RP Booths at Iowa County Fairs

[speciallyblend]

HEY! Imagine this.... A tent with about 12 comfy chairs and a large water cooler where people can cool off, sit and rest for a moment. A large screen TV with all of RP's best of the best playing in a loop!!! A nice sturdy stand at each side of the entrance with all the free brochures.

i likey

 

[nurse_emily]

Popcorn bags like this?

 

[trey4sports]

nice ideas, guys!

 

[John of Des Moines]

If I may add ... I would offer soda pop saying "Complements of Ron Paul" or something like that. Then I would have those Igloo water cooler jugs each labeled with the candidates' names and each would have different flavors of Kool-Aid (sour apple, etc.) and labeled as such except Paul's would be filled with "All American Country Time Ice Tea" (or something if somebody has a better flavor) or "Pure-Wholesome Water"

 

[sailingaway]

Can we start a chip in for the fees and another separate list for staffers because people who can't be there might donate for the booths at the ones closest to Ames, and for materials, and then we could see which of the locations closest to Ames we can get staffed. I know Rand had booths at summer fairs and they were very popular in Kentucky. He had 'I'm a Rand Fan fans' they handed out at real campaign events. I don't know if we can steal that idea? I doubt they are the only ones to do it, my kids' school does it for summer events... I think fans are a big plus because people keep them (it's hot) and they show all those around them the message (whatever it is.) I'm not saying it should be "I'm a Ron Paul Fan" since Rand's was so close (although I personally don't care if they're close, at least if it is in Iowa, not Kentucky). But if it is a supporter event we can brag a bit more and come up with a slogan "Ron Paul... the Cool Candidate" or whatever (sorry if that's terrible, just brainstorming, here...) And on the back we can put a quick bullet point or two, and the campaign website (with a notice 'paid for by grass roots not affiliated with any campaign)

these were the 'Rand fan's'

and we could make up these flyers:

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

Those fans sound good to me. Also the complimentary water bottles mentioned with Ron's name and platform on them I really like. I think some nice freebies could go a long way, especially in the hot summer months.

I'd be happy to start a chip in for some of those freebies and also literature and other supplies if people dont want to "adopt" an entire fair fee but Id feel better about it once we got a few more volunteers for staffing.

I posted this on a couple of different Meetup sites here in Iowa and messaged about ten YAL chapters and haven't gotten much response yet, so I'm a little concerned. I think staffing is definitely top priority right now. Im thinking it will help if/when we get some sort of liberty house going for out of staters to have a place to stay If anyone else has any recruitment ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sailingaway]

We should be doing several things at these booths:

1) Distributing literature
2) Talking to likely voters about what they are looking for in a candidate, and relating Ron Paul's message to what their areas of concern are
3) If they seem interested, asking them for contact information

If you get to step 3 and get contact information, we can relay this to grassroots coordinators who are working to get people to the straw poll, and/or to the state campaign office (unless this violates any campaign laws, but I don't believe that it should).

You should also have something to hand them with campaign contact/straw poll info because a lot of people don't want to give you their numbers but would be willing to look up the campaign. That info could be on the fans, but you should have a paper or business card sized piece they can stick in a wallet too.

 

[sailingaway]

Those fans sound good to me. Also the complimentary water bottles mentioned with Ron's name and platform on them I really like. I think some nice freebies could go a long way, especially in the hot summer months.

I'd be happy to start a chip in for some of those freebies and also literature and other supplies if people dont want to "adopt" an entire fair fee but Id feel better about it once we got a few more volunteers for staffing.

I posted this on a couple of different Meetup sites here in Iowa and messaged about ten YAL chapters and haven't gotten much response yet, so I'm a little concerned. I think staffing is definitely top priority right now. Im thinking it will help if/when we get some sort of liberty house going for out of staters to have a place to stay If anyone else has any recruitment ideas they would be greatly appreciated.

Put on the chip in that you'd be making fans and water bottles and flyers to give out at summer events LIKE these fairs if the fairs/booths don't get done, but I'm betting you'll at least get some staff. If I were in Iowa or still in Illinois, I'd go but from California I can contribute other ways more efficiently.

I agree YAL is important and you might want to put a lead in like 'They say when students go home for the summer they drop out of politics. Sign up now for key events and don't let this happen to you!' It might get them to not put it off. Kids really do go into a different summer mindset.

My family that used to live there moved away a year ago so I'm afraid I don't have anyone in that area that I know, now.

If you go to meetups just for staff and YAL as well, that might be easier to sell than the funding part, since people don't like to ask their friends for money, and anyone from anywhere can help with the funding. We all care about Iowa. But it does need boots on the ground. I've seen a couple people asking on forums how they can volunteer for Iowa though, so you might get some here. You might need a separate clearly titled thread asking for volunteers to staff booths, though.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

You should also have something to hand them with campaign contact/straw poll info because a lot of people don't want to give you their numbers but would be willing to look up the campaign.

I agree. I think everything we hand out needs to have www.iowaforronpaul.com on it for sure. That's where the campaign will be coordinating busses and GOTV efforts for the Ames straw poll.

 

[sailingaway]

glancing quickly at the web, I saw fans that are down to 25 cents each if we buy 10,000 or up to 1.25 each if we buy the lowest lot amount. If we can get enough interest, the 10,000 would be easy to give away on hot days at fairs. there are wristbands at http://www.ronpaulproducts.com/wristbands.html but they are basically a buck apiece if you buy 100, but if it were a couple thousand, that might be different. The guy who makes them is a forum member who started because he couldn't find anything for his meetup projects during the last campaign. At that cost and at the rate they would go (because, why not, if you are at a fair?) we might want to give them out to people who sigh up for the straw poll or something, only. Or, if he just lets you know how to get them separately, you could put Ron Paul on one side and iowaforronpaul.com on the other. Those might make it home. But the package or the box they are in or SOMETHING should say 'paid for by grassroots not affiliated with any campaign'.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

glancing quickly at the web, I saw fans that are down to 25 cents each if we buy 10,000 or up to 1.25 each if we buy the lowest lot amount. If we can get enough interest, the 10,000 would be easy to give away on hot days at fairs. there are wristbands at http://www.ronpaulproducts.com/wristbands.html but they are basically a buck apiece if you buy 100, but if it were a couple thousand, that might be different. The guy who makes them is a forum member who started because he couldn't find anything for his meetup projects during the last campaign. At that cost and at the rate they would go (because, why not, if you are at a fair?) we might want to give them out to people who sigh up for the straw poll or something, only. Or, if he just lets you know how to get them separately, you could put Ron Paul on one side and iowaforronpaul.com on the other. Those might make it home. But the package or the box they are in or SOMETHING should say 'paid for by grassroots not affiliated with any campaign'.

Those both look sweet. So, 10,000x.25 each = $2,500. This would probably be a decent place for the grassroots PAC to step in.


We're having a couple of meetups here locally in the next week, so I'll hit those up for volunteers as well. Also might have to ask those out of state YALers a few more times before they really consider it. It would be a bit of a road trip.

 

[tangent4ronpaul]

Aren't they taking finals about now?

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

Aren't they taking finals about now?

I thought most were done last week, but you may be right. At any rate I'll follow up with them again in the next week or two.

 

[Eric21ND]

Brilliant idea!

 

[sailingaway]

I thought most were done last week, but you may be right. At any rate I'll follow up with them again in the next week or two.

You'd better follow up THIS week, imho. After finals, they LEAVE.

Sorry, since it's your effort not mine, but the crowd level/volunteer level was dramatically different in Rand's campaign when colleges were in session, and you want to at least get people to commit for the straw poll before they get into other summer stuff, and manning a booth at a fair with fellow supporters isn't exactly horrid, particularly if you sign up with a friend at school.

You also might want to get a 'contact' with the local yal and suggest that person have contact info for the students at their home address (email at minimum) for over the summer efforts. They might not think of it.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

You'd better follow up THIS week, imho. After finals, they LEAVE.

Sorry, since it's your effort not mine, but the crowd level/volunteer level was dramatically different in Rand's campaign when colleges were in session, and you want to at least get people to commit for the straw poll before they get into other summer stuff, and manning a booth at a fair with fellow supporters isn't exactly horrid, particularly if you sign up with a friend at school.

You also might want to get a 'contact' with the local yal and suggest that person have contact info for the students at their home address (email at minimum) for over the summer efforts. They might not think of it.

Good info, thanks. I do think one thing we have going for us is most of these YAL groups have facebook group pages with 50-70 members. So if any of them are considering it, they can at least communicate that way. But yes, your point is taken. I wish we had started on this about a month ago, but hey, whaddya do?

The other big thing would be if/when we get the liberty house/village plans firmed up, that would give out of staters a place to stay, possibly for free. I'm sure that could be a difference maker for people considering making the trip to Iowa.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

Does anyone have suggestions for how we could use WiFi or mobile phone marketing at one of these?

I guess we could setup a free wifi hotspot and name it "Ron Paul 2012"

Aren't there some ads that you can shoot to cell phones passing by? Probably have to sign up for some sort of advertising service?

Somehow use facebook check-ins or something to promote it?

 

[randolphfuller]

I believe rural Iowa is predominantly Republican. Plus there is a long isolationist tradtion. Henry Wallace was from Iowa as was Sen. Guy Gillette. There was a Des Moines congressman whose view of Congressional power was so limited he did not believe they had power to pay for the gas that lights the eternal flame at Arlington.

 

[IDefendThePlatform]

Just finished filling out the state fair application. We have no money or volunteers lined up, but I'm sending it in anyway. Counting on some people coming in once we get the PAC up and running. It's too big an opportunity to pass up. Please Let me know if you can help.

 

[Ray]

I was planning on coming down Aug 6-14 with the liberty house but I'm not sure how much stuff they'll have for me to do there. How far is Scott County from Ames?