Well Black Friday will certainly be busy

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Looks like I am going to be getting into a big rig with giant Ron Paul banners attached and will be circling a very busy shopping location and handing out information to the masses. If you guys have nothing better going on than get out there where the people are. Stand on a street corner and hand out literature. Stand with signs near busy intersections or shopping districts and make sure you have a lot of flyers and slim jims ready to hand out. One of the craziest shopping days of the year so make sure these people put liberty on their wish list.

[McDermit]

Being visible all day is great... we have a group that will be sign waving across from the mall. But if you want to distribute literature, hit people early! Once stores are open and everyone is moving, it's a mad dash and no one has time to stop for politics. Gotta go find that $3 food chopper!!!

I went out in 2007 and did massive lit drops while people were waiting outside of best buy, office max, staples, wal-mart, boscovs, sears, and kmart. I went out around 2 am to start. Got home around 10am. I had a few helpers with me (even bribed my kid sisters, lol) and we handed out over 6000 of the mosaic "we the people" flyers in 2007. I gave out some Ron Paul pens too, but not as many as flyers. We didn't stick around to talk or anything... just walked up and down the lines handing every adult a flyer. Most people took them without saying anything. As we walked away, you could see the vast majority of people were reading them.

[pauliticalfan]

I hope some folks in Iowa will do this. It's a great opportunity to reach a lot of people who have time to learn about RP. Maybe we can even start up an official Operation Black Friday, maybe playing off the theme of black this out. Thoughts?

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

I hope some folks in Iowa will do this. It's a great opportunity to reach a lot of people who have time to learn about RP. Maybe we can even start up an official Operation Black Friday, maybe playing off the theme of black this out. Thoughts?

I think it is a fantastic idea. +rep

[Eric21ND]

Just don't drive around. Work those huge crowds and hand out brochures. I'll even send you some.

Join the Facebook event and spread it around. Black Friday Ron Pail Lit Drop (http://www.facebook.com/events/277259848985699/)

[Austin]

If you really want to make friends, make rounds with hot cocoa in and some Ron Paul lit in hand.

[kojirodensetsu]

Great idea.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Just don't drive around. Work those huge crowds and hand out brochures. I'll even send you some.

Join the Facebook event and spread it around. Black Friday Ron Pail Lit Drop (http://www.facebook.com/events/277259848985699/)

Oh we won't just be driving around. The guy driving the truck might but myself and quite a few others will be out there handing out boxes of literature and talking to people. I hope to get people to complain about the rising prices of everything from food for holiday dinner to toys and pull them into a discussion on the fed and the value of the dollar. I think that will work well on one of the biggst buying days of the year. We are also specifically doing it in a district which has had a very low Republican voter turnout so each vote could realistically get us very close to winning.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

If you really want to make friends, make rounds with hot cocoa in and some Ron Paul lit in hand.

Very good idea. I may take a bunch of hot chocolate or coffee and offer it for free or at least offer it until the health department shows up to shut me down.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Eric, I believe we have plenty of materials but I will check in with some other who are going and will message you if we think we will need extra. Thank you so much for the offer +rep

[tbone717]

Keep in mind that the majority of people will not vote on election day, so while sign waving, banners, passing out brochures in malls, etc may have some effect it really does not reach the target. For example Iowa has an adult population of 2.2 million. Only 120,000 people voted in the 2008 Republican Caucus. So if you are doing a sign wave in Iowa only 5% of the people that see the sign are potential caucus voters.

Perhaps a more effective use of time would be to volunteer for the campaign's phone from home program at http://phone.ronpaul2012.com

We are working off a listing of registered Iowa Republicans and contacting them directly for voter ID. Voter ID is what the campaign needs right now so they can follow up with our supporters and with undecided voters. There was a guy in NY yesterday who made 1100 calls for the campaign. That's 1100 calls to primary/caucus Republican voters.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Keep in mind that the majority of people will not vote on election day, so while sign waving, banners, passing out brochures in malls, etc may have some effect it really does not reach the target. For example Iowa has an adult population of 2.2 million. Only 120,000 people voted in the 2008 Republican Caucus. So if you are doing a sign wave in Iowa only 5% of the people that see the sign are potential caucus voters.

Perhaps a more effective use of time would be to volunteer for the campaign's phone from home program at http://phone.ronpaul2012.com


We are working off a listing of registered Iowa Republicans and contacting them directly for voter ID. Voter ID is what the campaign needs right now so they can follow up with our supporters and with undecided voters. There was a guy in NY yesterday who made 1100 calls for the campaign. That's 1100 calls to primary/caucus Republican voters.

There is no reason somebody cannot do both though. Yes, calling voters is effective but so is handing out information to people who have no idea who Ron is or who had misconceptions about Ron and will now change their vote because of your kind and patient approach combined with thought provoking information. I think you also have to keep in mind that different people are comfortable with different things. There are quite a few people who are not comfortable calling people but are just fine when it comes to talking to people face to face. There are others who are not really suited for either but will be machines when it comes to standing out there and waving the signs to show support and get the name out (believe it or not but I meet people every single day who still have no idea who he is). I would much rather have people out there involved in any way they can be involved as opposed to people who just there silent and end up feeling uninspired by the whole process.

[JoshLowry]

Looks like I am going to be getting into a big rig with giant Ron Paul banners attached

Take pics!

Related phone pic I took in Iowa.

878

:)

[tbone717]

There is no reason somebody cannot do both though. Yes, calling voters is effective but so is handing out information to people who have no idea who Ron is or who had misconceptions about Ron and will now change their vote because of your kind and patient approach combined with thought provoking information. I think you also have to keep in mind that different people are comfortable with different things. There are quite a few people who are not comfortable calling people but are just fine when it comes to talking to people face to face. There are others who are not really suited for either but will be machines when it comes to standing out there and waving the signs to show support and get the name out (believe it or not but I meet people every single day who still have no idea who he is). I would much rather have people out there involved in any way they can be involved as opposed to people who just there silent and end up feeling uninspired by the whole process.

If people feel they are uncomfortable with phone work then that is their decision. I know many folks that were uneasy about doing the phone work at first, but after trying it they realized how simple it is.

If people are looking for the best possible means to help the campaign at this stage, the phone program is where they should look. The campaign is using the data we gather for targeted mailings and phone follow up. This program is highly successful. There are two things that Ron, Rand and the campaign have been asking the supporters to do: work the phones and donate money. The reason being is that these two things are the most effective ways that we can win in the early states.

While standing on a corner with a sign in hand certainly has its merits - it is not targeted work that results in measurable, usable data. Again to clarify, I am not downplaying the spirit of those doing sign waving or lit drops, but I am pointing out that the people that will decide this election make up about 5-10% of the population (depending upon the state). The overwhelming majority of the people that see a sign or receive a hand out will not vote.

This is the home stretch and if people are looking to use their time in the most productive way, the phone from home program is the answer. Phone from home yields the most effective results per hour.

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

If people feel they are uncomfortable with phone work then that is their decision. I know many folks that were uneasy about doing the phone work at first, but after trying it they realized how simple it is.

If people are looking for the best possible means to help the campaign at this stage, the phone program is where they should look. The campaign is using the data we gather for targeted mailings and phone follow up. This program is highly successful. There are two things that Ron, Rand and the campaign have been asking the supporters to do: work the phones and donate money. The reason being is that these two things are the most effective ways that we can win in the early states.

While standing on a corner with a sign in hand certainly has its merits - it is not targeted work that results in measurable, usable data. This is the home stretch and if people are looking to use their time in the most productive way, the phone from home program is the answer.

I'm not disagreeing that it is important but I would urge you to not discount the power of actually getting out into the public either. We spend a lot of time focusing on Iowa and New Hampshire and for good reason but the fact is that a lot of us do not live there. So while we can call all day long to Iowa we are doing so at the expense of ignoring our own neighbors so I would urge people to just take one day to get out there and drum up support in your area on the biggest shopping day of the year. It is only a few hours and when you get home you can pick up the phone and start calling. No reason at all that people cannot do both.

As for what is succesful, I am one of the ones who finds most people just hang up a phone but the same people that hang up will stop and talk for a few minutes and take literature from you if you are polite.

[tbone717]

I'm not disagreeing that it is important but I would urge you to not discount the power of actually getting out into the public either. We spend a lot of time focusing on Iowa and New Hampshire and for good reason but the fact is that a lot of us do not live there. So while we can call all day long to Iowa we are doing so at the expense of ignoring our own neighbors so I would urge people to just take one day to get out there and drum up support in your area on the biggest shopping day of the year. It is only a few hours and when you get home you can pick up the phone and start calling. No reason at all that people cannot do both.

As for what is succesful, I am one of the ones who finds most people just hang up a phone but the same people that hang up will stop and talk for a few minutes and take literature from you if you are polite.

Is it possible that you can collect data from these people and submit it to the campaign for follow up?

[Elwar]

We did this in San Antonio in 2007.

We hit every big box store starting around 10PM Thanksgiving night and working until 8AM that morning.

Non-stop handing out of brochures. You have a buttload of people standing for hours, doing nothing. They welcome some reading material.

You will run out of material...I was shocked at the amount of people willing to stay up all night for a discount on electronics.

It gets SUPER busy around 6AM but they open the doors around then.

No reason to do phone banking at 2AM. Do this, do this, do this!

[jdmyprez_deo_vindice]

Is it possible that you can collect data from these people and submit it to the campaign for follow up?

I see no problem with asking people if they would like to be contacted by the campaign or if they would like more information and getting their name and number to be passed along to the campaign offices.

[tbone717]

I see no problem with asking people if they would like to be contacted by the campaign or if they would like more information and getting their name and number to be passed along to the campaign offices.

Good because that is extremely helpful. If someone expresses interests, or says they are going to vote for Paul, the campaign needs to do everything they can when the GOTV program kicks into high gear. This is how elections are won, and I am pleased to see how well the campaign is working at it.

[tbone717]

And again to clarify, jdmyprez_deo_vindice, my point is if someone is saying to themselves "I have 8 hours today, how can I best help the campaign and reach the most potential voters in that time", the answer is get on the phones. Phone from home will help us win the early states, and I think most of us here agree, without wins in the early states we don't have much of a chance at getting the nomination.

[Eric21ND]

The great thing about handing out lit and talking to people on Black Friday is the multiplier effect it has days/weeks later when people discuss issues with friends and family. They WILL remember getting information about Ron and have a basic understanding of what he believes.

[Eric21ND]

We did this in San Antonio in 2007.

We hit every big box store starting around 10PM Thanksgiving night and working until 8AM that morning.

Non-stop handing out of brochures. You have a buttload of people standing for hours, doing nothing. They welcome some reading material.

You will run out of material...I was shocked at the amount of people willing to stay up all night for a discount on electronics.

It gets SUPER busy around 6AM but they open the doors around then.

No reason to do phone banking at 2AM. Do this, do this, do this!
Could you please post that in the Black Friday Facebook group? I think that would really encourage people to hit those crowds.

[PauliticsPolitics]

This sounds like a great reason for a road trip to Iowa.
I suggest that you eastern folk consider a trip to New Hampshire for Black Friday.

Obviously, it is a good idea anywhere, but we should get extra folks to concentrate the effort in Iowa and New Hampshire.

[Blinx]

"Put Liberty on your wish list" i'm def going to be using that line. lol

[Ronulus]

I will be working the morning rush at ______ which is in a strip mall. I will be sure to have my Ron Paul signs in my front and rear windshield.

[Eric21ND]

^^
Haha great line!

By the way does anybody know how much purchasing power the dollar has lost in recent years? might make a good point to bring up.