questions: Who is doing What When Where With whom Why). Press releases are distributed on time in order to be NEWS)
    • posts to social media – (keep them smart and interest in order to create expectation and reposting. Stimulate funs and influencers in order to multiply followers and friends). Use of visual material is important.
    • broad casting and other channels according to targets and local media environment. Among campaign protagonists and journalists engaged certain personalities are the most appropriate to speak and present your project. Use them.
    • promotion materials to be distributed along with in person support in events, occasions, activities and other community initiatives.
  • Evaluation of results – qualitative & quantitative. Agree on those items to measure, according to goals and scopes, when you are on Phase I. Different actions and activities measure different outputs in number and in quality. Eg. Events are considered successful when the expected people responded positively, when publicity with positive comments was gathered etc. although press releases effect responds to number of appearances, time and journalists’ positive comments.