Ricochet
01-20-2008, 05:59 PM
We don't need to debate the most effective means of campaigning and use of our scarce volunteer & financial resources. Political science is a, well... *science*... with principles which have been proven through years of experience with winning (and losing) elections.
- Campaign yard signs on public roads are much less effective than yard signs posted by home owners. (People tend to be most influenced by their friends and neighbors.) I would hold off on any mass distribution of yard signs along public highways until shortly before the election (when they are helpful for boosting name ID among theretofore disengaged voters). Meanwhile, we should try to get a yard sign in the yard of every Ron Paul supporter. And better still, a large sign on the property of every supporter with land near a heavily traveled highway.
- What goes for yard signs also goes for bumper stickers. (Peer pressure works!)
- Letters to the editor and calling in to C-Span & radio talk shows are both cost-effective tactics. Keep it up!
- Radio and especially newspaper advertising are much less cost effective and are generally utilized only by campaigns with excess cash or in specific, well-targeted cases. Any money we may be tempted to spend on such advertising should be contributed directly to the campaign for them to spend, perhaps, on such advertising in places like Cedar Rapids, IA and Concord, NH where it might actually be worthwhile. If you've already reached the $4600 per person contribution limit ($2300 to be returned to you if Ron doesn't win the nomination), maxed out on contributions to friendly PACs, etc., *then* you might consider directly paying for advertising for Ron in an early primary state.
- The most effective campaign tactic is one-on-one contact, e.g., door-to-door drives and chance conversations. Wear your Ron Paul button everywhere to stimulate such conversations. Go to every GOP and other conservative organization meeting you can find (where you can be assured of meeting a high concentration of "likely GOP primary voters", experienced campaigners, and financial contributors) to spark such conversations and demonstrate that Ron's support is real. Go consistently and become a *peer* of the GOP rank and file. (Peer-influence works!)
The ideal door-to-door drive would be to push the doorbell and meet with every voter on a "likely GOP primary voter" walk list. In a state-wide or even Congressional district-wide race, this is impractical, so substitute a "literature drop" door-to-door drive instead -- again, preferably with a likely GOP voter walk list. Our "slim-jim" cards are ideal for this, but they should be augmented with mail-in volunteer sign-up cards which solicit addresses, e-mail addresses, and contributions and which include "interested in helping with..." check off boxes. Your personal campaign business card or a Meetup group business card (hand signed with a personal note such as "Sorry I missed you!") would also be good to include in that it suggests that it is a neighbor who is providing the information rather than an impersonal campaign worker. A well-tuned door-to-door campaign would coordinate the door-to-door contact with a series of carefully timed contacts through other means, e.g., follow-up "thank you" phone calls, mailed campaign literature, timely placement of a yard sign for anyone volunteering to have one placed on their yard, etc.
Evidence shows that some people are more influenced by emotive persuasion whereas others are more influenced by factual arguments. Libertarians (little "L") are disproportionately in the latter group. Unfortunately, most voters are in the former. Therefore, it is imperative that we recognize this and learn to *listen* and appeal to voters in the appropriate way. In any one-on-one contact:
-- *Listen* more than talk
-- Smile (a simple thing but amazingly effective!)
-- Dress appropriately
-- Avoid mentioning Ron's opponents by name
-- Try to stick to Ron's personal qualities [e.g., integrity, commitment to freedom and constitutional government, *consistent* adherence to *traditional* GOP values (e.g., as evidenced by the fact that he was one of only four U.S. congressmen to have endorsed Ronald Reagan in 1976), and the fact that he has returned a portion of his congressional office budget to the taxpayer every year, has never taken a tax payer-funded junket, and has not enrolled in the congressional retirement program]
-- Offer quantitative evidence of Ron's *electibility* (e.g., his amazing performance in straw polls and post-debate polls, his cash-on-hand ranking, his appeal to the all-important swing voter, his dominance of the YouTube & Meetup, etc.)
-- Avoid any reference to his appeal to some Democrats, at least around Republicans.
-- **Don't** debate issues (after listening, dwell on areas of agreement rather than disagreement)
-- To the extent that issues must be mentioned, emphasize *positive* ones (e.g., pro-Freedom, pro-Constitutionalism, pro-tax cuts, pro-free enterprise, pro-individual, pro-"*Traditional* Republican values")
-- Avoid *negative* issues (e.g., anti-government, anti-war, anti-Federal Reserve, anti-NAU)
-- Try to avoid divisive issues within the GOP (e.g., abortion, immigration, War in Iraq)
-- Avoid non-mainstream issues (e.g., the gold standard, the federal reserve, the NAU)
-- Prefer quantitative statements over qualitative statements (e.g., "Ron has *never* been ranked less than *3rd* in the National Taxpayers Union's annual rating of congressmen." is better than "Ron believes in lower taxes and limiting government spending.")
-- Offer any prospective volunteer identified a range of opportunities to assist the campaign including some that are just fun and social. Give them something to so soon.
-- Follow up *any* tangible volunteer or financial support with repeated "thank you" contacts.
Again, *listening* is more important than talking... classic psychological studies on persuasion have shown that peoples' opinions are most influenced by people whose views are only slightly differing from their own. For illustration, if you encounter someone whose views on some issue would be a "4" on a scale of 0 to 10 and you are a "10", present yourself as a "5" on that issue to nudge that person in your direction. Presenting yourself as a "10" will actually push the person the other way. (If inviting newbies to a Meetup group, *make sure* your Meetup group conveys a friendly, positive, mainstream Republican image!)
In another classic psychology study on perceived credibility, it was found that in a group setting, the person who speaks most is perceived negatively. It is the person who speaks second most who is perceived as the most authoritative. Again... *Listen*, smile, make friends, set aside your personal pet issues, and be an effective representative for Ron.
Ron's campaign includes many long-time GOP veterans with invaluable experience with *winning* elections. Let's use it!
Jeff Palmer - jap1@peoplepc.com
Republican Liberty Caucus - www.rlc.org
"Pursuing libertarianism within the GOP since 1990"
- Campaign yard signs on public roads are much less effective than yard signs posted by home owners. (People tend to be most influenced by their friends and neighbors.) I would hold off on any mass distribution of yard signs along public highways until shortly before the election (when they are helpful for boosting name ID among theretofore disengaged voters). Meanwhile, we should try to get a yard sign in the yard of every Ron Paul supporter. And better still, a large sign on the property of every supporter with land near a heavily traveled highway.
- What goes for yard signs also goes for bumper stickers. (Peer pressure works!)
- Letters to the editor and calling in to C-Span & radio talk shows are both cost-effective tactics. Keep it up!
- Radio and especially newspaper advertising are much less cost effective and are generally utilized only by campaigns with excess cash or in specific, well-targeted cases. Any money we may be tempted to spend on such advertising should be contributed directly to the campaign for them to spend, perhaps, on such advertising in places like Cedar Rapids, IA and Concord, NH where it might actually be worthwhile. If you've already reached the $4600 per person contribution limit ($2300 to be returned to you if Ron doesn't win the nomination), maxed out on contributions to friendly PACs, etc., *then* you might consider directly paying for advertising for Ron in an early primary state.
- The most effective campaign tactic is one-on-one contact, e.g., door-to-door drives and chance conversations. Wear your Ron Paul button everywhere to stimulate such conversations. Go to every GOP and other conservative organization meeting you can find (where you can be assured of meeting a high concentration of "likely GOP primary voters", experienced campaigners, and financial contributors) to spark such conversations and demonstrate that Ron's support is real. Go consistently and become a *peer* of the GOP rank and file. (Peer-influence works!)
The ideal door-to-door drive would be to push the doorbell and meet with every voter on a "likely GOP primary voter" walk list. In a state-wide or even Congressional district-wide race, this is impractical, so substitute a "literature drop" door-to-door drive instead -- again, preferably with a likely GOP voter walk list. Our "slim-jim" cards are ideal for this, but they should be augmented with mail-in volunteer sign-up cards which solicit addresses, e-mail addresses, and contributions and which include "interested in helping with..." check off boxes. Your personal campaign business card or a Meetup group business card (hand signed with a personal note such as "Sorry I missed you!") would also be good to include in that it suggests that it is a neighbor who is providing the information rather than an impersonal campaign worker. A well-tuned door-to-door campaign would coordinate the door-to-door contact with a series of carefully timed contacts through other means, e.g., follow-up "thank you" phone calls, mailed campaign literature, timely placement of a yard sign for anyone volunteering to have one placed on their yard, etc.
Evidence shows that some people are more influenced by emotive persuasion whereas others are more influenced by factual arguments. Libertarians (little "L") are disproportionately in the latter group. Unfortunately, most voters are in the former. Therefore, it is imperative that we recognize this and learn to *listen* and appeal to voters in the appropriate way. In any one-on-one contact:
-- *Listen* more than talk
-- Smile (a simple thing but amazingly effective!)
-- Dress appropriately
-- Avoid mentioning Ron's opponents by name
-- Try to stick to Ron's personal qualities [e.g., integrity, commitment to freedom and constitutional government, *consistent* adherence to *traditional* GOP values (e.g., as evidenced by the fact that he was one of only four U.S. congressmen to have endorsed Ronald Reagan in 1976), and the fact that he has returned a portion of his congressional office budget to the taxpayer every year, has never taken a tax payer-funded junket, and has not enrolled in the congressional retirement program]
-- Offer quantitative evidence of Ron's *electibility* (e.g., his amazing performance in straw polls and post-debate polls, his cash-on-hand ranking, his appeal to the all-important swing voter, his dominance of the YouTube & Meetup, etc.)
-- Avoid any reference to his appeal to some Democrats, at least around Republicans.
-- **Don't** debate issues (after listening, dwell on areas of agreement rather than disagreement)
-- To the extent that issues must be mentioned, emphasize *positive* ones (e.g., pro-Freedom, pro-Constitutionalism, pro-tax cuts, pro-free enterprise, pro-individual, pro-"*Traditional* Republican values")
-- Avoid *negative* issues (e.g., anti-government, anti-war, anti-Federal Reserve, anti-NAU)
-- Try to avoid divisive issues within the GOP (e.g., abortion, immigration, War in Iraq)
-- Avoid non-mainstream issues (e.g., the gold standard, the federal reserve, the NAU)
-- Prefer quantitative statements over qualitative statements (e.g., "Ron has *never* been ranked less than *3rd* in the National Taxpayers Union's annual rating of congressmen." is better than "Ron believes in lower taxes and limiting government spending.")
-- Offer any prospective volunteer identified a range of opportunities to assist the campaign including some that are just fun and social. Give them something to so soon.
-- Follow up *any* tangible volunteer or financial support with repeated "thank you" contacts.
Again, *listening* is more important than talking... classic psychological studies on persuasion have shown that peoples' opinions are most influenced by people whose views are only slightly differing from their own. For illustration, if you encounter someone whose views on some issue would be a "4" on a scale of 0 to 10 and you are a "10", present yourself as a "5" on that issue to nudge that person in your direction. Presenting yourself as a "10" will actually push the person the other way. (If inviting newbies to a Meetup group, *make sure* your Meetup group conveys a friendly, positive, mainstream Republican image!)
In another classic psychology study on perceived credibility, it was found that in a group setting, the person who speaks most is perceived negatively. It is the person who speaks second most who is perceived as the most authoritative. Again... *Listen*, smile, make friends, set aside your personal pet issues, and be an effective representative for Ron.
Ron's campaign includes many long-time GOP veterans with invaluable experience with *winning* elections. Let's use it!
Jeff Palmer - jap1@peoplepc.com
Republican Liberty Caucus - www.rlc.org
"Pursuing libertarianism within the GOP since 1990"