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#CARD
THE FINANCE MANUAL
(How to Raise and Budget Campaign Funds)
2nd Edition, 1991
by
S. J. Guzzetta
Member, American Association of Political Consultants
President, S. J. Guzzetta & Associates
P. O. Box 17274
Alexandria, Virginia 22302-8574
(703) 960-4454
Edited by: Angela L. Reese
CD-ROM Published by:
WAYZATA TECHNOLOGY INC
Post Office BOX 807
Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744
(218) 326-0597, (800) 735-7321
FAX (218) 326-0598, TECH SUPPORT (800) 377-7321
Book Published by: Political Publishing Company
P. O. Box 17274
Alexandria, Virginia 22302-8574
(703)549-7586
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
CATALOG CARD NO.: 89-90869
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
(c) 1989, 1991. Political Publishing Company, Alexandria, VA
The text of this publication, or any part thereof, may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an
information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the author.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
TABLE OF CONTENTS CARD#
Welcome...............................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS.....................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................3
DEDICATION............................................................4
ABOUT THE AUTHOR......................................................5
PREFACE...............................................................6
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION "You Can't Spend What You Ain't Got".....................7
CHAPTER II
ESTABLISHING THE BUDGET "The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men".........9
A. Defining Objectives.......................................9
B. Specific Costs Involved...................................9
C. A Typical Check List.....................................10
D. Calculating the Budget...................................10
CHAPTER III
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE "The Gang of 20"...............................13
A. How to Recruit Your Finance Committee....................13
B. How to Organize Your Finance Committee...................14
C. Finance Committee Objectives and Methods.................15
CHAPTER IV
INDIVIDUAL SOLICITATION "Ask and You Shall Receive"..................16
A. Begin at the Beginning...................................16
B. The Next Stage...........................................16
C. Distributing the Names...................................17
D. The Follow-Up............................................19
CHAPTER V
MAJOR FUND-RAISING EVENTS "Let's Party!".............................21
A. How To Plan One..........................................21
B. How To Sell Tickets......................................21
C. The Follow-Up............................................22
D. The Event Itself.........................................23
CHAPTER VI
MINOR FUND-RAISING EVENTS "Let them eat cake!".......................24
A. What Are They?...........................................24
B. The Details..............................................24
C. The Event................................................25
CHAPTER VII
DIRECT MAIL SOLICITATION "The Pyramid Game"..........................27
A. The Various Types........................................27
B. The Premise of Direct Mail Fund-raising..................27
C. The Pyramid Effect.......................................28
D. How to Design the Package................................29
E. The Follow-Up............................................29
CHAPTER VIII
PAC AND PARTY SOLICITATION "Make a Wish Upon a Star".................32
A. Understanding PACs and Party Committees..................32
B. How to Solicit PACs and Party Committees.................33
CHAPTER IX
CANDIDATE ACTIVITY "The Lonesome Trail"..............................36
A. The Problem..............................................36
B. The Solution.............................................36
C. How to Make it Happen....................................37
D. The Right Way............................................38
E. Summary..................................................39
CHAPTER X
SUMMARY "Play it Again, Sal".........................................40
A. Overview.................................................40
B. Analysis.................................................41
C. Variations...............................................44
D. The Computer.............................................45
E. Some Final Thoughts......................................47
APPENDIX A
A. Political Time Line For A Congressional Campaign.........48
B. The Campaign Budget.......................................52
1. Campaign Cash Flow Schedule/Calendar 1989/90......53
2. Budget Analysis..................................54
C. The Fund-raising Game Plan................................55
D. Oraganization Of The Finance Committee....................55
E. Finance Committee Objectives..............................55
F. Time Line and Fund-raising Schedule.......................56
G. Initial Procedures And Methodology........................56
H. The Direct Mail Fund-raising Program.....................58
1. Mass Mailings.....................................59
2. Fund-raising Through Political Direct Mail Programs.
..................................................60
3. Specialized Mailings Within The District..........61
I. The PAC Solicitation Program..............................63
1. What Are PACs?...................................63
2. Why Are There PACs?..............................64
3. How Do They Work?................................64
4. Preparations for the Program.....................65
5. The First Mailing................................66
6. The Follow-Up....................................66
7. Procedures the PACs Follow.......................67
8. The Second PAC Mailing...........................67
9. Other PAC Activities the Candidate Should Do.....68
J. Out-Of-District Fund-raising Program......................68
1. Direct Mail and Telephone Follow-up..............68
2. "Sponsorship" Solicitation by Key Individuals....69
K. Major Events..............................................69
1. Arranging for a Guest Speaker....................69
2. Secure the Location..............................70
3. Establishing the Cost Factors....................70
4. Operations and Promotion.........................71
5. The Follow-up....................................72
6. Planning an Airport Rally........................72
7. Other Possible Activities........................72
L. Minor Events.............................................73
M. The Candidate's Contribution.............................73
N. Summary..................................................74
APPENDIX B...........................................................75
APPENDIX C...........................................................83
APPENDIX D...........................................................86
APPENDIX E...........................................................96
APPENDIX F...........................................................97
APPENDIX G...........................................................98
Computer Applications in a Campaign Environment
SAMPLE COMPUTER CONFIGURATION AND PRICES.....................99
COMMONLY USED DOS COMMANDS..................................100
APPENDIX H..........................................................103
SJG&A - CHECKLIST FOR NEW CANDIDATE/CLIENT
#ENDCARD
#CARD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Over the years, there have been many people who have helped me
write this book as well as THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL and THE CAMPAIGN
STRATEGY. The writing and publishing of these manuals has proven to
be a much more difficult undertaking than I ever imagined it would be
when I started. Not only has the financial investment been great, the
physical and emotional strain has, at times, been even greater.
Like a marathon runner, an author needs coaches, sponsors, and
people along the route offering encouraging words and nourishment.
Were it not for the confidence, encouragement, and financial
support of these people, I seriously doubt I would have persevered.
My grateful appreciation goes to the following:
Carole Seminara Guzzetta Joanna Seminara Guzzetta
Ron Campbell Chester Diez, Jr.
Craig Markva Tom Neuberger
Neil Markva Angela L.Reese
H. Fletcher Reynolds Winifred Spense
George Gilmore Frank Flucke
Jason Gold Carol Allen
Mary Jo Guzzetta Joe Cerrell
George Young March Miller
Joel Fisher
#ENDCARD
#CARD
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to my parents:
Josephine L. Guzzetta
and
Lawrence J. Guzzetta (deceased)
#ENDCARD
#CARD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Guzzetta is one of the "second generation" of Political
Campaign Consultants and considered by some to be in the top ten of
his field.
A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, he holds
a degree in political science (the American political process) and
minors in economics, communications, and human services. His graduate
fields were the American political process and international
relations. In addition to graduating with honors, he has the
distinction of being one of the few individuals in the country to have
completed all of his undergraduate work in 18 months.
After ten years as an insurance and business consultant,
during which time he was also an active volunteer on numerous
political campaigns in New York and California, he entered college
with the deliberate intention of becoming a Political Campaign
Consultant. Under the guidance of Dr. Joel Fisher, he developed a
curriculum of studies designed to provide him with the foundation for
this new career. (At the time, no college or university offered a
program for Political Campaign Consultants or managers. Today there
are approximately seven in the country.)
Following his academic training, he apprenticed for a year
with Joe Cerrell, Cerrell Associates, Inc., Los Angeles, California,
working on campaigns in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. This
experience provided invaluable on-the-job training in many areas of
campaign techniques, especially fund-raising and public relations
(free media communications). After which, he continued his
apprenticeship with George Young, George Young and Associates, Inc.,
Los Angeles, California, for two years, managing campaigns in
California, Michigan and Pennsylvania. With Mr. Young he developed
in-depth knowledge of media production and placement, direct mail, and
the dynamics of campaign management.
In 1975 he founded Campaign Management Associates, Inc. (CMA),
a political consulting and management firm in Los Angeles, California.
Determined to provide a "one-stop-shop" for candidates in order to
help reduce a campaign's overhead costs, he continually expanded the
range of services provided. For four years he continued to work on
various campaigns around the country in Washington state, Iowa,
Wisconsin, Florida, and California.
In 1979 Mr. Guzzetta "went National" and moved to the
Washington, D.C. area forming his present political consulting firm of
S. J. Guzzetta and Associates in Alexandria, Virginia. During this
period he has consulted on campaigns in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware,
Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and Michigan. In his "off"
years, he lectures, conducts campaign seminars, and does research and
analysis in a constant effort to improve and refine the basic
techniques and procedures used in campaign management.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
PREFACE
The late Jesse Unruh, politician extraordinaire, of California
once said, "Money is the mother's milk of politics."
In that poetic statement, he said it all. Without money,
politics could not exist. Unless all candidates were running
unopposed.
Whenever there is a contested campaign, money is needed to
communicate with the electorate. All the pontificating by the media
notwithstanding, the costs of communications rises steadily every
campaign cycle and I've yet to see a commercial media outlet donate
advertising space to a candidate.
When candidates put out press releases, the only media outlet
which usually prints them are the weekly newspapers, and then only if
the editor supports the candidate or need a space filler in that
week's edition.
The dailies and the electronic outlets might take a sentence
or two out of context if they can sensationalize it. Even when the
article is somewhat accurate, the editor who writes the headlines
often twists it beyond recognition.
Quotes by the candidate, if used at all, are rarely accurate.
As a result of all this, candidates for public office are
forced to buy the means of communication in order to get their message
across in a complete, unadulterated manner.
This, of course, means they have to raise money in order to
advance their campaign, unless they are able to finance it from their
own resources.
Over the years, I have rarely met a candidate who enjoys
raising money. Most candidates are very self-reliant individuals with
healthy egos which makes even the thought of asking for financial help
difficult for them. But it must be done!
In this book, I will discuss proven methods which will make
the best of this requirement. The methods outlined here have been
used repeatedly by myself, and other consultants, whose job it is to
assist the campaign in its fund-raising efforts. Followed carefully,
they will work for you as well.
As in my other books, THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL and THE CAMPAIGN
STRATEGY, I wish to thank all of the people from whom I have learned
so much over the past nineteen years. I would also like to apologize
for the lack of references. In truth, I have gained so much knowledge
from so many people, I can no longer remember what I learned from
whom.
I can claim no originality for any of the creative ideas
expressed herein, only for putting them together in this book in a
style which I trust will be easy to understand and use.
S. J. Guzzetta
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
"You Can't Spend What You Ain't Got"
Fund-raising is both a science and an art. We know from many
years of experience and testing a certain number of appeals will
result in X number of positive responses over a period of time.
How many appeals have to be made, to how many people, over
what period of time, is often the most asked question by candidates.
The answer is, there is no definitive answer. There are many
variables which enter into the equation which can affect the outcome.
As I discuss with you each chapter on specific types of
fund-raising, I will try to create broad enough situations which,
hopefully, have enough relevancy to your situation to be helpful.
However, every campaign is unique. You will probably have to
try various techniques with some modifications to fit your particular
situation.
In succeeding chapters, we will look first at the budget
process in order to determine what your fund-raising objectives should
be for your campaign.
This budget should be based on your campaign strategy. Only
after you have determined what your campaign must do in order to win,
should you develop your budget. If you restrict your strategy by
monetary considerations at the start, the chances are you will develop
a poor campaign strategy. **1**
We will then discuss putting together a finance committee
which will help your campaign in its fund-raising efforts. The types
of people you should recruit, the specific assignments they will have
and how they can carry them out.
The techniques of individual solicitation will be discussed
next. This is probably the most difficult type of fund-raising but
there are ways to make it easier.
Major fund-raising events are usually put on by your Field
Operations Committee, under the supervision and guidance of a member
of the finance committee. Though not exceptionally productive in
terms of dollars raised, they have significant political advantages
which make them worthy of being an integral part of your fund-raising
plan.
Direct mail solicitation is probably the most scientific
method of fund-raising. However, whenever I would tell clients we
would be doing well to break even on the first mailing, the usual
response was "Why bother?"
The profit in direct mail fund-raising comes from the
subsequent solicitation of those people who contributed following the
first appeal. We will discuss the pyramid system and how, over a
period of time, can be one of the most productive methods of
fund-raising.
Unless you are an incumbent, Political Action Committee (PAC)
fund-raising can be a very disappointing experience. The dollars left
over after incumbents have received their share are mighty slim
pickings indeed. With so many challengers scrambling for the
"leftovers," you must make your appeal, not only stand out, but be
exceptionally convincing.
FootNotes:
**1** If you are uncertain how to do this, I strongly recommend you
obtain copies of THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL and THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY and
study them before you attempt to develop your budget. Frankly, though
some might disagree, I suggest studying THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY first,
then THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL, followed by THE FINANCE MANUAL.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER I
Finally, I will discuss what should have been discussed in the
very beginning of this book, the candidate's fund-raising activity.
However, contrary to the norm, I decided to save the worst until last.
Of all the types of fund-raising, this is the most difficult of all.
Yet in terms of productivity, it is usually the best. There are ways
to make it more palatable and I hope they will work for you.
In the second half of the book, the Appendices, I have added
some of the technical discussions on fund-raising from THE CAMPAIGN
MANUAL. There is also an extensive discussion of the logistical
requirements.
As we go through the following chapters, keep in mind that
even though each subject is treated in a modular format, they are
interrelated. In a campaign environment, no activity takes place in a
vacuum.
Also, you should note the emphasis placed on developing a
sound plan of operations based on the resources available to you. It
is useless, for example, to have a plan which includes having twenty
individuals contribute the maximum amount if neither your, nor any
member of your finance committee, has a way to gain access to the type
of individuals capable of contributing these amounts.
Successful fund-raising does not happen by accident. It
requires careful planning, hard work and perseverance. It also
includes "seed" money. The old adage that it takes money to make money
is especially true in fund-raising.
As a rule of thumb, you will usually need at least 10% of your
ultimate budget in seed money before you can implement your
fund-raising plan. Regardless of where the money comes from, your own
resources, or the initial contributions of your finance committee, you
need to have this working capital to begin operations.
Frankly, a good test of whether or not you should be a
candidate is your ability to put together this seed money. As so many
thousands of individuals have found out to their regret, one of the
reasons most campaigns
fail is because, like so many new businesses, they are
under-capitalized when they begin.
Make no mistake, running a campaign is very much like running
a business. You have a product to sell (yourself as a candidate), a
marketing plan to develop (your game plan), a budget to develop, a
large sales force to train and supervise (your volunteers and staff),
an administrative operations program to develop, negotiations with
sub-contractors, maintaining an adequate amount of supplies, and on
and on.
All the attributes of a business and then some. Not only must
you sell your product successfully, you must beat out a competitor
(your opponent) who figures the territory is only big enough for one
of you. And you must do it within a strict time-frame!
As with any business, you must operate efficiently and
maximize the productivity of your "employees". Whenever possible you
should take advantage of the latest techniques and technology designed
to help your business increase its profit margin.
Like most entrepreneurs, you will find there is no such thing
as an 8 hour day, five days a week, work week. You will be working
six and even seven days a week, 14 to 16 hours a day. Your family
will be neglected and your personal life will become non-existent.
About the only consolation you will have is that in the business world
this existence can go on for years. You only have to do it for one,
unless you win.
On top of all this, you are going to have to figure out how
you will support your family during this period.
You wouldn't be the first candidate to take a second mortgage out on
your house and add many thousands of dollars to your personal debt.
If you can't see your way clear to doing all of this, and
raising the initial seed money is a good test, you might wish to
re-think your decision to run.
Assuming you have been able to put together the seed money and
are determined to run, the information in this book will help you.
Study it carefully. It is based on many years of experience and it
works. Nothing you will read is theory.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER II
ESTABLISHING THE BUDGET
"The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men"
A. Defining Objectives.
As stated previously, the budget is a by-product of your
campaign plan, which is a product of your strategy.
However, there are general rules, or averages, which seem to
be operational in most campaigns. There is often a direct
relationship between the size of the population of your geo-political
district and the amount of money spent in the campaign.
Interestingly, it is usually an inverse ratio, that is, the larger the
population, the less spent per capita.
The average Congressional district has a population of 500,000
people. The average amount spent in a Congressional campaign today is
$1.20 per person, or $600,000.00, over the duration of the campaign.
**1**
A state senatorial district in a large state will have an
average population of 120,000 people. The average amount being spent
for these races is $156,000.00, or $1.30 per person.
State representative districts in larger states will have an
average population of 60,000, and the average amount being spent is
$1.70 per person, or $102,000.00.
The smaller the population, the more the per capita costs
increase. There are, of course, exceptions, but these averages tend to
hold in seriously contested races.
B. Specific Costs Involved.
One of the reasons the above inverse ratio exists is because
there is an inverse ratio in the purchase of goods and services used
in a campaign. As with so many products, there is a discount for
volume buying.
For example, in the area of printing costs for brochures, a
two-color, three fold brochure, with 4 pictures (half-tones), 8.5 X
14", on 70 lb. glossy stock will average $.12 a piece in quantities of
10,000. That same brochure in quantities of 100,000 will drop to $.06
a piece.
Envelopes which cost $.045 a piece in quantities of 100,000,
will increase to $.075 a piece for quantities of 10,000.
These prices will not be proportionate as you increase volume
from 10,000 to 100,000. Printers, and many other distributors of
products or services, have price breaks at fixed levels. Until you
reach that specific level, the unit price remains the same. **2**
The same is true of advertising outlets. Virtually all of
them, television, radio, newspapers, and billboards have substantial
discounts for volume buys. **3**
Even postal rates have discounts. First class mail, as you
know, is $.25 for the 1st ounce. If you send 200 or more pieces,
properly separated, you can ship them at bulk rates of $.167, if you
have a bulk postal permit. (The cost of such a permit is $120.00.)
If you are doing a concentrated mailing in one precinct, you might
qualify for carrier-route rates of $.101 per unit piece.
FootNotes:
**1** A well-planned campaign usually starts one year before the
election.
**2** A word of advice. Always shop around for printers.
Their prices vary considerably depending on many factors. Be sure to
ask where their price break occurs.
**3** Television and radio
stations are required by law to sell political candidate air time at
the lowest rate available, regardless of volume. Newspapers and
billboards are not so required.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER II
We could go on, but I think you have the picture. The more
you buy, the less the unit cost.
After you have developed your strategy and game plan, itemize
the goods and services your campaign will require for the duration.
Then obtain bids from the various suppliers in your area or wherever
available. Check with the media outlets you will be using as to their
prices based on the time and amount you will be using.
Gradually, you will be developing a spread sheet listing your
projected budget by line item and monthly. If you are using a
computer, Political Campaign Management Software, (PCMS), developed by
Mr. Frank Flucke and myself and distributed by Political Publishing
Company, has a campaign spread-sheet built-in which enables you to
post budgeted and actual expenditures.
C. A Typical Check List.
Normally, the items you would list would be as follows:
1. Staff
2. Rental of Headquarters and Phone Bank
3. Office Equipment
4. Office Supplies and Postage
5. Insurance
6. Utilities
7. Phones for Headquarters
8. Phones for Phone Bank
9. Furniture
10. Brochures
11. Yard Signs
12. Graphics for Brochures
13. Billboard Rental
14. Billboard Paper
15. Graphics for Billboards
16. Material for 4 X 8 Signs
17. Silk-screening 4 X 8 Signs
18. Newspaper Ads
19. Graphics for Newspaper Ads
20. Radio Commercials
21. Production Costs for Radio Commercials
22. Television Commercials
23. Production Costs for Television Commercials
24. Tabloids
25. Direct Mail
A. Costs of Materials
B. List Generation
C. Mail Processing
D. Postage
26. Transportation Expenses
27. Major Event Fund-raising Expenses
28. Minor Event Fund-raising Expenses
29. Computer, Printer, Software (PCMS)
30. Computer Supplies
31. Polling Expenses
32. PAC Fund-raising Expenses
33. Printing Position Papers
34. Printing Sample Ballot Mailer
35. Printing Telephone Sheets
36. Printing Walk Sheets
37. Novelty Items
38. Banners
39. County Fair Booth Rental
40. Miscellaneous Expenses
D. Calculating the Budget.
The cost for each of these line items will be based on the
quantity and quality of the items purchased.
Regardless of what is purchased, keep in mind that political campaigns
and candidates are one of the worst credit risks in the marketplace.
Almost all suppliers will demand payment in advance.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER II
I intentionally left off the cost of consulting services in
the above checklist since the vast majority of campaigns will not be
able to afford their services until the campaign budgets reach at
least $250,000.
Even then, the costs might be prohibitive. A good campaign
consultant will charge anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 for services
in a regular campaign.
Before calculating your budget, consult your campaign's
time-line. **1**
Make sure your budget shows the date the payments are needed for your
goods or services. Usually there is a lead time required of anywhere
from 2-4 weeks. If you need faster service, you will pay a hefty rush
charge.
Keep in mind also, most suppliers usually have regular, steady
customers whose needs almost always take priority over a campaign's.
Be sure to obtain firm delivery dates for everything you order.
Working from the date of the election backwards, post each
line item. Indicate the date needed by and then the order date. On
the order date, post the amount of money which will be needed with the
order. **2**
As a precaution develop an alternative, or low budget, if for
some reason your campaign was unable to raise the full amount required
for your regular budget. Even though I firmly believe every effort
should be made to raise the amount called for in your game plan, the
facts are that things will happen beyond the campaign's control and
alternative plans are needed.
As a practical matter, this alternative budget should not be
disseminated. People have a tendency to work only as hard as they
think they have to work to accomplish an objective. The pressure
should always be kept up to raise the total amount needed.
Once you have a preliminary estimate of your budget, focus
your attention on obtaining the best possible unit price for the goods
and services you require. There is a substantial amount of
competition among many of the types of suppliers you will be needing.
The most efficient way to do this is to first prepare a spec
sheet, detailing precisely what you need.
The example previously given for a typical brochure is a good
one. Your spec sheet should include all of the cost factors involved
in the item's production. For an example, let's examine that brochure
more closely.
1. The paper weight was 70 lb.
2. It was a coated, or glossy, stock.
3. It had 2 colors, both standard.
4. 4 pictures, or half-tones.
5. The size before folding was 8.5" X 14".
6. It required two folds.
7. The quantity was 10,000.
8. You would provide camera-ready art work.
With these specs written down, you could ask any number of
printers to give you a quote, or bid, for this job. Since everyone
would have the same specs, you would be certain of having a fair price
comparison.
I can assure you, you will be surprised by the differences you
will receive. Printers base their prices on a number of factors. How
much paper stock they have on hand. When it was purchased - paper
costs vary considerably based on the output of the mills at any given
time. How busy they are at that moment. How much they think the
traffic can bear. Campaigns are usually easy targets because they are
not that familiar with this type of product buying.
FootNotes:
**1** THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL has a detailed explanation on how to
develop this and it is also included in Political Campaign Management
Software.
**2** See the time-line in Appendix A.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER II
Also, you should not assume that the most competitive printer
on one specific purchase, will automatically be the lowest on the next
one. Every time you place a major order, you should repeat this
process.
When it comes to goods or services which are not available
locally and you are uncertain as to where to find the various
suppliers, you might find it prudent to obtain a copy of the Political
Resource Directory. This reference book lists virtually every
campaign supplier in the United States, state by state, and is indexed
by goods and services.
If you don't feel the cost is justified for just your
campaign, you might want to ask your county party chairperson to
purchase it as a reference for all the candidates of your party
running in that area.
The point is that prudent shopping can save the campaign
anywhere from 5 - 15%. It's a comparatively easy way to do your
fund-raising, in reverse.
Remember the analogy of your campaign with a business. Really
successful business people are prudent people. It's not a case of
being afraid to spend money, it's a case of getting the most mileage
from the money you spend.
An argument can also be made that a candidate, and a PAC or
party committee, has a fiduciary responsibility to spend their
contributors' funds in the most prudent manner possible, for the
purposes for which it was intended.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER III
THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
"The Gang of 20"
A. How to Recruit Your Finance Committee.
A campaign Finance Committee is a group of volunteers who
assume the responsibility of helping a candidate raise the necessary
funds to conduct his or her campaign.
Ideally, a Finance Committee is comprised of two groups of
individuals. Those who are established, successful professionals and
business people in their community and those who are striving to get
there. Similar to the difference between the Chamber of Commerce and
the Junior Chamber of Commerce types.
The first group consists of the ones who can readily afford to
write a contribution check for the maximum amount allowed by law and
should be required to do so as a condition of serving on the
committee. They are the ones who have access to other individuals who
can do the same.
The second group is usually the younger professionals and
business people in the community, who though unable to write a
contribution check for the same amount, can usually contribute a
substantial amount. Just as important, they are the type who, when
called upon, will usually do most of the work in putting on
fund-raising events and activities.
Depending on the size of the campaign, a Finance Committee
should be made up of between 15 and 20 volunteers for campaigns
involving districts up to 500,000 people. As the size of the district
**1**
increases, the size of the Finance Committee should increase
accordingly.
In seeking out these people, the candidate should first look
to his or her own circle of friends, acquaintances and associates.
People who know you and believe in your candidacy are the best
choices. At first they will probably be reluctant to serve. Most
people dislike asking for money, especially if they in turn, have to
ask their friends and relatives.
You should anticipate this reluctance and realize it is not
directed toward you. Have a series of small meetings (maybe three or
four at a time), preferably in your home. If this is not convenient,
then your office, or a restaurant.
Start off with an explanation of why you are a candidate for
political office. Follow this with an explanation of why you believe
you can win. Have a copy of your game plan for each person there,
taking them through it step by step while explaining the research
which went into its development.
After everyone has had an opportunity to go through and ask
any questions they may have about it, give each of them a copy of the
finance plan. Explain to them the process you went through to make it
fiscally sound and responsive to the needs of the campaign.
Go on to explain how taking a large problem and breaking it
down into manageable, smaller problems makes it "doable." If each
person does their share, no one will have to be over-burdened. Ask
them to serve on your committee and to set an example for others, be
the first to make a contribution of their own.
FootNotes:
**1** District, throughout this book, refers to any geo-political
area, local, county, state districts, Congressional districts, or
state-wide.
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CHAPTER III
In many cases, you will obtain a positive response. Ask them
who they know who would be a good candidate to serve on the committee
and then ask them to arrange a similar meeting for the persons they
are recommending.
In this manner, you should be able to recruit at least 50-75%
of the members of your Finance Committee. When you have exhausted
this means of recruitment, speak with your party chairperson and ask
for recommendations of people who might serve and be productive
members of your committee.
Contact these people and go through the same program for them.
If your committee is still not up to strength, contact previous
candidates and elected officials in your area for their assistance and
recommendations. In each meeting, follow the same procedure. It
helps significantly if the person who made the recommendation attends
these meetings with you.
For the chairperson(s) of your committee, I recommend asking
one person from each group to serve as co-chairs. Also, you can
recruit one or two prominent person(s) in your district to serve as
honorary chairperson(s) of your Finance Committee who will allow you
to list their names on your campaign stationary.
If you follow this plan, within a month from the date you
started recruiting, you should have a first rate committee assembled.
Half of whom should be prominent people within the community, and half
made up of young professionals and business people. Incidentally,
insurance agents, real estate agents, and junior bank managers
invariably do the best job on these committees.
Your committee should be well represented by both men and
women.
B. How to Organize Your Finance Committee.
If you have read THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL or THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY,
you know that the best way to organize your campaign is with the 5 on
5 plan. For those who haven't read either, the 5 on 5 plan basically
sub-divides the district into 5 Regions and then sub-divides each
Region into 5 areas.
The Finance Committee is organized along similar lines. The
whole committee should be divided into 5 teams made up of members from
both groups. Each team should have its own team leader, either picked
by you, or chosen from among themselves.
The teams can be identified by member, Team 1, Team 2, etc. or
by color, or by any other designation they might choose.
Each team is given a proportional share of the Finance
Committee's total objective to raise.
Throughout the campaign, at all future meetings of the Finance
Committee, each team leader will be expected to give a report to the
whole committee on their progress toward reaching the assigned
objective.
Human nature being what it is, it won't be too long before a
spirit of competition begins to develop among the teams. Especially
if you encourage it by posting a huge board in the campaign
headquarters listing each team's objectives and their progress toward
reaching it.
You can also encourage it with minor contests along the way.
If you're meeting bi-monthly, as you should be, you can state that the
team with the most money raised since the last meeting will be the
guests of honor of the other teams at a local pizza parlor. Or
they'll pay their way to a ball game.
Nothing big, just a little friendly competition. It also
helps to have a monthly campaign newsletter going out to all your
volunteers, keeping them up-to-date on the campaigns progress and
always listing each team members' name and the results of each teams'
efforts since the last newsletter.
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CHAPTER III
As an encouragement to them, and all of your volunteers, you
might want to make two large "thermometers" and place them prominently
in the campaign headquarters.
One showing the campaign's progress in its over-all
fund-raising efforts and the other showing your progress in acquiring
positive ID voters against that objective. At least once a week,
using red ink, the thermometers should be brought up-to-date. On the
sides of the thermometers, put hash marks and the respective amounts
which should be there by planned dates.
To help keep track of this activity, Political Campaign
Management Software (PCMS) has codes built into the contribution
posting file, so the proper team member and team receives credit as
soon as a contribution is posted. At any time, reports can be printed
out by team and/or team member for use at the next meeting and to
monitor each member's progress.
C. Finance Committee Objectives and Methods.
The Finance Committee has several methods of helping the
campaign realize its fund-raising goals. Through individual
solicitation, major fund-raising events, direct mail appeals, and PAC
solicitation and follow-up.
First, the objectives have to be established which are
realistic and attainable. These objectives should be discussed with
and agreed to by the members of the committee.
A major mistake made by many campaigns is the arbitrary
assignment of objectives to the members. Unless they believe they are
a part of the process in establishing these objectives, the depth of
their commitment might not be deep enough to keep pushing when the
going gets tough.
If they have helped establish the objectives and then commit
to realizing them, the chances are much greater they will persevere.
What percentage of the budget is raised by the Finance
Committee depends on the status of the candidate. If the candidate is
an incumbent, protecting an existing seat, the majority of the
campaign funds will probably come from a combination of PAC and party
contributions, unless the candidate has disavowed the acceptance of
PAC money, or put a limit on it.
If the incumbent candidate has restricted PAC funds, the
percentage of the budget to be raised by the Finance Committee will be
almost as much as for a challenger candidate.
Those incumbents who do accept PAC contributions can usually
raise 50-60% of their budget from PACs and their party. There are
some who raise virtually 100% from these sources. Not too wise
politically but it is expedient.
Non-incumbent candidates can only raise, on the average, about
15% of their budget from these sources and only after they have proven
their campaigns are viable.
On the average, the Finance Committee will be responsible for
raising at least 50% of the budget for a non-incumbent candidate.
About 10% will come from the candidate's own funds and about 20% from
direct mail solicitation generated by the campaign. 5% will come from
minor fund-raising events generated by the Field Operations Committee,
and the balance from outside the district, i.e. PACs and/or party.
These however, are just averages.
How much it will actually be depends on the individual
circumstances of your campaign. For the sake of this discussion, we
will use these average percentages throughout the remainder of THE
FINANCE MANUAL.
Also, to give this discussion a structure, we will presume
your campaign has begun one year before the date of the general
election and that you have assembled your Finance Committee during the
months of December and January before the election, and have planned
the announcement date of your candidacy for February.
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CHAPTER IV
INDIVIDUAL SOLICITATION
"Ask and You Shall Receive"
A. Begin at the Beginning.
In the preparation stage of your campaign, you should have
begun putting together lists of prospective contributors, or
prospects. **1** These names were either put on 3 X 5 cards or, if
using a computer with Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS),
in the Prospect file.
As they were being entered, you divided them based upon an
arbitrary presumption of what they were capable of donating, either
under $100.00 or over. You also indicated their occupation and title,
if known.
These names might have come from a variety of sources. Your
personal list of friends and relatives, alumni lists, membership lists
from the Chamber of Commerce, the Junior Chamber of Commerce, clubs or
associations, church, former candidates, party contributors, etc.
These combined initial lists could number anywhere from 500 to
5,000 names, or more. This is one reason having a computer and
Political Campaign Management
Software (PCMS) becomes virtually essential. The amount of time
recording and sorting all this information, or data, manually is a
waste of energy and volunteer resources.
Regardless of how you do it, it must be done. These names
become the starting point for your Finance Committee. These names,
and others which will be added later, will first be mailed a letter
and then given to the Finance Committee for follow-up, either in
person or by phone.
B. The Next Stage.
Your next step is to prepare a fund-raising letter. Ideally,
this letter should be signed by someone prominent and well-known in
your district. If a person of this stature is not available for your
campaign, then your campaign chairperson or finance chairperson would
sign the letter.
The letter itself should be on campaign stationary. The
stationary should list, on the left hand side, the names of the
campaign officers, your Regional Chairpersons, and the members of your
finance committee.
In the envelope, there should be a Business Return Envelope
(BRE), preferably a wallet style flap envelope which gives the
recipient an opportunity to volunteer as well as to record the
information necessary for your
records. In Appendix B there is a sample of this type of BRE.
There should also be a bio brochure of you. This brochure
should be well-done, in at least two colors, outlining your background
and qualifications for office. It should feature a picture of you on
the front and you and your family on the inside. You might also want
to include a picture, or two, of you interacting with senior citizens
or children.
The carrier envelope should be a #10 size envelope. If you
are preparing these manually, you should use a window envelope, unless
you have enough volunteers to hand address, or type, them.
If you are using a computer with Political Campaign Management
Software (PCMS), you can purchase envelopes carrier mounted (or tipped
as it is sometimes called in the industry) on continuous feed paper.
If your local printer, or computer supply store, cannot supply them,
you can obtain them from a national forms distributor like Moore
Business Forms at 1-(800) 828-7946 or Streamliners at 1-(800)
544-5779. **2**
FootNotes:
**1** See THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL or THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY for details
on pre-campaign preparation requirements for a candidate.
**2** Your stationary can also be prepared on continuous feed paper
format for computer printing.
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CHAPTER IV
The letter itself should be a one page piece, preferably done
in 12-pitch. It should be individually
prepared and personalized. **1** In Appendix C - Sample Letters,
there is an example of this type of letter.
If you are using a computer, this letter can be entered and
then merged with the names and addresses in your Prospect file, to
produce highly personalized letters. The letter should subsequently
be mailed at first-class postage rates. If your campaign has a postal
pre-sort permit, you can save 10% on your postage by sorting the
letters in zip code order and stacking them in special letter trays
available at the Post Office. Check with your main Post Office for
latest details.
After the letters are mailed, type the name, company, address,
and phone numbers for each person mailed to on 3 X 5 cards. If you
already have a set prepared, prepare a duplicate set. If the names
are in your computer on Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS),
you can purchase continuous feed 3 X 5 cards at most stationary or
computer supply stores, or from the previously mentioned national
suppliers. Then use the label generating module in Political Campaign
Management Software (PCMS) to generate two sets of 3 X 5 cards with
this information.
C. Distributing the Names.
A few days after the mail has dropped, call a meeting of your
finance committee. Depending on the size of your committee, it could
be held in your's or the chairperson's home, or in the private meeting
room of a local restaurant or hotel.
On the side of the room have one or two long tables set up.
On the tables place the 3 X 5 cards out so they can be easily read.
Also place copies of the letter sent and brochures.
The finance committee chairperson should conduct the meeting.
In all probability this will be the first time all the members of your
finance committee have been assembled at one time. It is important
that you use this occasion not only to start them off on their active
fund-raising, but that you motivate them to persevere.
So the meeting should become what in politics, is sometimes
called a "dog and pony" show. A bit of a performance, if you will,
which sets the stage for the level of their activity throughout the
campaign.
Basically, this is how it works. The campaign chairperson
addresses the committee first. Spelling out the game plan, the basic
strategy, and the budget. **2** The campaign chairperson then closes
with a statement of why it is so important to have you, the candidate,
elected to office and then introduces you.
You welcome and thank them for coming. Tell them why you are
running for this office, what it means to you to serve your community,
your concern for the people as a whole. Tell them your specific ideas
to improve their conditions, at the same time, without putting any
unfair burdens on the middle class and business community.
Tell them how hard you have worked to bring the campaign this
far, and how hard you plan to work in order to win. Share with them
the sacrifices you and your family have already made, personally and
financially. But you cannot do it alone. Unless they give it their
best shot, the campaign will never be able to raise the funds
necessary to communicate its message to the people. Thank them again
for making this tremendous effort on behalf of your campaign.
Now the person, known affectionately as the "hammer," rises to
speak. Usually this person is the Finance Committee Chairperson. This
role is called the "hammer" because it is this person's job to
motivate the attendees. Not just motivate them to go out and raise
funds for the campaign, but to start off, right here and now, with
their own contributions.
FootNotes:
**1** I have a strong bias against long-winded, multiple page
letters for this type of fund-raising.
**2** Copies of this material should be prepared in advance and given
to the members as part of their Fund-raising Kit.
#ENDCARD
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CHAPTER IV
The finance committee chairperson starts off by telling his
committee members that the time for action has come.
They have heard from the campaign chairperson how it can be
done, and from the candidate, why it should be done. Now it's their
turn to make it happen.
They are going to divide those cards, over there near the
wall, and contact those people to encourage them to send in a
contribution. The people on those cards have already received a
letter, paving the way for their follow-up visit or call.
But before they can ask someone else to contribute, they must
have the conviction which only comes from having made their own
personal sacrifice. So right now, let's take out our checkbooks and
fill in a check to the campaign. And when you get to that line that
says "amount," whatever you were going to put in there, double it.
Make it hurt. The greater your sacrifice, the harder you will work to
have others at least equal your sacrifice. Remember we are not talking
about a golf tournament here. We're talking about our futures.
Unless we have people like this in office who understand our concerns
and are willing to fight to protect them, we are going to pay for it
many times over in excessive taxes.
So pay a little now, or a lot more later on. The choice is
yours. But I don't want to hear anyone ever complain about government
services, programs, or taxes again, if they didn't have the courage to
stand up and be counted now - when it counts.
Our candidate and his/her family have already made a
tremendous sacrifice and are willing to make many more. The least we
can do is make sure they are not alone out there. Through our
efforts, this campaign is winnable; without our efforts, it will fail.
If you've finished filling out your checks, please forward
them to the front. Those of you who didn't bring your checkbook with
you today, I'll be in touch with you in the next day or two to pick it
up.
Now let's discuss our game plan. We have divided the
committee into five teams. Each team has a chairperson who will be
responsible for making sure you have all the materials you need and
will go over with you the results of your follow-up calling.
I would like you to go over to the tables on the side, look
over the 3 X 5 cards, and pick out those individuals you know, or
would like to follow-up on. If we can do that now, it shouldn't take
more than five minutes. Please return to your seats with your cards
as soon as you've finished.
The chairperson would then collect the remaining cards and
divide them up among the team chairpersons, who would the apportion
them to their team members.
The finance committee chairperson resumes control of the
meeting.
Remember, all the people on those cards have just received a
personal letter from the campaign. There are copies of the letter in
your kits and on the tables. Where it was available, we put the
individual's phone numbers, home and office, on the card.
During the next two weeks, you should make contact with every
person assigned to you and encourage their participation. It's best
to call on them in person, so you can go over the game plan with them;
however, if this is not possible, at the very least, call them on the
phone.
In two weeks we will meet back here and review your individual
and team results. If you know of anyone who would like to serve on
this committee, bring them along with you. Your team chairpersons (or
captain) will call you periodically to see how everything is going.
We'll see you in two weeks.
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CHAPTER IV
The chairperson thanks them again for coming and adjourns the
meeting.
D. The Follow-Up.
In the next two or three days, the team captains call their
members and record the names each member has for follow-up. A
duplicate list is made and sent to the Finance Committee Chairperson
who transfers this information to the duplicate set of 3 X 5 cards.
If you are using Political Campaign Management Software
(PCMS), you would assign each team a letter, and each team member a
number, e.g. A1, A2, A3, etc. and record this information in the code
section of the set-up menu. When a contribution is received as a
result of a team members efforts, you would post the team letter and
number in the contribution module.
This way you are able to generate reports for each subsequent
finance committee meeting showing the results of each team's efforts,
as well as the individual members. As you will discover, this becomes
very important in future fund-raising efforts.
If you are not using Political Campaign Management Software
(PCMS), this must be done manually.
While the team members are making their follow-up calls, the
team captains should be receiving progress reports every two or three
days.
It is very important that these names be followed-up on within
the first two weeks after having received their letters.
The whole Finance Committee should re-convene about two and a
half weeks after having received their cards.
At this meeting, ask each team captain to stand and give a
team report and the individual team member's report.
A brief question and answer period should be held where
individuals can have n opportunity to share the experiences they are
encountering and ask for ideas on how to overcome the type of
resistance being met.
Sometimes a solution will be for the team captain to accompany
the member on the next follow-up, or the Finance Committee
Chairperson. If it would help, in an especially large potential
contribution, a meeting, or phone call, should be arranged with the
candidate and the potential contributor.
The members should be asked to turn in their cards of those
individuals who have contributed, or flatly refused to do so.
Those cards remaining would include the ones requiring a
further follow-up, or people who have not been contacted at all. The
date should be set for the next meeting in two or three weeks, and the
meeting adjourned. Incidentally, none of these meetings should ever
last for more than one hour, excluding time for refreshments.
By the time the Finance Committee meets for the third time, a
spirit of comraderie should be developing. It is at this meeting that
a spirit of competition should be entered into among the teams.
The methods used to accomplish this should be decided upon at
a meeting held among the Finance Committee Chairperson and the team
captains prior to the scheduled meeting of the whole committee.
Normally, the team captains agree that one of them will issue
a challenge at the next meeting to the other teams. The challenge
being that the team who has raised the most money by the next meeting
are the guests of honor for a pizza and beer party compliments of the
losing teams. It could also be a sporting event or any other popular
activity as long as it's not too expensive.
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CHAPTER IV
As with most challenges, winning is the important thing, not
the size of the prize.
At the same time, the campaign should begin to send out to all
the volunteers a monthly newsletter, updating the campaign's
activities and progress. A major feature in the newsletter should be
a story about the challenge and a listing of the teams and each of
their members. This newsletter should be a regular feature throughout
the rest of the campaign.
Human nature being what it is, you will find most of your team
members becoming caught up in this spirit of competition.
In fact, they will become so serious about it, they will
insist they and their team receive proper credit for every
contribution which comes in as a result of their efforts.
This is where having a system like Political Campaign
Management Software (PCMS) really enables you to keep this spirit
going. Nothing will take the steam out of this kind of effort faster
than if the team members do not feel they are receiving proper credit
and reports in a timely fashion. Political Campaign Management
Software (PCMS) can generate individual and team updates daily if you
wanted them.
At the fourth meeting, which would occur three to four months
into the campaign, the follow-up program should end and all remaining
3 X 5 cards turned in. Depending on the notes on these cards, the
names should be deleted from the computer if repeated contact failed
to obtain a positive response, or re-assigned to someone else, if no
contact had been made.
The committee as a whole should now have its efforts directed
toward a major fund-raising event which will be held in two months.
In a normal campaign cycle, this would be sometime in June of the
campaign year. **1**
FootNotes:
**1** See the fund-raising time-line in Appendix A.
#ENDCARD
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CHAPTER V
MAJOR FUND-RAISING EVENTS
"Let's Party!"
A. How To Plan One.
A major fund-raising event is usually a dinner/dance featuring
a prominent person as a guest speaker. The event is a ticketed
affair, with tickets selling for at least $100.00 per person. In some
cases, depending on the level of office you are running for and your
status as an incumbent or challenger, the ticket prices could go as
high as $500.00 per person.
Depending on the prominence of the guest speaker, a private
reception would be held prior to the dinner with a separate charge at
least equal to the price of the dinner ticket and in some cases,
double.
The guest speaker could be a prominent politician, a sports
figure, or an entertainment personality. Many people of this type
donate their time to help candidates of their choice raise funds.
Some charge an honorarium for attending. In either case, the campaign
is also responsible for paying all travel and related expenses.
As a rule, the more prominent the individual, the busier their
schedule. Arrangements for this person usually need to be made months
in advance. It is also prudent to ask two or three individuals, so you
have a back-up in case your first choice is unable to attend or fails
to give a prompt answer to your invitation.
If you, or the members of your committees, do not know anyone
of this type to ask, check with your state or national party
committees. They usually maintain lists of politicians and
celebrities who are willing to help in this manner.
As soon as you have a firm date confirmed by your celebrity,
preferably a Friday or Saturday evening in May or June, book the
ballroom facilities at a local hotel or hall. These places are also
booked far in advance, so you should have several alternative places
tentatively scheduled.
Once both details are brought together and a firm date is
selected, have the tickets printed and begin your fund-raising
activity. Remember, this should begin at least two months prior to
the event.
B. How To Sell Tickets.
First begin by developing a fund-raising letter to be sent to
all the people in your prospect and support files. The letter should
contain the announcement/invitation letter itself, an R.S.V.P.
reservation card, and a return envelope. **1**
The style of this invitation can be either a formal one,
similar to a wedding type invitation card or sized to fit in a #10
envelope. I prefer the latter style.
In either case, it should be done on quality stationary in a
formal style. It should be impressive looking, but not garish.
If possible, the envelopes should be individually typed or
processed by your computer on carrier-mounted (or tipped) continuous
feed paper. If you have enough volunteers, you could also
hand-address them in a neat, legible style. Regardless, do not use
labels.
FootNotes:
**1** See sample letter in Appendix C.
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CHAPTER V
Two months before the event, mail the invitations at first
class postage rates. Remember how you can save 10% on postage rates
by pre-sorting them in zip code sequence and metering them. You need
a pre-sort permit and the metered imprint must indicate they are
pre-sorted. Frankly, for this type of mailer, I recommend foregoing
the slight savings and using a regular stamp. A meter imprint looks
too commercial.
At the same time you drop this mailer, the campaign should
send out a press release announcing the details of the upcoming event,
including a feature paragraph on the guest speaker. The campaign
should also generate a fresh set of 3 X 5 cards indicating which are
from the prospect files and which are from the support files, i.e.
those who have already made some contribution to the campaign.
If you are using Political Campaign Management Software
(PCMS), this is relatively easy to generate, or you might wish to
consider using a different color 3 X 5 card to distinguish one from
the other.
C. The Follow-Up.
At the regularly scheduled meeting of your Finance Committee
(which should be about your fifth one), repeat the format of your
first committee meeting.
The campaign chairperson should bring the members up-to-date
on the progress of the campaign. Cite the results of any polling
which has been done and the results of the Field Operations, i.e. the
phone bank and precinct operations. **1** Discuss the progress of
the media portion of the campaign and those plans.
Next, you should share your experiences with the committee
your experiences campaigning during the past three months and the
reaction you have been receiving from the people you have met. Also
discuss the results of any joint appearances you may have had with
your opponent. Tell them how much you appreciate their efforts to
date and what it all means to you knowing they are working so hard on
your behalf.
The Finance Committee chairperson then explains the details of
this new fund-raising activity and brings the
members up-to-date on the financial condition of the campaign.
Discuss where the campaign is in relation to where it should
be based on its budget. Review the major expenditures coming up in
the near future. Cite those teams and individuals who are in first and
second place in their over-all goals.
Then state the objectives for this event. For example, 250
tickets sold for the dinner and 100 for the private reception, or 500
and 200. Whatever has been established as a reasonable goal to
achieve. Each team is then assigned a proportionate share of the
ticket sales objective.
As in the first meeting, they should select their 3 X 5 cards,
or they can be pre-selected and passed out. Each member should have a
proportionate share of prospect and support file cards. An award of
some kind should be announced for the first team to sell its quota of
tickets. Then a follow-up award for each succeeding team. These can
be mementos of some kind or special parties, or even trophies.
The members should be reminded they are not limited to the
names on their cards, they can contact anyone who is willing to
contribute. Also, any name on their card which mails in their
contribution will be fully credited toward their efforts, just as
though they picked up the contribution personally.
Note:Be sure to record the names assigned to each team member
so they can be tracked and recorded.
At subsequent meetings of the Finance Committee, (which should
be scheduled at least every two weeks before the event and before the
final week) repeat the procedures outlined in the previous chapter.
FootNotes:
**1** See THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL for more details on these operations.
#ENDCARD
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CHAPTER V
To back up the efforts of the finance committee, the phone
bank should begin calling everyone who hasn't R.S.V.P.'d beginning one
month prior to the event. They should verify receipt of the
invitation, remind the people the event is only one month away, and
ask them if they plan on attending. If they are, tell them that's
great, and ask them to mail their card in right away or make
arrangements for someone to pick it up.
D. The Event Itself.
If at all possible, the cost of the event should never exceed
25% of the price of the ticket. This includes all of the costs
involved from the mailings to the dinner itself. The people attending
know that the primary reason they are there is to make a campaign
contribution. They do not expect a filet mignon dinner. Try to make
the menu interesting, but modestly priced. In deference to us beef
eaters, have a choice of a meat or fowl entree.
Do not have an open bar, unless the ticket prices are over
$500.00. The room should be nicely decorated but don't go overboard.
It is not a rally. The campaign banner should be placed right behind
the podium and a campaign sign placed in front of the podium. In case
the media shows up to cover the event, (and there is a good chance
they will) the cameras will not be able to avoid picking up your signs
while filming the speakers. **1**
The program should call for a benediction, the pledge of
allegiance, dinner, a short speech by the candidate, followed by the
guest speaker. After the program, the band should play appropriate
dance music, and you and the other members of the campaign should
circulate among the guests.
The whole event should last about four to five hours, ending
by midnight.
If you are having a private reception earlier in the evening,
it should be held in a separate room. There should be an open bar and
hors d'oeuvres served. You and the guest of honor should circulate
and give all the attendees an opportunity to visit. A photographer
should be there to take the attendees pictures with you and the guest
of honor. Copies should later be sent to them as a memento of the
event.
Basically, the event's time-table should be as follows:
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Private Reception
7:30 PM - 8:00 PM Public Reception **2**
8:00 PM - 8:45 PM Dinner
8:45 PM - 9:30 PM Speeches
9:30 PM - 12:00 PM Dance.
A second major fund-raising event similar to this one should
be planned for the end of September or the first weekend in October.
The advance and follow-up procedures should be the same. If
the campaign is going exceptionally well and you are leading the
polls, raise the ticket prices at least 25%, preferably 50%.
During the summer months, the Finance Committee focuses on
helping with the minor fund-raising events and the PAC solicitation
program.
FootNotes:
**1** The media is always invited to these events and those who show
receive a complementary meal if they would like to have one.
**2**
The public reception is just a period before the dinner when you and
the guest speaker would circulate in the dining room.
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CHAPTER VI
MINOR FUND-RAISING EVENTS
"Let them eat cake!"
A. What Are They?
Minor fund-raising events are low priced events designed to
appeal to and be afforded by a campaign's lower-middle, and lower
income supporters.
They are usually held during the summer months and serve a
three-fold purpose: (1) to raise money, (2) to involve the
non-finance committee volunteers in the fund-raising process, and (3)
to have fun and build enthusiasm for the final efforts of the
campaign.
These events are usually priced at $10.00 to $15.00 per
person, with a special family price of $25.00. They can include a 4th
of July picnic/rally, polka parties, dances, auctions, pancake
breakfasts, hoedowns, pizza parties, spaghetti dinners, and other
similar events.
Under the auspices of the Field Operations Committee, with the
assistance of the Finance Committee, five of these events should be
held throughout the summer months about two weeks apart. Most are
held on a holiday or a weekend.
B. The Details.
Usually, each Region assumes the responsibility of holding one
event. A team captain from the finance committee is assigned to each
Region to provide technical assistance, but the primary responsibility
belongs to each Regional Chairperson and their respective Area
Chairpersons.
They plan the event, generate the promotional materials,
tickets, letters, etc. and are responsible for its success.
These events are not expected to net much in direct
contributions to the campaign. In fact, if the campaign realizes
$1,000.00 after all expenses are paid, it should be considered a
financial success.
In political fund-raising, there is a multiplier effect. We
know that everyone who contributes even a dollar to the campaign will
try to influence at least seven other people to vote for their
candidate. They have made a commitment and they will work hard to
protect their judgement. So, from a political perspective, these
events can have major significance in the outcome of the campaign.
Because there isn't much lead time in setting up these events,
invitational letters are usually not practical. Since the primary
thrust is within the specific Region hosting the event, flyers are
usually prepared announcing the event and disseminated throughout the
Region.
At the same time, the Regional Chairperson would call a
meeting of all the precinct captains and other volunteers to announce
the event, put together an ad hoc committee to handle the details, and
allocate tickets to each of the volunteers to sell.
If possible, the Campaign Committee Chairperson and you,
should attend this meeting in order to stress its importance and help
build enthusiasm.
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For every event, announcements should go out to the other
Regions inviting them to participate in each event, especially the 4th
of July picnic/rally.
The campaign should generate press releases for all the events
as the occur, with special emphasis given to the weekly newspapers
which have a high circulation within the specific Region hosting the
event.
As stated previously, these events should be opportunities to
have fun, as well as to raise some campaign finances. It is also a
possibility that you will get more volunteers. Don't structure them
too tightly and keep the speeches to a minimum. A few words from the
Campaign Chairperson, followed by a few from the Regional Chairperson
and the you close with a 10 or 15 minute speech. The whole event
should not last more than 30 minutes.
C. The Event.
The event itself, if it's one involving outdoor activity,
should be held on a Saturday, or Sunday, afternoon. Reserve a public
park or similar facility.
Decorate the surrounding area so there is no mistaking its
political characteristics, especially as it relates to your campaign.
Extend an invitation to local elected officials who are supporting
your candidacy. Many of them will come since it gives them an
opportunity to do some campaigning also.
Have some of your volunteers assigned to handle some
structured activities for the younger children. There should also be
some form of professional entertainment depending upon the nature of
the event.
Make sure there is plenty to eat and drink. While the
festivities are going on, you should be circulating among the guests,
offering your appreciation for their coming and words of encouragement
for the hard work which lies ahead.
Dress casually for the event. Participate in the activities
and relax. These are your supporters. Take advantage of the situation
and relax. As a candidate, you will have few enough opportunities
during the campaign to do this.
If the event is an indoor type, it would normally be held on a
Friday or Saturday evening so the school children can participate.
Starting time is usually
around 7:00 PM and the event should finish around 11:00 PM.
Many of the children (possibly like your own) are feeling a
bit neglected by all the time their parents are spending on the
campaign. These events give them an opportunity to share in the
campaign and feel like they are a part of it. This makes it a bit
easier for them to cope. Spend some time with them and let them know
how proud you are of them for letting their parents help on the
campaign. Share with them how important their parents work is to the
campaign.
During the event itself, set aside some time to hold an
auction. These are a lot of fun and can be very productive, often
raising the only real profit from the event. It is amazing how people
get caught up in auctions and where they wouldn't contribute another
dime to the campaign, will spend another $25.00 bidding on a free
haircut, shampoo and blow dry donated by the local hairdresser.
Many of the merchants and restaurants in your district will be
happy to donate items as part of their public relations efforts to
these type of events. Also, you can write to prominent politicians of
your party and celebrities for items and they will normally respond
with some memorabilia of interest.
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CHAPTER VI
Pick the items which you think will draw the most interest and
keep the auction to no more than one hour. Items which are left over
can be given to staff and volunteers as souvenirs.
A word of caution. I have seen events like this held, even
when tickets are sold in advance, where no effort was made to obtain
the names and addresses of the attendees. This is a disaster. All of
the people who attend should have their names entered into your
support file for future fund-raising appeals.
Remember, these people have made an investment in your
campaign. Not only will they vote for you, they will influence at
least seven others to join them. In the final month of the campaign
when you send out your last, desperate appeal for funds to pay for the
final media blitz, at least 20% of them will respond with an
additional contribution.
There is also a significant political advantage in listing all
of these people on your financial report forms, even though you are
not usually legally required to do so for small amounts. The obvious
advantage is the listing of these names shows broad-based support from
the community. This can often influence major contributors, PACs, and
your political party to participate with their financial support.
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CHAPTER VII
DIRECT MAIL SOLICITATION
"The Pyramid Game"
A. The Various Types.
Direct mail fund-raising involves several types of activity.
One we have already discussed in Chapter IV as a part of the prospect
file mailings.
There are several others which can be effective if done
properly. One involves obtaining professional membership lists and
then having a prominent member of that profession send a letter
appealing to them for support. Doctors contacting doctors, lawyers to
lawyers, etc. These are specialized mailings.
Another involves your political mailings to the registered
voters in your district. It is a maxim in this business that the only
mail you send without an appeal for funds is the final week's mailer
just before the election.
The fourth type involves the renting of names from commercial
list brokers of people who are ideologically in step with your
political philosophy. These lists are often national in nature but the
companies who manage them can usually break them out by state and/or
zip codes.
The fifth type involves mailings to contributors of other
candidates and party committees. As these are usually very partisan
contributors, the returns tend to be better than from most other
lists.
There are other minor types but these are the five major
prospect mailing categories usually developed in campaign
fund-raising: (1) the prospect file mailings, (2) the specialized
professional list mailings, (3) the political mailings, (4) the
rented list mailings, and (5) the previous contributors list mailings.
Keep in mind, all of these are prospect type mailings.
B. The Premise of Direct Mail Fund-raising.
Direct mail fund-raising is one of the more scientific methods
of fund-raising. We know, for example, if X number of pieces of mail
are sent, over a period of time, there will be a relatively consistent
rate of return responses resulting in Y number of dollars. This
premise is based on millions of pieces of direct mail being sent out
over a period of many years.
The percentile of return is predicated on several factors.
The quality of the lists, the quality of the mailing piece, the cause
involved and the strength of the signatory.
Generally speaking, a good mailer (based upon these
characteristics) will produce a return rate of around 1%. The average
amount of each return will be about $20.00.
So if you mail 10,000 pieces X 1%, you should receive 100
replies containing an average of $20.00 a piece, or $2,000.00. Since
an average mailing piece costs around $.30, your expense to mail the
10,000 pieces is $3,000.00.
Wait a minute. It costs $3,000.00 to get back $2,000.00! You
don't have to have a degree in economics to figure out your campaign
just lost $1,000.00. You are right, your campaign just "lost"
$1,000.00.
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But it gained 100 new contributors who are now in you support
file. If you mail these people four more times during the campaign,
each mailing will generate a 20% response rate of $25.00 each.
Therefore, each subsequent mailing will produce 100 X 20% X
$25.00 = $500.00. The mailing costs will go up slightly to $.40 (for
first class postage) so your cost will be $40.00 to mail those 100
pieces. If you mail them four times during the course of the campaign
(the original 100) your campaign will realize $2,000.00 less the
$160.00 for the cost of the mailings. This leaves $1,840.00 minus your
$1,000.00 loss from the first mailing for a net profit of $840.00.
If your original rate reaches 2%, the final result for the
campaign, based on this formula, would be $3,680.00. (You do the math
and see how I arrived at this amount.)
If 3%, the return would be $8,520.00.
C. The Pyramid Effect.
As you continue to mail each new group of 10,000 (or whatever
figure you are mailing) you begin to develop a pyramid. For example,
call your first prospect mailing A, and the subsequent support file
mailings which result from it A1, A2, A3, and A4.
The next group of prospect mailings is designated as prospect
mailing B, and the subsequent support file mailings which result from
it as B1, B2, B3, and B4.
Do the same for each successive mailer. The results, if
diagramed, would begin to look something like the illustration on the
next page - a pyramid. Each mailing coming on top of the other until
the campaign has built a steady monthly income of X dollars.
Even at the 1% return rate, the income generated will become
substantial. However, it is a rather slow, drawn out process and,
even if started the day you announce your candidacy, would barely hit
its stride by election day.
For this reason, some candidates begin the process as much as
two years before the election. **1**
Because it requires a substantial amount of seed money (at
least the equivalent of the first two prospect mailings) and the
return rate is so slow, many candidates are reluctant to do this type
of prospect direct-mail fund-raising, especially in smaller campaigns.
However, I recall one campaign where we achieved a return rate
of 3% and the program was highly successful within an eight month
period. It accounted for 1/4 of the campaign budget.
FootNotes:
**1** I know of one Congressional candidate who did this. At the
end of two years he had grossed $1,000,000.00. He spent $750,000.00
to do it, but ended up with a net of $250,000.00. He used a national
ideological mailing list.
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D. How to Design the Package.
In Appendix C there is a sample prospect fund-raising letter.
This letter is prepared on your campaign stationary and, unless you
have a nationally known personality who will sign a letter for you,
you should make this letter from you.
The letter should be one or two pages in length and even
though it will be a form letter, it should be made to look as personal
as possible.
Introduce yourself and the office you are running for in the
first paragraph. Then talk about why you are running. Speak from the
heart, not the head. Talk about your concerns and your determination
to do something about them. Explain how difficult it is to campaign
when you're a working person and unable to finance your own campaign
out of your own resources.
Ask them to search their hearts. If they are really
interested in good government, isn't it worth a small sacrifice to
achieve it, no matter where it is within the system.
Enclose your bio brochure and a BRE flap envelope. Using a
cancelled live bulk stamp, mail it at bulk rates. Most mail
processing companies can handle this processing for you at very modest
rates.
E. The Follow-Up.
When a return comes in, enter it into the computer and using
Political Campaign Management Software's (PCMS) letter generator, send
them a personalized thank-you letter.
This letter becomes the first of your four mailings to this
new support file person. In the letter, you not only thank them for
their contribution of X amount of dollars, you close with an appeal
for more funds. This appeal should be specific, i.e. it should relate
the needed funds to a specific program or activity. For example, you
are about to lose your critically needed billboards if you can't raise
another $5,000.00 to cover next month's rental. Won't they please help
pay for the rent of even one board at $200.00?
Or, it could be $60.00 for a 30 second radio spot or $10.00 to
cover one day's rent for a telephone at the phone bank. Your
volunteers are desperate to keep calling because the momentum is
finally swinging your way, but the phone company is threatening to
shut off the phones unless the bill is paid and they won't extend
credit to political campaigns.
Incidentally, this method of using the thank-you letter as
your first appeal for additional funds should be incorporated into all
follow-up thank-you letters, regardless of the source of their
generation.
Always ask for a specific amount for a specific purpose.
People like to believe their dollars are going for something
singularly tangible to which they can relate. It becomes their
billboard, their radio spot, their telephone.
Subsequent follow-up letters should stress your reluctance to
write them again asking for their help which has been so generous to
date. However, the race has become even tighter than before but the
expenses keep mounting up. Your opponent has really begun to fight
back viciously and if you don't have the funds to answer the negative
attacks, the people will start to believe them.
You regret having to do this, as you have tried desperately to
make this a positive campaign based upon the issues. But your
opponent has left you no choice but to fight back or risk losing the
election.
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CHAPTER VII
Enclosed is a sample budget of what the experts think we'll
have to spend in the final months of the campaign in order to have a
better than even chance of winning. Won't they please review it and
see what item they can pay for?
Close with a together we can win theme and a God bless you for
all your help.
The fourth follow-up letter is the most difficult of all.
Like the others, it is a personalized letter sent first class. You
are going back to the well now for the fourth time. This piece
usually goes out in the first week of October.
You really hate having to write this final letter. All night
you tossed and turned, not sure of what to do. Your anguish finally
woke your spouse and the two of you discussed the cause of your
concern.
After listening to your concerns about having to ask for help
again and the reasons why it was necessary, your spouse reminded you
that it wasn't your decision to make.
These good people have supported you all along because they
believe in you and what you are trying to do for them. They know you
have made tremendous sacrifices in order to help them realize their
dreams.
How upset do you think they would be if they knew the outcome
of this election depended on just a few more dollars and you didn't
tell them and give them the opportunity to help if they could.
Remember, this is their campaign too. They have already made many
sacrifices to help it get this far, they won't abandon it now.
You realized your spouse was right and how self-centered it
was of you to think your sacrifices were any greater than theirs. A
campaign isn't just a battle between two individuals. It is a
struggle between two different philosophies about the role of
government in our lives.
You have asked for the chance to be a leader in that struggle
and the responsibility of a leader is to be frank and honest at all
times with the people. The choice of whether to continue the fight is
as much theirs as it is yours.
So you come to them again. Not ashamed to have to ask for
help again, but to give them a frank assessment of where their
campaign is at the present time and the final battle which needs to be
fought in order to win.
The choice is theirs. The polls and your honest assessment of
the situation say you can win. However, there are still a sizable
number of undecided voters in the district who are waiting until the
last minute before making up their mind. Our campaign's message must
continue to the very end.
And we must finish with an intensive drive on election day to
get all of our supporters to the polls. Based on the enclosed budget
for the final weeks of the campaign, we must raise X amount of dollars
for the final effort.
This letter is going to X number of our loyal supporters. If
each of you would contribute just X dollars, we can bring our campaign
to a successful conclusion. Please send at least your fair share,
and, if you can, another share for someone who simply cannot help
further, no matter how badly they would like to help.
Together, shoulder to shoulder, let's go forward into this
final battle. Together, we shall win.
Thank them in advance for their staunch commitment to better
government and perseverance to the end. Close with a God bless you.
These are very powerful, emotional appeals. Many candidates,
especially attorneys, are reluctant to use this type of an appeal on
the grounds they are too emotional. People, after all, should be
motivated to give on the basis of each candidate's stand on the
issues.
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CHAPTER VIIî
Well, there is a point to be made with that argument, but the
operative word is should. The fact is, most of us only become
involved in political activity when our emotions are involved.
The single person who could care less about school board
issues becomes a dedicated advocate when a parent of a 6 year old.
The 30 year old really doesn't focus much on Social Security issues,
other than to grouse about the taxes, until they are past 55 and then
see what happens if you try to mess with it. Childless persons can be
very intellectual about solving the drug problem in this country,
being very concerned about the rights of the individual to use them or
sell them. But ask the parents of a 17 year old who is an addict and
already resorting to crime to support the habit, what should be done
to solve the drug problem. Or worse still, a parent who has lost a
child because of drugs. You won't hear much talk about the civil
rights of drug dealers.
Most of us only respond when our emotions are involved. To
paraphrase, "The heart does many things, the head knows not the reason
why."
After 19 years of fund-raising, I should be as inured as
anyone could be to a fund-raising letter, but I still find myself
responding to a well-written appeal to my emotions.
I once composed a fund-raising letter for a charitable
organization. To make it unique, I wrote it in long hand on a yellow
tablet and produced it that way. The impression was given that the
letter was being written by a missionary in the heart of Africa,
writing by the light of a kerosene lamp late at night while listening
to the crying sounds of hungry children in his orphanage who couldn't
sleep. The orphanage desperately needed a new water pump to provide
fresh drinking water for the children.
The letter was highly emotional and as one person said, "it
could bring tears from a stone." The response rate from that letter
was over 7% - the norm here again is 1%.
Now I don't believe for one minute anyone who received that
letter actually believed it was written by a missionary next to a
kerosene lamp in the middle of Africa. But the letter did bring home
to many of them the terrible problems afflicting our fellow human
beings in that part of the world and that is what they responded to
with their donations.
In a sense, the letter adds graphics to the appeal. This
makes it more understandable and meaningful for many people. It is no
different than the way we become emotionally involved with a good
book, movie, or television show. Our intellect knows it is just a
figment of someone's imagination, but a responsive chord is struck in
our emotions which we identify with and relate to in spite of what our
head knows. Deep down we want it to be so and for a few brief
moments, it is so.
In Appendixes A and C you will find many more details about
the mechanics of generating direct mail. If you plan on using this
method of fund-raising, I strongly suggest you study those sections
carefully.
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CHAPTER VIII
PAC AND PARTY SOLICITATION
"Make a Wish Upon a Star"
A. Understanding PACs and Party Committees.
Many candidates have about as much of a chance to obtain money
from a PAC as they do by wishing upon a star. In most cases, the same
holds true for their party committees.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are now over
500,000 elected officials in the United States. If even half of these
races are contested, it means there are approximately 750,000
candidates every two to four years seeking funds from their party
committees and PACs.
Even with the apparently large sums of money at their
disposal, they don't even come close to being able to help all
candidates, presuming they wanted to help.
When you subtract their costs of fund-raising and their
administrative expenses, the actual expendable dollars are closer to
half the amounts they report as income. In addition to this, many of
them, both PACs and party committees, have other functions which claim
a portion of these expendable dollars. Funds spent for education and
research come immediately to mind.
The net result is for every dollar raised, only 30 to 35% is
available for candidates, on the average. Some more, some less, but
over-all this percentage is very accurate based upon my research over
the past ten years.
The problem for the PACs and party committees is the same
faced by most enterprises, namely the allocation of limited resources.
However, since one of the responsibilities of the party committees is
to encourage candidates of their party to run in all elections, the
impression is often given that financial assistance will be
forthcoming if they all but carry the party's banner as a candidate.
Unfortunately, it is not that simple. If a candidate were to listen
carefully, what is actually being said is, "If you put together a
winning campaign, we will try to provide some financial assistance.
In the meantime, we will provide you with research assistance and some
training and advice if we have time."
The problem is the vast majority of candidates will not study
and take the time necessary to learn how to put together a winning
campaign. As I point out repeatedly in my other two books, THE
CAMPAIGN MANUAL and THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY, running a campaign for
political office is like running a business. It requires an extensive
knowledge of what you are doing, and an intensive amount of research
and hard work, and the active support of hundreds within your
community.
It simply isn't enough to be an honorable person with good
intentions, declare your candidacy and expect to win. The vast
majority of candidates don't get beat by their opponents, they beat
themselves by being such naive campaigners.
The PACs and party committees know this and many of them try
to educate candidates on how to run an effective campaign. But in
most cases their words fall on deaf ears.
Even when candidates go to the expense of hiring professional
campaign consultants, who by virtue of their training and experience,
know how to run campaigns, many of the candidates will still ignore
the very expertise they have paid for and run their own campaigns.
This is one of the reasons why many consultants won't work with
challengers their first time running. They know they have to learn
the hard way before they will take their advice.
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For all these reasons, the PACs and party committees limit
severely the amount of allocable resources to first time candidates.
In addition to this, a party committee's first obligation is to help
its incumbent officeholders retain their seats; therefore, enough
money must be kept aside for this purpose.
Many PACs are affiliated with special interest groups in
business and labor which have to deal with elected officeholders on
almost a daily basis. They are fully aware of the odds of an incumbent
retaining office as a result of the poor campaigns run by the vast
majority of challengers.
It is very rare for them to go against an incumbent whom they
are 98% certain they will have to deal with for another term. Many of
these PACs will only get involved in an open seat campaign and then
only after they have made their assessment as to who is going to win.
Only the ideological PACs will occasionally become involved
with challengers going against an incumbent. They too have a prior
commitment to help keep in office those individuals who represent
their ideology. Only when they are strongly opposed to an incumbent
will they consider becoming involved with a challenger.
In general, party committees at the national level will only
target 30 races in any given cycle as candidates for financial
assistance. The state and local party committees, on a percentage
basis, will target even fewer.
Of the 750,000 or so campaigns waged every cycle in this
country, approximately 5% can expect some financial assistance from
PACs and/or party committees. The other 95% will have to go it alone.
B. How to Solicit PACs and Party Committees.
Since you have read this far, and I will presume you have read
THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL and THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY, you are being
classified as a serious candidate who is determined to learn how to
put together a winning campaign and willing to make the necessary
sacrifices to do so.
Now all you have to do is convince the PACs and party
committees.
In Appendix A there is a detailed explanation of how to put
together a PAC/Party kit and the routine procedures to follow so I
won't waste your time by focusing on that particular information here.
Rather, I will focus on what might be called the technique of
raising funds from these sources.
First of all, always keep in mind that your party committees
and the PACs which lean toward you philosophically, want you to win.
They really do.
Your immediate response could very well be, "Well, if that is
the case, why won't they support me? If I had their help I would win,
but they figure I can't win so they won't help me. Sounds like a
self-fulfilling prophecy to me."
To some extent, you would be right. But your argument would
be based upon a weak premise. Namely, if you had their help you would
win. The fact of the matter is that money by itself does not win
elections. Knowing how to spend it in the most effective manner to
accomplish your objectives is part of the real answer. What is the
most effective manner? I would wager my last dollar I could ask that
question of 1,000 candidates and no more than 5 could give me a
correct answer.
Candidates are notorious for mismanaging campaign funds and
poor budgeting. So much so that a number of PACs and party
committees, when they do contribute to candidates, buy goods or
services for them which they know will be of some help rather than
give them cash which will probably be misspent.
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CHAPTER VIII
If you haven't done your research, and not just about the
issues, how could you possibly know the most effective manner in which
to spend your funds? **1**
For example, no reasonable person who knew little other than general
principles about a car would attempt to manufacture one without first
learning everything he or she could possibly find out about doing it
first. If they didn't have marketing experience, they would then
learn everything they could about how to market it, after it has been
manufactured.
This example might seem drastic, but the same could be said
for any new venture you would want to go into which is substantially
different from the one you are in at the present time.
Isn't it just a little bit arrogant to think you can put
together and run a campaign which, in its own way, is probably more
difficult than manufacturing a car?
That is what the people at the PACs and party committees will
be thinking when you first approach them if you demonstrate a lack of
awareness of what is involved. Most of these people have worked in
campaigns. They have a good understanding of what is involved and
they know the kinds of sacrifices you will have to make in order to
learn how to run a campaign.
The burden of proof is on you. You must demonstrate to them
not only that you know what is involved, and how to do it. You must
prove to them that you can do it.
Be assured it is not easy. Even after learning as much as you
can about how to do it, you may find you lack the particular skills
necessary to translate the knowledge into action.
This is why the PACs and party committees take a "wait and
see" attitude. They want to have assurances you have successfully
transferred the knowledge acquired into the skills necessary to
achieve your objective. Remember, they want you to win.
Just as a banker wants every business person to succeed since
it will ultimately mean more revenue for the bank, they have a
fiduciary responsibility to their investors and depositors to make
sure you have the ability to make your business successful. So do the
PAC and party committee personnel who ultimately make these decisions
want you to succeed. However, investors, i.e. the people who
contribute funds for them to manage, want them to make sure every
campaign they "invest" in has a reasonable chance of success.
So they will wait and they will monitor your campaign. The
party committees, through their network of field directors and party
personnel throughout the country, and the PACs through their
associates throughout the country will monitor your progress.
They also look at other tell-tale signs of your campaigns
progress. Poll results being at or near the top of the list. The
number of contributors to your campaign and the amount raised from
within your district. Remember, all the reports you file with either
the state agencies or the Federal Election Commission (FEC) are public
records and they monitor them if they believe a campaign has
potential.
Reports from other elected officials close to the scene also
influence their thinking. And when they are really close to becoming
involved, they will usually send someone to look over the campaign
personally and make a report back to the decision makers.
Some campaigns will try to dazzle these people with what are
called "blue smoke and mirrors," but many of these field operatives
have been around for a while and it doesn't take them long to see
through the charade. Especially if the supporting evidence doesn't
substantiate what they are seeing and hearing.
FootNotes:
**1** See THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY for a detailed explanation of the
necessary research which must be done.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER VIII
I referred before to the associates of PACs found in most
districts throughout the country. Many of the larger, better funded
PACs have members all over the country who have the responsibility of
evaluating campaigns within their communities and making
recommendations for support to the PAC. In fact, many of these PACs
cannot make a contribution unless a recommendation to do so is
forthcoming from these local individuals. The medical PAC, the
realtors PAC, the construction industry PAC, the auto dealers' PAC,
some of the labor PACs, the insurance industry PAC, to name just a
few, operate in this manner.
This is one of the reasons why it makes good sense to have a
representative of these professions on your finance committee. When
the time is right, they should prevail on their PAC to provide
support. It will carry more weight with the PAC than if the request
comes directly from the campaign.
Send out your PAC kit to those PACs which you believe will be
the most likely supporters, if you prove your case. Regularly send
them updates on the campaign's progress and include your campaign
newsletter plus copies of favorable newspaper articles.
When you have raised at least 60% of your budget through your
own fund-raising efforts, then make your serious push on the PACs. If
you are a state or local candidate, go to your state capitol for a few
days and make the rounds of the PACs armed with your poll results,
game plan, and stats on your political and financial progress to date.
If a federal candidate, plan on spending a few days in
Washington, DC. Your party will usually help arrange your schedule
after they see your results. In fact, with those kind of stats they
will start pushing the PACs they have influence with to come on board.
No one can guarantee a win. They know that, but all they want
to know is that your campaign is viable and has a reasonable chance of
winning.
At the very least your trip will be successful if you can
convince them to hold back on their active support for your opponent.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER IX
CANDIDATE ACTIVITY
"The Lonesome Trail"
A. The Problem.
Many, if not most, candidates find personally raising campaign
funds the most difficult activity to do in the campaign process.
They will usually find every excuse imaginable to avoid doing
it. The problem is the candidate is the single most effective "tool"
in the fund-raising process. Eliminating this activity seriously
affects the campaign's ability to meet its objectives.
The candidate's involvement in the types of fund-raising
already discussed are relatively easy to do. They are somewhat
detached from the actual process and; therefore, most candidates can
handle those activities. It is when they must sit face to face with a
potential contributor and ask for money that the problems arise.
Candidates, by their very nature, tend to have strong egos.
They are usually self-sufficient people who have reached the levels
where they are in life mainly through their own efforts.
Whatever financial help they may have received through the
years has usually come from family, or close friends. The thought of
having to ask relative strangers for financial assistance goes against
their basic principles and is anathema to them.
The stress caused by this dilemma can be very serious. It not
only can affect the campaign's ability to meet its financial
objectives, it can also spill over and affect the quality of the
candidate's political activity.
Essentially, the problem is one of attitude and, therefore,
psychological in nature. The candidates who have this problem have a
strong tendency to internalize this activity. That is, they are
unable to distinguish between raising funds for themselves,
personally, and raising funds for the campaign.
They personalize the campaign to such a degree that they
become inseparable. They are the campaign and the campaign is them.
B. The Solution.
If you have this problem, you must force yourself to make this
distinction.
In order to do this, you have to understand the distinction
and what, in reality, the general electorate is voting for when they
go to the polls.
Except for your relatives, friends, and close supporters, the
vast majority of voters do not know you. So they couldn't possibly be
voting for or against you personally! All they know is what you
represent yourself to be and believe in through your campaign media
and candidate activities. (And what they hear from your opponent and
your opponent's supporters.) To many of them, you are the enemy by
virtue of the simple fact that you are challenging their candidate.
You could be a Mother Theresa for all they care. You are
challenging their candidate and that is enough to reject you, all
other considerations notwithstanding. We all want to be liked and
well thought of, but giving up this need is just one of the prices you
pay when you become a candidate for public office.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER IX
Many, if not most, of those who do vote for you will be voting
for reasons which have nothing to do with you personally. For
example, a sizable percentage will vote for you simply because of your
party affiliation. Many because they can identify with you by the
"sound" of your name, i.e. if your name is Hispanic sounding and they
are Hispanic-American, that is all the reason they need, or if Italian
sounding and they are Italian-Americans, or if female and they are
female, etc.
Many of them will cast a vote for you simply because you are
the incumbent, or because you are not. A few will even vote for you
because they prefer your stand on the issues versus your opponent's.
And some will vote for you because your campaign's activities took the
time to ask them to vote for you.
Only a relatively insignificant percentage will vote for or
against you because you are you!
You must understand this because it is true. In my career, I
have even seen campaigns won by "ghost" candidates. A real person was
running, but the image created of that person in the campaign was
virtually a total fabrication. I even recall one campaign where the
candidate was sent out of the country for the duration of the campaign
so he couldn't contradict the image created by his consultants - and
he won! Lest you chuckle too hard at the gullibility of that
particular electorate, I should mention it was a state representatives
race in one of the most affluent, well-educated counties in the
country.
Think about the hundreds of votes you have cast over your
adult lifetime. Except for the Presidential campaigns and high media
campaigns at the statewide level, how well did you know the candidate
for whom you voted?
The fact is, most candidates are decent, caring, well-educated
individuals who would make great neighbors or friends. Even their
goals and objectives for us are usually very similar. Their primary
disagreements come in how to achieve those goals and objectives.
Essentially, this is what the voters decide in most campaigns:
which candidate most closely agrees with their own views on how these
objectives should be realized and at what price.
When you ask someone to contribute to your campaign, you are
not asking them for personal support. You are asking them to
contribute to their own campaign in order to have their view, or
philosophy, of how the objectives should be met become the prevalent
one!
You are simply the "spear carrier," or the focal point for
their campaign. If they will not support their campaign, then they
have, in effect, conceded their position to the opposition.
You have nothing to be embarrassed about by asking them to
support the campaign. It is they who should be embarrassed if they
fail to "put their money where there mouth is." Even if you haven't
put a single dollar of your own into the campaign (which is highly
unlikely), the personal sacrifices you and your family are making by
being the spear carrier far exceeds their monetary sacrifice.
They know campaigns cannot be won without money to
communicate, just as battles cannot be won without weapons. **1**
C. How to Make it Happen.
So the bottom line is, campaigns rarely have anything to do
with personalities. They are really battles between ideas. But if
this is the case, why don't these potential contributors recognize
this and support the campaign, especially when they have so much money
it couldn't possibly be a case of their inability to make a
contribution?
The reasons by now should be obvious. Like the party and the
PAC leaders, they want you to win. They just aren't convinced you can
and they will have to get along with your opponent long after the
election is over.
FootNotes:
**1** See THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY for a further discussion of this
point.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER IX
Most of these potential contributors have been around long
enough to see many candidates fail to win because they were not
serious enough about winning to do what was necessary to put together
a winning campaign.
Many of these potential major contributors are business people
who know how difficult it is to start a new business. They realize a
campaign is even more difficult. Unless you are an incumbent, the
silent question being asked in their mind is what makes you think you
have the ability to do it.
They know it isn't enough to be willing to undertake the
rigors of a campaign. As the old proverb goes, "The road to Hell is
paved with good intentions." It takes certain skills and hard work to
make it happen.
Try putting yourself in their place. Here is this relatively
young person who comes to you seeking your financial help. You really
don't know this person but you have heard positive things about their
personality and character so you are willing to listen. The person
shares with you their concerns and eagerness to do something about
them. Okay, that's fine, you think, but how are you going to do it?
What are your qualifications? Have you properly researched the
market? Do you even know how to properly research the market? What
about your competition? How much do you know about them and their
current market penetration?
What do you know about marketing techniques and technology?
How much do you know about managing and administering a business this
size?
What are the qualifications of the support personnel you have
on board, especially your management team?
Have you developed a reasonable budget to help meet your
objectives? Are you under capitalized? If I give you this limited
amount, what are your plans for obtaining the rest which you say you
need?
And, if successful, what do you know about the issues? How
would you evaluate the ramifications of those potential solutions?
Are you able to work out a compromise with your other legislators and
settle for a half of the pie, if you can't have the whole?
These are, or should be, the kinds of questions you would ask
if you were on the other side doing the giving. So why should it be
any different for the potential contributor?
Remember, most of the people you have selected to ask really
do want you to win. But they are not fools. They are not about to
put a wager "on a dead horse."
So the burden of proof is on you and it has little to do with
your personality and character. You can presume they have heard
positive things about you in that regard or you wouldn't even have the
opportunity to make your appeal.
D. The Right Way.
The wrong way to make your appeal is to go into the meeting
poorly prepared and start off by bad-mouthing your opponent.
The person you are speaking to probably has a fair idea of
your opponent already and if they don't, they would prefer to find out
on their own. Anything coming from you is immediately suspect because
of your bias.
The right way is to introduce yourself and give them a brief
idea of your background. Explain to them why you are running for this
particular office and what you hope to accomplish if elected.
Then comes the difficult part. Explain to them how you plan
on winning the campaign. Start off by admitting that when you first
considered running for this office, you realized you knew next to
nothing about where to begin. You realized much research needed to
be done before you could start.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER IX
So you obtained and studied everything you could lay your
hands on about how to be a candidate, develop strategy, raise funds,
and run a campaign. You talked to party personnel and former
candidates. Then you studied the demographic characteristics of the
people in your district and developed a plan to market your campaign
among the various groupings.
You recruited some of the finest talent you could find to
serve on your executive, or steering committee, as well as on the
Finance and Field operations committees.
Finally you did a poll to assess your opponent's strengths and
weaknesses among the electorate and to discern the primary issues of
concern to the electorate.
Then you developed a detailed game plan, fund-raising plan,
budget, and time-line. You began to organize your campaign. You
purchased a computer and Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS)
and began to accumulate the data base you would need to get started.
You obtained a map of the district and began to divide it into
manageable regions and areas. You selected a headquarters site and
have begun the task of assembling an operations staff.
As you discuss this you lay out brief overviews of these
accomplishments. The whole presentation shouldn't take more than ten
minutes.
Then go for the close. If you have done your presentation
properly and it is complete, the potential contributor cannot help but
be impressed. Say to that person, you have done your part and you
intend to continue doing so throughout the campaign. Now it is
his/her turn to do their part. If they can, they should contribute
their fair share of X dollars to the campaign and contact at least
five of their associates, arrange a breakfast or lunch meeting for the
two of you, and help to convince them to do their fair share also.
This is the type of no-nonsense, professional approach many
people like this will respond to when asked. But its success is
conditioned on your having done the work necessary to convince them
you are serious. This is also the approach you would use with PAC and
party committee leaders.
E. Summary.
Have the right attitude. This is not your campaign, you are
just one of the players - albeit the key one. This is everyone's
campaign who shares the same approach to solving those problems which
government can address.
All of these people, especially in you district, have a
responsibility to do their fair share. First, though, you must
convince them you have the willingness, determination and ability to
be successful.
You are the key fund-raiser in the campaign, especially in the
early stages. Many of the potential major contributors are going to
insist on meeting you face to face and sizing up your chances before
they will contribute. As a point of interest, if you cannot convince
a number of them, the chances are you will never be able to convince
the PAC and party committee leaders.
Apply this attitude in all of your fund-raising activities.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
SUMMARY
"Play it Again, Sal"
A. Overview.
There are several standard methods of fund-raising for
political campaigns. No matter how many variations or unique twists
you may hear about or devise, they will fall into one of these
categories.
Basically, the categories are:
1. Individual Solicitation
2. Major Fund-raising Events
3. Minor Fund-raising Events
4. Direct Mail Solicitation
5. PAC and Party Solicitation
The candidate activity discussed in the previous chapter is
actually part of the first category, individual solicitation.
The administrative details on how to implement these
activities are found in Appendix A.
However, before you can implement any of these methods you
must first develop a detailed game plan based on your strategy. A
major component of this plan from both a campaign and fund-raising
perspective is the time-line. Once all of this has been developed,
you will not only know when various political activities are to take
place but when and how much you need to budget in order to actualize
them.
In effect, you are running two campaigns simultaneously, the
political campaign and the fund-raising campaign. The cord which ties
them together is the time-line.
The key players in the fund-raising campaign are you and the
members of your finance committee. The finance committee should be
composed of 20 individuals, preferably 10 from the upper middle income
brackets and 10 from the middle income brackets. The committee should
be divided into 5 teams with 2 members from each bracket on a team.
One member should then be designated as the team captain. The team
captains, the finance committee chairperson and you then become the
executive finance committee for the campaign.
A direct mail program to the people you have in your prospect
file is then initiated. The names are subsequently divided up among
the members of the committee for follow-up.
Following this activity, a major fund-raising event is
planned. First in May or early June and the second in the first week
of October (or the last weekend in September). Members are assigned a
proportionate share of the tickets for these events to sell and call
upon the remaining potential contributors in the prospect file.
All lists are managed on a personal computer using Political
Campaign Management Software (PCMS).
These events can average between $100.00 and $500.00 per
person, with a similar amount charged for a private reception
beforehand if you have a celebrity-type as guest speaker.
Minor fund-raising events are usually handled by the Field
Operations Committee, the political arm of the campaign, with some
assistance provided by a Team Captain from the Finance Committee.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
They are normally low ticketed events designed for family
participation. Picnics, dances, parties, etc. Each Region should
have at least one event during the summer months. If they wish to
sponsor cocktail parties at other times in the Spring and Fall, care
should be taken to make sure they do not conflict with major projects
being done by the Finance Committee.
These events do not raise much money but they do have
offsetting political advantages as well as having the effect of
building morale.
Direct mail solicitation is designed to work on the pyramid
system. It builds slowly and in many cases will not even pay for
itself in the first mailings. The real profit is realized in the
subsequent mailings to the people who contributed as a result of the
first mailer. Pyramid mailings are signed by the candidate.
An excellent return rate on the first mailer would be 3%;
however, even 1% is acceptable. If the rate falls below 1%, something
is probably wrong with either your lists or your mail package.
Another type of direct mail solicitation involves specialty
mailings, i.e. mailings to individuals grouped by a common denominator
such as occupation or association. The letters are then signed by a
prominent member of that grouping. The results of all mailers are
then fed into the pyramid program.
PAC and party committee solicitation begins with the mailing
of a kit to the respective organizations early in the campaign.
However, this is done primarily to call their attention to your
campaign. Given the methods which they use to determine financial
assistance, they will not become involved, except in rare situations,
until you have demonstrated the viability of your campaign and
verified it through independent sources such as a poll taken by an
independent polling firm. Normally, this will not happen until the
latter stages of the campaign.
Remember, they want you to win, but because of limited
resources and other considerations, the burden of proof is on your
campaign to prove it warrants direct financial involvement.
B. Analysis.
Political fund-raising is really no different than
fund-raising for any type of organization. The information in this
manual could be used just as effectively by virtually any non-profit,
or not-for-profit organization. The only difference would be the
addition of grant programs and endowments to the list of available
methods. These methods are not available to political campaigns.
Fund-raising itself involves finding a way to have people
voluntarily part with some of their hard-earned money for an
intangible benefit. A benefit which they have no assurance will be
forthcoming. Unlike charitable fund-raising, the contributors do not
even have the benefit of a tax deduction.
Frankly, I can't think of a harder thing to "sell," not even
life insurance, than the financing of a political campaign.
Fortunately, some people take their civic responsibilities
seriously enough to become involved in the political process by
volunteering their time and energy and donating some of their
resources.
There are others who donate because they believe it will give
them preferred access to the legislator if they ever have a particular
problem in dealing with that particular branch of the government.
They view their contribution as a form of insurance. **1**
Others contribute because they are personal friends of the
candidate and feel obligated to help, even when they don't fully agree
with their views. Some are vendors who hope to gain some of the
campaign's business by making a contribution.
FootNotes:
**1** In some cases, they are right. In many though, the size of an
individual's contribution, or even if none were ever given, has no
effect on the degree of service given by the legislator.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
Then there are those whom we usually refer to as ideologues.
People who are passionately involved in a particular philosophy who
will support virtually any candidate in concert with their cause. Not
far removed from the ideologue are those people who are very partisan,
or who have a personal axe to grind with your opponent, who will make
a contribution just to prevent your opponent from winning.
When you begin fund-raising, you never know what specifically
is motivating the person you are appealing to for a contribution.
However, knowing the primary reasons why people contribute is
very helpful in planning your fund-raising strategy.
By carefully tailoring your message to the various types and
then targeting them to each type, you can improve your response rate
considerably. In other words, except for your support file mailings,
do not use a generic letter to all types of contributors.
Just for the sake of discussion, let's categorize the various
types of contributors.
1. Patriotic
2. Access
3. Friends
4. Vendors
5. Ideologues
6. Partisans
7. Angry
Each type of contributor requires a unique message in order to
strike a responsive chord. In fact, if you sent the same message to
all of them, you would inadvertently turn some of them off to your
campaign and could actually cause them to support your opponent.
Some of these types can be identified by list selection. For
example, 3, 4, 5, and 6 (friends, vendors, ideologues, and partisans).
1, 2, and 7 (patriotic, access, and angry) are more difficult to
identify. You would have to use a broader based message for them.
Similar to casting out a large net and hoping to catch as many fish as
you can with it. Hopefully, the message will touch enough chords
without turning anyone off.
With types 3, 4, 5, and 6 however, you can fish more
selectively with a rod and reel.
You have already prepared a list of all your friends and
relatives. You should compose a more personalized letter for them
explaining why you are taking this major step in your life. How it
seems that everything you have done in your life has led up to this
decision. You can no longer sit on the sidelines wishing someone
would take care of these problems. You realized that the someone is
you.
You have done an awful lot of research about your opponent,
the district and what it takes to put together a winning campaign.
You have carefully analyzed your own skills and qualifications and
have assembled a group of friends and supporters who are willing to
help you win. But you can't do it alone. You have put all you
possibly can, and then some, into your campaign's seed money and now
you need their assistance to raise the rest.
You regret this imposition, but if it is at all possible, you
would really appreciate their assistance at this time. No amount is
too large or too small. All help will be well used and gratefully
appreciated.
To approach the vendors, prepare a list of all possible
vendors you will be using during the campaign. Printers, mail
processors, office supply firms, etc. Do not, under any circumstance,
even imply that their contribution will influence your campaign's
decision as to where to buy its goods and services.
#ENDCARD
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CHAPTER X
Simply include them on your mailing list in the prospect file
and send them the same fund-raising letter as everyone else in that
file. Then have the finance committee follow-up on them the same as
they would for anyone.
If you are using Political Campaign Management Software
(PCMS), you will note in the Prospect File section a place to indicate
an optional code field on each record. You could use this code field
to indicate the types of contributors using this categorizing system.
By placing these codes in the set-up file, you would then be able to
call up and print a report of who contributed by this category.
This enables you to monitor how effectively each letter is
working in each category as well as which vendors have contributed to
your campaign.
Lists of ideologues in your district are available from
commercial list management companies. They have lists of contributors
to specific causes, general ideology, and members of identifiable
organizations. Determine where you fit within the political spectrum
and which organizations would be likely to have members who would
share your views. Then have the list company select from their
various lists those people who live within a 50 mile radius of your
district. Have them sort the names by zip code and send them to you
on pressure sensitive labels if volunteers are doing the mailing, or
in a cheshire label format if you are using a commercial mail
processing company (sometimes referred to as Letter Shops).
Ideologues, by definition, tend to be very passionate about
the causes they espouse. Your generic letter would probably be too
mild to reach their responsive chords.
Therefore, the tone of your letter should be more emotional in
discussing your views on the issues which you know to be of concern to
them. Almost strident, but don't get carried away. Remember, the
chances are, all of these letters will end up in your opponent's hands
and could become a political issue.
Almost all ideologues have certain "buzz" words which have a
special meaning in their vocabulary. They almost constitute a code
whereby they can easily identify each other. If you don't know what
theses codes are for the grouping you are appealing to, find out.
Talk to individuals in this category and ask them to discuss the
issues of greatest concern to them. After two or three such
conversations, you will begin to hear the same adjectives and adverbs
used over and over. These are the identifying words you are looking
for.
To prove how effective this can be, talk to a professional
fund-raiser. Not only can they tell you the right buzz words to use
for each grouping, they can just as easily develop a fund-raising
program for one group as the other. **1**
When raising funds from partisans, you have to be careful.
Both parties have under their label, members from throughout the
political spectrum. There are conservative Democrats and liberal
Republicans. Many people belong to one party or the other simply
because their parents did, or it is expedient for business reasons in
their community, or for social reasons. This does not mean they
support their party's platform in toto, which helps explain the high
rise in ticket-splitters over the past twenty years.
This does not mean, however, they consider themselves any less
partisan than other members of their party.
Where ideologues tend to be of like mind in most major issues,
partisans can vary from one extreme to the other.
Your message therefore, should focus more on issues which are
clearly partisan considerations. Primarily, this would involve
balance in the legislature and control of key committee assignments.
FootNotes:
**1** Over the past 19 years, I have developed fund-raising programs
for liberals, moderates, conservatives, Indian-schools, missions,
ethnic organizations, non-profit organizations, etc. The principles
are the same.
#ENDCARD
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CHAPTER X
When discussing issues, strike the middle ground, but use
partisan buzz words and phrases like, "as Democrats we have a
tradition of being concerned about the working person," (as though
Republicans aren't working people and equally as concerned), and, "as
Republicans we have a tradition of lowering taxes and helping the
working person keep more of what they earn," (as though the Democrats
enjoy paying higher taxes).
What is somewhat ironic about those two phrases is that,
statistically, they are both wrong. Taxes have been rising
consistently under every Republican administration, and the working
person's purchasing power has decreased under every Democratic one.
Be that as it may, in politics and fund-raising, perception is
the reality, as it is in most other fields of endeavor.
Each party has built up its own unique set of buzz words and
phrases from one experience or another in the past, which may or may
not have any relevance to the realities of today. But they have stuck
and become part of the stereo type image of each party. **1**
Sometimes it is politically expedient for each party to foster this
image of the other party and this I can understand. I have a more
difficult time understanding when I hear political pundits and
journalists, who should know better, continue to reinforce these false
stereo types. I suppose if I were a real cynic, I would suspect their
motivation.
For our discussion we have to look at the realities, whether
perceived or not. Our objective is to raise funds. In order to do
this we must phrase our messages to the audiences we are addressing in
order to obtain the most favorable response.
So keep your letter to your partisan prospects a bit more
generic and use the phrases which they can all identify with as
partisans.
These lists are available from several sources. Your county
and state party committees and former candidates of your party who
have run in your district or in another district which encompasses
yours are your best sources.
Oftentimes, these former candidates will rent you their lists
as a means of raising money to retire their campaign debts. A good
list can rent for $100.00 per 1,000 names. It is usually well worth
the investment.
The ideologue lists previously referred to will usually rent
for $60.00 to $75.00 per 1,000 names.
C. Variations.
Throughout your political career you will hear many unique
variations of the methods discussed the THE FINANCE MANUAL. Some will
be effective for some campaigns, others will be a bust.
Two of the more common variations are the use of pledges and
credit cards. Frankly, I have never used the credit card method so I
am unable to evaluate its effectiveness. I have tried the pledge
program several times and have had mixed results.
The main problem is pledges induce a false sense of security
in the budget process. The campaign plans on the pledge money coming
in at the arranged time and as often as not, it isn't forthcoming.
Another, more minor, problem is that it adds another
bookkeeping chore to an already cumbersome situation. All campaigns
have to file some type of report of contributions and expenditures
several times during the campaign cycle. As mentioned previously,
this is a serious responsibility and one which takes up an extensive
amount of the campaign's time. To add another layer to this
burdensome problem for a result which is so chancy does not appear to
be worth the effort.
FootNotes:
**1** I can't help but laugh when I see in the newspaper references
to country club Republicans. Statistically, there are more Democrat
millionaires than Republicans and the size of the average contribution
to the Democratic party is almost three times greater than it is to
the Republican party.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
You will hear of other sure-fire variations from time to time
which purport to make your fund-raising so productive with virtually
no effort. I can't speak about these proposals until I have had an
opportunity to evaluate them. But I can tell you in 19 years and over
35 campaigns, I have yet to find an easy way to raise money. Maybe
someone else has, or will, and if they do I'll be the first in line to
endorse and recommend it. Until that day, I'll continue to be very
suspicious of any get-rich-quick schemes, which usually only make the
promoter wealthy.
Fund-raising is hard work. It requires a definite strategy
and game plan. It involves a working knowledge of all the tools used
in fund-raising, i.e. the materials and services involved.
It requires an understanding of the various categories of
contributors and what motivates them to give. It involves practice
and skill to formulate the proper message for each of these groups.
It involves an understanding of applied psychology in order to
be able to motivate others to go out and raise funds on behalf of the
campaign.
It requires sophisticated managerial skills in order to handle
the logistics involved in all the various methods used.
And most of all, it requires extreme perseverance and patience
to bring it all together.
It can be done. During my career, I have left many campaigns
with a surplus in their bank account in spite of having spent record
amounts for that district. In all of those cases, the candidate also
won - even though most were challengers.
Others were left with substantial debts in losing efforts.
The only real distinction was the extent to which one campaign
followed the guides in this book, over the other. I have seen
candidates try to run campaigns without finance committees.
Candidates who never could get over their reluctance to raise money.
Candidates who refused to accept the necessity of research and the
development of a fund-raising game plan. I could go on for pages, but
you get the point.
Fund-raising is an integral part of the campaign process.
Given our present system, you cannot do one without the other.
Someday, there may be government financing of campaigns and there will
no longer be a need for books of this kind, but until then you have no
choice but to do fund-raising if you want to win.
D. The Computer.
Throughout THE FINANCE MANUAL, I have referred to the
advantages of using a computer in your campaign and Political Campaign
Management Software (PCMS). Since my associate, Frank Flucke, and I
designed Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS), you have
probably assumed I am biased in my recommendation of it so blatantly
in this book and that all I am trying to do is make a sale.
On the first count, you are right. I am very biased about
Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS). When personal
computers began to move from the toy stage to being productive in the
business world in the early 80's, I was one of the first consultants
to realize their implication in the political process. For years I
had been making extensive use of main frame computers in campaigns,
even when half the districts in the country still maintained their
voter registration files in hard copy (books).
By the mid-eighties, a couple of companies had developed
software programs for political campaigns and I enthusiastically
embraced them in the campaigns I was working on at the time.
However, I soon realized they had serious flaws. Basically
they were developed by programmers who had little or no experience in
the campaign environment and it showed. There were severe limitations
on what they could do and some required the purchase of other software
programs to work effectively. They were very difficult to use and
certainly not user friendly. Volunteers using them would become
frustrated and we had a difficult time finding people to work with
them on a consistent basis. But the worst complaint I had was the
price. Most of them cost around $2,000.00, except for a Junior
version which was nothing more than a glorified data base program you
could buy for $400.00, but which they would sell for $800.00.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
To say the least, I was frustrated. I knew they were not very
efficient and they were outrageously overpriced. But other than
grousing about the situation, I had no plans to do anything about it.
Though I am very familiar with computer operations, I am not a
programmer.
Then one day in March, 1987, I received a call from Mr. Flucke
who had a business in Tempe, Arizona. He had used my book, THE
CAMPAIGN MANUAL, at his university while pursuing his double major in
computer science and political science. He wanted to know if I was
satisfied with the computer programs presently on the market for
political campaigns. I dumped all my frustrations out on him.
He correctly assumed that meant I wasn't and asked if I had
ever considered developing a software program following the game plan
developed in THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL. I told him I hadn't but was
interested. He asked if he could fly out and discuss it with me and
he did. Now, Frank is a young man and to be honest, my first reaction
was, could he do what he claimed.
After three days of discussions, I was convinced he could.
Before he left for Tempe, we agreed on three major requirements for
the program. (1) It had to be powerful and comprehensive, covering
all the major requirements of a campaign including the preparation of
all campaign reporting forms, Federal or state; (2) it had to be
truly user friendly so anyone who had two fingers and could read
English could run it from the moment they turned it on; and (3) it
had to be affordable by candidates at every level from school boards
to the U. S. Senate. For what the others were charging for their
software alone, I wanted candidates to be able to buy our program and
a computer with printer.
For the next two years we worked constantly on developing and
refining it. Using my then twelve year old daughter as the test
model, if there was any screen she couldn't understand simply by
reading it, we went back and redesigned it.
Frank decided to write the basic program in dBase III+ and
then re-compile it. DBase III + is the most powerful programming
language on the market for this type of application and when
re-compiled it also became the fastest. When a new, even faster
compiler called Clipper, become available in 1988, Frank broke the
program down and re-compiled it a second time using this state of the
art compiling program. A project which added months to the
development of the final program.
Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS) is the fastest,
most powerful and most comprehensive program on the market today. It
sells for $600.00 while its competitors are still priced in the
$2,000.00 range. It is the only program available which has an
edition for every state in the union, and a version for candidates,
PACs, and party committees.
So yes, I am biased, but I think justifiably so.
As to the second count that I am just trying to make a sale, I
plead not guilty.
Volunteers have an economic value to a campaign. Their "life
span" in a campaign is very limited - the average is 20 hours. To use
them indiscriminately for work which a machine can do faster and
better is a waste of precious resources. By freeing them up to do the
people contact work which a machine cannot do, you improve the
over-all productivity of your campaign geometrically.
Also, if your campaign is computerized, you will be much more
inclined to use the various methods outlined in this book and as a
result, will considerably improve your campaign's income.
Quite frankly, I have a hard time imagining anyone running for
office in a district with a population greater than 2,000 not using a
computer with a program like Political Campaign Management Software
(PCMS). It is so terribly inefficient and such a serious waste of
your time and of your volunteers.
A computer with the proper software has become the most basic
tool in the modern campaign. In Appendix G, I have included the
highlights of my lecture notes which I use when discussing this
subject. Also included is a sample computer system which is ideal for
small to medium sized campaigns. No, I don't sell computers. It is
there primarily as a reference for you to use when shopping for your
own computer in order to help obtain the best possible price. There
are also several pages containing the most commonly used DOS commands.
These are the utility commands which are used almost daily to make
duplicate diskettes, back up files for safekeeping, etc. It's about
99% of what you will ever need to know or use in operating your
computer.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
CHAPTER X
Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS) will do all the
rest for you - if you have two fingers and can read English.
E. Some Final Thoughts.
When I first planned to write THE FINANCE MANUAL, my
inclination was to write one similar to several good books available
on the subject, but to write it in my own style and more integrated
with the game plan developed in THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL. The more I
thought about it, I came to realize I had never read a book on the
subject which focused more on the strategy of fund-raising and the
psychology of giving.
So I decided to provide my readers with both. In the
Appendixes, you will find the detail usually available in books on
fund-raising. Collectively they constitute the second half of this
manual. I hope though in this first half you have gained a better, or
more complete, understanding of the strategy involved with
fund-raising. Not only how to develop it, but why.
It is not definitive, I really do not believe any book on this
subject could be. It is comprehensive. If you take the time to study
all the material contained herein, you will be able to make the
necessary extensions and apply the relevant sections to your campaign.
Questions of scale are not really relevant.
Whether your objective is to raise $50,000.00 or $500,000.00+,
the principles are the same and will work just as effectively for one
as for the other.
When you become discouraged, and you will, re-read Chapter IX
on Candidate Activity. Remind yourself that you are a vital part of
the political process in our country, regardless of the level of
office you are seeking. Money is simply a tool to buy communications
which is an integral part of that process.
So long as you are using it for the legitimate purposes for
which it was given, you have nothing to be embarrassed about. Quite
the contrary, you should be justifiably proud that you helped so many
others become involved in this dynamic process.
If in spite of your best efforts you should lose and you do
have a campaign debt, continue writing to the people in your support
file and ask them to do their fair share to help retire the debt.
Include the PACs and party committees. All have made an investment in
this campaign and in all probability will want you to make the effort
again the next time around. They know you will not be able to do this
while carrying a debt, so many will help you retire it, if they can.
At least ask them and give them the opportunity to say no. Don't
presume it for them.
I wish all of you well in your efforts and applaud those of
you who have the courage to become involved in the campaign process.
God bless you.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
A. Political Time Line For A Congressional Campaign. **1**
10/01/89 Begin meeting with prospective members of Finance and
Advisory Committees and interviewing Political Campaign Consultants.
Obtain computer and software.
10/15/89 Appoint Finance and Advisory Committee members,
Campaign Chairperson(s) and Treasurer. Open campaign bank accounts.
Begin developing Support and Prospect Files.
11/01/89 Contract with Political Campaign Consultant and other
suppliers. File as Candidate with the appropriate agencies - if
Congressional, with the Clerk of the House and the FEC.
11/15/89 Washington, DC or state capitol. Visit with key
national or state Party staff people, elected Party officials, key PAC
directors, to discuss candidacy and develop support. 2-3 days.
12/01/89 Select location of headquarters. Open P.O. Box;
obtain assigned phone numbers. Finance Committee meeting. Order
campaign graphics -logo, brochure, etc.
12/15/89 Order brochures, press release masthead paper,
stationary, envelopes, bumper strips, billboard paper, etc. Obtain
lists or tapes of registered voters. Advisory Committee meeting.
12/20/89 Finance Committee meeting. Establish Regional and Area
boundaries.
01/03/90 Arrange for direct mail piece to all Party households.
Drop date 2/15/90. Order billboards and 4 x 8 signs, select initial
locations. Posting time 3/1/90.
01/15/90 Begin contacting centers of influence on regularly
scheduled basis.
02/01/90 Make deposit on headquarters, phones, equipment.
Formal opening 3/1/90. Arrange location of first press conference for
announcement of candidacy on 2/15/90. Assemble press kits. Begin
interviewing staff members.
02/07/90 Send press release announcing a press conference for
2/15/90. Check progress of Party direct mail. Finance Committee
meeting. Hire key staff.
02/08/90 Invite attenders, key community leaders, chairpersons,
treasurer, volunteers, to press conference
2/15/90. Develop announcement speech. Advisory Committee meeting.
02/12/90 Verify media attenders for 2/15/90 press conference.
Mail kits to media outlets unable to attend. Order lawn (window)
signs.
02/15/90 Announcement of candidacy press conference. Refreshments
afterwards. Drop Party direct mail. Order signs for headquarters.
02/16/90 Complete hiring of staff. Arrange installation of
phones and delivery of equipment. Begin assembly of Precinct kits and
Phone Bank manuals. Arrange for tele-matching of phone numbers on
voter registration lists.
02/18/90 Headquarters opens informally. Equip and make
operational. Set procedures.
02/25/90 Send press release announcing grand opening of
headquarters 3/1/90. Invite all volunteers to grand opening, plan for
light party.
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
02/26/90 Training sessions for Precinct Captain and Phone Bank
volunteers. Finance Committee meeting.
03/01/90 Formal grand opening of headquarters, 7:30 P.M. Party
for volunteers, staff, and media. Post billboards and 4 x 8 signs.
03/02/90 Prepare copy for first mailing to support file on
3/15/90. Begin posting window signs. Begin 2nd Stage. Precinct and
Phone Bank operations begin.
03/03/90 Assemble PAC kits and order material for first PAC
mailing. Advisory Committee meeting. Meet with Field Operations
Committee.
03/04/90 Finance Committee meeting.
03/10/90 Drop first PAC mailing. Order out-of-district (OD)
mail materials. Drop date 4/10/90.
03/15/90 Drop first Support File mailing. Send invitations to
prospective speakers for 5/14/90 fund-raising dinner.
03/26/90 Meet with Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers.
Define objectives and priority Precincts. Begin PAC mailing follow-up
to key PACs.
04/01/90 Advisory Committee meeting. Finance Committee
meeting. Firm guest speaker for 5/15/90 dinner. Order tickets.
Arrange for promotional mailing on 4/15/90.
04/10/90 Drop out-of-district mailing.
04/15/90 Drop dinner mailing.
04/20/90 Finance Committee meeting. Distribute prospect cards
for sale of dinner tickets.
04/28/90 Advisory Committee meeting.
04/29/90 Begin telephone follow-up to persons who received
dinner tickets in mail but did not respond.
05/02/90 Order new poster paper for billboards.
05/05/90 Finance Committee meeting (dinner). Send press
release on 5/15 dinner, announce time of press conference on 5/15/90.
05/15/90 5:00 p.m. Press Conference (guest of honor).
6:00 p.m. Private Social Hour.
7:00 p.m. Public Social Hour.
8:00 p.m. Dinner.
05/22/90 Field Operations Committee meeting. Discuss and
arrange for modified GOTV on Primary. Order direct mail piece for
undecideds. Drop on 7/7/90.
05/31/90 Begin modified GOTV Stage.
06/07/90 Primary Election Day - GOTV.
06/08/90 Hold press conference setting stage for General
Election period. Order direct mail for 2nd PAC and OD mailing. Drop
06/22/90. Rotate billboards. Order tabloids for general distribution
and Phone Bank follow-up. Send ID data to computer firm for update.
Begin 3rd Stage: Positive Advocacy.
06/09/90 Finance and Advisory Committee meetings.
06/11/90 Training seminar, all volunteers, 3rd Stage.
06/22/90 Drop 2nd PAC and OD mailing. Order direct mail for 2nd
Support File mailing. Drop date 7/18/90, tie in to mini-event, if
possible.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
07/04/90 Ride in annual parade and attend major picnics.
07/07/90 Drop direct mail piece to undecideds.
07/10/90 Begin phone follow-up to 2nd PAC mailing. Secure
items for auction on 8/7/90.
07/13/90 Do benchmark survey.
07/18/90 Drop 2nd Support File mailing. Send notice of
picnic/auction to volunteers and contributors.
07/25/90 Finance Committee meeting. Review prospect cards.
08/03/90 Advisory Committee meeting. Review survey and do
major campaign analysis. Complete arrangements for speaker and dinner
on 9/10/90. Order new poster paper for billboards.
08/05/90 Make final arrangements for 2nd major dinner on
9/10/90. Order tickets and direct mail. Drop on 8/15/90.
08/07/90 Picnic and auction for volunteers, staff, and
contributors.
08/08/90 Begin production on commercials.
08/15/90 Drop 2nd major dinner mail. Order direct mail for 3rd
PAC and OD mailing. Drop date 9/6/90. Order direct mail for 3rd
Support File mailing (if not incorporated in dinner mailing) on
9/7/90. Order direct mail for 9/14/90 mailing to undecideds,
independents, and unidentified members of opposite Party. Advisory
and Finance Committee meetings.
09/01/90 Send out press release on 9/10/90 dinner. Finance
Committee meeting. Order yard signs.
09/06/90 Begin 4th Stage: Negative Advocacy. Drop 3rd PAC and
OD mailings. Rotate billboards. Review and analyze results of 3rd
Stage program. Advisory Committee meeting.
09/07/90 Drop Support File mailing. Contact media regarding
conference 9/10.
09/10/90 4:00 p.m. Press conference or rally.
6:00 p.m. Private Social Hour.
7:00 p.m. Public Social Hour.
8:00 p.m. Dinner.
09/12/90 1st Follow-up survey. Reserve hotel for victory party
11/1/90.
09/14/90 Drop political mailing to undecideds, independents,
and unidentifieds. Order final fund-raising mailing for key PACs,
OD's, all previous contributors, and members of Party. Drop date
10/4/90. Begin PAC phone follow-up and 3rd mailing.
09/16/90 Send accumulated results of Phone Bank and Precinct
operations to computer firm for final update and preparation of GOTV
printouts.
09/17/90 Training seminar for 4th Stage. Field Operations
Committee meeting. Prepare mail program from elected and Party
officials to their supporters, plus postcard mailer from volunteers,
endorsers, contributors to their friends and relatives. Drop
10/23/90.
09/19/90 Finance and Advisory Committee meetings. Begin
absentee ballot program. Begin developing Election Day program.
09/30/90 Organize ad hoc GOTV committee.
10/04/90 Drop final fund-raising mailing to key PACs, OD's,
previous contributors, and members of Party. Begin TV and radio
commercials. Order final direct mail to ID'd supporters, members of
Party, and remaining undecideds. Drop date 10/25/90. Finance
Committee meeting.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
10/10/90 2nd Follow-up survey. Prepare GOTV kits. Put up lawn
signs. Secure host homes to supplement Phone Banks on 11/1/90.
10/14/90 Advisory Committee meeting. Last possible turnaround
day (to make changes). Begin final PAC telephone follow-up.
10/19/90 Begin 5th Stage: GOTV
10/21/90 GOTV training seminar. Everyone.
10/22/90 Precinct blitz. Political rally.
10/23/90 Drop mail from Party and elected officials and
supporters.
10/25/90 Drop final GOTV mailing (use special political mail
tags to insure delivery date). Begin newspaper ads (if being used).
10/29/90 Precinct blitz. Call all ID'd supporters.
10/30/90 Precinct blitz. Call all ID'd supporters, undecideds,
and members of Party.
10/31/90 Check final preparations for Election Day program.
Confirm host homes, poll watchers, and ballot security program. Final
press conference.
11/01/90 Election Day program. Victory Party!
The campaign would enter other key or special events on its
Time Line as developed or as strategy dictates. Notice that the lead
time for most production work is around 30 days. Anything less will
strain a supplier's ability to deliver on time, resulting in added,
unnecessary costs and missed deadlines. The operative word is -
anticipation. Know exactly what the campaign's needs are and order
far enough in advance to keep the costs down.
Political Campaign Management Software has a built-in Time
Line designed to work very effectively for this purpose. However, if
a campaign does not have this software, I recommend that the Campaign
Manager obtain a 6-foot piece of butcher's paper and reproduce the
Time Line on it, then hang it in his/her office so it acts as a
constant visual reminder of what is coming. The pace of the campaign
becomes so hectic at times it is easy to forget or overlook even key
events.
Normally the Time Line should not be used as the Candidate's
Campaign Calendar. That is a separate program maintained by the
Campaign Secretary. However, if the campaign has a computer network
set-up similar to the one recommended in this Manual, it could be done
very easily.
The next part of the Political Game Plan is the Budget and
Cash Flow schedule. Notice that it is prepared after the Political
Game Plan. A serious mistake made by so many candidates is to develop
their strategy and Political Game Plan based on a predetermined
Budget. Unlike some consultants, I do not subscribe to the theory
that a campaign should develop a high and a low Budget. I believe a
Political Game Plan should be developed that maximizes a Candidate's
opportunity to win, and then every effort should be made to raise the
necessary capital.
Inevitably I am asked during the course of a campaign what
effect will the elimination of a particular planned activity have on
the outcome of the campaign. My answer is always the same: if it
weren't important - it wouldn't be there in the first place.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
B. The Campaign Budget **1**
1990 Congressional Campaign Budget - Estimated **2**
1. $ 15,000 Computer Network, Software & Supplies
2. 85,000 Staff salaries, incl. tax and insurance
3. 10,800 Headquarters rental, incl. utilities
4. 23,000 Phones, incl. deposits
5. 2,700 Office postage
6. 18,000 Office equipment and supplies
7. 20,000 TeleClerk **3**
8. 6,000 Misc. printing
9. 25,000 Polling, 1 Benchmark, 2 Follow-ups
10. 30,000 Political Campaign Consultant's fee
11. 12,000 Political Campaign Consultant's expenses
12. 12,000 Candidate's campaign expenses
13. 3,000 Graphics and typesetting
14. 16,000 Brochures, 200,000
15. 5,000 Campaign and PR stationary
16. 2,500 Billboard production
17. 22,500 Billboard rental
18. 3,400 Yard, Window, and 4 x 8 signs
19. 2,000 Bumper Strips, 10,000
20. 15,000 Computer Svcs., data entry and printouts
21. 4,800 Tabloids, 80,000
22. 84,000 Pol. and FR direct mail pieces, 420,000
23. 63,500 Direct Mail and Tabloid pstg. and permits
24. 90,000 Radio and TV commercial spots
25. 9,000 Production, 6 commercials
26. 2,400 Promotional Items
27. 15,000 Major Event expenses
28. 2,400 Misc. expenses
$600,000 Total Est. Expenses (incl. fund-raising)
Sources of Funds (Contributions) - Estimated **4**
1. $ 50,000 Candidate
2. 60,000 15 Major Cont. (Primary and General)
3. 80,000 Individual solicitations (Minor Cont.)
4. 80,000 Direct Mail
5. 200,000 PACs ($140,000) and OD
6. 75,000 2 Major Events
7. 55,000 Party (national, state, local)
$600,000 Total Income ($350,000 in-district)
Fund-raising Schedule (Cash Flow) - Estimated **5**
1. $ 50,000 11/1/89 $25,000 Candidate
$20,000 Major Contributors
$ 5,000 Ind. Solicitations
2. 35,000 12/1/89 $25,000 Candidate
$10,000 Major Contributors
3. 15,000 1/15/90 Individual Solicitations
4. 70,000 2/15/90 $40,000 Direct Mail
$30,000 Ind. Solicitations
5. 25,000 4/01/90 PACs
6. 15,000 4/30/90 OD (Out-of-District) cont.
7. 37,500 5/15/90 Major Event 1
8. 15,000 5/19/90 Party
9. 60,000 6/15/90 $30,000 Major Contributors
$30,000 Ind. Solicitations
10. 40,000 7/15/90 PACs and OD contributions
11. 35,000 8/15/90 $15,000 PACs
$20,000 Direct Mail
12. 37,500 9/10/90 Major Event 2
13. 70,000 9/15/90 $20,000 Party
$20,000 Direct Mail
$30,000 PACs & OD cont.
14. 95,000 10/7/90 $20,000 Party
$75,000 PACs & OD cont.
$600,000 Total Income
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
**2** This presumes an
uncontested Primary. If contested, add $50,000.
**3** TeleClerk is a
unique telecommunications device used in the Phone Bank. It will be
discussed in greater detail later. Its use is optional in the Game
Plan.
**4** For illustrative purposes only.
**5** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#TAG \CASHFLW1.PICT
#CARD
APPENDIX A
1. Campaign Cash Flow Schedule/Calendar 1989/90. **1**
This is the actual schedule/calendar.
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#TAG
#CARD
APPENDIX A
2. Budget Analysis.
One note of interest in analyzing these figures is that
approximately $120,000 (or 20 percent of the Budget) is expended for
fundraising purposes. This is a cost factor so often overlooked by
candidates, but, obviously, most of the balance could not be raised
without it. This percentage (20%) is very conservative but a
reasonable amount. **1**
Of the $480,000 spent for political purposes, a large percent
is spent for communications. This total amount ($480,000) averages
out to about $1.30 per adult person in the district spent over a
period of 12 months (or 13 cents per person, per month). **2**
A Candidate should keep this in mind if the opponent or the
media attempts to make an issue out of the size of the campaign
Budget. Would they deny the right of the electorate an opportunity to
learn about you and the issues?
A note of caution: The Cash Flow schedule and the dates shown
on the political and fundraising Time Lines should not appear in the
Political Game Plan developed for public dissemination. This
information is too sensitive for the opponent to see and does not
enhance the use of the Political Game Plan as a fundraising tool.
Some Political Campaign Consultants, advisers, or strategists
recommend developing a "high" and a "low" Budget. I do not. If the
strategy is sound (and therefore necessary) and the Political Game
Plan is prudent and reasonable, then a Candidate is only deluding
himself/herself, as well as the volunteers, if they are led to believe
the campaign can accomplish its objectives with less communication.
Keep in mind a few candidates will win in any given year, almost in
spite of themselves and/or their campaigns. But those who do win by
design (primarily challengers at this level) will invariably spend
between $400,000 and $500,000 for the political portion of the
campaign. In fact during the last 6 years this has been one of the
few common denominators among winning Congressional challengers.
Incidentally, some of the cost factors used in this Budget are
lower than most candidates can expect to pay. Most Political Campaign
Consultants invariably save their clients more than their fees by
obtaining other campaign items and services at costs lower than they
could realize on their own. Many consultants, even those who are not
generalists, **3** have arrangements with other suppliers to provide
their goods or services to the consultant's clients at reduced prices.
This is possible because the Political Campaign Consultant is able to
negotiate a lower price, based on volume, than can the individual
Candidate.
For example, the current, average rate for polling is around
$28 per interview. Some consultants have associate arrangements with
reputable polling firms what will provide the same service for their
clients at $25 per interview. As associate printer might provide a
two-color, three-fold brochure on glossy stock for 8 cents apiece,
whereas most candidates would pay between 9.5 and 12 cents for exactly
the same brochure. In direct mail, many consultants have associates
who will provide a client with an individualized computer letter, #10
window envelope, #6 1/2 BRE, and a brochure or insert piece for a
total of 30 or 32 cents. This includes materials, printing, folding,
inserting, sorting, and preparing for a direct drop at the Post
Office. The Candidate buying directly could expect to pay between 36
and 40 cents per unit for the same piece of mail and service.
There are also differences in the fees charged for support
services when combined in one agency. For example, Political Campaign
Consultants' fees will average for a campaign of this size $25,000
plus expenses; average media creative fees are $18,000 for six
commercials plus crew and expenses; and political fundraisers' fees
average $10,000 plus a 5 percent commission on the amount raised plus
expenses. So, separately, the fees would usually average $60,000 plus
$25,000 in fundraising commissions. By using a generalist (or
Political Campaign Consultant **4** ), a campaign could save around
$50,000. Normally, however, a Political Campaign Consultant will only
give this preferred rate if he/she is also responsible for all the
media production and placement in the campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** I know of one Congressperson who spent 71.5 percent of the
amount raised during the campaign for fund-raising costs! The
Congressperson spent $1,400,000 and still ended up with only $400,000
for the political campaign.
**2** The average cost per adult
increases slightly for smaller, state legislative races, and decreases
for larger, or statewide races.
**3** I have used the term "Political
Consultant" very loosely throughout this Manual. Unfortunately there
are few precise definitions in this business; virtually anyone can
call themselves a Political Consultant. Later, I will attempt to
define this title as well as others used for various vendors to the
campaign. Suffice for now to say that, as used here, a Political
Campaign Consultant is a specialist in putting together and managing a
political campaign, with knowledge and experience in all of its
components.
**4** This is the term I prefer to use to indicate a
Political Consultant who is a generalist, i.e. develops strategy, the
game plan, the fundraising plan, media plan, and supervises the
campaign on a regular basis, etc.
Taking these differentials into consideration, the Budget used
in the Prototype Plan is very realistic for the campaign we are
developing in this Manual. Variations will occur, of course,
depending on the possible variations previously discussed. I will go
into some of them later.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
C. The Fund-raising Game Plan.
Just as there are two strategies operative within the
Political Game Plan, there are really two campaigns going on
simultaneously: the political campaign and the fund-raising campaign.
As has been pointed out several times in this Manual: money =
communications (information and motivation) = votes. Take money out
of the equation and the Candidate loses. Those who still charge that
money buys votes are usually very naive about the political process
and 50 years behind the times, or are trying to create a smoke screen
issue.
This is not to say the Candidate with an unlimited amount of
funds will automatically win. How effectively the money is spent is
equally important. In fact, it is very possible to overspend in a
campaign. It is critical, though, that a Candidate have enough money
to implement the strategy required by the particular circumstances of
each campaign.
It is, therefore, of paramount importance for the Candidate to
develop a Fund-raising Game Plan with as much care and concern as used
in the development of the Political Game Plan. Here also, a Political
Fund-raising Consultant or adviser is invaluable to the Candidate.
The methodology used, though not a precise science, is definitive
enough to require a high degree of knowledge and experience. A
Political Fund-raising Consultant does not actually solicit
contributions for the Candidate. They develop the Fund-raising Game
Plan, supervise its implementation, instruct the staff and Finance
Committee on proven methods to be used for events, individual
solicitation, and PACs. They will also write the copy for
fund-raising direct mail and use extensive research to target it for
maximum return. Most Political Fund-raising Consultants are experts
on the FEC and state campaign finance regulations and will provide
valuable guidance on proper compliance.
However, no matter how skillful the Political Fund-raising
Consultant is, the objectives will not be reached unless the Candidate
has an active Finance Committee, able and willing to implement the
Fund-raising Game Plan.
In Chapter III, I referred to the make-up of a potentially
first-rate Finance Committee. Within that structure were two basic
types of individuals: (1) the individuals in the upper range of the
economic scale who could personally write a check for $1,000 or $2,000
and (2) individuals in the middle range, who, though personally unable
to contribute that much, are willing and able to solicit contributions
actively in the $100+ range. In this campaign, both types are of
equal importance when it comes to implementing the plan.
D. Oraganization Of The Finance Committee.
The Finance Committee should have at least 10 persons from the
first type (upper income) and 10 from the second type (middle income),
plus any others who wish to serve on this committee, subdivided into
five groups. The Candidate, Political Fund-raising Consultant,
Campaign Manager, Treasurer, and secretary/bookkeeper are also members
of this committee. There should be two co-chairpersons, preferably a
man and a woman,and an honorary chairperson - usually a former major
officeholder or highly respected person in the community.
As the Candidate begins recruiting these individuals, keep in
mind the groups they should represent, as mentioned earlier. They
must be dedicated to the Candidate and the campaign and willing to
make the personal sacrifices of time, money, and effort that will be
required in the year ahead. They should be willing to make an
immediate personal contribution and commit themselves to raising their
individual objectives.
E. Finance Committee Objectives.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
Based on the sources of income projection, the Finance
Committee's individual objectives might be as follows:
1. Individual solicitations. $2,000; dinner and private social hour
ticket sales $4,000. $8,000 x 15 members = $120,000.
2. Middle-Level Types. $6,000 each. Sources: Personal contribution
$500; individual solicitations $2,000; dinner and private social hour
ticket sales $2,500. $6,000 x 15 members = $90,000.
Over a 10 to 12-month period these objectives are not
unreasonable if the Candidate has recruited an active, viable group.
It is very important that all members commit themselves to these
objectives. At the Finance Committee meetings a progress report
should be distributed showing each member's objective and the amount
raised to date plus a summary of campaign income and expenditures to
date.
Naturally, the objectives from each source are projections
only. If an upper-level type wished to meet the objective by asking
his/her spouse to contribute $2,000 ($1,000 in the Primary period and
$1,000 in the General period - currently the maximum a person is
legally allowed to give a Federal Candidate) in addition to their
personal contribution, no one would object. Also, I do not believe
anyone would object if the individual's personal objective were far
exceeded.
But, we all need goals. And experience has proven this is
especially true in political campaigns, which have so few "natural"
devices to measure progress.
F. Time Line and Fund-raising Schedule.
When the money is raised is almost as important as how much is
raised. The fund-raising portion of the campaign is keyed to the
demands of the political Time Line. Note the tight coordination.
Naturally, the further ahead of this schedule the campaign can get,
the better. **1**
It should also be noted that all money raised before April is
projected to come from in-district. This is not an accident. Most of
the PACs and potential out-of-district (OD) contributors will want
proof that enough people in-district believe in the viability of the
campaign before they will make their contributions. Regardless of how
much they might want the opponent to lose or believe in the efficacy
of the Political Game Plan, they know a Congressional Candidate's
campaign **2** is difficult to win without adequate financing and it
is virtually impossible to raise all of the funds needed from
out-of-district. They also need proof that the Candidate's supporters
are solidly behind him/her, i.e. that they have put their money where
there mouth is.
The national Parties will also rely heavily on this factor
before making their decisions to maximize the Party's contribution to
a campaign.
G. Initial Procedures And Methodology.
The first step is the establishment of objectives and the cash
flow requirements to implement the Political Game Plan on schedule.
When the Candidate first meets with the Finance Committee, he/she
should remind them that political campaigns are notoriously poor
credit risks. As a result, very few, if any, suppliers will extend
credit to a campaign. Most expenditures must be made at the time the
order is placed. It is critical, therefore, for them to understand
the urgency of raising early money in the campaign.
Prior to the first meeting, the Candidate should transfer the
names of potential major contributors, that were developed earlier, to
3 x 5 cards, or obtain a printout from the computer, if on line.
During the first meeting, after going over the Political Game Plan and
Budget, stressing the urgency involved, read aloud the names on the 3
x 5 cards one by one and ask who will take that person and make the
personal solicitation, or have them pick the cards from a side table.
Keep working the names until all the cards have been distributed. As
this process goes along, be sure to record the name of the Finance
Committee member who has that person to contact.
FootNotes:
**1** This portion of the Time Line, the Cash Flow schedule, should
become part of the Fund-raising Game Plan.
**2** Or any other type of
campaign.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
Next, give them a deadline to make the contact - say, 2 weeks
- at that point there will be another meeting to review progress and
results. **1**
The members should not be expected to make these contacts
without a fund-raising tool in hand, i.e. the Political Game Plan and
Budget (minus the Cash Flow Schedule). Be sure to have enough copies
for everyone at the first meeting, along with the 3 x 5 cards and the
Fund-raising Game Plan. Incidentally, some Political Fund-raising
Consultants will attend this first meeting, review the plans and
budget, handle the distribution of cards, and provide the motivation
to get them started.
During the follow-up Finance Committee meetings, keep the
pressure up. Review both the political and fund-raising progress,
continually stressing the urgency to raise these funds - now!
As distasteful as the exertion of this pressure may be, it is
necessary. Raising money in the later stages is relatively easy,
especially when the momentum of the campaign picks up. But early
money is essential if the objectives are to be met. The Finance
Committee must be made to understand there is no substitute for time,
especially in the area of building name ID, unless the campaign is
able to spend three to four times the amounts currently budgeted for
communications. Even then, it is more difficult to build a favorable
impression among the electorate, regardless of how much is spent in
the last couple months of the campaign.
Part of this favorable impression is created by a sense of
familiarity with the Candidate, i.e. he/she has been part of the
community and they know him/her. This is one of the reasons why the
more successful campaigns are the ones that start a year before the
election. Later entries rarely seem to be able to make up for the
lost time and are constantly playing catch-up.
In addition to their responsibilities to raise their personal
objectives, the Finance Committee is also responsible for overseeing
the total Fund-raising Game Plan, i.e. even though the staff (under
the supervision of the Political Fund-raising Consultant) has the
responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of other parts of the
Plan. It is the committee's responsibility to make sure it is being
done on schedule. To this end, they should receive regular and
complete summary reports of progress.
They should also assist in personal follow-ups when letters
have been sent to particular groups of potential contributors in the
prospect file. In fact, in most cases, they should sign the letters
sent to their particular group. **2** In other words a mailing to
attorneys should be signed by the attorney(s) on the committee, to
doctors by the doctor(s), etc. I normally recommend the establishment
of unofficial ad hoc committees for each of the major professional
groups, i.e. Doctors for (Candidate's Name) (Office) Subcommittee.
As long as the contributions are made out to the official
campaign committee and deposited in its bank account, this method is
perfectly legal. To be absolutely safe, the appeal should be made on
the official campaign stationary. I should point out that separate
committees can be formed to solicit funds on behalf of a Candidate,
but they must file separately with the FEC and the Clerk of the House
for Congressional candidates and with the Secretary of State in most
states for state candidates. This then necessitates the continuous
filing of periodic FEC and state reports that is frankly more hassle
than it is worth.
[NOTE: All fund-raising and political letters and political
advertising **3** on behalf of Federal, and many non-Federal,
candidates must contain the following disclaimer:
"Authorized and Paid for by (Candidate's Name) for (Office) Committee,
(Name), Treasurer."
This disclaimer should automatically be imprinted on the
bottom of all stationary and printed material when first printed.]
FootNotes:
**1** The Candidate should not be surprised if half the members are
"lost" before this next meeting. He/She should be prepared to replace
them as soon as possible.
**2** Specialized mailings.
**3** Except
buttons, bumper strips, and other small items.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
While on the subject of independent committees, I should point
out that there has been a significant rise during the last few years
in what are referred to as "independent expenditures." The courts
have ruled that an organization like a PAC, while limited to a $5,000
direct contribution to a Candidate, cannot be limited as to how much
it wants to spend "educating" the voters in a particular district, so
long as the expenditures are made independently of a Candidate's
campaign. Independent means just that, there can be absolutely no
communication whatsoever between the Candidate's campaign and the
organization making the independent expenditure.
What the political ramifications of this new entry into the
political process are, it is hard to say. The results so far have
been mixed. However, it is a force to contend with and I plan to
watch its development carefully. From the Candidate's political point
of view, it is imperative to point out to the media, if it becomes a
campaign issue, that it is an independent expenditure and by law the
campaign cannot control it. If it is an extremely negative type of
advertising being used, the Candidate should consider denouncing it,
regardless of whether or not it is against the opponent.
With regard to the telephone follow-up of the aforementioned
fund-raising letters, it is amazing the difference in the volume and
amount of return when these letters are followed up by a personal
visit or telephone call. When a letter has gone out to attorneys for
example, the attorney(s) on the Finance Committee should enlist the
aid of a few other attorneys and, approximately 10 days after the
letters were sent, begin calling on the recipients of that letter,
either in person or by phone. **1**
As an alternative, if this is not possible, have the
volunteers at the Phone Bank (calling on behalf of the signatories)
make the follow-up phone calls. Remember that, during the 2nd, 3rd,
and 4th Stages, one day a week is designated at the Phone Bank for
fund solicitation purposes, whether to follow up on direct mail
letters or to help sell tickets for the special events.
In summary, the Finance Committee should be made up of at
least 20 people (10 upper-income level, 10 middle-income level) broken
down into five teams, plus two chairpersons and an honorary
chairperson. At the first meeting they should be given: (1) copies of
the Political and Fund-raising Game Plans, including the Budget; (2)
their assigned prospects on 3 x 5 cards or computer printout sheets;
(3) their personal and collective objectives and responsibilities; (4)
a copy of the FEC (or state) rules and regulations affecting their
activities as solicitors for a Federal (or state) candidate; and (5) a
strong, motivational talk stressing the urgency of early money and its
impact on the Political Game Plan.
At subsequent meetings, they should receive complete progress
reports on all facets of the Political and Fund-raising Game Plans.
Once the prospective contributor direct mail fund-raising
program begins going to the professional and occupational groups,
committee members should make personal or phone follow-up 10 days
after the letters are sent. The volunteers at the Phone Bank should do
this follow-up, if the committee members are unable to do so.
Meetings of the Finance Committee should be held at least once
every three weeks during most of the campaign, twice a month during
the 4th Stage.
The chairpersons of the Finance Committee are automatically
members of the Advisory Committee.
Although it will probably not be available for the first
meeting, the campaign should make sure all members receive adequate
supplies of the campaign literature and position papers as soon as
possible.
H. The Direct Mail Fund-raising Program.
FootNotes:
**1** This is an area where TeleClerk can be used if necessary.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
Basically there are three major types or areas in this
program: (1) mass mailings developed from names supplied by a
professional mailing service; (2) fund-raising through the political
direct mail program; and (3) specialized mailings within district.
PAC and out-of-district mail solicitation is treated separately and
will be discussed in the next section.
1. Mass Mailings.
There are firms located in most major cities that develop and
maintain lists of people from around the country or within a state,
that usually include the name, address, telephone number, sex, age,
occupation, and income level. These lists are rented to individuals or
organizations for fund-raising purposes. These data are accumulated
from a number of sources, e.g. criss-cross directories, magazine
subscribers, city directories, credit card holders, public information
records, campaign contributor lists in states where it is not illegal
to use them, or when a Candidate sells or gives them their list, etc.
In fact, most of us are probably on at least a half-dozen lists
circulating around the country at any given moment in time.
The rental price for names ranges from 4 cents to 10 cents
each, depending on the quality, i.e. how current the data is, what
information is contained, and how clean they are - the fewer the
duplications, the cleaner the list. Also how well the list has
produced (how high is the percentage of return per 1,000 pieces of
mail sent) greatly affects the rental price being charged.
A contract is signed with the mailing list company that
prohibits their duplication; you may use the list once only, whether
you are using labels, a magnetic tape, or 3 x 5 cards for
hand-addressing and phone follow-up. Only the respondents to your
mailing become your "property" and may be solicited again without
paying the mailing list company an additional rental charge. To
insure compliance, they "salt" the list with "ringers" or dummy names,
and if a second mailing is received by these salted names, a breach of
contract is immediately evident.
As mentioned, the names are available on either labels
(Cheshire, that are applied by machine, or pressure-sensitive, that
are applied by hand), computer tape if the campaign is going to do a
more personalized mailing, or on 3 x 5 cards. The rental price is
slightly higher for pressure-sensitive labels, tape, and 3 x 5 cards.
By carefully targeting this type of mail based on the
demographics available and combining this with a well-written appeal,
a good Political Fund-raising Consultant can obtain about a 3 percent
return on the first mailing, i.e. out of every 1,000 letters mailed,
30 contributions will be received. With luck, the amount of return
should be enough to offset the cost of the first mailing and provide
enough to "seed" the cost of subsequent mailings.
Contrary to some claims made, the real profit in this type of
program is not realized until the second, third, and fourth mailings
to the original contributors from the first mailing.
For example, the average initial cost per unit for 100,000
pieces of mail will be approximately 4.5 cents rental price per name +
26.6 cents per computer letter (including a #10 window envelope, a #6
1/2 BRE, and a brochure or flyer, plus mail processing) + 10.9 cents
bulk-rate postage = .42 cents x 100,000 = $42,000 (not counting the
fees and commissions of the fund-raising consultant).
The return should be about 3 percent, or 3,000 contributions
for an average amount of $14 per contribution, totaling $42,000. **1**
The profit on this first mailing should be around zero. Apparently
not worth the effort. However, about 2 months after this first
mailing, a second letter should be sent to the 3,500 who responded the
first time. **2** The cost is approximately 40 cents per letter, for
a total of $1,400.
The number of returns on this second mailing should improve to
about 20 percent, or 700, and the amount per return should increase to
$18 per contribution for a total of $12,600, a "net profit" of
$11,200. The third and fourth mailings, separated by intervals of 45
to 60 days, to this same group should also average an $11,000 profit
each. Therefore, on the basis of an initial investment of $42,000,
the campaign should realize total contributions of approximately
$33,000 net (minus the fund-raiser's fees and/or commissions).
FootNotes:
**1** The return, both in terms of percentage and amount will vary,
depending on (1) targeting, (2) strength or appeal of the signatory -
a well-known name as signatory to the letter helps considerably, (3)
timing, (4) text, and (5) package design.
**2** This is in addition
to the Thank You letter which is sent to each contributor upon receipt
of the contribution. This letter will contain another appeal for
funds, and it too will generate a nice profit.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
Incidentally, a professional fund-raiser would have taken the
original return of $42,000, used $2,800 for the second and third
mailings, and used the balance to start the cycle again with a new
group mailing. The professional fund-raiser would continue this
process until a list of around 25,000 contributors was developed
before repaying the seed money.
Obviously, there are several problems with this type of direct
mail fund-raising. First, it does require an experienced person to
orchestrate it for maximum effectiveness, adding additional cost to
the unit price. Secondly, a campaign must have the seed money to make
it happen. Unless the campaign has a very powerful list to begin with
or a real "heavy" to sign the letter, the campaign must mail large
numbers to make it work (100,000+). Third, it is a long-term,
fund-raising project, requiring at least 6 months to reach full
potential. Fourth, no matter how well planned and executed, it could
still bomb or take considerably longer than planned to show a profit,
making it very difficult to plan for cash flow requirements.
Frankly, this program is best used by (1) an incumbent, (2) an
officeholder running for higher office, or (3) a challenger running
for the second time during the off-year before the start of the next
campaign cycle (presuming he/she has enough money left over from the
first campaign to start it).
2. Fund-raising Through Political Direct Mail Programs.
Except for the final GOTV mailing, I recommend never sending
out a political letter without enclosing an appeal for funds and
volunteers.
The cost of a #6 1/2 BRE is about 2.2 cents. Even if included
in the first 300,000 pieces of political direct mail that the campaign
will be sending out to Party members, independents, undecideds, and
even members of the opposite Party, the added cost will be only
$6,600.
The campaign does not have to pay for the names, since it has already
acquired them for political purposes and the rest of the cost is
budgeted for in the Political Game Plan. If the letter is well
written (here again, the consultant will know how to do this), it
should produce between $30,000 and $40,000 of the direct mail portion
in the Sources of Income projection.
Not only are the dollars important to help offset the cost of
this part of the plan, but as stated previously, there is a rule of
thumb in politics that says that each contributor, no matter how small
the amount, will impact, on the average, seven other people to vote
for the Candidate to whom they have contributed. Even the person who
sends in $1 feels they have an "investment" in the Candidate and the
outcome of the campaign; therefore, they become concerned about
protecting that investment and will encourage friends and relatives to
vote for the Candidate as a means of doing so.
This is another one of the reasons why I favor the use of
political direct mail in a Political Game Plan. Not only does it
enable the Candidate to target his/her message in a specific way that
other forms of media cannot do, but it helps to develop an army of
people in the district who have a vested interest in the Candidate's
success. They will be motivated to come out on Election Day and vote
for the Candidate and will help make sure others join them! As an
added bonus they will return at least one-third of the cost of
communicating with them.
No other form of media communications guarantees this kind of
response - certainly, at least, not to the same degree. However,
before I am misunderstood, I should point out that a large percentage
of this response will be due to the other communication efforts being
expended which in effect pave the way for the direct mail appeal,
causing a favorable response. So the other activities are not only
helpful, they are necessary if the direct mail program is to be
successful.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
The point is that other media activities do not have the
capability of capitalizing on themselves in the way political direct
mail fund-raising does. To do either one without the other is not only
wasteful, it could prove to be a serious tactical mistake as well.
The advantages, therefore, are obvious. The disadvantages are
negligible. The added cost is more than offset by the political and
financial return. Even if the campaign is not using a mail processing
firm to stuff, seal, stamp, and process the letters, the extra time it
takes a volunteer to stuff a BRE is hardly noticeable. There is a
slight risk of irritating some people by constantly appealing for
funds, but this is negligible also.
3. Specialized Mailings Within The District.
Throughout this Manual I have been referring to the Support
File and the Prospect File and have briefly explained their function.
This is where they are explained in detail and how they are used in
the campaign.
The Prototype Game Plan I used assumes the Candidate is using
computer technology as a major part of the campaign strategy. This
assumption is the result of a strong bias I have, developed over the
years, regarding the usage of volunteers.
Prior to becoming a Political Campaign Consultant 19 years
ago, I spent 10 years working as a volunteer in just about every
position there is on political campaigns from local elections to U.S.
Senate races. When first beginning, nothing seemed more frustrating
than sitting in some headquarters addressing, stuffing, and licking
envelopes when I wanted to be talking to people, telling them why they
should vote for my candidate. That particular job, at least, seemed
to be such a waste or under-utilization of my capabilities.
When I went into politics professionally, I soon realized very
few pros and even fewer candidates, at that time, knew how to use the
computer technology that, even then, the business community took for
granted. As a business person during those 10 years, I knew from
first-hand experience the cost-effectiveness of computers and
mail-processing equipment and was determined to apply this knowledge
and experience to the campaign process.
Since then, I have always encouraged my clients to make
maximum utilization of these techniques, or systems, in their
campaigns - in effect, rarely having a volunteer do what a machine can
do better, faster, and cheaper. No one can communicate with another
person better than a person. Using machines frees people to
communicate.
Since volunteers have such a limited life expectancy on a
campaign, **1** it is a more efficient use of their time to be
walking precincts, telephoning, being surrogate speakers,
fund-raising, etc. There will always be some volunteers who only want
to stuff envelopes and there will always be a certain amount of
individualized mailings to utilize those people in this manner. But
to burn out literally hundreds of volunteers with this type of
activity, when machines are available, is counterproductive at best.
Since the smart Candidate in this Manual is taking my advice,
the campaign is on computer and using Political Campaign Management
Software (PCMS). Therefore the campaign has the capability of
mechanically processing most of its direct mail. The Support and
Prospect Files carry this capability one step further, into the
fund-raising campaign.
As mentioned previously, the Support File consists of the
following data processed or key punched into the computer: the name,
address, phone number, occupation, and place of employment of (1) all
volunteers, along with the type of activity they are willing to do;
(2) all contributors, along with the dates and amounts of
contributions made; and (3) all endorsers. In Political Campaign
Management Software there are source and classification codes (entered
at the time the data is first keyed) that enable the campaign to print
out these records by their specific designation, as well as codes to
indicate precinct, and Region. The Prospect File contains as much of
the same data as is available but indicates the person on file is only
a prospect for one of the three designations in the Support File.
**2**
FootNotes:
**1** The average amount of time a campaign can expect to receive
from a volunteer is 20 hours over the duration of the campaign.
**2**
Remember that organizations (PACs, Party, associations, etc.) have
their own Support and Prospect Files. This section is dealing only
with individual Support and Prospect Files.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX A
The data for the Support File is obtained from the BREs, the
Endorsement Sheets, or the volunteer cards. The data for the Prospect
File is developed from (1) directories of professional, occupational,
or trade associations; (2) membership lists of organizations; (3) the
yellow pages; (4) lists developed by other candidates, the local
and/or state Party committees; (5) the lists accumulated by the
Candidate and Finance Committee members; and (6) miscellaneous sources
such as college alumni lists, church lists, etc.
A sample form in Appendix B shows how these lists are further
broken down and coded by profession, occupation, or primary activity
for transmittal to the computer.
Once this data is entered into the computer, the campaign can
begin the systematic direct mail program previously referred to
throughout this Manual. Specific letters targeted to members of a
common grouping, signed by one of their own, and then followed up with
a personal visit or phone call, produce an unusually high rate of
return for the campaign.
When a prospect makes a contribution, their designation is
automatically changed in the computer to the Support File. **1** It
is not unusual for a person to make a contribution, endorse the
Candidate, and volunteer to work on the campaign. In this case,
Political Campaign Management Software allows the data entry person to
place the appropriate codes all on the same file, eliminating the need
to maintain separate files for each activity. Since each code is
selectable, i.e. can be identified and sorted by the computer,
printouts can be drawn from each area of activity. For example, when
a list is needed of volunteers, the computer will print out a distinct
listing of just those people who have volunteered to do a specific
activity without including those who have only contributed or endorsed
the Candidate.
Not only can the Support and Prospect Files be used for
fund-raising purposes, they can also provide the basis for
distribution of a campaign newsletter or other type of correspondence,
such as thank-you letters, when needed, to the contributors and
volunteers. The computer can either personalize the newsletter or
print the names on pressure sensitive labels for hand-processing in
the campaign headquarters.
The Support and Prospect Files are also used as the basis for
promoting ticket sales to the major events. Normally the Contributors
and Prospective Contributors are given a code designating whether
their previous or potential contribution is over $100 or under. In
this manner the campaign can restrict the mailing to those previous
and prospective contributors who are the best prospects for a $100+
per person event.
Most major cities have mail processing firms that will "burst"
the computer sheets, "sign" them, stuff them in envelopes, add the
flyers and BREs, sort by zip if a bulk mailing, and drop off at the
Post Office for about 5 to 7 cents per unit, or if the campaign does
have a surplus of volunteers who will only stuff envelopes, they can
do it. I have also found that most areas have community sheltered
workshops that employ the handicapped to do this type of work, usually
at very reasonable prices.
Regardless of which method the campaign uses, computer or
manual, the proper development and utilization of a Support and
Prospect File direct mail program should generate around $30,000 for
the campaign directly, plus a portion of the income for the major
events. When the program is started, it should be spread out in
regular intervals. Base the program on volume as opposed to groups,
the reason being that the groups will rarely be equal in size. For
example, assume the total number of names in the Prospect File is
10,000 and the campaign plans on doing three mailings to them during
the campaign. About the most follow-up calls the Finance Committee or
the Phone Bank volunteers could make in a day would be around 1,000.
If mailing more than that each time, it will overload that part of the
program with a corresponding loss in returns.
FootNotes:
**1** Political Campaign Management Software has a feature that when
entering records does not allow for the entry of the same person
twice. If a Prospect record exists the program will bring it up to the
screen when the name is entered. The data entry person would then
enter the appropriate information, such as a contribution amount and
date, and the program then automatically transfers it to the Support
File.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
It would be more advisable to start mailing 1,000 pieces in
1-week intervals, starting the first cycle around the third week of
February and completing it by the end of April. In this way, it will
not be conflicting with the solicitation program for the first major
event in May or early June.
Start the second cycle around the middle of June, so it too
will not conflict with the activity for the second major event in the
latter part of September, or early
Normally, the campaign would send a third mailing to the whole
Prospect File about the first week of October. Do not, however, plan
on a phone follow-up using the Phone Bank volunteers. By this Stage
the Phone Bank is too actively involved in the political program to do
a follow-up.
In summary, the Support and Prospect File direct mail program
is an integral part of the Fund-raising Game Plan, with some benefits
to the political side. The average return for all mailings should be
around $30,000, minus a cost factor of around $10,000 (already
factored in the budget), for a net of $20,000, plus the political
advantage of keeping the campaign's message before a large segment of
the community.
I. The PAC Solicitation Program.
The anticipated income from Political Action Committees is
about 30 percent of the whole campaign budget, **1** obviously a very
sizable and integral part of the plan.
But before going into the procedures and methods to use in
raising funds from this source, I believe an analysis of the source
itself is in order since PAC contributions can be a political issue in
themselves. PACs are the subject of much media attention, mostly
negative, in every campaign cycle - so much so that many candidates
are either hesitant to accept any contribution from them or limit the
amount they will take. Before making a decision, a Candidate should
review these facts.
1. What Are PACs?
PACs, simply put, are groups of people who pool their
resources (money) in order to contribute it to candidates who share
their particular political, social, religious, philosophical, or
economic viewpoint. These groups are broadly subdivided into four
categories, usually on the basis on some commonality. They are: (1)
associations (lawyers, doctors, insurance agents, building industry,
real estate agents, etc.); (2) unions (AFL-CIO's COPE, Teamsters, UAW,
etc.); (3) ideological (conservatives, moderates, liberals, women's
rights, pro-abortion, anti-abortion, etc.); and (4) corporations
(Sears, U.S. Steel, Amoco, etc.).
The laws regulating PACs (administered by the Federal Election
Commission for Federal candidates and usually the Secretary of State
for state and local candidates) are strictly defined and enforced as
to who may give to that PAC, the method of solicitation, the amount
that may be contributed both to the PAC and from the PAC to the
Candidate, the accounting and reporting procedures used by both the
PAC and the Candidate, etc.
Literally all activity is conducted openly and above aboard.
The reports are on public file and a simple telephone call or letter
to the FEC in Washington, DC, or the Secretary of State's office, will
produce a complete copy of any report for a minimal reproduction
charge. Federal candidates also file a copy of their reports with the
Secretary of State in each State Capitol and usually with the County
Clerk's office in the major county within the district.
All PAC reports are on file with the FEC, 999 E St., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20463. They even have a WATS line, (800) 424-9530, so
any person can call for information easily. The name, address, and
occupation of every contributor over $200 is listed, and every PAC
contribution is itemized, regardless of size.
FootNotes:
**1** Presuming your campaign has been targeted.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
As to the amount that may be contributed to a Candidate, a PAC
is limited to a maximum of $5,000 in the Primary Election and $5,000
in the General period for Federal candidates, with a total maximum
contribution of $10,000. Few PACs have the resources to make maximum
contributions to very many candidates. Most PAC contributions are in
the range of $300 to $1,500. Since the states vary so much with
regard to PAC contributions to state and local candidates, each state
should be checked separately.
2. Why Are There PACs?
Why have so many PACs been formed in recent years? Why are
the PACs necessary?
PACs have been forming primarily in response to the severe
limitations imposed on the amount an individual or the Party can
contribute to a Federal or state Candidate by the election reforms
instituted at both the Federal and state levels after Watergate. As a
result, at the Federal level, individuals are now limited to a maximum
contribution of $1,000 in the Primary period and $1,000 in the General
period, for a total of $2,000. The exception is a Congressional or
Senatorial Candidate, who can contribute an unlimited amount of
his/her own funds to the campaign.
The PACs have actually helped make it possible for a person of
relatively modest means to compete with the wealthier individuals and,
even more importantly, with the incumbents. The same reformers who
agitated for the personal limitations on contributions are now turning
against the PACs, the arguments being that these single-issue groups
unduly influence the Congressperson or Senator once elected. This is
the same argument used to enact the first set of reforms.
Frankly, when one looks at the size of today's campaign budget
for a Congressional race, though not minimizing the value of $10,000,
even that maximum contribution is a relatively small percentage of the
amount raised and spent. It is ludicrous to imply that a
Congressperson or Senator would risk jail and jeopardize a career and
personal integrity for a modest campaign contribution. However, that
is not to say some have not been tempted and succumbed to personal
offers, but even then most of those were bribes of personal funds, not
campaign funds.
As to the undue leverage being brought to bear on them after
being elected, I find this, too, to be either terribly naive, at best,
or a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, at worst.
3. How Do They Work?
First of all, the majority of PACs do their selection of the
candidates they are going to support before they make a contribution,
i.e. they check out the candidates' stand on the issues, send them
questionnaires (sometimes referred to as "litmus tests"), interview
them, and rate them, based on the input. They also do the same with
the opponent. Sometimes the results are very unequal and the decision
is relatively easy. They will usually support the Candidate who
generally thinks the way they do about the problems and their
solutions. If they both come out fairly equal, they will then go with
the one whom they feel has the best chance of winning.
The PACs also know that, with the tremendous amount of
crisscross pressure a Congressperson or Senator experiences on
virtually every vote from many directions including his/her Party and
peers, the vast majority simply try to determine what is in the best
interest of their constituents and the country, and vote accordingly.
This is also true in most cases at the state and local levels of
government.
As a matter of fact, any lobbyist crass enough even to mention
their affiliated PAC's contribution or potential contribution is
usually persona non grata from that point on in the legislator's
office.
I suspect, as the old saying goes, the "method behind their
madness" (the reform agitators) is that they are not going to be
satisfied with any system of helping a Candidate finance the campaign
other than through public financing, so they are trying to eliminate
PACs by innuendos and specious attacks. This is in spite of the fact
that public financing when tried, as in New Jersey, has proven to be a
disaster for everyone concerned except the media outlets.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
If a group of people choose to pool their resources to help a
Candidate whom they believe supports their viewpoint and will,
therefore, best represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives,
or Senate, or state or local office, that is their right, and some
would believe it is their duty as citizens to do so.
So, in essence, PACs have grown because limits have been
placed on the amounts individuals and the Parties can contribute to
candidates; limits that are ridiculously low by comparison with the
costs of communications and campaigning today.
Unless a person would deny the right of a Candidate to
communicate his/her message to the people, with its subsequent denial
to the people to hear that message, there really is no valid reason to
attack a Candidate on the basis of their acceptance of PAC
contributions. PACs are simply people. If one group of people want
to organize a PAC to support a Candidate opposed by a different group
of people, they can do so by filing a simple one-page form and
investing the cost of a postage stamp. This is simply an organized
method for what we have been doing all along, i.e. a basic fundamental
principle of our campaign system is one group of people supporting a
Candidate who shares their point of view versus an opposing group
supporting another candidate.
It is important for a Candidate to understand what goes into
the dynamics of PAC solicitation, the benefits, and the risks
involved. The Candidate will probably be challenged for accepting PAC
contributions, either by the opponent or by the media, and if unable
to counter the implied charges, he/she could be put on the defensive
and thereby give an element of credibility to the accusations.
One needs to know how PACs function to solicit from them
effectively, just as one needs to know what motivates the individual
contributors in the district.
4. Preparations for the Program.
In preparing the PAC solicitation program, the first step is
to obtain a current list of active PACs from the state and national
Party headquarters, or your Political Fund-raising Consultant will
have one. **1** The first thing to notice is that there are over
3,000 of them. If a Candidate attempted to mail all of them, he/she
would be wasting money. Instead the list should be reviewed
carefully. It should show the name, address, and phone number of the
PAC; its affiliated group, if any; the name of the treasurer and/or
chairperson; the contact person - usually a director for the larger
PACs; and the amount of money on hand as of the last FEC, or state
report. This last item can be deceiving, since many PACs do not begin
to solicit funds until the election year begins.
Go through the list carefully and first pick out any PACs, or the
affiliated group, that are based in the district and/or state. There
are many PACs that only contribute to campaigns in their own home
states, or where they have subsidiaries.
Next pick out the PACs that have some kind of tie-in with the
Candidate either by virtue of employment, membership in the same
associations, or ideological stand on the issues, e.g., if a liberal,
the Candidate can bet the American Conservative Union will pass on
his/her campaign, but COPE would probably provide support. Look for
related fields, e.g., if the Candidate is in retail sales, pick out
all the PACs connected with that field: Sears, Ward, small
businesspersons associations, BIPAC (Business-Industrial PAC), etc.
If the Candidate is considered a fiscal conservative, i.e. a
strong supporter of the free enterprise system, etc. then he/she would
pick out those PACs that are known to be strongly oriented in that
direction, e.g. Amway Corp., Coors Co., most insurance companies, the
American Medical Assn. (AMPAC), etc.
If the Candidate is considered to be moderate to liberal
politically, he/she might pick up support from most of the union PACs,
especially if a Democrat (about 90 to 95 percent of their
contributions are made to Democratic candidates). Then, pick out
major national associations and corporate PACs. The lesser known ones
are usually more parochial in their interests and with their
contributions. Look for PACs that are affiliated in some way with
members of the Finance and Advisory Committees. Apply the same
extensions as for the candidate. Finally, pick out those
single-interest PACs that the Candidate agrees with philosophically.
FootNotes:
**1** There is also a very comprehensive publication called PAC
Americana published by Sunshine Services Corp., 325 Pennsylvania Ave.,
SE, Washington, DC 20003. (202) 544-3647.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
When finished, there should be a list of about 500 PACs, the
most likely prospects. Enter these into the computer in Political
Campaign Management Software's Organization Prospect File. With a
numeric code, distinguish the best 100 or so; marking these as the
preferred prospects. **1**
5. The First Mailing.
The campaign will need to prepare PAC kits for the preferred
100 PACs and, though it makes for a sharper presentation to use
customized covers, it is not really necessary to incur additional
cost. The kit itself can be loose, contained in a pocket folder (what
school children refer to as PeeGees), or bound in book style (the
cellophane types used for reports).
The kit should contain the following:
(1) a straightforward biography;
(2) a 3 x 5 glossy photo;
(3) a copy of the Political Game Plan (excluding the Cash
Flow schedule);
(4) the position booklet or six of the major issue
papers;
(5) a copy of the brochure;
(6) a copy of two or three press clippings following the
public announcement of candidacy;
(7) if it is not in the Game Plan, a reference to any
recent polls taken in the district that show the
vulnerability of the opponent;
(8) a list of the members of the Finance and Advisory
Committees, staff, and consultants, showing
occupations or professions, in addition to
address and phone number;
(9) a copy of the announcement speech;
(10) a cover letter soliciting their support and
volunteering to provide any additional
information, if needed;
(11) the campaign's FEC ID number (or state number, if
non-Federal);
(12) a campaign BRE;
(13) a report showing how much money the campaign has
raised to date;
(14) the number of contributors and volunteers.
About a month or so after the formal announcement date, the
kits should be mailed first class. The balance of the 500 PACs should
receive the cover letter, a copy of a press clipping, a brochure, a
BRE, the campaign's FEC ID number, and a synopsis of the Candidate's
position on the issues.
They should be mailed at the same time in a #10 envelope,
first class. Reason for the first class: The campaign will want to
delete or correct those returned to avoid future mail costs and to be
sure they are going to the right people.
6. The Follow-Up.
About two weeks after the mailing, the Candidate should begin
calling the preferred list. The balance of the 500 are rarely called
but continue to receive future mailings. During subsequent telephone
follow-ups, other individuals can help make the calls, but this first
one should be made by the Candidate personally.
To understand why all of this is necessary, it is important to
know what is happening at the other end. About this time of year,
they are being inundated with requests for assistance, literally by
the hundreds. A new Candidate is usually on the bottom of their
priority lists. So it is important for the campaign to stand out, not
only as one that is different but one that knows what it is doing.
Most PAC directors are politically astute people who know what
the odds are in a given race. If the campaign cannot prove to them
that it has its act together, the request for help will not get past
the circular file.
FootNotes:
**1** In Political Campaign Management Software, these PACs could be
designated as prospective contributors over $100 by entering a "T" in
that field. The others could be designated with an "F".
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
Also, while all of this is going on, they are involved in
other activities, such as raising money for their PAC, holding
training seminars, putting out newsletters to their members, etc.
Most of them are understaffed and underpaid; to say they are hassled
in an election year would be an understatement.
Therefore, the campaign has the burden of proof. The
Candidate has to provide them with a clear picture of the campaign,
the demographics of the district, etc. - even the opponent. In
addition to proving to them that he/she can win, it needs to be
explained why they should want the Candidate to win over the opponent.
And then they must be motivated to act now. Fortunately, more and
more of the PACs are beginning to appreciate the need for early money
in the campaign and do not put it off until September and October as
they used to do.
7. Procedures the PACs Follow.
Many PACs have set procedures that must be followed. Keep in
mind that most of them fully appreciate the trust position they hold
on behalf of their PAC contributors. They know they are not
dispensing their own money and are, therefore, even more careful than
they might otherwise be about its disbursement.
Most of them have committees that must review and approve all
requests for contributions. Normally these committees are made up of
volunteers who are actively involved in their fields of work, so they
may only be able to meet once a month. Occasionally, a committee
member will want the director to obtain additional information before
making a decision, so another month will pass without an answer or a
contribution. A Candidate will find it takes the patience of Job to
work a PAC program properly.
Some of the PACs, like BIPAC, AMPAC, Associated General
Contractors, etc. work through a series of regional members or
committees and until the national PAC receives approval from the local
representative(s), they may be forbidden to act. The Candidate needs
to find out early on what the procedures are for each PAC and act
accordingly.
Some PACs act only as a conduit for individual contributions
earmarked for a specific candidate. So, unless some member of the PAC
wishes to contribute to the campaign, the PAC is unable to make a
contribution.
Many PACs will not become involved until they see polling
results which show ballot strength and favorability ratings. Even
though the first poll will not be until June, do not worry; many of
these PACs would not get involved before the Primary anyway, so lean
on them in August when the campaign does have results. Incidentally,
many PACs will not become involved pre-Primary for any reason, and
even fewer if there is a contested Primary.
The question might come up: if this is the case, why is the
campaign doing its PAC mailing so early. There are two reasons for
this: (1) to alert them to the campaign in the hope that by doing so
early they will start to track the campaign's progress and (2) to
discourage any major contributions from going to the opponent.
Try to enlist third party influence. PAC directors might try
to ignore the Candidate on occasion, but they have a hard time
ignoring their contributing members. Have campaign supporters write
letters to their company, trade association, or union PAC, urging
their financial support of the campaign. If the national Party has a
field director in the district's area, ask him/her to call two or
three PACs on behalf of the campaign. Many of the Party field
directors know the PAC directors and they can help obtain favorable
results.
8. The Second PAC Mailing.
In the next PAC mailing, include one or two favorable press
clippings on the campaign, update the campaign's progress in terms of
active volunteers, number of contributors, and the amount of
contributions received to date. Be honest with them. They are
picking up information from a number of sources, including the
opponent, especially if they are seriously considering the campaign.
To attempt to deceive or mislead one could have disastrous results,
not only with that PAC but with many of the others. Washington, DC,
in many ways, is a small town, and the PAC directors usually know each
other well and exchange information regularly. This is also true in
most state capitols where the state PACs are based.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
If the campaign's Political Campaign Consultant is
Washington-based, refer the PAC director to him/her for additional
information. Most of the PAC directors know the consultants in DC and
respect their judgment.
Two weeks after the second mailing, start the telephone
follow-ups; but this time others including the Campaign Manager should
help. Continue this process until each PAC has contributed or given a
definite "No." Remove the definite NOs from the list and move to the
Support File those that have contributed, but do not forget them.
Send them the campaign newsletters and updates regularly. Remember,
they now have a stake in the outcome. Not only might they be able to
give again, but they might try to encourage other PACs to join them in
supporting the campaign.
9. Other PAC Activities the Candidate Should Do.
There are two other activities a Candidate should do
regarding PACs. At some point shortly after the Primary, he/she
should plan a 3-day trip to DC if a Federal Candidate, to the State
Capitol if non-Federal, and visit personally with as many PAC
directors on the preferred list as possible. If the Political
Fund-raising Consultant is DC based, he/she will usually help arrange
the itinerary. If not, the Candidate should see if the national Party
headquarters can be of assistance; if no help is available there, then
ask the PAC director of a PAC already supporting the campaign for
assistance. The next activity is more complicated but could be
arranged during the earlier visit.
There are some PACs in the DC area which will not
contribute money directly to a campaign but will buy tickets to an
event. In all honesty, I have never fully understood the reason for
this but feel sure they must have one.
See if the campaign's consultant, national Party, or a
supporting PAC will sponsor a cocktail party for the Candidate during
his/her visit (obviously not a problem for an incumbent already in
DC). There are a couple of facilities used regularly in DC for these
events and they have fairly standard procedures. Usually the campaign
can raise several thousand dollars from this activity that would not
be available any other way.
One last comment about the PAC program: the Candidate
should not overlook the help of any officeholder he/she might know
personally. They can be very helpful in opening doors for the
Candidate with PACs with that they might be close. Also, the Party
leaders are more than willing to help. Be sure to try to visit with
them while in DC or the State Capitol.
J. Out-Of-District Fund-raising Program.
The out-of-district (OD) program involves two basic
activities: (1) a program similar in approach to the PAC program, i.e.
a combination of direct mail with a telephone follow-up and a
broad-based direct mail program; and (2) sponsorship: solicitation by
key individuals connected to a particular industry or association.
Both of these are predicated on the fact that there are people
outside of the district, who, like the PACs have an interest in the
outcome - either because they agree with the Candidate's views and are
opposed to the opponent's or because they see the race as an
opportunity to add a vote in the legislature to the Party, in the hope
of gaining or retaining a majority. In effect, they are single person
PACs, individuals who prefer to go it alone as opposed to pooling
their resources.
1. Direct Mail and Telephone Follow-up.
In the 1st Stage, the Candidate accumulated from the
state Party committee (or the records at the Secretary of State's
office, if the Party was unwilling or unable to help) lists of Party
and state Candidate contributors from around the state. If possible,
try to add to this list the names of contributors (over $500
potential) from the national Party headquarters (if they are unwilling
or unable to help, check the resources available from a reputable
mailing list firm).
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
Between these two sources, it should be possible to
develop a list of about 3,000 names. Ask the state Party chairperson,
executive director, or county chairperson to help select about 100 to
200 of the most likely contributors in the state. Prepare a kit
exactly like the PAC kit to send to these individuals, changing the
cover letter slightly to conform to this solicitation.
Prepare a smaller kit for the remainder of the list
including the above-mentioned cover letter, a brochure, a BRE, a
one-page synopsis of the Candidate's position on the issues, and a
brief outline (one page, front and back) on why the campaign is
winnable and how it is going to be done. Add all 3,000 names to the
Prospect File in the computer with distinguishing codes.
About two weeks after the PAC mailing has been
dropped, drop the entire OD mailing. Two weeks later the Candidate
should begin to call personally the potential major contributors from
around the state.
Mail to this OD group two more times during the course
of the campaign, transferring the names from the Prospect File to the
Support File as they become contributors. Have staff and committee
assist on 2nd and 3rd telephone follow-ups.
Depending on the campaign's success in putting
together a quality list, it should net from these three mailings, plus
second and third appeals to first-time contributors, approximately
$30,000 with this program. The follow-up appeals will take place
automatically when the campaign re-solicits the Support File. Here
again, the Political Fund-raising Consultant can be of invaluable
assistance with this program, in copywriting, list selection, and
targeting.
2. "Sponsorship" Solicitation by Key Individuals.
The second activity involves the assistance of third
parties, either persons or groups. Certain individuals and
organizations around the country maintain regular communications with
associates or members via newsletters or subscription magazines.
During the campaign year they use these communication resources to
advise their associates or members that races around the country need
and deserve their personal, financial assistance; suggesting that they
send contributions directly to the campaign.
I do not feel at liberty to disclose their names in
this Manual without their permission, but I would suggest that a few
inquiries, while making the PAC and OD follow-up calls, will produce
the necessary information, or possibly the national Party field staff
will be of assistance.
I can say, though, if these individuals or
organizations will act as advocates on the Candidate's behalf, this
activity could net as much as $25,000 for the campaign. Most
Political Fund-raising Consultants should be familiar with these
resources and how to approach them.
K. Major Events.
Another primary source of income for the campaign is the major
event, usually a dinner featuring a prominent individual as guest
speaker with tickets averaging $125 or more per person. Though
somewhat overdone in recent years, these events, if done properly and
sparingly, can be very successful.
In the Prototype Game Plan I have projected two major events -
in May and September. Timing for these events is very important,
since they also serve as political rallies and media events to
generate momentum at critical points in the campaign.
1. Arranging for a Guest Speaker.
The first problem to be solved in arranging these
events is obtaining a "headliner," i.e. a featured guest speaker who
not only will help draw contributors but will also maximize the media
attention given to the campaign.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A
The two months used in the Prototype plan (May and
September) are among the most popular months for these events.
Therefore, the competition with other candidates around the country is
strong. First, determine who would be the best draw in the district.
If the President, or a former President, as the case may be depending
on the Candidate's Party, would be the best, then try for him. But do
so early, do not wait until a month before the event and expect him to
be available.
Find out who their political scheduler is and make
contact by mail and phone at least 5 to 6 months before the event.
The first inquiry will be met with the usual: "We'll consider your
request and get back with you."
This is not a stall, both the President and, I
presume, the former Presidents will allocate a very limited number of
days for political activity during the campaign year. Being limited
in the number of visits they can make, they rely on their own
political advisers and the national Parties to assist them in the
selection process. This is normally a long drawn-out process and,
usually, final decisions are unable to be made until a month before
the event.
To protect itself, the campaign should select at least
five other persons who would be helpful (Vice-President, Cabinet
members, House leaders, Senate leaders, or former ones, etc.) and make
an appeal to them at the same time it requests assistance from the
President, or a former President. The campaign can always cancel one
if it receives duplicate acceptances; they will understand. This is a
relatively routine procedure during the campaign year.
After extending the invitation, ask national Party or
legislative leaders to make calls on behalf of the campaign to the
people being sought. As a backup to this first list, the campaign
should send the same letter to the state's U.S. Senator, Governor, or
a well-known Representative, if they are members of the Candidate's
Party. It should be first determined that they would not be a
liability in the district. When writing give them an option of at
least 2 days for the spring event and 2 for the fall, preferably a
Friday or Saturday, though some would draw well on any night.
Incidentally, the campaign should not overlook the
possibility of a national figure in another field, like sports or
entertainment. Many individuals in these areas contribute a certain
amount of their time for political appearances during the campaign
year for the candidates of their Party. Some, including some former
elected officials, are also available for an honorarium. Check with
the national Party headquarters to find out who has volunteered to
help this year or, if someone on the committee knows someone
personally, make the appeal directly. The important thing is to make
these appeals early.
2. Secure the Location.
At the same time lock in the location, a hotel,
country club, or major restaurant, that can handle 300+ people. They
usually have their dates booked months in advance so, to be safe, it
is a good idea to make a tentative booking when the initial letters
are sent to the prospective speakers; a reservation can usually be
canceled or altered as long as it is done at least a month ahead. Be
sure the place selected is centrally located, has adequate facilities,
and is reasonably priced. Some places will not charge for the dining
room, if a certain number of meals are bought.
3. Establishing the Cost Factors.
Do not go overboard on decorations or on the meal
itself. The people who attend these events are coming to support the
Candidate and hear the guest speaker. They really do not expect to be
served an elaborate meal. This did not get to be called the "rubber
chicken circuit" by the politicians and media for nothing.
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APPENDIX A
The campaign should establish a maximum allowance of
$30 per person for everything connected with the event, except the
"host" costs for the guest speaker. The $30 should include the
invitations, floral arrangements and decorations, band (if used), cost
of meals and room, etc.
The host costs for the guest speaker will vary
considerably. A President usually does not charge a fee (though
sometimes former ones do), but the campaign is normally responsible
for covering the cost of accommodations while he is in town, not only
for him but also for his official entourage, including the Secret
Service. Usually, they will want at least one whole floor of the
hotel. Sometimes the hotel will provide this free as an advertising
and public relations write-off, especially if the campaign is having
the dinner there. Incidentally, the costs of a Presidential visit are
considerably higher than for most other guest speakers, but there are
off-setting considerations: (1) the charge for a dinner like this is
usually at least $250 per person; (2) the private social hour that
precedes the dinner usually costs at least $500 per person; and (3)
the ensuing publicity for the campaign is worth thousands.
Other potential guest speakers may or may not charge a
fee, but the campaign is always responsible for their expenses. If
they are on a circuit, the campaign will be expected to pay for its
share of the plane costs from his/her last location to the district.
There are certain rules of etiquette to be followed,
regarding the treatment of the guest speaker. From the time they
touch the ground until they take off, the campaign is totally
responsible for their reasonable needs and comfort. A car and
driver/aide should be assigned to them with the responsibility of
picking them up at the airport and attending to them while in the
district. The guest is not expected to make any expenditures for
meals, room, and transportation while there.
Try to make them as comfortable as possible and their
visit an enjoyable one. Be sure they are briefed on any local issues
and the Candidate's stand on the major issues before they meet the
press. If they have not been sent this information in advance, the
driver/aide should have it available for him/her at the airport, along
with a copy of the itinerary.
4. Operations and Promotion.
After firming the date and the guest speaker, have the
tickets printed and call a meeting of the Finance Committee. It will
be advantageous to establish an ad hoc Dinner Committee, made up of a
ticket chairperson(s), a host chairperson(s), and a dinner
chairperson(s) to be responsible for the whole event. Tickets should
be given to members of the Finance Committee and each person asked to
sell at least one table (ten people to a table) within a definite
period of time - usually two weeks.
Also they should be asked to sell tickets (not
formalized) for the private social hour (in effect, a more private
meeting with the guest). This event is usually held in a separate
room at the same location as the dinner and is priced at either $250
or $500. Normally, any person who has already contributed $1,000 is
invited to attend these private social meetings, without cost.
The upper-level income members of the committee should
sell at least two tickets each to this event. They would collect the
funds and the names would be placed on a special list to be used at
the door. As mentioned before, this event is usually held in the hour
just prior to the public social hour, before the dinner. Remember,
the press conference is held prior to the private social hour.
At the same time these arrangements with the Finance
Committee are being made, the staff should be sending an invitation
letter including two to four tickets, to be bought or sold, and a BRE
to all previous contributors of over $100 and the $100+ prospective
contributors.
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APPENDIX A
Be sure to include all district elected and committee
officials of the Candidate's Party. Also include higher level state
elected officers and officials, if it is the President or a former
President. About this time, the first press release with the formal
announcement of the dinner and guest speaker should be sent; include
the names of the Dinner Committee chairpersons.
5. The Follow-up.
About 8 to 10 days after the letters have gone out,
the Phone Bank should begin follow-up phone calls to the contributors
and the prospective contributors who were sent invitations. At this
time send out the second press release; include a biography with a
photo of the guest speaker (available from their offices), the time
and location of the press conference, and a progress report of ticket
sales to date (if the sales are good). Make final arrangements for
meals, decorations, hostesses or hosts, ticket takers and sellers at
the door, transportation, etc.
If the campaign does draw the President,
Vice-President, or other major personage, there will usually be a
traveling press corps with them. Though not absolutely required, it is
good public relations to have several vans with drivers at the airport
to provide transportation for them and their equipment to the hotel
and back. Also, as a matter of courtesy, they may be offered free
tickets to the public social hour and dinner. Most are not allowed to
accept gifts and will insist on paying the actual cost portion of the
ticket price ($25). This same arrangement should be offered to
members of the local media.
Incidentally, make sure the room used for the press
conference is large enough to accommodate all of their equipment. In
arranging the room, a large banner, usually a reproduction of the
first billboard poster on heavy paper, is used as a backdrop behind
the speaker's podium, both here and in the dining room. Use flat
paint so the TV lights don't reflect off of it. On the podium itself
tack a window or lawn sign. The Candidate should be at the right hand
side of the guest speaker throughout the press conference. Have press
kits available for members of the visiting press corps, if present.
6. Planning an Airport Rally.
If the guest speaker is the President, Vice-President,
a former President, or a major dignitary, and if the guest and time
permit. the campaign should arrange to have as many people as possible
meet the plane at the airport on arrival and again on departure. To
build the crowd, invitations should be sent to all volunteers,
endorsers, local schools, senior citizen clubs (providing buses, if
necessary), political organizations, scout troops, etc. Arrange for a
local high school band to be on hand (sometimes this requires a
contribution to the band uniform or traveling fund) and a motorcade
with police escorts. If having a problem building a crowd, have the
Phone Bank do a follow-up.
A week before the event run a series of 30-second spot
radio commercials announcing the arrival and time, inviting the
general public to attend. In the ticket letter to the contributors
and prospective contributors, be sure to include the same information
and encourage attendance.
Remember, these are major media events as well as
fund-raising events. If handled properly, the campaign should
dominate the local political news for at least 10 days.
The day after the event, send out the final press
release. Give an update on the success of the event (in terms of
people participating, not money) and express appreciation to the guest
speaker, the guests, and everyone who helped make it such a huge
success. Also, send out special thank-you letters containing the same
message to that same group of people.
7. Other Possible Activities.
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APPENDIX A
All of this is predicated on a dinner event. As
circumstances dictate, the campaign may have to shift to a luncheon or
some other type of event that would not provide the same return of
money for the campaign (it is hard to tell the President's scheduler
that if the campaign cannot have him for a dinner, it does not want
him to come). If this happens, the campaign will have to provide for
a second event to make up the difference.
If time permits and the guest speaker is willing, try
to arrange a political rally at a local college auditorium or public
place where all the supporters and the public can attend and have an
opportunity to see and hear the Candidate and the guest speaker. If
it is an enclosed place, consider charging a $1 admission fee to
offset the costs of rental, security, loudspeakers, etc.
L. Minor Events.
During the months of June, July, and August, each team on the
Finance Committee, working with one of the Regional Committees, should
put on a minor event in their Region designed as much for morale and
political purposes as for fund-raising (one event each month).
Low-priced ticket events ranging, for example, from $10.00 for an
individual to $25.00 for a family are best. The intent is to involve
as much of the general public as possible. Spaghetti and/or chicken
dinners, picnics, polka or slow dances, fashion shows, pancake
breakfasts, pizza parties, auctions, potluck dinners, etc. are all
popular ideas that work well and are easy and fun to put on.
A loophole of sorts in the FEC law allows a contributor, even
if they have already contributed the maximum $1,000, to pay for the
expenses of an event up to another $1,000 ($2,000 if spouse
contributes) as long as the event is held in their home, a church
hall, or a community room not normally used for commercial purposes.
Promotion and sales should be done by the two committees, with
campaign headquarters providing logistical help and arranging for
press releases before and after.
M. The Candidate's Contribution.
The last source of income to be discussed is usually the first
contribution made. Except in rare cases, most candidates have to
provide a major portion of the seed money in the 1st Stage of the
campaign. Usually this is done in the form of a loan to the Campaign
Committee so that, if a surplus remains at the conclusion of the
campaign, the Candidate can recover this initial investment. If not,
he/she writes it off as a direct contribution on the year-end FEC
report or carries it forward to the next campaign, if running again.
In addition to this direct contribution, the Candidate will be
contributing time, energy, and effort, plus a loss of salary during
the 8 months of full-time campaigning if a challenger. There will
also be a considerable investment in clothes, meals, transportation,
and incidental expenses. In many cases, the average Congressional
Candidate can expect to invest between $50,000 and $70,000 to the
campaign effort.
Since few candidates have this amount of money readily
available, most borrow during the campaign and usually end up with a
personal debt. Normally a fund-raising dinner party will be held
shortly after the election to try and retire as much of this debt as
possible. As might be expected, this is much easier to do if the
Candidate is the winner.
Whatever debt still remains can usually be deferred until the
next campaign period (paying interest only), if the lender or
creditors agree, and retired at that time. Normally, an early
fund-raising effort combining direct mail and a dinner is held in the
spring or fall of the following year to complete this debt retirement
and provide the seed money for the next campaign.
Even though a challenger Candidate might lose the first time,
the chances of winning the next time improve considerably. The voter
ID data accumulated, including the Support File, plus the improved
name ID provide an excellent base on which to build the next campaign.
The major contributors, PACs, and Party officials are very aware of
this and will usually provide the support necessary to help make it
happen. In fact, it is not unusual for them to extract a commitment
from the Candidate that he/she will run again, if unsuccessful the
first time, before they make their initial contribution. In rare
cases they will even back a third try, depending on circumstances and
an analysis of the first two losses.
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APPENDIX A
Many candidates have the attitude that the campaign is not for
them personally, but for all the people who share their feelings about
how the government and country should be run. They see themselves as
merely the catalyst to make this happen. Within this framework, they
have no problem making the necessary requests for funds, time, and
effort from those who share these beliefs and want to effect a change.
If this the operative framework, others will respond in a positive
manner.
N. Summary.
In summary, the fund-raising game plan should contain the
following:
(1) Description of the Finance Committee, its purpose,
structure, goals, objectives, and methodology;
(2) The budget and sources of income;
(3) A brief analysis of each source of income and the
procedures the campaign plans on using to tap
them;
(4) A modified copy of the Time Line, showing the
dates involving fund-raising activity;
(5) A copy of the FEC, or appropriate state, rules
regarding federal, or state, campaign solicitation.
All Finance Committee members should receive a copy of this
plan at their first meeting along with a copy of the Political Game
Plan (minus the Cash Flow schedule). Needless to say, they should
become thoroughly familiar with both.
In many cases, the national Party, some major PACs, and major
prospective contributors will want to see a copy before considering
their contribution. Since the assumption is made that one of these
copies might end up in the opponent's hands, I recommend that specific
dates of activity in this version of the plan be deleted; show months
only. This precaution will minimize the chances that the opponent
will schedule similar activity at the same time in an attempt to
upstage the campaign.
Always keep fund-raising activity uppermost in everyone's
mind. The Finance Committee and the staff will have to be reminded
constantly that the outcome of the political campaign is directly
related to the success of the fund-raising campaign.
If at all possible, try to secure the services of a Political
Fund-raising Consultant. This service is usually less expensive if
provided as part of a total contract with a multi-agency. If unable
to obtain a multi-agency, even a separate contract will more than pay
for itself by helping to insure the fund-raising campaign's success.
A plan is only as good as the people responsible for
implementing it. Select the committee with great care. Make sure it
is well-balanced and representative of a broad cross-section of the
business, industrial, professional, labor, and trade communities.
They must believe in the Candidate and be committed to attaining the
campaign's objectives.
The fund-raising campaign must be as well organized and
strictly implemented as the political campaign. At any given time
there will be several activities going on simultaneously; only
organization and discipline will prevent chaos, confusion, and
collapse. A well-prepared Time Line, strictly adhered to, will help
considerably in keeping all activities on track.
Remember, all events are opportunities for additional media
exposure as well as fund-raisers. Be sure to maximize this aspect of
the activity. When putting out fund-raising progress press releases,
talk in terms of numbers of contributors and the average contribution
per person, as well as the total amount raised to date.
Stick to the budget and cash-flow schedule! There is a strong
tendency to spend for items or activity not originally called for in
the Political Game Plan if a surplus develops at any given time. Do
not succumb. Either put the money aside in an interest-bearing
account or in the media trust account being maintained by the ad
agency for the campaign.
Be sure the members of the Finance Committee are thoroughly
familiar with the FEC, or state, rules and regulations regarding
soliciting contributions and accounting. The last thing any campaign
needs is a scandal involving illegal campaign contribution activity,
no matter how inadvertently done. The Treasurer or Political
Fund-raising Consultant should establish a sound accounting procedure
for the campaign, and the staff must adhere to it, no matter how
rushed they might be. Call the FEC, Secretary of State, or the
national or state Party's legal department if there is a question
before proceeding with a questionable transaction. Finally, remember
the specific figures used in this section are illustrative only, based
on a Prototype Game Plan. Each campaign's figures should be based on
its own situation and game plan.
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APPENDIX B
Form: Inside flap of 6 1/2 BRE (wallet style).
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APPENDIX B
Forms: Contributor's Card. (5" x 7")
Pledge Card. (3 1/2" x 6 1/4")
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APPENDIX B
Forms: Volunteer's Card.
Endorser's File Card.
Pocket-size Endorement Card.
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APPENDIX B
Endorsement Form
Form: Region: Area:
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APPENDIX B
Form: Cash-Flow Schedule Form. (8 1/2" x 11")
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APPENDIX B
The Computer Transmittal Form
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APPENDIX B
This is for the back of the Computer Transmittal Form.
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APPENDIX B
Form: Congressional Committee Organiation Flow-Chart 19
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APPENDIX C
Prospect File Mailer
Date
Address Block
Dear ,
On Tuesday, November (Date) , (year), we will have an
opportunity to vote for one of the most qualified persons I have ever
met running for political office.
(Name), an outstanding leader in our community for many years
has agreed to enter the race for (office), in the # District.
It is indeed an honor and a pleasure for me to be serving as
the (title) Chairperson of (name)'s campaign.
When several of us discussed with (name) the possibility of
entering this race as our candidate, we assured (name) that many
members of the community would be proud to endorse and support his/her
candidacy.
We did extensive research on what it would take to put
together a winning campaign, developed the strategy, a sound game
plan, and a budget which is adequate to implement it properly.
Several of us then agreed to serve on (name)'s Finance
Committee and work to raise the funds necessary to communicate our
message to the electorate. As you well know, the cost of
communications has increased considerably in the past few years.
I am writing to you now to ask for your financial help.
(Name) is running, but the fact is it is our campaign. If (Name)
wins, he/she will be our representative in (city) and we couldn't ask
for a better friend there.
Enclosed please find a brochure detailing (Name)'s background
and a return envelope. Please send as much as you can of your share
in this effort, $50, $100, $200 or more. Be assured it will be put to
good use.
Sincerely,
(your name)
(title)
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX C
Major Event Letter
Date
Address Block
Dear ,
On Saturday, May (date), (year), we are planning a major
fund-raising event for our candidate, (name)'s campaign for (office)
in the # District.
You are hereby invited to attend.
The event will be a dinner/dance, held at location, beginning
at 7:30 PM and lasting until 12:00 PM. Dinner will be served at 8:15
PM. Dress is semi-formal.
We are pleased to announce our guest of honor for the evening
will be (name), one of the most popular personalities in (whatever).
Tickets for this event will be $125.00 per person. A table
for eight is $1,000.00. Prior to the dinner we will have a private
reception for our guest of honor and (candidate's name). Tickets for
this reception are limited to 50 and will cost $200.00 per person.
As you know, (name)'s campaign for (office) has been going
very well. The polls show the race is really tightening with the
momentum going in our direction.
If we are to keep it going, we must proceed with the next
stage of our game plan on schedule. Two tickets for this event will
pay for one month's rental for one of (name)'s billboards. Buying a
table will pay the rent through the end of the campaign. (If you
like, we will let you pick out which billboard you want to be yours.)
Please use the enclosed envelope to send in your reservations
now. It promises to be a fun evening and a great way to support our
campaign.
Sincerely yours,
(your name)
(your title)
Enclosures.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX C
Thank-You Letter
Date
Address Block
Dear ,
I recently received you most generous contribution of $
to our campaign for (office) in the # district.
I can't begin to tell you how touched I am by your sacrifice
and willingness to become involved in the political process. Your
contribution will be used to help pay for the communications necessary
to bring our message to the many voters in our district who might not
fully understand what is at stake in this election.
But (addressee name), you and I know. If we are going to have
the kind of government which helped make our country so great, we must
elect people to office who know what needs to be done, and have the
willingness and determination to fight for it.
Unfortunately, so many of our friends and neighbors do not
understand this. Unless we are able to bring our message to them, the
only voices they will hear will be those of our opponents. We must
not let this happen.
If it is at all possible, please consider sending an
additional contribution to our campaign at this time. The cost of our
billboards, signs and brochures keep going up and up and it is a daily
struggle to find the necessary funds to pay for them.
Again, let me express my appreciation for what you have done,
and on behalf of our campaign - many thanks.
Sincerely yours,
(your name)
(your title)
P. S. The cost of a single piece of mail has gone up considerably in
the last year - postage and printing costs have never been higher.
Every 100 pieces of mail costs $30.00 to send. Please help underwrite
as many pieces as you can. Thank you.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX D
Actual Game Plans and Procedural Manuals That Work.
What follows in this Appendix is the actual fund-raising game
plan developed and used during recent campaigns. It has not been
edited in any way, but all references to Party, dates and the
candidates involved have been omitted. Many of the figures are out of
date but are included merely to illustrate the calculations derived.
Keep in mind this is and adaptation of the Prototype Plan
presented in THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL. In some areas, the Prototype Plan
is a more updated, improved version of this plan a result of my
constant effort to improve the process after the experiences of each
campaign cycle.
This, then, is a fund-raising game plan prepared for internal
use by the campaign and for inclusion in press and PAC kits. The
cover page and biography of the candidate have been removed.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX D
Finance Committee Operations Manual
The function of the Finance Committee is to help raise the funds
necessary for the successful completion of our campaign for the U. S.
Congressional seat in District.
That this accomplishment is possible is beyond question.
(1) Recent elections in Districts around the state and here in
the show that there is a definite swing on the part of
the voters to candidates representing the moderate to right wings of
political philosophy and attitudes. our major task politically is to
find those people and get them out to vote on Election Day - November
, 19 .
(2) Recent surveys indicate that the district is -
by any reasonable definition - a swing district, i.e. a district with
a large percentage of independent voters who vote for the person, not
the party, and could therefore, go either way in a General Election.
These same surveys also indicate that the incumbent Congressman,
is perceived as being very and out of step
with a majority of the voters in the district.
(3) The district is so diversified that it would be
virtually impossible for someone to win without a strong
well-organized "grass roots" campaign, coupled with an intensive media
and direct mail operation and an early start. The incumbent has had a
"free ride" for so long that his grass roots organization is virtually
non-existent.
(4) We do not for a second underestimate the formidableness of
Congressman . As a year incumbent he
has at his disposal the prestige of his office, a well-qualified
staff, the franking privilege which he uses with utmost effectiveness
and professional assistance with his campaigns.
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APPENDIX D
In order to counter these advantages we have retained the firm of
Campaign Management Associates of Washington, D. C., one of the
nations's leading political consulting firms. They will be
responsible for our campaign operations planning and media activity.
In addition to this plans on walking many precincts in
the district between now and the election. Through this
effort, we not only hope to develop a close relationship with
and the voters, but we will be recruiting volunteers in order
to build the most intensive "grass roots" organization the
district has ever seen.
So we can win! And we can win big - but it all depends on you.
Without your assistance it would be virtually impossible.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX D
What Are The Objectives?
The Campaign Budget has been set at $300,000.00. We hope to raise
this amount from five (5) sources.
1. PAC's and Out-of-District Contributions $60,000.00
2. National Committees 40,000.00
3. Direct mail within the District 40,000.00
4. Fund-raising events within the District 80,000.00
5. Individual Solicitation within the District 80,000.00
$300,000.00
Sources 3, 4, and 5 (within the District) total $200,000.00. Among
the District's 5 regions, the allocation is as follows:
Region I 30% $ 60,000.00
Region II 20% 40,000.00
Region III 15% 30,000.00
Region IV 10% 20,000.00
Region V 25% 50,000.00
$200,000.00
When a contribution is received, it is credited to the region in which
the contributor lives -regardless of where or how it was raised. For
example, if an event is held in region III and someone attends it from
region I, region I would receive the credit toward their budget
objective of $60,000.00.
This also applies to any funds received as a result of our direct mail
program. They are automatically credited to the region in which the
Contributor lives.
All fund-raising events are credited on a NET basis only, i.e. the
costs of holding the event are deducted from the total raised and only
the net amount is credited toward the region's objectives.
Since sources 1 & 2 listed above will not be available until after the
primary election (for the most part), the bulk of the budget for the
primary campaign will have to be raised within the district.
Since our cash flow budget calls for an expenditure of about $180,000
by September ,19 each region will need to raise approximately 70%
of its objective by that date. Therefore Region I should plan on
raising $42,000., Region II - $28,000., Region III - $21,000., Region
IV - $14,000., and Region V - $35,000. by September , 19 . The
balance of $40,000 we hope to raise from sources 1 and 2 by this date.
This gives us just about one year to accomplish this herculean task.
Suggested methods follow.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX D
The Method of Operation
Between now and the Primary Election we have divided the campaign
fund-raising period into three stages.
Stage 1 December , 19 - April , 19
Stage 2 April , 19 - August , 19
Stage 3 September , 19 - November , 19
During these Stages it will be helpful if you keep in mind a
distinction between "direct" activity and "support" activity. direct
activity is where you (as the Finance Committee) have the primary
responsibility for the success of a particular fund-raising event or
activity, e.g. a district-wide or regional dinner and individual
Solicitation. Support activity is when the fund-raising event or
activity has been initiated by someone else but it is taking place
within your region, e.g. the political committee within your region is
putting on a p[olka Party to help raise funds or central has done a
mailing to Doctors in your region which need a follow-up phone call to
solicit funds.
At any given time in each of the Stages, something will be happening
which will require your involvement in either a direct or support
role.
Stage 1 - December , 19 - April , 19
Sometime during this stage (tentatively - Feb. ) we are asking the
Finance Committee to sponsor one major fund-raising event ( a major
event is $100 per person.) The NET amount to be raised from this
event is $40,000.
Our objective is to sell 500 tickets at $100 per person.
The event itself will be a Dinner/Dance kicking off
campaign.
central will handle the publicity and initial mailing but it will be
up to the Finance Committee to do the actual selling. Each Finance
Committee Member should recruit at least 10 persons to assist them
with their ticket sales.
We suggest that you put together a "prospect list" of at least 150
persons in each of your regions who are potential contributors to
these events. Then call a meeting with your committee members and
decide who will be personally responsible for calling at least 15
people from that prospect list. you should then 43-convene your
meeting ten days later to determine what progress has been made and by
whom.
Remember the above objectives are on a NET basis, therefore when
making your plans you must take into consideration all expenses
involved in the event you are planning.
Also during this stage there will be a regular and on-going direct
mail program along with individual solicitation to raise funds. our
objective from these two sources is $50,000. Objective Stage 1 is
$90,000.00 plus $10,000 from sources 1 & 2 for a total of $100,000.00.
Stage 2 - April , 19 - August , 19
During Stage 2 we plan on having five minor fund-raising events ($25
per person) one in each region. The NET objectives on a regional
basis are as follows:
Region I - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region II - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region III - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region IV - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region V - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX D
The events could be whatever the committee chooses to do - a Polka
Party, a Dinner, a Ski Party, a Fashion Show, etc. Whatever you think
will work best in your region.
As with the major fund-raising event, a prospect list should be put
together (preferably on 3 X 5 cards) and distributed to your committee
members for follow-up solicitation.
Our objective is to raise $20,000 NET from these five events.
Also during this stage our individual solicitation program will
continue. Our objective from this source is $20,000 during this
stage. Essentially this part of the fund-raising program will be
carried on by and members of the Finance Committee.
The direct mail and PAC solicitation programs will continue as in
stage 1.
Total objective Stage 2 is $50,000 (cumulative totals: $150,000.00
plus $60,000.00 from sources 1 and 2 = $210,000.00).
Stage 3 - September , 19 - November , 19
During the first three weeks of this stage we are asking each of the
regions to sponsor one minor fund-raising event similar to the ones
put on during stage 2. The NET objectives will be the same and the
suggested procedure should also be duplicated. Since this is a
different campaign period many of the individuals who contributed
during stage 2 should be approached to contribute a second time. We
suggest however, that you utilize a different type of event from stage
2. A Lake Cruise, Hayride Party, Tea Dance, etc. are some more ideas
which can have the desired financial results and provide some fun and
entertainment at the same time.
Our objective is to raise $20,000 NET from these five events.
We plan on raising $10,000 from our direct mail program and $30,000
from individual solicitations during this stage 3 for a NET of
$60,000. Our objective from sources 1 & 2 during this period is
$30,000.00 for a total of $90,000.00.
Summary of Objectives And Sources:
Source: Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
12/ -4/ 4/ -8/ 9/ -11/
1. PAC's & OD cont. $ 10,000. $ 40,000. $ 10,000.
2. Nat'l Comm. $ $ 20,000. $ 20,000.
3. Direct Mail I D $ 20,000. $ 10,000. $ 10,000.
4. Fund-raisers $ 40,000. $ 20,000. $ 20,000.
5. Individual slctrs.$ 30,000. $ 20,000. $ 30,000.
Individual Totals: $100,000. $110,000. $ 90,000.
Cumulative Totals: $100,000. $210,000. $300,000.
Important Considerations
All Federal candidates are subject to very strict rules and
regulations concerning fund-raising activity. Though some of these
rules may seem ridiculous the penalties for violating them can be very
serious. in addition to the political damage, they involve fines and
possible jail sentences.
One of the first rules is that under no circumstances can a Federal
candidate accept a campaign contribution from a corporation. All
contributions must be from individuals.
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APPENDIX D
Another important rule is that the maximum a person can contribute is
$1,000.00 during a campaign period. Keep in mind though that we are
involved in two campaigns - the Primary and the General. So a person
could give $1,000 in each one. Also note that it is per person,
therefore both a husband and wife could each give $1,000. in each
campaign period for a total of $4,000. There is an important
exception to this rule that you should be aware of and that is that an
individual may host a fund-raising event in their own home or at a
public hall or church and spend up to $1,000 for refreshments without
charging it to the campaign or against their $1,000.00 limit (double
this amount if the wife is a co-host).
Third rule. All fund-raising material, including tickets, must have
the following disclaimer: "AUTHORIZED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE. A Copy of our report is on file with the Federal Election
Commission and is available for purchase from the Federal Election
Commission, Washington, D.C." We strongly recommend therefore that
you let central take care of all your printing needs in connection
with any fund-raising activity, even if it is done on your own
stationary.
Fourth rule. All receipts and expenditures must be made through the
Congressional Committee.
Fifth rule. A monies received on behalf of the campaign must be
deposited and recorded immediately. Please be sure to mail them in to
Central as soon as received. Mail to: Congressional Comm., PO Box
Be sure to include a cover note of
explanation.
Sixth rule. We must have a record of the name, address, phone number,
occupation and place of employment of all contributors over $200. The
name, address, and phone number is required for all contributions
below $200. Please be sure to obtain this information for all
contributors and send it in with the contribution.
Seventh rule. We cannot accept a cash contribution over $100.00, it
must be by check.
The Federal Election Commission is currently reviewing all the above
rules. if any changes occur during the course of the campaign we will
notify you.
Conclusion
As stated at the outset, the job you have to do in the campaign is
crucial to its success. The timing is equally important. As any good
businessman knows "cash flow" is the key phrase in any budget. Your
stages of fund-raising activity are directly related to the Political
Stages of the campaign. If you fail to meet your objectives on
schedule, the Political campaign will be unable to meet its objectives
on schedule. And since timing is extremely important in the
successful outcome of a Political campaign we must do everything
humanly possible to succeed.
Unlike other types of "business" operations where you can modify or
adjust schedules and timetables without dire consequences, a Political
campaign cannot afford that luxury. we are dealing with a time frame
that cannot be altered.
In effect, we have only this one opportunity to unseat one of the most
Representatives ever to walk the halls of Congress and
to finally elect an individual who is not only extremely
well-qualified to do the job but who will represent our interests in
Washington.
When you become tired and discouraged with this monumental task before
you, remind yourself of what it's all about. Think about the
thousands of extra dollars we are all paying every year to support a
"welfare" system designed and implemented by the very man who calls
himself our Congressman today. Think about the outrageous inflation
rate that robs all of us day in and day out and then try to remember
what prices were like years ago when
first took office. Think about how little we worried about energy
and unemployment years ago.
AND THEN THINK ABOUT HOW RIDICULOUS IT IS TO EXPECT ONE OF THE PERSONS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS TO NOW FIND THE SOLUTIONS!!!!!!
Yes, it is going to be difficult, but together we can do it. Campaign
Central will do its part with all the logistical support you will
need. will do his fair share and then some.
Fund-raising events and activity will take precedence over all other
events during the course of the campaign. Without these funds, we
will be unable to communicate our message to the voters and that's
what this is all about. That is in essence what all this money buys
-communications. has been using our tax dollars for
years to sell us on his programs, it's time we
sold him some of ours!
Thank you for your cooperation in this worthwhile effort.
#ENDCARD
#TAG \CASHFLW2.PICT
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APPENDIX D
The congressional Committee "Cash Flow" Budget
#ENDCARD
#TAG \CASHFLW3.PICT
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APPENDIX D
The congressional Committee "Cash Flow" Budget
#ENDCARD
#TAG \PRIORIT.PICT
#CARD
APPENDIX D
Sample prioritization schedule
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#TAG
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APPENDIX E
Possible Sources of Assistance.
1. Amer. Assn. of Pol. Cons.
1211 Conn. Ave., NW, #506
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 546-1564
2. Clerk of the House
H-105
U. S. Capitol Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7000
3. Democratic Cong. Comm.
430 S. Capitol St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-1500
4. Democratic Nat'l. Comm.
430 S. Capitol St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-8000
5. Democratic Sen. Comm.
430 S. Capitol St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 224-2447
6. Democratic Study Group
1422 LHOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5858
7. Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20463
(202) 376-3120
(800) 424-9530
8. League of Women Voters
1730 M St., NW, 10th Fl.
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 429-1965
9. Nat'l. League of Cities
1301 Penn. Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 626-3000
10. Nat'l. Rep. Cong. Comm.
320 1st St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 479-7050
11. Nat'l. Rep. Sen. Comm.
425 2nd St., NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 224-2351
12. Repub. Nat'l Comm.
310 1st St., SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-8500
13. Senate Document Room
Senate Hart Office Bldg.
SHOB4
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-7860
14. Superintendent of Documents
U. S. Govt. Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
(202) 783-3238
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX F
Directory of Advertisers.
Political Campaign Services
S. J. Guzzetta & Associates, P. O. Box 10616, Alexandria, Virginia
22310. (703) 960-4454. Multi-agency.
Colby Poster Printing & Screen Process Co., 1332 W. 12th Place, Los
Angeles, California 90015-2089. (213) 747-5108. Lawn signs,
billboards, bumper stickers, and wire hangers.
C. March Miller and Associates, 6114 Sherborn Lane, Springfield,
Virginia 22152. (703) 569-1876. Multi-agency, public relations, and
fund-raising.
Southwest Computer Bureau, Inc., 104-B E. Cornerview Rd., Gonzales,
Louisiana 70737. (504) 647-1767. Full range computer services.
Campaigns & Elections, James Dwinell, Publisher, 1331 Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., #12E, Washington, DC 20004. (202) 662-8959. Campaign
Magazine.
Political Campaign Management Software (PCMS), Political Publishing
Company, P. O. Box 4406, Alexandria, Virginia 22303. (800) 562-6624.
The Political Resource Directory. Political Resources Inc. (A
Division of Carol Hess Associates), P. O. Box 363, Rye, New York
10580. (914) 939-0598 or (800) 423-2673.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX G
Computer Applications in a Campaign Environment.
BY
S. J. GUZZETTA
1. Data Processing.
A. Prospects (Volunteers and Contributors).
B. Centers of Influence (Political).
C. Media Outlets (Print and Electronic).
D. Supporters (Volunteers and Contributors).
E. Organizations (PACs and Party Committees).
F. Registered Voters (Telephone and Walk Sheets).
2. Scheduling.
A. Time Line (Management Control).
B. Individual Events.
C. Master Campaign Calendar (Time Control).
3. Financial.
A. Check Book Summary.
B. Budget (Projected and Actual).
C. Financial Reports.
1. Contributors (Individuals and Organizations).
2. Expenditures.
3. Debts and Obligations.
4. Loans.
5. Summary Reports.
6. FEC Reports.
4. Word Processing.
A. Letters (Form and Personalized).
B. Labels (1 up, 2 up, 3 up, and Cheshire).
C. Management Reports.
D. Field Operation Committee Reports.
5. Polling Analysis.
A. Drawing Samples.
B. Generate Cross Tabs and Summaries.
6. PIPS Analysis.
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APPENDIX G
SAMPLE COMPUTER CONFIGURATION AND PRICES
BY
S. J. GUZZETTA
The following configuration and prices are taken from the fall catalog
of Compu-Add, 3010 W. Anderson Lane, Austin, TX 78757.
1-800-627-1967. My research indicates these prices are very
competitive and can be used for comparative shopping purposes.
1. Standard 286/12 (IBM AT compatible).
$1,245.00*
Includes the following features:
+ 6 Mhz and 12 Mhz switchable speeds.
+ 0 wait states.
+ 1 MB Ram.
+ Clock-Calendar with battery backup.
+ 6 - 16 bit expansion slots.
+ 2 - 8 bit expansion slots.
+ 200 watt power supply.
+ 1.2 MB floppy drive.
+ Dual floppy hard drive controller.
+ Math coprocessor socket.
+ 101 - key AT style enhanced keyboard.
+ 3.7 on Norton's SI benchmark 4.0 test.
2. MiniScribe 44 MB Hard Disk, Access time 25ms. $ 459.00
3. MiniScribe 71 MB Hard Disk, Access time 28ms. $ 649.00*
4. Seagate 80 MB Hard Disk, Access time 28ms. $ 695.00
5. Seagate 40 MB Hard Disk, Access time 28ms. $ 439.00
6. Seagate 20 MB Hard Disk, Access time 65ms. $ 249.00
7. Samsung 12" monitor, flat screen, monochrome. $ 95.00*
8. Monographics Card with parallel port.
$ 53.00*
9. Epson LQ-1050, 132 columns, 24 pin, printer. $ 699.00*
* These items would total $2,741.00. This configuration would handle
approximately 60 - 62,000 registered voters plus all other normal
campaign activity. The printer's speed is 180cps in draft mode and
108cps in letter quality mode.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX G
COMMONLY USED DOS COMMANDS
BY
S. J. GUZZETTA
1. MD.
Make Directory. All software programs should go into their
own directory for efficient use and operation. At the C> prompt, type
MD (sp.) and the title of the directory you want to create. E.g., to
make a directory for PCMS, type MD PCMS and hit Enter.
2. CD.
Change Directory. When you want to work in a specific
directory you need to tell the computer where to go to find it. At
the C> prompt, type CD (sp.) and the title of the directory you wish
to use. For example, type CD PCMS and hit Enter.
3. INSTALL.
Some programs, like PCMS, have an automatic install program
built in to facilitate installation. If your program has one, you
install it by putting the 1st diskette in drive A and at the C> prompt
typing A:Install. Then follow the directions on the screen to
complete the installation process.
Some programs create the directory automatically, some search
for a directory already created with the same name, and others must be
in the proper directory before you use the A:Install command. Check
the installation instructions that come with your software to see
which method applies for you.
4. COPY.
Some programs use the COPY command to download their files
onto the hard disk. They don't have an automatic install program. If
this is the case with your software, or you want to bypass the auto
install feature, first make a directory (MD) then put the 1st diskette
into the A drive.
At the C> prompt, type: Copy A:*.* C:(name of directory), hit
Enter. The files will begin to copy into the directory you indicated.
If there is more than 1 program diskette to be copied, after the
first one is completed you'll be returned to the C> prompt. Hit F3
and the Copy command will re-appear. Put diskette 2 in the A drive
and hit Enter. Continue process for each diskette which needs to be
copied.
5. FORMAT.
All new diskettes need to be formatted (have grooves put into
them) before they can be used. Put a new diskette in the A drive and
at the C> prompt type, Format A:, and hit Enter. The computer will
proceed to format the diskette in the A drive. When finished it will
tell you how many bytes of information can be put on the diskette.
If you wish to continue formatting more diskettes, type Y (for
Yes) when it asks you, and put a fresh diskette in the A drive and hit
Enter.
You can also clean off used diskettes with this command and
reuse them. If the screen says you have "bad sectors" on the
diskette, throw it out and make a new one.
6. AUTOEXEC.BAT.
This is a command you create which tells the computer what to
do when you first boot up (turn it on). In this command is the PATH
command which tells the computer where to look for various commands or
programs it needs to operate and perform different functions.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX G
At the C> prompt type Edlin (sp.) autoexec.bat and hit Enter.
Then hit i and press Enter. A number 1 will show up on your screen,
then do the following: (do not retype the numbers):
1. Echo off (Enter)
2. Prompt=$p$g (Enter)
3. Path=C:(Enter)
4. CLS (Enter)
5. ^Z (hit Control key and Z together)
(Enter)
type e (Enter)
Reboot your computer.
You now have an autoexec.bat file in your root directory. If
you have other directories on your C drive, continue to add them to
the Path string. Separate each directory with a semi-colon (;).
7. CONFIG.SYS.
This is another command you create to help your programs run
more efficiently. At the C> prompt type Edlin (sp.) Config.sys and
hit Enter. Then hit i and press Enter. As before a number 1 will
show up on your screen, then do the following: (do not retype the
numbers):
1. Files=40 (Enter)
2. Buffers=20 (Enter)
3. Device=ansi.sys (Enter)
4. ^Z (hit Control key and Z together) (Enter)
type e (Enter)
Reboot your computer.
You now have a Config.sys file in your root directory.
8. ERASE.
When you want to get rid of a file or directory in your
computer, use the ERASE command. At the C> prompt type ERASE (sp.)
the name of the file or directory you wish to erase. For example:
C:ERASE PCMS will erase the PCMS directory. The computer will ask if
you are sure (Y/N). If you answer Y (Yes), it's gone.
9. RD.
Remove Directory. Erasing the directory removes all the
files, but the title of the directory remains. To erase the title,
type RD (sp.) of directory at the C> prompt, and it goes. For
example: RD removes the PCMS title.
10. DIR.
Directory. If you want to see what files you have in a
directory, type DIR at the C> prompt. The files will scroll very
quickly on your screen. To get an overview, type DIR/W and all the
files will appear horizontally on your screen. To see more detail one
page at a time, type DIR/P.
You can do this in any directory or sub-directory.
11. BACKUP.
Use the backup command daily to back up either all or part of
your files to floppy diskettes. Put a diskette in your A drive and
type BACKUP (sp.) C: (sp.) A: to backup all files on your hard disk.
This command backs up everything. All your DOS commands, software
programs, and working files. If you do this you will need to have
ready a lot of formatted diskettes and be prepared for it to take a
while.
The more efficient way is to backup just your working files.
In PCMS these files are identified by the suffix .dbf. Other programs
have different designations which should be stated in your instruction
manual. To backup just these files, type at the C> prompt: Backup
C:(sp.) A: The asterisk dot indicates you want all files ending with
the suffix .dbf.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX G
12. RESTORE.
You only use the RESTORE command if you erased (either
intentionally or accidentally) all the files on your hard disk. First
make sure you re-load your software programs, if you only backed up
your working files. Configure everything as you did before, including
you autoexec.bat and config.sys files. Make your program directories
and download the programs from your original diskettes. Then at the
C> prompt type: Restore A:(sp.) C:
13. DISKCOPY.
If you have a two-disk drive system (A and B), use this
command to make copies of your program and file diskettes. At the C>
prompt type: Diskcopy (sp.) A: (sp.) B:. This transfers all files
from the diskette in drive A to the blank diskette in drive B,
including any hidden files.
14. CHKDSK.
Check Disk. Use this command to check the contents of your C
drive, or the diskettes in your other drives. It will tell you how
many files exist and the remaining space, if any. To check a diskette
in the A drive, type A: at the C> prompt to go to the A drive, and
then when you are at the A> prompt, type CHKDSK (Enter).
15. TYPE.
This command displays the contents of a specified file. For
example, at the C> prompt, TYPE Autoexec.bat will reveal the lines you
entered in the autoexec.bat file.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX H
SJG&A - CHECKLIST FOR NEW CANDIDATE/CLIENT
1. Prepare and send a complete, detailed biography and
self-evaluation of personal strengths/weaknesses.
2. Prepare and send biographies of wife, children, and parents.
3. Prepare and send a statement of at least 1,000 words on why you
are running for this office.
4. Prepare and send an appraisal of your opponent, his/her voting
record if an incumbent, constituent services, sources of financial and
political support, personal and political weaknesses and strengths,
etc.
5. If available from your Registrar of Voters, obtain and send a
computer tape (9 track, 1600 or 6250 BPI) of all registered voters in
District, by Party and Precinct. If not on computer, send raw data.
6. Obtain and send a ZIP code map, or list, of District (available
at the Post Office).
7. Obtain and send a Congressional and Legislative Precinct map of
District.
8. Develop and send a list showing name, address, phone number of
elected officials within the District, identified by Party.
9. Send the names of your County and District Party Chairpersons
with statement regarding strength and potential support.
10. Obtain and send previous results of the last two election cycles
by Precinct - Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative, Governor
and Secretary of State, plus the office for which you are running.
11. Prepare a written analysis of the District, describing
geographic, demographic, and political boundaries and make-up.
Demographics include race, ethnic origin, economic levels, density,
etc.
12. Send name, address, telephone number, occupation, and employer
of all members of finance and advisory committees.
13. Send 3" x 5" black-and-white glossy photos of self - alone and
with family, formal and informal.
14. Send the name of your committee (recommend your name for office
Committee), its officers and P. O. Box number. Ask phone company to
reserve a number in the area where headquarters will be located.
Obtain bulk permit mailing number from Post Office for 1990. Send
number. Note: If you haven't already done so, file your Committee
with the Clerk of the House, Washington, DC and the appropriate State
office. They will also need to know the name of your Committee's bank
and its account number. Suggest opening two accounts - one designated
Primary Account and the other General Account.
15. Over holiday period, develop position papers on following
subjects: inflation, unemployment, defense, taxes, abortion, school
subsidies, crime, drugs, foreign trade, farm problems, business,
welfare, arms reduction, balanced budget, and any other subject(s) of
particular interest to you or your District. Send by 1/1/90.
16. Develop a list of at least twenty (20) people whom you are
absolutely certain will contribute at least $1,000 to your campaign
before and after the Primary election. Do the same for those who will
give between $500 and $1,000. Send a copy of the list and then begin
soliciting them during Nov. and Dec., 1989. Include phone number,
occupation, and place of employment.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX H
17. Develop a list of all potential contributors including friends,
relatives, and any kind of acquaintance who might give any amount. Be
sure to give complete addresses and phone numbers, plus occupation and
place of employment if known. Enter this list and above in computer
and send copy by 1/10/90.
18. Send a list of major media outlets in District: radio, TV and
newspapers (daily and weekly). Indicate what their past history has
been regarding types of coverage for incumbent and challenger. Do
they endorse and if so, what is your opinion of the impact the
endorsement has on the District?
19. Develop and send a list of all people who will volunteer to work
for you on this campaign. Rate them from 1 to 10 (10 being those who
will "slave" for you; 1 being those who will put up a yard sign), and
be sure to include addresses, occupations, and phone numbers.
20. Send a copy of all telephone books covering your District
(Yellow and White pages).
21. Call Congressional Quarterly or LEGI-SLATE in Washington, DC and
order a copy of their Opposition Research book on your opponent sent
to SJG&A. We will copy pertinent pages and forward to you along with
comments.
22. Advise if you have anyone in mind, preferably with campaign
experience, to be your Campaign Manager, Field Coordinator, and
Campaign Secretary. If you do, ask them to send a biography on
themselves before January 15th. If not, let us know by January 1st so
we can begin a search at this end.
23. Contact State and County Party headquarters and see if they will
share lists of financial contributors with you. If not, go to
Secretary of State's office in State Capitol and make copies of all
major State candidates' contributors' lists in the last 4 years and
send them to us (unless specifically prohibited by State law).
24. Prepare a list in computer of all Centers of Influence within
your District: e.g. church pastors, rabbis, bishops, civic leaders,
presidents of civic clubs, editors, station managers, key reporters
(print and electronic), directors of service and senior citizen clubs
and homes, etc. by 1/15/90. Most of this information is available at
City Hall or the Chamber of Commerce.
25. What are your favorite colors? Let us know.
26. Are there any types of campaign activity you have an aversion
to, i.e. precinct walking, plant gate, public speaking, debates, etc.?
Let us know.
27. How active a role will your spouse, children, or parents play in
the campaign?
28. When are your local fairs, parades, or festivals? Let us know
by 1/15/90.
29. Are you placing any restrictions on the source or amount of your
campaign contributions? Let me know.
30. How much time will you be able to devote to campaigning? Break
it down by months starting with January.
31. Make arrangements for a central headquarters and a "store
front" by 1/15/90 to be opened 2/15/90. Central
should have at least 4 private office plus a common area - about 2,000
sq.ft. and storefront at least 1 office and 1,500 sq.ft. Provide for
utilities.
32. Make arrangements with phone company for 4 lines in rotation
plus hold on 5 units (one in each office plus
receptionist), 1 dedicated line for computer,
and 10 single lines for phone bank in storefront, plus 2 lines for
incoming/outgoing calls. Installation on 2/15/90.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
APPENDIX H
33. Make arrangements for furniture for headquarters. Scrounge
wherever possible.
34. Arrange for 2 IBM Selectrics, 1 IBM Memorywriter, 1 medium-
sized reproduction machine with 10 bin collator, 1
good tape recorder with phone coupler, 1 used
refrigerator, 1 coffee maker, and 1 Pitney-Bowes mailing machine with
automatic sealer, all to be delivered 2/15/90.
35. Research main newspaper morgue and make copies of all
newspaper articles on opponent during last 4 years.
Begin clipping all articles on you and your opponent and maintain in
file.
#ENDCARD