Webinar: Roadmap to Commercial Cannabis with the City of Monterey
Planning to “Get it Right the First Time” – Monterey, California’s Six Step Roadmap to Commercial Cannabis
It’s no surprise that cannabis is a contentious issue. Monterey’s approach is to engage their community at every phase of planning in order to achieve their goal of getting it right the first time.
What does “Getting it Right” mean for Monterey?
On the most basic level, getting it right simply means not getting it wrong. Monterey had seen the fallout from unplanned and unvetted processes - angry constituents, misinformation, and wasted time & effort.
In order to achieve greatness, there needs to be a plan. Monterey knew they needed to start somewhere. They began by outlining their objectives, defining stakeholders (internal and external), value drivers, outlining opportunities for public input, and deciding how to measure success. Having established a few foundational principles, they could now begin to create their roadmap.
Why a roadmap?
Everyone knows what a roadmap is - a pre-planned route to facilitate arrival at a final destination. Roadmaps can include detours, the highway, some backroads; you can stop and rework the route if needed. Roadmaps are flexible.
Monterey wanted to convey this concept of flexibility and a journey in order to make the process accessible and understandable for everyone. Marketing the plan as a roadmap was a good strategic decision and a contributing factor in the success Monterey has had so far.
How can I apply the Monterey approach to commercial cannabis?
If you were able to attend the webinar, you'll have a pretty good idea of how to get started. The webinar recording can be found below. In addition, you can check out Monterey's Cannabis page here. If you're wondering how they designed the page, see the Q&A below for information on their tool and widget selection.
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What widgets did Monterey use on their Commercial Cannabis Page?
Monterey used many widgets on their page. Widgets are always on the right hand side and they are used to provide information.
They used the Stay Informed widget so people could enter their email for updates.
The Key Dates widget allowed monterey to easily post upcoming meetings + hyperlink to meeting registration.
The Lifecycle widget was renamed to "Roadmap Timeline" and is a clear display of what step they are on.
The Video Library widget is just a collection of their videos. The same ones can also be found in the Newsfeed tool.
The Document Library widget contains all of their important documents, including emails they received from their community.
Finally, the Who's Listening widget is showcasing the actual people who are involved and communicating.
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What tools did Monterey use on their Commercial Cannabis Page?
Monterey used the Newsfeed tool to post updates including video recorded town hall sessions, infographics, and just general updates.
They used the Q&A tool to provide a place for the community to ask questions and for Monterey to provide answers.
They used the Guestbook tool and renamed it "Open Comments" so the community could pop in and leave a message at any time.
While it is not live on their page at this time, they usd the Survey tool as well.
