pennycat
10-01-2007, 10:39 AM
Congrats are in order to everyone that shelled out their hard earned bucks.
Now comes the decision making time. How do you spend it?
I know that the prevailing wisdom is that you wait until just before the voting is to begin and then splurge on a media campaign.
But I think this is a flawed strategy. Here's why.
1). The ONLY reason that the campaign has been successful has been the grassroots. This success has, in my opinion been the reason that money has come in. No one makes an investment in a campaign unless they see some possibility to win.
2). If our grassroots campaign shows any signs of faltering, I'm certain that the money will dry up. First the small donors, those 'little guys' that do the grunt work of the campaign will stop giving. Then the deep pockets (those that attend the $1000 minimum receptions for RP) will realize that 'hey what happened to all your supporters?"
3.) The growth of the grassroots has NOT come from advertising blitz's. This at first would argue against 'wasting' money on those meetup groups. I think that is only true in the beginning.
Sure it's easy to latch onto momentum in the first month or two of a 'hot' candidate. As we are in the latter days of this cracks begin to appear. People loose their initial surge of adrenaline. That's precisely when you need to add some fertilizer to the fields.
My suggestion for #3 is too immediately hire some motivational/organizational people to work on a one-to-one basis with Meetup Organizers.
4). Media blitz's will not truly educate the masses. We have all seen the difficulty that RP has in debates trying to compress the liberty message into 2 minute answers. How can he possibly do better with a 30 second spot?
The grassroots model is a MUCH more effective tool for this. Sure members get off-topic when talking about RP. But the effectiveness of one on one interaction is much more effective than ANY tv or radio spot. Those broad based media are much more suited to bland, heard it all before candidates.
Name one policy of Dr. Paul's that you can describe in 30 seconds (and have the newbie understand).
5.) Please don't think that I'm saying 'no money should be spent on media advertising.' What I am saying is that Meetups are not getting the support that they need to grow and fulfill their possibility.
6.) Another startling statistic to me is that most RP supporters have only known of him for 3 months. At least this is the answer I get from most new members joining the Orlando Ron Paul Meetup (249 members strong and growing). They join after doing a lot of YouTube and internet reading.
Why not have the campaign REALLY support this by making DVD's cheaply available to the Meetup groups? Why not start educating people on WHY Dr. Paul espouses what he does?
7.)Money does play a roll. I'm asking/pleading with the campaign not to hoard the money for a media blitz. I have viewed with dismay that slim jims are now a pay as you go item. Why, when the campaign had very little money they were free. Now that we have millions in the bank, they are an expense to volunteers.
Rather than hoarding money for commercials, why not start contacting any RP Meetup of any size and asking them, "What do you guys need to get the RP message out?"
In closing, we have the opportunity to REALLY have the grassroots campaign that will draw the masses. The National Ron Paul 2008 HQ should be working shoulder-to-shoulder with us. Together we will have a revolution that EVERYONE has a part in.
Now comes the decision making time. How do you spend it?
I know that the prevailing wisdom is that you wait until just before the voting is to begin and then splurge on a media campaign.
But I think this is a flawed strategy. Here's why.
1). The ONLY reason that the campaign has been successful has been the grassroots. This success has, in my opinion been the reason that money has come in. No one makes an investment in a campaign unless they see some possibility to win.
2). If our grassroots campaign shows any signs of faltering, I'm certain that the money will dry up. First the small donors, those 'little guys' that do the grunt work of the campaign will stop giving. Then the deep pockets (those that attend the $1000 minimum receptions for RP) will realize that 'hey what happened to all your supporters?"
3.) The growth of the grassroots has NOT come from advertising blitz's. This at first would argue against 'wasting' money on those meetup groups. I think that is only true in the beginning.
Sure it's easy to latch onto momentum in the first month or two of a 'hot' candidate. As we are in the latter days of this cracks begin to appear. People loose their initial surge of adrenaline. That's precisely when you need to add some fertilizer to the fields.
My suggestion for #3 is too immediately hire some motivational/organizational people to work on a one-to-one basis with Meetup Organizers.
4). Media blitz's will not truly educate the masses. We have all seen the difficulty that RP has in debates trying to compress the liberty message into 2 minute answers. How can he possibly do better with a 30 second spot?
The grassroots model is a MUCH more effective tool for this. Sure members get off-topic when talking about RP. But the effectiveness of one on one interaction is much more effective than ANY tv or radio spot. Those broad based media are much more suited to bland, heard it all before candidates.
Name one policy of Dr. Paul's that you can describe in 30 seconds (and have the newbie understand).
5.) Please don't think that I'm saying 'no money should be spent on media advertising.' What I am saying is that Meetups are not getting the support that they need to grow and fulfill their possibility.
6.) Another startling statistic to me is that most RP supporters have only known of him for 3 months. At least this is the answer I get from most new members joining the Orlando Ron Paul Meetup (249 members strong and growing). They join after doing a lot of YouTube and internet reading.
Why not have the campaign REALLY support this by making DVD's cheaply available to the Meetup groups? Why not start educating people on WHY Dr. Paul espouses what he does?
7.)Money does play a roll. I'm asking/pleading with the campaign not to hoard the money for a media blitz. I have viewed with dismay that slim jims are now a pay as you go item. Why, when the campaign had very little money they were free. Now that we have millions in the bank, they are an expense to volunteers.
Rather than hoarding money for commercials, why not start contacting any RP Meetup of any size and asking them, "What do you guys need to get the RP message out?"
In closing, we have the opportunity to REALLY have the grassroots campaign that will draw the masses. The National Ron Paul 2008 HQ should be working shoulder-to-shoulder with us. Together we will have a revolution that EVERYONE has a part in.