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Raising Money

Written byMichael Cloud

Raisingyour first$2,500 in

7 days

whether they should or shouldn’tgive. This is just a preliminary list.

a. Write down the names ofyour immediate blood relatives.One name per line, list your fatherand mother, your brothers andsisters. What about grandmothersand grandfathers? Aunts and unclesyou stay in touch with?

b. If you’re married, write thename of your spouse, mother-in-law,father-in-law . . . and any of yourspouse’s immediate blood relatives.

c. Write down the names ofyour personal friends.

d. List the people you socializewith. Who do you go to dinnerwith? Have over for parties? Gocamping with? Play bridge with?What other social activities do youengage in? Who with?

e. What organizations (otherthan the LP) are you involved in?Rotary Club? Lions? Chamber ofCommerce? Church? Charity? Asupport group? Mensa? Society forCreative Anachronism? SquareDancing? Ballroom Dancing?University boosters? Health Club?What else? Who do you usually sitnext to, talk with and spend timewith at the gatherings or meetings?Write their names down.

f. Write the names of the co-workers that you spend time atwork with. (Don’t list or ask peoplewho report to you at work. Itborders on harassment.)

g. If you’re a member of one ofthe professions, own a business, areself-employed, or in sales, who areyour regular, repeat, favoriteclients? They could be doing

business with someone else in yourfield, but they are loyal to you.They know you, trust you, like youand believe you. List their names.

h. Who do you spend moneywith? Who do you do businesswith? Who is your doctor? Yourdentist? Chiropractor? Car me-chanic? Who owns the usedbookstore you frequent?

Who owns the small boutique ormen’s store you patronize? Who isyour insurance agent? Who’s yourveterinarian? Who styles your hair?Who owns the dry cleaners that youspend $500 a year at? Who’s yourreal estate agent? Car salesperson?Printer? Video rental store owner?Health food store owner?

Who else do you spend moneywith? If they know you and

you know them, if you’ve donerepeat business with them,especially if you’ve sent thembusiness . . . list their names. (Yourcheckbook, credit card billing,Rolodex, appointment calendar,holiday card list and receipts aregold mines for this chunk.)

i. Who else do you personallyknow who personally knows you?List their names.

Congratulations! You’ve puttogether your basic preliminary list.Other names may occur later. Writethem down as they occur. As theArabs say, “The palest ink is morereliable than the strongest memory.”

Second, list the phone numbersand addresses next to the names onyour list.

Third, put a check mark next to

the money? 4. When do you ask forthe money? 5. How do you ask forit? Exactly what do you say?

Who Do You Ask For Money?Before you read this section, get

some blank paper and a pen.First, we’ll make a preliminary

list of the people you know who knowyou. If you’re well-known in yourcommunity, many people you don’tknow may recognize you. Leave themoff your list. If you stay up on what’sgoing on in your community, youwill recognize many people who don’tknow you. Leave them off your list.To qualify for your preliminary list,the person must know you and youmust know the person.

Don’t consider whether they canor can’t afford to give,

whether they will or won’t give,

“In politics, it’s no go withoutdough.” —Evry’s Law

Some Libertarians succeed byre-inventing the wheel. MostLibertarians fail by re-

inventing the flat tire.Here’s the simplest, easiest,

fastest way to raise the first $2,500for your next campaign in onlyseven days.

Why is the first $2,500 soimportant? That $2,500 is your cam-paign’s seed corn. Political start-upcapital. Yeast to make the bread rise.

The first seven days of a fitnessprogram, the first seven days of adiet, the first seven days ofdeveloping a new skill set the pacefor all that follows.

A strong beginning fans theflames of faith. A weak startbreathes life into self-doubt.

“You don’t have to recover froma good start,” said John Wareham.

Can it really be done in onlyseven days? Some candidates raisedthe first $2,500 in seven hours.Others in a day. Many in 3 days. Afew took the whole week. Nobodyneeded more than seven days.

STEPS TO SUCCESSYou’ll be doing one-on-one

personal fund-raising for yourcampaign. The steps are elegant andsimple and easy: 1. Who do you askfor money? 2. How much do youask for? 3. Where do you ask for

Quickly

the name of everyone on your listthat you’ve personally talked withat least 30 minutes during the last12 months. This is your list ofprospective donors.

How Much MoneyDo You Ask For?

These people are not motivatedto give because of The LibertarianParty, the Libertarian philosophy,your unanswerable arguments foryour positions, the benefits of livingin a better society or even becausethey despise the incumbent.

They are giving to you becauseof you and your personal relation-ship with them. Your family fromlove, duty and family ties. Yourfriends and co-workers out offriendship, obligation and personalties. So, too, with the people yousocialize with. Your clients andcustomers out of goodwill andloyalty. And the people you spendmoney with and do business withwill do it from goodwill and out ofa sense of reciprocation. Youscratched my back, now I’ll scratchyours. They want to return the favor.

The only reason these peopleare motivated to give is because ofyou and their relationship with you.They know you and like you andtrust you and believe you.

The strength of your relation-ship and their income determineshow much you can ask for.

■ Family and Friends: Askeach one to give 1% of your estimateof the person’s annual income.

■ People you socialize with,co-workers and Clients: If theymake under $25,000 a year, ask for$50. Over $25,000, ask for $100.

■ People you spend moneywith or do business with: If theyprovide a service, 10% of what youspent with them; If they sell goods,10% of their estimated gross profit.

List the appropriate amountnext to each name on your list.

You can always accept less thanyou ask for, but you’ll rarely beoffered more.

Where Do you Ask?The easiest thing to ignore is a

letter — closely followed by fax ande-mail. So you won’t use these.

The second easiest thing toignore is a phone call. There areanswering machines, call interruptservices, people in the home oroffice interrupting or waiting forthe person you’re trying to talkwith. Contacting anyone on yourlist by phone will be a last resort.

The hardest thing to lie to,ignore, put off, let down, refuse

or get rid of is a living, breathingperson looking you in the eyes.One-on-one, in person is how you’llbe asking for almost all of yourcontributions.

Also remember that you can’timmediately collect a check throughthe mail or over the phone. Youcan in person.

If you live within 60 miles of theperson on your list, go to his officeor home. (Telephone the others.)

When Do You Ask?Pick a time when you can spend

an uninterrupted seven minutes withthe person. Don’t make a formalappointment. Don’t make a big dealabout it. If you’re around other people,take the person aside with, “C’mere,I have some good news. You’re oneof the first people I’ve told.”

How Do You AskFor the Money?

With family, friends, co-workersand people you socialize with,here’s the basic format:

1. For family: “Mom, I’ve gotgreat news. I’m running for CityCouncil. Imagine . . . your son . . .the boy you raised . . . running forpublic office. Isn’t that terrific? Iwanted you to be among the first toknow.

“Mom, will you put $500 intoyour son’s campaign?“

For friends: “Jerry, I’ve gotgreat news. I’m running for statelegislature. Imagine . . . your golfingbuddy, your regular golfing partnerfor 3 years . . . running for publicoffice. Isn’t that terrific? I wantedyou to be among the first to know.

“Jerry, will you put $100 into

your golfing sidekick’s campaign? . . . ”2. Always end by asking for the

contribution.3. After you ask for the money,

shut up. Even if the other personsays nothing for a seeming eternity,let the silence hang heavy until theother person fills it with words.Rule of thumb: Whoever talks nextwill be leaving money with theother person.

4. If the person says “Yes”, askhim to get the checkbook so thatthe check “can be filled out as thelaw requires.” Tell him, “Pleasemake the check payable to(appropriate campaign committeename).” Get the check, thank theperson and leave.

5. Usually the person will beconcerned about the amount youasked for, the campaign or whyyou’re running for office. Get himtalking.

6. If they have objections tohelping or helping now, say,“Ohhh? Tell me about it.” Keepthem talking with a non-critical“Ohh?” Or “Uhh-huh . . . ” And“Really? . . . ” And “Tell me more.”Let them talk. Let them expresstheir feelings and thoughts.

7. Then say, “I see . . . but I amyour (relationship) and I’d reallylike your help. If $500 is too much,how much would you be willing toput into the (your name) for(office) campaign?”

8. If they name a reasonableamount — 50% or more of what youasked for — get the check filled out,get the check, thank them and leave.

9. If they still have objections orconcerns, repeat steps 6, 7, and 8.

10. In many cases you will needto ask for the money three times.

11. If they do not give or claimthey cannot give, thank them forbeing your (relationship), thankthem for letting you share yourgreat news and say goodbye.

12. That evening, send them athank-you card letting them knowyou appreciate them being your(relationship), thank them forconsidering donating, and ask themif they wouldn’t reconsiderdonating. Ask them to mail you adonation, and be sure to enclose astamped reply envelope and adonation card.

Before you approach people youspend money with or do businesswith, go through the last 12 months

of credit card receipts, paid billsand check stubs, then add up andwrite down exactly how much youspent with each person. Don’tround it off. Write the exact dollarfigure.

In addition to your relationshipwith each of these people, you willbe employing the principle ofreciprocity. Tit for tat. I supportyou, now you support me.

Use the same format as abovethrough step 6. Change step

seven to incorporate reciprocation:“I see . . . But John in the last 12

months I spent $1,247 with you,and in the next 12 months I’llprobably spend another $1,247with you. I’d like to know youappreciate me and my business . . .and the best way for me to knowthat is with your $125 donation tomy campaign. Will you do it?”

Other reciprocation sentences:■ “I support your business . . .

I’d like you to support my run foroffice.”

■ “I put money into yourbusiness . . . I’d like you to putmoney into my effort here.”

■ “I help your business . . . ”Out of all the people you could

do business with, you’ve remainedloyal to this businessperson. Howmany thousands of dollars is yourrepeat business, customer loyaltyand ongoing support bringing hisbusiness over the lifetime of yourpatronage? Isn’t that worthsomething?

How Do you Schedule It?You know your hours and

commitments better than I do. Setaside 2 hours each week day and 4hours each weekend day for sevendays. Work it around your schedule.

Money is the FuelMoney is the fuel that runs your

Libertarian campaign. It won’t makeyou a good driver or guarantee youreach your destination. But withoutit you’re stalled and stuck.

This article © 1996