already in New Hampshire
Recruiting Workshop
Recruiting workshop with Kat Dillon – 01/20/05
Here's a transcript of the chat that took place:
18:01:46 [katdillon] Appears to be 9:00...shall we get started?
18:01:50 [Nick] Aon, is there a particular party that you are affiliated with? Not that I care
18:02:14 [Nick] Fire away kat
18:02:51 [Aon] affiliated with the human race..does that count
18:03:01 [katdillon] I thought we'd spend the evening discussing recruiting for the FSP
18:03:25 [katdillon] What methods have been successful at getting the word out about the project
18:03:31 [Nick] sure does
18:03:40 [katdillon] Try and answer whatever questions you might have about it
18:03:48 [katdillon] And hear your ideas
18:04:05 [katdillon] Hi Dan
18:04:14 [Nick] What methods have been successful ?
18:04:18 [katdillon] So does anyone have any questions to start out with?
18:04:21 [danhynes] hello again
18:04:51 [Nick] What is our best medium?
18:04:58 [katdillon] The most successful things I've seen have been word of mouth...talking to people you know, talking to people on the internet
18:05:07 [Nick] Chat, radio, television?
18:05:10 [katdillon] The internet is our biggest medium
18:05:22 [ring0] Does anyone have any charts/ statistics?
18:05:24 [katdillon] Web forums, chat rooms, email lists
18:05:28 [katdillon] webpages
18:05:51 [katdillon] Yes ring0, hang on a sec
18:06:04 [Nick] I've run into a few people online that are still deciding whether or not
18:06:20 [katdillon] http://www.margomaps.com/fsp/recruitment/
18:06:33 [Kiernaan] Does anyone know any info on Southern New Hampshire University? I am interested in going to school there as apart of the FSP moving from Florida.
18:06:35 [katdillon] http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php?topic=8333.0
18:07:16 [svillee] Playboy is 5th on the list, interesting
18:07:24 [katdillon] Another thing that has been VERY successful has been magazine articles about the FSP
18:07:32 [katdillon] yes, playboy was big
18:07:43 [Nick] It's not a bad school kiernaan
18:08:37 [katdillon] Evan Nappen wrote an article for American Handgunner which turned out well
18:09:12 [Nick] we werein playboy
18:09:16 [katdillon] Does anyone have ideas for good magazines that might publish an FSP article?
18:09:17 [RussellK] Hi JonM Friday Steve
18:09:30 [katdillon] Yeah, we were the centerfold article
18:09:30 [Friday] hi Russell
18:09:52 [Friday] maybe a hunting mag?
18:09:58 [ScottRoth] http://www.usjournal.com/en/students/campuses/snhu.html
18:10:04 [PatK] Hi all
18:10:07 [Nick] Guns and Ammo?
18:10:09 [RussellK] oh no Pat K
18:10:19 [katdillon] hi Pat
18:10:21 [Nick] Or American Rifleman
18:10:27 [Kiernaan] thanks Scott
18:10:50 [ScottRoth]
18:10:54 [Friday] or a conservative (as opposed to libertarian) political mag
18:11:06 [katdillon] I've been working on a mini-shadow ad on the san francisco handgun ban
18:11:14 [katdillon] Those would be good
18:11:24 [Friday] Utne Reader, for the opposite end of the spectrum...
18:11:36 [katdillon] That's a liberal magazine?
18:11:59 [Friday] oh yeah, touchy feely granola greenie in the extreme!
18:12:03 [Nick] We could also write letters to the opinion sections of some magazines
18:12:32 [katdillon] If you're not up for writing magazine articles , you can also try reaching out to these types of groups on the internet
18:12:41 [katdillon] That's a good idea, Nick
18:13:08 [katdillon] I haven't heard of anyone doing that yet...the opinion section of magazines
18:13:10 [Friday] maybe a natural childbirth/alternative medicine mag?
18:13:29 [katdillon] Yeah, great idea
18:13:36 [Nick] I wrote the NRA on their website when my membership was still current
18:13:53 [PatK] hey come have your painful birth in the free state?
18:14:13 [Friday] some people are into that, Pat!
18:14:19 [katdillon] lol Pat
18:14:23 [RussellK] lol
18:14:43 [katdillon] Do they regulate that in CA, Friday?
18:14:57 [RussellK] maybe we could eventually stop #ing the newborns even
18:15:03 [PatK] welll as long as the father can have some drugs
18:15:08 [katdillon] I know they're trying to regulate herbs and vitamins more ona national level
18:15:11 [Friday] it's not an issue I follow, but I'll bet they do
18:15:46 [Friday] midwives are an endangered species; they might go for the FSP
18:15:54 [PatK] did everyone get MR. Nappans invitation?
18:15:58 [RussellK] makes sense
18:16:05 [katdillon] Maybe a painful birth liaison>
18:16:06 [Friday] also, naturopaths and other practitioners of alt medicine
18:16:08 [Nick] Is there any effort to appeal to republicans as a group?
18:16:19 [katdillon] I did, pat
18:16:26 [Friday] yes, I already signed up for the Active Activists Army (cool name)
18:16:40 [katdillon] We've talked a lot with the Republican Liberty Caucus
18:16:43 [ring0] if you combine the catagories family, friend, and significant other it seems that plain old word of mouth is getting great results too
18:16:57 [Friday] Nick, my local group is arranging a presentation to local Republicans
18:17:10 [katdillon] Yes, ring0
18:17:32 [Nick] What locality friday?
18:17:48 [Friday] northern California
18:17:49 [ring0] word of mouth is free and accounts for over 500
18:17:56 [katdillon] word of mouth, magazine articles, internet forums...those are all free ways to reach people, too
18:17:58 [svillee] Evan's email said "we'll even train you how to do it, step by step". Is there a way I could review those steps, without necessarily signing up?
18:18:23 [Aon] yes, I would like to read that
18:18:28 [katdillon] I'll find out for you, Steve, and let you know
18:18:35 [RussellK] there is no pain involved with signing up steve
18:18:45 [RussellK] but yea maybe we can get it all
18:18:53 [katdillon] Sounds like it'd be a good idea to have the steps avail on the website
18:18:56 [RussellK] they are creating it as we speak also
18:19:18 [Friday] yes, I got that impression!
18:19:20 [Nick] Oh ok, I know a county chair here in the GOP that is pretty liberal socially, and a staunch fiscal conservative
18:19:51 [Friday] ask him if he would like a speaker from the FSP
18:19:56 [RussellK] We are making a lot of connections with GOPs in NH
18:20:08 [Nick] Her
18:20:13 [RussellK] we like table pounding tax cutters
18:20:26 [Friday] I made one small reference to outreach to Republicans on my local group list, and all these Republicans leapt out of the woodwork!
18:20:58 [ring0] maybe we could post an article on Free Republic and ping it a lot
18:21:15 [Friday] I think that's been done, ring0
18:21:30 [katdillon] I had a post on Free Republic today
18:21:50 [katdillon] There's a lot of good venue for online articles
18:21:53 [Nick] What about kat?
18:21:53 [RussellK] yea keep looking for stuff on Free Republic ring....ping away
18:22:28 [svillee] I went ahead and signed up for the "Active Activist Army". It was indeed painless.
18:22:39 [katdillon] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1324600/posts
18:23:03 [RussellK] see I told you so steve
18:23:08 [Seth] hey, got Kat's email just now... forgot about the chat, and actually just got home a few anyway
18:23:33 [katdillon] Here's your expert on the activist army
18:23:46 [Seth] Someone was asking about the Recruiting Steps without signing up?
18:23:52 [Nick] I know it's not a hugely sympathetic demographic, but what about democrats
18:24:02 [Friday] Seth, which Seth are you? :-)
18:24:03 [Seth] We want people to sign up for a variety of reasons. I'll list them.
18:24:14 [katdillon] There is a democratic freedom caucus
18:24:29 [katdillon] Seth Cohen
18:24:38 [Seth] Nick: we need more 'left' people for sure... I'm planning on helping with getting the Democratic Freedom Caucus running in NH.
18:24:44 [Seth] Friday: Seth Cohn
18:25:13 [Seth] Ok, reasons to sign up rather than just 'get the steps'
18:25:33 [Seth] 1) We're tracking results (we want demographics, and to see what works for people)
18:25:58 [Seth] 2) We are planning a support 'group', including buddying people in similar areas.
18:26:26 [katdillon] Phil
18:26:31 [Friday] support is good
18:26:44 [Seth] 3) We want to know the overall results, and not just guess 'well, we think this effort worked, but how well?"
18:27:33 [Phil] Thanks Kat - joined the army today too (never thought I'd eever say that!)
18:27:47 [RussellK]
18:28:01 [Seth] 4) Protection for the FSP. For instance, we're going to giving out step by step assignments, which will be clear about 'no nos' like spam, bad PR moves, etc.
18:28:18 [Friday] I hope this doesn't include reveille at 4:00AM...
18:28:19 [katdillon] Do you have to get your head shaved to join the army?
18:28:52 [Seth] Headshaving is only for the punk anarchists in the FSP... mohawks are another option.
18:29:14 [Friday] been there, done that
18:29:56 [katdillon] You've shaved your head, Friday?
18:30:20 [Friday] yes, it was my Sinead O'Connor period!
18:30:34 [Nick] I go for the shaved head style myself
18:30:36 [katdillon] neat
18:30:41 [PatK] the porc army we recover from more hangovers by 9am than most people do in a life time
18:31:31 [katdillon] So going back to the Democrats, how would you recommend we outreach to them
18:31:48 [Friday] join a Yahoo list and say hello
18:32:00 [Seth] Meetup.com....
18:32:00 [katdillon]
18:32:03 [Friday] or attend a meeting and say hello
18:32:50 [katdillon] Meetings are a great idea. Instead of a speaker you can just chat with people about the idea
18:33:05 [Friday] my mother is a Democrat, and even she's getting disgusted with CA
18:33:15 [Nick] Democrats= social freedoms all the way
18:33:20 [RussellK] wow
18:33:22 [katdillon] But there are speakers available *points at Phil*
18:33:22 [Seth] Meetup.com told me that starting a Democratic Freedom Caucus -within- the standard Democratic Party meetup system is perfectly ok with them. Perfect outreach - find others who really want liberty, and aren't dogmatically Left is right, Right is wrong.
18:33:33 [svillee] just make sure they're not looking to introduce a state income tax
18:33:36 [katdillon] wow, Friday
18:33:45 [Friday] did anyone see Not In Our Name's statement that's going to run tomorrow?
18:33:59 [katdillon] no, what was it
18:34:00 [katdillon] ?
18:34:16 [Friday] I assume NION is mostly a liberal/progressive group, but their statement really can appeal to people on the opposite end of the spectrum
18:34:27 [Friday] things are getting weird in America!
18:34:45 [Phil] Would love to be a speaker - but very hard to imagine a Democrat joining fsp - independents are more likely
18:34:48 [Aon] I would think reaching out to groups is the easy past, stirring people to action might prove more complex
18:34:49 [katdillon] too liberal even for the democrats!
18:35:04 [katdillon] I know some democrats in the FSP
18:35:06 [Nick] What is NION?
18:35:08 [Friday] Kat, I'll post it to the forum; it's really quite beautiful
18:35:16 [Seth] Phil: we have Democrats in the FSP.
18:35:20 [katdillon] cool
18:35:30 [Friday] reminds me of the sort of thing a
1776 patriot would have published
18:36:07 [katdillon] Are all of you near an FSP local group?
18:36:17 [Friday] NION is a coalition of people opposed to the Iraq War, with some rich Hollywood types involved
18:36:24 [katdillon] http://freestateproject.org/community/localgroups/
18:36:25 [Nick] yupper
18:36:27 [Seth] Before I forget to ask: anyone here who got the Challenge, who did NOT sign up, and if not, why not?
18:36:54 [katdillon] I didn't.
18:37:05 [Friday] Aon, you said it!! Stirring people to action; I'm stymied.
18:37:16 [Seth] besides you, Kat. You do plenty else.
18:37:21 [katdillon] You can work with others in the local groups at recruiting...more fun that way
18:37:34 [Nick] Opposition to the war isn't charateristically liberal
18:37:59 [Friday] I know, but judging by the big names on this list, that's the leaning of NION
18:38:42 [katdillon] The FSP will provide some of the funds for printing costs for things like flyers, for booth space, etc
18:38:49 [Nick] Doesn't mean that libertarians can't join and steer it
18:39:28 [Friday] I don't think the group actually does anything other than put insanely expensive ads in major publications,
18:39:31 [Aon] The ideas speak for themselves, making ideas actionable seems difficult
18:39:39 [Friday] sending a big F.U. to Bush et al
18:39:44 [Nick] oh ok then
18:40:11 [Friday] tomorrow their ad will be in the NYT, SF Chronicle, and assorted others
18:40:25 [katdillon] Seems like a worthy occupation
18:40:49 [Nick] Happy Inaguration day all
18:41:01 [Friday] phtphtphtff
18:41:48 [PatK] it looked like a may day celebration from theold ussr
18:41:50 [Seth] Don't blame me. I voted for Badnarik. (grin)
18:41:52 [katdillon] Maybe use anti-bush feeling towards recruiting
18:41:55 [Friday] Kat, are you still on the BoD?
18:42:09 [katdillon] Heck if I know
18:42:25 [Nick] Did you see the security, it was Orwellian
18:42:31 [Friday] er, I don't think I like the sound of that
18:42:32 [Aon] yes
18:42:36 [PatK] well no tanks this time mabey thats later
18:42:39 [Aon] more like a coronation
18:42:50 [Seth] The BoD is currently in 'flux'. Only official members are Jason, Jean, Eddie
18:42:59 [katdillon] I'm on the "circle"...there's 3 people on the official BOD right now
18:43:06 [Nick] I think a lot of small govt. types are sick of Bush
18:43:10 [Seth] it's a sore subject, Friday. Let's move on. It's not the chat topic.
18:43:15 [Friday] When will it be out of flux? And is Amanda still President?
18:43:26 [Friday] um, OK then
18:43:32 [katdillon] Amanda is still President
18:43:40 [Seth] Out of flux: in the next week or 2.
18:43:44 [svillee] That's right. George Reich's term expired last Saturday.
18:43:47 [PatK] circle the fluxing board?
18:44:03 [katdillon] Hi Lloyd
18:44:14 [Lloyd] HI
18:44:17 [katdillon] It's a lot like ring around the rosie
18:44:32 [ScottRoth] Thye all fall down!
18:44:40 [Seth] ashes ashes we al lfall down.
18:45:04 [Aon] BoD...? Meaning someone is planning , directing...toward a goal?
18:45:04 [Lloyd] Thanks Pat
18:45:11 [Seth] Ok, to get back to Recruiting.....
18:45:18 [Aon] actionable items ?
18:45:30 [katdillon] How are recruiting activities in No Cal going, Friday?
18:45:49 [Friday] Discouraging, Kat
18:45:51 [Seth] Question for everyone to answer: Name 3 things you could do in the next week to help recruiting. Concrete 'I could do XYZ'
18:46:06 [Friday] but there are a lot of events lined up in the next 3 months
18:46:15 [katdillon] Oh, what's wrong?
18:46:16 [Seth] I'm looking for brainstorming here, so speak up.
18:46:18 [Phil] letter to editor
18:46:39 [Friday] I put out calls for volunteers and donations, and only the same 2 people ever respond
18:46:39 [Phil] I wear my t-shirt at the gym
18:46:54 [katdillon] Aon...the goal is getting 20,000 liberty lovers to NH
18:47:01 [katdillon] too bad, Phil
18:47:02 [Nick] The goal being directed towards is getting 20K and moving
18:47:22 [katdillon] At least you have two people responding, Friday!
18:47:24 [Aon] individuals
18:47:35 [Lloyd] Re- phmphlet local colleges, make hat or shirtthat says: "ask me about the FSP" and some other thing
18:47:46 [katdillon] Friday, how much have you used the member list?
18:47:57 [Seth] Friday: how others are not responding?
18:48:04 [katdillon] cool idea, Lloyd
18:48:10 [Friday] Kat, I only got it within the last 2 weeks, so very little!
18:48:17 [katdillon] it could be made into a sign....
18:48:19 [Seth] oops, how _many_ others are not responding.
18:48:42 [ScottRoth] Does the FSP have a brochure in PDF? I could print them out and hand them out.
18:48:44 [Lloyd] Sandwich board!
18:49:00 [katdillon] Scott, yes
18:49:04 [PatK] make up a leaflet =everthing you wanted to know about pocupine sex but were afraid to ask? Ask at FSP.org
18:49:06 [Seth] ScottRoth: yes, we do. Downloads.
18:49:13 [Friday] Seth, perhaps we should get into details outside of chat...
18:49:16 [Lloyd] Brochures on the FSP website
18:49:19 [katdillon] http://freestateproject.org/getinvolved/downloads/
18:49:31 [ScottRoth] Thanks Kat.
18:49:42 [PatK] Lloyd had to say sandwich now I am hungry
18:49:48 [katdillon] I like it, Pat. I might even be inclined to write it
18:50:00 [katdillon] Hi lori
18:50:00 [Nick] Has anyone heard more about the war protests scheduled for the 15th of February?
18:50:00 [Seth] Friday: in general terms. If you're calling on 20 people, and only 2 are answering, it's a motivation issue, and perfect for us to talk about.
18:50:10 [Lloyd] Sex sell again!
18:50:19 [katdillon] I haven't Nick
18:50:19 [Friday] Seth, I email 500 people, and 5 respond.
18:50:42 [Friday] I encourage you to join the NorCal Yahoo list for evidence of how very hard I have been trying.
18:50:53 [katdillon] I wonder if calling is more effective?
18:51:06 [Seth] Friday, you aren't alone in this. It's fairly universal.
18:51:06 [Nick] Morrison hasn't e-mailed me back, give him a kick in the tail for me if you run into him ok
18:51:06 [Friday] We have tried that; the majority of numbers are invalid.
18:51:10 [Lori] well we could let people know how much eating does go on once you get here and "get involved" last saturday we had breakfat in wilton and then drove to somersworth to the seacoast porcupines meeting for lunch lol
18:51:34 [Seth] Dave Mincin sends personal emails, or calls people, because he found email was working even here in NH.
18:51:35 [katdillon] Good eating and company in NH!
18:51:48 [Seth] wasn't working.
18:51:57 [Lori] but then we went out and handed out flyers in the cold in hampton, you do have to be willing to get cold. brrr but the company is warming
18:52:01 [Seth] (grrh, my typos are bad as always)
18:52:19 [katdillon] You're doing an awesome job out there, Friday. Don't get discouraged
18:52:34 [Friday] :-}
18:53:10 [katdillon] It's not even just the FSP. It's true in any organization that only a few people are really active
18:53:24 [Seth] Friday> email me so we can talk later... sethcohn@gnuhampshire.org
18:53:46 [Lloyd] Lori, I wonder what the guy whose pickup truck had the licence plate: Zoning did with his flyer?
18:54:37 [katdillon] If you want people to come to meetings, you could try making them just something fun...work into activism once people get used to coming
18:54:41 [Friday] OK, Seth
18:54:46 [Lloyd] Kat, I'm not sure that being active results in recruitment.
18:54:50 [Seth] Commitment is a hard thing to gauge. We're finding that true in the FSP.
18:54:53 [katdillon] I saw a licence plate here in keene: GLOCK
18:54:59 [Friday] we've been having "just fun" meetings for a year already...
18:55:09 [Lori] like that one kat
18:55:10 [katdillon] That's true, Lloyd
18:55:18 [Seth] But it's true everywhere. It's also why a scant handful of activists _can_ make a difference.
18:55:23 [katdillon] Aah
18:55:46 [katdillon] seems to be especially true in NH
18:56:04 [Lloyd] I can't believe were not getting more signups out of the colleges!
18:56:12 [Lori] that's very true seth. look at how just a few sqeaky wheels have been the ones that have brought about many of the laws and legislations that have taken away many of our freedoms
18:56:21 [Seth] NH's more 'open' than most states, at least in important ways (state and local government)
18:56:32 [katdillon] I don't think anyone is working on college students that much
18:56:47 [JonM] lloyd: turns out they can't read
18:56:57 [Friday] I've been hounding the Cal Libertarians
18:57:06 [katdillon] heh
18:57:20 [Seth] Friday: resistance?
18:57:25 [Nick] gotta go,bye
18:57:33 [Lori] bye Nick
18:57:36 [katdillon] night, Nick
18:57:38 [Friday] Seth: no response
18:57:40 [Lori] Hello George
18:57:48 [Friday] bye Nick
18:58:02 [katdillon] so..uh...we need speakers at the colleges instead
18:58:34 [RussellK] good talking with you guys....but I need to say goodnight
18:58:41 [Nick] Oh and if you all want to be ordained as non denominational reverends by an official church, go to http://www.ulc.org and head to instant ordinations, tax exempt
18:58:57 [Seth] Friday: if at first you don't get an answer, bug bug bug again.
18:58:59 [Friday] I know about that church!
18:59:00 [Lori] goodnight Russell
18:59:09 [Lloyd] Not sure what it would take. Anyone contacted libertarian clubs on campus to see if they want speakers?
18:59:10 [Friday] goodnight Russell
18:59:41 [Seth] Nick: some of us have been Rev. for over 10 years now... I think I'm going on almost 15 or more.
19:00:00 [Friday] I prefer to worship Bob, myself
19:00:15 [Aon] That is interesting
19:00:27 [katdillon]>[Friday] Could you save the transcript from this and send it to me? bookish_lass@yahoo.com
19:00:40 [Lloyd] Good night all
19:00:50 [Friday] oops, I should point out that I am NOT *that* Friday of the Church of the Subgenius
19:00:53 [Lori] goodnight Lloyd
19:00:57 [katdillon] Night Lloyd
19:01:18 [Friday] how do I do that, Kat?
19:01:39 [katdillon] either cut and paste the whole thing, or do /save
19:02:14 [Friday] OK, will do (until I leave)
19:02:27 [katdillon] thanks
19:02:55 [Seth] I gotta run myself... only came because of Kat's email, and have stuff still to be done... Night all
19:03:03 [Lori] Scott had mentioned to me that it might be good to get information to the college students here in NH too, since they already know NH and maybe would want to come back here or just stay if they believe in what we do
19:03:08 [katdillon] Night
19:03:11 [Friday] 'night Seth
19:03:19 [Lori] night seth
19:03:28 [katdillon] That's a great idea, Lori
19:03:28 [Friday] that's a good idea, Lori
19:03:34 [katdillon] hehe
19:03:54 [Friday] also, the alumni associations of NH colleges
19:04:06 [katdillon] ooh, yes
19:05:07 [katdillon] Thank you all for coming tonight. It's time for me to take off, too
19:05:25 [katdillon] Good luck with your recruiting
19:05:29 [Friday] goodnight, Kat, thanks for the chat!
19:05:38 [Lori] goodnight kat and goodnight to you all
19:05:42 [Aon] g'nite Kat
19:06:19 [Friday] OK, looks like most people are exiting and it's dinnertime in PST, so...
19:06:39 [Friday] goodnight, all, and the transcript will cut off shortly!
19:07:15 [Aon] It has been a nice visit , nice meeting all of you
19:07:26 [Friday] Aon, do you have a forum account?
19:07:52 [Aon] No, I only heard about this group last night
19:08:12 [Friday] sign up here: http://forum.freestateproject.org/index.php
19:08:23 [Friday] it's the best way to "get to know" FSP people
19:08:54 [Friday] I hope you decide to join us!
19:09:08 [Aon] This has been the most interesting thing I have done online in some time
19:09:48 [Friday] also, check out the NH Underground
19:09:50 [Aon] I spent most of my time in chat rooms where the word" sup" seems to be the most intelligent thing said
19:10:24 [Friday] http://www.soulawakenings.com/underground/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php
19:10:59 [Aon] I have saved every link put into this room
19:11:21 [Friday] I avoid chat rooms myself; I make an exception for the FSP
19:11:52 [Aon] I have time on my hands
19:12:16 [Friday] OK, see you next time!
19:12:21 [Aon] Single, just moved to a new city.
19:12:31 [Aon] g'nite all
19:12:50 [Friday] bye all