Fundraising Suggestions for My Campaign

[skfornh]

If you haven’t heard, I’m considering running for office: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?442644-How-RPF-is-going-to-get-me-elected

If you haven’t donated yet, please consider doing so here: http://www.shemkellogg.com/donate/

I have been told that libertarian-types are terrible at asking for money and I suppose I am no different. I have no formal plan for a moneybomb but am open to and could use your suggestions. I was hoping to ride on the coattails of RPF's increased traffic during the State of the Union in hopes of securing some early contributions.

A useful tool may be [URL]http://www.followthemoney.org. For example, according to ftm, Liberty for All PAC made an independent expenditure (ran a mailing) in support of Aaron Libby (a RP supporter and state rep from Maine) in 2012. Or you can type in Liberty PAC and see that it donated $5K to Andy Sanborn (a RP supporter and state senator from NH) in 2012. Type in your name or the name of another activist or a candidate or your town or a PAC; like I said, this website is very useful. I will be pursing some PAC money; expect a separate PAC thread for that soon.

I especially want to target folks who I know have given to other candidates in the past (again, see http://www.followthemoney.org/). I would prefer not to ask my would-be-constituents for their vote AND their money, so I envision almost all of my contributions to come from out of my district. I need some suggestions on how to approach liberty (in many case internet) friends for donations. I do not have telephone numbers for all of these people. E.g. it seems unprofessional to ask via Facebook private message. Do I message them and ask for their phone numbers? I am not one of them, but I have heard that some voters won’t take a candidate seriously unless he asks them for a donation. I will do some investigating early to determine which voters have donated to candidates in the past.

After the filing period and I have printed my literature I intend to snail mail my palm card to family, friends, friends of the family, childhood friends, old landlords, past candidates who I have volunteered for, etc., etc.

Mostly just looking for advice (besides money) in this thread

Thanks

Again, if you haven’t donated yet, please consider doing so here: https://rally.org/skfornh

[William Tell]

If you haven’t heard, I’m considering running for office: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?442644-How-RPF-is-going-to-get-me-elected

If you haven’t donated yet, please consider doing so here: https://rally.org/skfornh

I have been told that libertarian-types are terrible at asking for money and I suppose I am no different. I have no formal plan for a moneybomb but am open to and could use your suggestions. I was hoping to ride on the coattails of RPF's increased traffic during the State of the Union in hopes of securing some early contributions.

A useful tool may be http://www.followthemoney.org. For example, according to ftm, Liberty for All PAC made an independent expenditure (ran a mailing) in support of Aaron Libby (a RP supporter and state rep from Maine) in 2012. Or you can type in Liberty PAC and see that it donated $5K to Andy Sanborn (a RP supporter and state senator from NH) in 2012. Type in your name or the name of another activist or a candidate or your town or a PAC; like I said, this website is very useful. I will be pursing some PAC money; expect a separate PAC thread for that soon.

I especially want to target folks who I know have given to other candidates in the past (again, see http://www.followthemoney.org/). I would prefer not to ask my would-be-constituents for their vote AND their money, so I envision almost all of my contributions to come from out of my district. I need some suggestions on how to approach liberty (in many case internet) friends for donations. I do not have telephone numbers for all of these people. E.g. it seems unprofessional to ask via Facebook private message. Do I message them and ask for their phone numbers? I am not one of them, but I have heard that some voters won’t take a candidate seriously unless he asks them for a donation. I will do some investigating early to determine which voters have donated to candidates in the past.

After the filing period and I have printed my literature I intend to snail mail my palm card to family, friends, friends of the family, childhood friends, old landlords, past candidates who I have volunteered for, etc., etc.

Mostly just looking for advice (besides money) in this thread

Thanks

Again, if you haven’t donated yet, please consider doing so here: https://rally.org/skfornh

How many people live in a NH State Rep district?

[angelatc]

You can get into trouble using public records for soliciting funds. I don't know about NH state elections, but it is a violation of federal law to use those records for fundraising. People can and do seed the reports with false names to capture cheats. It isn't illegal - the FEC gives you instructions on how to do it.

You have to ask people for money. You need to have a campaign manager handling the strategy and sorting out details, while you spend all your time talking to people.

Get the list of Republican voters in your area, and start calling them. I know you don't want to ask them for money, but you pretty much have to ask everybody for money. That's your life now.

Calling people and talking to them is an excellent way to get them to vote for you. Most people have never heard personally from anybody running for office.

[William Tell]

When I was campaigning for Wes Riddle in 2012, we had 8 1/2 x 11 black and white flyers for parades and things. On the front it had a list of his postions and his bio. The back was a volunteer/donation sheet. they were dirt cheap, and the reason I first found out about his campaign.
We had glossy full color stuff for Meet and Greets and block walking. All the door hanger plastic bags included a envolope and volunteer/donation card. It made sense to me.

[skfornh]

Have you posted here under a different handle or are you expecting folks to do some heavy lifting for you even though we have no idea who you are? How you think? If you're professional? Well kept? What you currently do, and how much of the $10k you plan on raising through your local contacts?

You obviously know of Ron Paul, are you a dailypaul person and are just expanding your horizons to RPF?

thanks, i've been a ron paul meetup organizer (and RPF member) since '08. I appreciate the skepticism though; been there myself

[MichaelDavis]

How many people live in a NH State Rep district?

It depends on the district. Representatives serve one of the 204 legislative districts. Many of the districts have a single representative, while the most populous has eleven. On average, each legislator represents about 3,300 residents.

[skfornh]

How many people live in a NH State Rep district?

The NH House of Representatives is the largest lower house in the nation, and the third largest parliamentary body in the English-speaking world. Each member represents an average of 3,291 residents.

My district has four reps and fewer than 15,000 residents

Nevertheless, reps in New Hampshire have a unique opportunity to endorse a presidential primary candidate. I hope that you can help improve a liberty candidate’s chances of winning the first-in-the-nation primary state by helping me.

[Anti Federalist]

Time for a Shem Kellogg sub-forum?

[skfornh]

You can get into trouble using public records for soliciting funds. I don't know about NH state elections, but it is a violation of federal law to use those records for fundraising. People can and do seed the reports with false names to capture cheats. It isn't illegal - the FEC gives you instructions on how to do it.

You have to ask people for money. You need to have a campaign manager handling the strategy and sorting out details, while you spend all your time talking to people.

Get the list of Republican voters in your area, and start calling them. I know you don't want to ask them for money, but you pretty much have to ask everybody for money. That's your life now.

Calling people and talking to them is an excellent way to get them to vote for you. Most people have never heard personally from anybody running for office.


Thank you; I was made aware of these FEC ergs before the presidential primary. I will take special care not to directly use public record for fundraising.

Campaign manager is TBD.

I do have lists of registered Republican voters. Should I be soliciting money from the same people I'm looking to vote for me?

Agree about the personal connection. Plan to knock on a boatload of doors.

[angelatc]

Thank you; I was made aware of these FEC ergs before the presidential primary. I will take special care not to directly use public record for fundraising.

Campaign manager is TBD.

I do have lists of registered Republican voters. Should I be soliciting money from the same people I'm looking to vote for me?

Agree about the personal connection. Plan to knock on a boatload of doors.


Yeah. Michael Maresco gave me some advice to pass on a few years ago about that. He's really so positive he's a great way to get enthused about that. He basically said that you should always have a phone in your hand, talking to people. And before the conversation ends, you should steer it around to a "campaigns take a lot of money. Hope you can see fit to help." request.

It sounds a lot less awkward when he does it though.

[ItsTime]

Shem how much you need?

[skfornh]

Shem how much you need?

Thanks, these state rep races in NH are some of the smallest in the country. I'm looking to raise less than $10,000 dollars

[Keith and stuff]

Time for a Shem Kellogg sub-forum?

Excellent idea. Could also use a money bomb!

[skfornh]

received my first bitcoin donation!

[skfornh]

Time for a Shem Kellogg sub-forum?

maybe eventually

[Keith and stuff]

It looks like you are trying to raise a little money. I guess with that comes government paperwork? So what kind of campaign finance reporting are you required by law to do?

[skfornh]

It looks like you are trying to raise a little money. I guess with that comes government paperwork? So what kind of campaign finance reporting are you required by law to do?

Yes, unfortunately. I will make a campaign finances thread soon

[skfornh]

campaign finance thread: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?443122-My-campaign-finances

[skfornh]

as an FYI I received a few donations on the night of the State of the Union. These funds were not deposited in my checking account until TODAY!

wow. and supposedly rally.org is one of the best, fastest, etc.

[angelatc]

Suggestion for fundraising?

I count money, but I detest asking people for it. Locally, what seems to work pretty good early on is having a restaurant fundraiser. Rent a room in the back of a pizza joint, and invite everybody you know to come. Charge them $10, feed them pizza and pop, then give a great speech and conclude it by asking for more money.

Also make sure that you capture the data of everybody you can. When they come to any type of a gathering you are having, have them fill in a sign in sheet of some sort. (Name address phone email) That information is the political gold.

If you have any friends with special interests (backyard chickens, home school, pot....whatever) have one of them host a meet-n-greet with you at their house. 20 - 30 people seems to be the number that makes it a worthwhile endeavor.

[Keith and stuff]

Let me just flat out say it. I'm not donating to your or any other campaign in the foreseeable future unless it is during a moneybomb. With a moneybomb the donations go further because your campaign is promoted ahead of time and donations encourage donations. It would be even better if you could get an Angel donor to match the 1st $1000 of the moneybomb or something.

[angelatc]

Keith rises a good point - money attracts money. The more you raise, the more you can raise. And established candidates might like you, they might love your platform, but if you want an endorsement, you almost always need to be able to prove you can raise money.

[skfornh]

Let me just flat out say it. I'm not donating to your or any other campaign in the foreseeable future unless it is during a moneybomb. With a moneybomb the donations go further because your campaign is promoted ahead of time and donations encourage donations. It would be even better if you could get an Angel donor to match the 1st $1000 of the moneybomb or something.


Keith rises a good point - money attracts money. The more you raise, the more you can raise. And established candidates might like you, they might love your platform, but if you want an endorsement, you almost always need to be able to prove you can raise money.

sounds like i i need more of these so-called angel donors! i have until 2PM EST (3.5 more hours)


and I'll match donations, in the next 24 hours, up to another $150...

Stoked to see Shem putting his experience to work...

Go Shem!
(http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?442644-My-Campaign-Plan&p=5407890&viewfull=1#post5407890)

so please help me fight the good fight!

http://www.shemkellogg.com/donate/

[cjm]

I do have lists of registered Republican voters. Should I be soliciting money from the same people I'm looking to vote for me?

Yes.

You might feel less awkward if you asked for "support" in a generic sense and then itemized the possible ways the voter can support you.

You: "can I count on your support this fall?"
Voter: "yes!"
You: "Thanks, and between now and then, the campaign has a lot of ground to cover. Can I count on you to help promote the campaign?"
Voter: "what do you have in mind?"
You: "There are lots of ways to help. Talk to your neighbors, get on Facebook, help with knocking on doors, phone banking, host a meet 'n' greet. Additionally, the campaign needs money for palm cards, yard signs, etc"

This is a highly abridged version of the conversation of course. I don't know if this is an effective technique. I sort of came up with this approach after the last campaign I worked on and plan to use something like this on my next one. I am also uncomfortable asking for money.

[skfornh]

thanks for the advice that's a nice, non-pressuring way to approach it