What we need to is to RETIRE the money bomb..

[Liberty_Mike]

Hazek, excellent post! I've been thinking the exact same thoughts for a while. Thanks for putting these thoughts into words on paper. These money bombs are held way too often, and with no real landmarks as you stated. We need to make the money bombs much more exclusive in terms of frequency and the dates we choose. Also, I don't think I've seen a single promotional video for a money bomb in the 2012 cycle. If we ever want to hit a huge mark again in one day, we need to pick a landmark day, make it nowhere near a time we had a previous money bomb, and get some awesome promotional videos running.

 

[Indiana4Paul]

For those of you advocating stopping the moneybomb, don't you realize nobody is offering any good alternatives? It has to be something simple that people can get behind. Until you can find something better, stop calling for the end of the moneybomb.

Secondly, it's only July. Calling the early moneybombs failures because they don't match the excitement of the end of the campaign cycle in 2007 is ludicrous. There is no reason to believe there's not a bunch of money still left out there with all the support Dr. Paul has. That said, I think we need to wait a little while until the next one. The reason the early ones have been so small is that people got caught up in a frenzy and felt the need to have one every couple of weeks. That just won't do because it doesn't allow promotion for the next one and depletes people's ability to do donate for each one.

By all means, find something new and try to apply it, but if it is truly better, it will rise right ot the top. Until then, the moneybombs are our main source of income and to suggest they are a failure simply because of the difference between the ways they were handled in 2007 and now is simply not true. Look at the factors that made the moneybombs bring in less money and fix them. Don't just abandon the idea without suggesting something better. So far, I don't see anything so far that could plausibly outdo the moneybomb in fundraising ability. Some good ideas, but nothing to replace the moneybomb.

This is a really good point.

I don't think it is necessarily about replacing the moneybomb, rather it is about generating new ideas such that moneybombs are not our only tool to ramp up the volume on this movement. The best part about the moneybombs of '07 were the way the media took a step back and said collectively, "Wait a minute, this is a big deal...we haven't seen this before". The money was the vehicle that added voice to the movement.

IMHO, we're thinking about this the wrong way. We need to be focused on creative ways we can promote the IDEAS behind this movement, new tools to spread Dr. Paul's message of Liberty. That is why I proposed grassroots filibuster to be aired live over the Internet from now until the election. 11,000 hours dedicated to protesting Government's infringement on our individual Liberties. A direct protest of big media as well.

edited to add:
The underlying point here is that if we can spread the message of Liberty we can recruit new activists into Dr. Paul's camp. New activists mean new people visiting his site, means new people signing up, means new people in the loop to donate to the moneybombs.

 

[Chieppa1]

For example just on facebook there are over 400k likes on Ron's page, just $10 from each is 4mil, yet we can barely raise 1? There has to be way to realize this potential and all I'm saying is that we stop and try and figure out how, instead of clinging on to something that doesn't appear to get the job done anymore.

I completely agree here and mentioned this yesterday. I'm NOT for ending the Moneybombs however. But some fresh ideas should be welcomed. For example: We had national coverage of Dr. Paul vs. Bernanke the other day. Has to be a way to spin that into widespread donations. A majority of people hate Bernanke.

PaulStock.

3 Days of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and Ron Paul.

Tomorrow is good for me.

 

[Chris from Upstate NY]

I agree with the moneybombs completely. They are an amazing tool. But on the other hand, like everyone has said, there has been no real promotion for them at all. And the little I have seen was the two days before. I just recently got on RPF. I would never had known otherwise about the Ames moneybomb. I know a lot of people, I mean a lot that aren't on RPF or Daily Paul or any other site. They get a lot of info from Facebook, Youtube, Twitter. And I know even more people that don't even go on the computer period. i just recently have because work supplies me with my own laptop with 3g. How many seniors, parents, and others do you know that would donate if they knew something like this was going on? I don't know all the answers but we need to do some more brainstorming. We need that emotion back. We need that inner passion. When show strength in numbers it feels good and proud.

 

[ForLiberty2012]

Ya'll are panicking too much.
1) It's still pretty early... not a lot of "main stream" people are thinking about 2012.... They are thinking about finding a job or this debt ceiling.
2) We are in a depression.... I just don't think most Americans have the time or money to spend on politics right now.
3) These aren't failures.... I honestly wouldn't donate if there weren't money bombs... It's a reason to get excited about donating, and sending a message to the establishment.
4) July 19 was flat out not a smart choice. Not a creative date, corny slogan, and no plan of advertising. There was no way for an average person to remember the date or get excited about it. It only appealed to Ron Paul's core base, which is probably only worth the 500k goal that was set (in my opinion very high given the circumstances). The only disappointment there is that was 500k+ that could have been put toward a successfully put together money bomb, but whatever.

The main point is don't get all sad and down because we didn't get 50 million dollars in one day. There are underlying factors involved and it doesn't have to do with lack of passion/support, or the success of money bombs themselves. I believe in money bombs... they just have to be executed on more strategic, creative, and memorable dates. I heard people want to do one next month already... whyy?? I honestly think we should hold out until November 5th again.... We can play off the success of the first one in 2007. Sequels never do as good but they receive just as much hype, which is what we need. I think we can hype it to the point where it leaks out into mainstream... news coverage of his first money bomb back in 2007 will start... saying we are doing it again... We need the sequel and our video makers can start doing work getting thousands of views on youtube. "November 5, 2007 .... History was made .... This November... History will be re-written .... *key epic music* ...etc etc

 

[tmg19103]

RP was the #2 fundraiser last quarter behind Romney and his fat cat corporate dollars.

That tells me the money bombs have been a success. Maybe not as successful as we would like, but it is early and the economy is in the tank.

An Ames straw poll win will wake up the old supporters who are not involved and bring in new ones. New supporters will latch onto the money bomb because it is new and exciting to them.

If RP get a third or lower in the Ames straw poll, it won't matter whether we have money bombs or not, but I expect a win.

Look how much wind the other GOP candidates are sucking financially. RP #2 in fundraising this early tells me the right things are being done.

 

[JK/SEA]

OK, as most of you know this is in most probality Ron's last stand running for President. Yeah, i'm assuming. Lets just do what we can and not fret over moneybombs, or second guess strategy. Hell, this time next year who knows where any of us will be. This could be it for moneybombs after this election. .....

oh, and BTW, Ron's total for Ames moneybomb is over 620 grand now and still climbing.

 

[Raw Liver]

I honestly think we should hold out until November 5th again.... We can play off the success of the first one in 2007. Sequels never do as good but they receive just as much hype, which is what we need. I think we can hype it to the point where it leaks out into mainstream... news coverage of his first money bomb back in 2007 will start... saying we are doing it again... We need the sequel and our video makers can start doing work getting thousands of views on youtube. "November 5, 2007 .... History was made .... This November... History will be re-written .... *key epic music* ...etc etc

Don't forget about the negative media coverage that was received for the November 5 moneybomb.

 

[ForLiberty2012]

Don't forget about the negative media coverage that was received for the November 5 moneybomb.

Media coverage is media coverage. That's what makes the date so memorable and media-coverage-able!

 

[TomtheTinker]

The camp def needs to get involved in contacting the few media allies they do have and start asking their help in marketing fund raising events..

but end the money bomb.... no I don't think that would be wise...although new ideas for advertising and modifying these events would be great.

 

[Nate-ForLiberty]

Media coverage is media coverage. That's what makes the date so memorable and media-coverage-able!

no. absolutely not. Bad press is not what we want. One of the reasons Ron Paul is such a great candidate is because the media has no dirt on him. Nor should we give them any.

 

[NewRightLibertarian]

End the money bombs? Are you insane? These are wonderful for fundraising and gaining press coverage.

 

[Deborah K]

People are irrationally obsessed with these money bombs because the first 2 were a real major success but they forget to ask why that happened and so they falsely, clearly, still have hope for a repeat.

There are a bunch of small reasons why that is but here are what I think were the 4 most important ones:
First and foremost back in 2007 it was something completely new, something no one else ever did so people had an immediate feel good factor about being part of something special giving them a lot of motivation to participate.
Second both the nov 5. and dec 16. had an emotionally strong underlying story of Guy Fawkes day and the Boston tea party which again a lot of the people identified with and were really strongly motivated to participate.
Third we had some awesome emotionally powerful promotional videos spread wide and far with hundred of thousands of views on youtube that spread the awareness.
And fourth there was this huge desire by the grassroots facing all the smearing and marginalizing and ignoring by the media to be heard and everyone felt like raising big money would be something they couldn't ignore anymore.

So when you objectively look at those reasons and you compare them to today, you can quickly discover that we will probably never repeat the same success we had with those first major two..

What about now?

IMO the money bombs are held way too often, the themes aren't inspiring enough, there are no excellent promotional videos on youtube viewed my hundred of thousands, and the grassroots still very much remembers the pain of the defeat in 08 and to top it off the media doesn't ignore us anymore.


Obviously anyone with some sense of rationality can deduce that the recipe for a majorly successful money bomb is clearly laking it's key components and we should either work on acquiring these components or if that isn't possible we should abandon the concept for a better and more successful one.

I'm personally of the opinion it's impossible to have all the needed ingredients ever again so I suggest we come up with a new scheme to replace the "money bomb", find a very emotionally inspiring reason to hold the fundraising event and have all the promotional aspects figured out.

I seriously hope that we the grassroots have enough rational people that can clearly see the evidence that the last few money bombs have shown us and we're capable of taking this evidence and doing the right thing. Otherwise we are no better than anyone else with an obsession and we will certainly fail in our endeavor.

Read the thread in my signature, you'll notice that this has been a concern for well over a year.

 

[ForLiberty2012]

no. absolutely not. Bad press is not what we want. One of the reasons Ron Paul is such a great candidate is because the media has no dirt on him. Nor should we give them any.

I doubt people are gonna get all excited about a date again.... it's already been done on November 5th.... We just gotta keep it going!

 

[Nate-ForLiberty]

I doubt people are gonna get all excited about a date again.... it's already been done on November 5th.... We just gotta keep it going!

You are so wrong. please do a forum search to find out why.

 

[RonPaulFanInGA]

And yet a majority of the $2 million of what Ron raised last quarter would've probably not been raised without a moneybomb.

Kill the money, kill the fundraising. Simple as that.

The money bomb will stay. People will create them and the campaign surely appreciates them.

 

[VoluntaryAmerican]

I got an idea that could solve this problem, although I don't agree with ending the moneybomb--innovating new techniques for success is something I agree with.

My idea is a weekly donation. The theme would be Federal Income Tax:

The idea being a counter to it. Give 1/2 of whatever your income tax was to Ron Paul each week.

So if the Gov. thugs stole $50. Give Ron Paul $25 dollars.

Check it out--the threads called "Liberty Income Tax".

 

[Eric21ND]

This is such an ironic thread to make. I believe this was the first Money Bomb where we actually met our goal, and many are calling it a failure lol.

People are social beings, sometimes to do something which goes against their nature, i.e. donating money to a politician, is only possible when others join in and then it becomes exciting and compelling to them. I say a good 50-75% of our donors wouldn't do so on their own, for whatever reason, unless they got that psychological group push.

 

[Eric21ND]

Two other interesting dynamics occur during money bomb events.

1. Big money donors get caught up in the excitement and usually double what they originally intend to give, or they double dip and give a second time later in the day.

2. Small money donors get off the fence and actually donate. They see their smaller contribution actually having impact.

 

[Deborah K]

I don't think they should end, necessarily. I just think we had too many last time. Maybe just not soooo many.