>We need some pointers in finding prospective doners.
First, you don't ask them to give until it hurts. You want them to like giving. You ask them for $5 or $25 (about what they are able to spend on lunch for one or two days in the week). You want a minor sacrifice for a big gain. You want them to feel good about giving. They get a good product and the enjoyment of being financially part of something. They need to feel that they got the better of the deal. They look forward to seeing you next time you have a fun/quality project. And if you missed them when you went looking for money the next time, they ask why you didn't come to them for some help. You want them to not feel pain about handing over a $20 or $500 donation. This is also why you must warn them that they are going to have to weather the bad press on certain issues and often give them a heads up before and sometimes immediately after a big frap in the press. They feel informd and in the loop. We use to use the tabloid for that. Now I have to remind them of the fun we had with the tabloid and the things to come. They give because it's fun and enjoyable. Some of the very biggest supporters are looking for us to cause as much controversy as possible. It has been their long term attention to the freedom movement that has given them the insight that that is the only method that really causes real change. Most of this tabloid is being funded by just these people.The voter data issue is what put the smile on their face and their hands in their wallets.
Make the whole experience interesting for them. Give them an insight into the real workings of government/media. They will have a great deal of resource access with this paper. Mny of you new guys haven't seen the power of it. Think about it. Why would Peter have focused so much attention, to the point of accually threatening our advertisers with the IRS in a lawsuit filed with the government, to stop its publication?
My suggestion is this. Get people started by asking that they buy a subscription to the next x# of issues. But we can't guarantee that since we haven't done one in so long and after the circulation of this one there will be a lot of people that would wish to see that another isn't done again,... all very bad guys. So you'll have to get them to by a copy.
"How much would you pay for the truth"? Would they pay $5 to learn the truth about gun control here in Arizona and who is behind it? The truth will be surprising to some. Would they pay to read (maybe for the first time, due to the fact that the Tribune canceled him due to being too controversial) Vin S. The nationally syndicated columnist known as the Libertarian. What is it worth to know what is behind the Libertarian Party split in America and why it began here in Arizona? Are they curious about how the government is selling their personal data? Would they like to know who to contact when they need help,advice direction or information about the abuses of government? Maybe they would like to know how they can help.
Now take all of these $5 to $200 contributions and accumulate them in your wallet over the next week or two and send it in to the party and keep the names or ive them to the party. it doesn't really matter. They gave the money because you asked them and a letter from someone they don't know isn't likely to get them to write a heck automatically. They have to take separate individual action on their own. Someday they'll contact the party or one of our organizations (more likely an issue driven organization that hits close to home for them) and enter their own data for us into a data field on a web page. Then we can contact them independent of their first contact. I have hundreds of names and addresses of individuals that I contact only when I REALLY need them to come up with some investment for fun. I don't do it very often (about 4 times over the past 12 + years - that's why the list continues to grow instead of shrink). I have always been a good pleasurable investment for them. Many I just call and say I'm selling Arizona Libertarian Newspapers for 50 cents a piece and ask how many they want. You'd be surprised how careful they are in giving them out when they had to pay for them. This reminds me of something,... I just emailed Kathy to let her and Rick decide if they think that the cover price should be printed on the cover ($2 comes to mind).
Our cost is about 5 cents each to produce and mail when all the labor is donated. Bu the real cost is easily 4 times that with all the work that goes into it.
I'd tell first timers that 10 dolarrs gets them 20 copies to put around at work, school & play. One for their mother and one for their mother-in-law. Keep this list for yourself and build your own support group around what is important to you. They may wish to help another cause more, but so what. They are now active and add to the pressure on the state. They are not as cooperative with government, they grumble more in traffic court, they carry guns with them more often. And they look forward to giving you more money next time and talking to you for a while. SAFE was suspended because it got too big too fast and was taking over my time on a single issue when the real issue was deeper (even though the 2nd is about as deep as you can get). It got to the point that people from all over the country were asking to give large sums of money to join SAFE and take a part in using it for their ends. Our reply was, "Poof, you are now SAFE" now go forth and be SAFE, be armed and SAFE, start your own SAFE in your area and here's the artwork". And some did some pretty cool stuff like the SAFE MAP (Merchant Awareness Program) that pulished on email where the stores were that did or did not allow the carrying of firearms. And people made their purchases else where. Some policies were changed due to these efforts.
Make more activist by providing the resources for hem to be and make em buy into it with $10 bucks. By the end of the next legislative session they will get it and look to you as "the informed one" and ask for more. At least they'll be glad that you called when the time for the next tabloid comes around.
Just babbling
Ernie