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== Organized Affiliates==
== Organized Affiliates==
Organized affiliates usually have the advantage of being established, and thus not having to worry about the “basics” new and in-progress affiliates do. That being said, organized affiliates often fall into the trap of becoming complacent and set in their ways which consequently leads to stagnation, especially when it comes to recruitment and outreach (i.e., growing their membership, appeal, etc.). No matter how established an affiliate may be, there’s always room for improvement.
====Recruitment====
=====Current Dues Paying LPCA Members=====
This is the “lowest hanging fruit.” Individuals who fall under this category typically hold anything from a Basic Membership ($25 per annum) to a Lifetime Membership (One $1,000 payment to retain paid membership status for life). Their lack of involvement could stem anywhere from not knowing that their county affiliate exists (i.e., they pay dues to the Party, but are unaware that their county operates as its own separate organization), to having at one point been involved but stopping due to personal issues, or having at one point been involved but stopping due to disillusionment in the messaging/direction of the Party, to any other reason. Whatever the case, it’s important to reach out to these individuals and find out why they aren’t engaged or involved locally in hopes of addressing their pain point(s). They should be the easiest to reach out to and convince to help grow your affiliate since they believe (or at the very least did at some point) enough in the advancement of liberty to pay dues to the Party on a somewhat regular basis. Discovery is key here—it’s not about you, you’re already involved, it’s about them; it’s about what you can do to get them excited about getting engaged and involved.
=====Lapsed Dues Paying LPCA Members=====
This should be the second easiest lead list to pull members from. Individuals who fall under this category were dues paying members at one point in time (whether it be years or months ago), but let their membership lapse without ever bothering to renew it. The more recent the
lapse date, the likelier they are to be responsive. Their lapsed membership could stem anywhere from forgetting to renew, to financial troubles, to disillusionment in the messaging/ direction of the Party, to any combination of the three or something entirely different. Again, whatever the case, it’s important to reach out to these individuals to find out why their respective memberships lapsed. They should be more receptive than most to the idea of helping you grow your affiliate since they believed enough in the advancement of liberty at
some point to pay dues to the Party.
=====Family, Friends & Acquaintances=====
This can be an incredibly valuable resource to draw from and help you “jump-start,” or even maintain your organization. Often times these individuals are easily dismissed, but they shouldn’t be. Given how the State can’t help but amass more power for itself year after year
with absolutely no regard for the individual, chances are you’ve been unable to bite your tongue on more than occasion around family, friends and/or acquaintances over the years. It’s very possible that some of your “libertarian propaganda” may have caught the attention of
some of them at some point in time. The only way to find out is by inviting them to socials where they might meet individuals they have more in common with than they realize.
=====California Secretary of State Registered Libertarians=====
The Party has access to voter registration data all across the state through a data contractor called L2. This access lies solely with Party Officers and the Executive Director, but the information for your affiliate can be sent to your County Chair at their request. This lead list is a bit more of a gamble than most. Just because someone is registered to vote “Libertarian,” doesn’t necessarily mean that they are one. Anecdotal evidence suggests that this data could be more unreliable than it should be given the ever-changing political climate. Every election cycle breeds more and more voters disillusioned with their own party, often resulting in a registration change to a third party out of “protest.” That being said, there are still thousands of actual Libertarians who are registered as such, and may simply not know about dues paying membership, so they should be reached out to when possible.
=====Likeminded Local “Liberty-Leaning” Coalitions/Groups=====
Many counties have formed “liberty” coalitions as a result of the government’s response to COVID. Anecdotal evidence suggests that most of these coalitions are comprised of disillusioned and disenfranchised MAGA and “liberty” Republicans (although some have very moderate Democrats in their ranks depending on the area). While they may not be immediately open to joining your organization (if at all), it would be good to look for and attend these events. Even if you fail to recruit new members, you should at the very least be able to build long lasting relationships for the purpose of building important single-issue coalitions which through this method can be done without compromising overarching libertarian principles.
====Events====
Event recruiting is high risk, high reward. Tabling at most events such as: farmer’s markets, festivals, parades, etc. usually cost anywhere from $200 - $500 depending on the event and the area. While this method can certainly increase exposure, the money needed to do so, may not
yield the results desired to justify the cost. Nevertheless, it never hurts to inquire. While this method may not yield immediate results, doing at least one regular event of this caliber a year may prove beneficial over a longer period of time.
=====Farmer’s Markets=====
There’re multiple farmer’s markets associations that operate throughout California. You can find yours [https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/docs/CurrentMrktsCounty.pdf here] (search by county). Some farmer’s markets however, may be averse to allowing a political organization have a table. If you’re denied, simply try a different one.
=====Fairs & Festivals=====
When applying for vendor booth opportunities, many events will charge a lower rate for nonprofit organizations. If you go this route, review what your organization can budget for given that some higher profile events (those with large attendance) can run several hundred dollars
per booth, while others will cost less than $50. Be prepared to provide your EIN for proof of your non-profit status. Many events will also require proof of insurance. If this is the case, contact your Area Coordinator first to see if it’s possible for you to get event insurance
through the LPCA. If it isn’t, see below. For public outreach opportunities like this, it is recommended that you have some basic
materials:
*A 10'x10' pop-up canvas gazebo along with weights, stakes or rope to tie it down in case of strong wind.
*2 6' tables (folding tables would be best for transportation’s sake).
*Folding chairs.
*A banner with your organization’s name, and logo (either County, State or National).
*Table cloths.
*Literature: (e.g., Party brochures, flyers, voter registration forms for your county, etc.).
You’re also encouraged to create your own brochures/flyers to address local concerns such as, agriculture, water, forest management, decriminalization of drugs, gun rights, rent control, etc.
*Literature stand/holder (especially if you’re in a windy area).
*A laminated Nolan Political Survey chart with colored sticker dots and an easel/tripod to display the chart. (Contact Ms. Tilford or the Advocates on their [https://www.theadvocates.org/quiz/ website] for assistance.)
*Printed out versions of the Nolan Political Survey for people to take. (Contact Ms. Tilford or the Advocates on their [https://www.theadvocates.org/quiz/ website] for assistance.)
*Buttons or stickers to give out as “prizes” for taking the Nolan Political Survey or engaging you in meaningful discussion. Examples of popular libertarian catch phrases your buttons or stickers can display include, “Make Orwell Fiction Again,” “Stop Electing Assholes,” “Am I Being Detained?” “Come Back With A Warrant,” “My Governor Is An Idiot,” etc. You can also make some which support Libertarians running
in local elections that say “#VoteGold” or that have their specific name or campaign slogan on them.
*A clip board with a sign up sheet to take down names and contact information for people interested in learning more about your organization.
*A makeshift “boothing kit’ which should at the very least include: rope, twine, duct tape, painter’s tape, scotch tape, zip ties, scissors, rubber bands and pens.
=====County Fairs=====
Only consider county fairs if you have a sufficient number of members who can volunteer to man it on a multi-shift rotation schedule. County fairs are often 10-14 days, and require any booth to be staffed at all hours of operation every day of the fair.
=====Festivals=====
Anything with vendor booth opportunities:
*Art & Wine Festivals
*Music Festivals
*Community/Town Festivals
Be sure to check downtown associations, Chamber of Commerce, and Visitor Bureau websites for opportunities within your city/town and county.
=====Gun Shows=====
You can find a list of prominent gun shows that you should consider participating in at the following websites:
*[https://gunshowtrader.com/gunshows/california-gun-shows/ Gun Show Trader]
*[https://www.crossroadsgunshows.com/events/category/state/california/ Crossroads of the West]
*[https://www.igunshows.com/gun-shows/California/ iGunShows]
*[http://www.californiagunshows.com/ California Gun Shows]
*[https://www.californiagunshows.net/ California’s Worldwide Gun Shows]
=====Parades=====
Chances are that there are various types of parades in your community that you can participate in to bolster organizational awareness. The most common tend to be:
*Rodeo
*Holiday & Seasonal (e.g., Fourth of July, Christmas, etc)
*Light
*Classic Car/Cruise
While optics and professionalism are important to maintain at every event, there’s arguably no more important time for this to be the case than a parade. If no one in your organization has a convertible, classic car, or “special/interesting” vehicle to drive in a parade, you can
always rent one. Make sure to plan for 2'x4' banners for both sides of the car in which to advertise your organization. It’s also wise to ensure that your banner has a libertarian slogan (i.e. “All Your Freedoms, All the Time,” “Minimal Government/Maximum Freedom,” etc.).
Depending on the type of parade, it may even be more prudent to consider using or renting a flatbed truck.
=====Event Insurance=====
Many venues require presenters to obtain event insurance. Thus, your affiliate may be required to show proof of insurance to participate in an event. If a venue requires this, contact an LPCA officer—the Party has a general liability insurance policy that may cover your
event. Make sure you understand the specifics of the coverage the venue requires (e.g., the types of liability that need to be covered, the amount of coverage, whether the venue needs to be named as an additional insured on the insurance policy, etc.).
The purpose of event insurance is usually to cover your, and the venue’s, potential liability due to personal injuries and damage to the location that may occur at the event, but sometimes it is also used to cover the cost of canceling or postponing the event, or damage to
gifts, wardrobe, and other items that may be used in connection with the event.
If you are unable to obtain the necessary coverage via the LPCA, the following links to event insurance providers may be helpful:
*[https://www.theeventhelper.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjbyYBhCdARIsAArC6LJ6HYk5Zxa_EJTdBjTeJzm1sWmT92m0D47J0uiBnsphWrRDUoOKkRAaAnyOEALw_wcB Event Helper]
*[https://www.cphins.com/what-is-event-insurance-and-why-is-it-so-important/ CPH & Associates]
*[https://www.progressive.com/special-event-insurance/ Progressive Special Event Insurance]
====Goodwill, Volunteer Events & Holiday Charity Efforts====
''“Why Localism Matters''
''Why is it important to involve your community partners? Two reasons come to mind. First, that is where real change takes place. Secondly, to be successful in implementing any national issue, you must engage local media, because obviously they control the medium and the message. As all politicians know so well, social change takes place in the thousands of hamlets, villages, towns and cities that comprise our national fabric. There is a reason why all the most successful non-profits such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Red Cross and hundreds of others have local chapters. That is where they can efficiently deliver services which cater to the needs of their stakeholders. From the media perspective, that is also where their audience is located and the sources of their ad revenues, so the concept of localism is very strong.”''
“[http://www1.psaresearch.com/images/CREATING%20A%20COMMUNITY%20PARTNERSHIP.pdf How to Engage Community Partners in Your Issue]" by Bill Goodwill
Early fall is the perfect time to begin planning a county affiliate holiday charity event. Libertarians often preach volunteerism, events like these, especially at the local level, can be demonstrative of how effective our philosophy can be.
The State’s response to COVID resulted in many small businesses having to close (some permanently, and up to 50% in some urban areas). Additionally, California Assembly Bill 5 decimated an estimated two million freelance and independent contractor positions over a variety
of industries, meaning people here are in need of help more than ever.
Your county affiliate can either do a charity drive on their own, or they can team up with a trusted local agency or Non-Government Organization (NGO) that already does charity events in your local community.
Popular Charity Events Include:
*Toy Drive
*Secret Santa/Angel Tree/Wish Lists
*Local Children’s Hospital Book Drive
*Food Drives (Best during November and December)
*Loose Change Drive (Collecting change at major intersections and donating it to a local private charity of your choice).
Best Organizations to Collaborate with Include:
*Marines: [https://www.toysfortots.org/ Toys for Tots]
*Fire Departments
*Local County and Community Food Banks
*Local [https://my.rotary.org/en/club-search Rotary Clubs]
*[https://firstplaceforyou.org/where/ First Place for Youth] (Young Adults in the Foster System)
*One Warm Coat (Drive for the Homeless)
*Local NGOs.
If you are not familiar with a particular charity, you can always research it [https://www.charitynavigator.org/ here] to make sure they
are legitimate and reputable. Once you have decided on a charity project, notify your members and local community of the event, and make the appropriate arrangements. (If you are doing a Toy Drive in partner with The Marines Toy for Tots or a local Fire Department, there is often a cut-off date for donations. Make sure to hold your event and deliver the collected items before the cut-off date.)
Notice should be sent to community calendars in your local papers, TV stations (news departments and online community calendars), radio stations, Nextdoor and Patch (specifically the goods you are collecting and the special event date). If you have a popular community center
or library that allows local community event flyers to be posted on a Community Board, put one up there. Also try local businesses (barber shops, donut shops, diners etc.) that post these types of flyers in their windows. Be sure to include a contact email and/or phone number for people with questions. Promoting your charity event will help drive donations, and possibly new members to your affiliate. When you do collect items (and before you drop off or deliver them) take a photo with all of the goods, and some of your members for your affiliate’s social media accounts, as well as local media.
Charity events can also be done outside of the holiday season. Back-to-School is a good time to help low-income families with gift cards for: clothes, backpacks, school supplies (notebooks, calculators, pens, pencils, pencil cases, college ruled paper, glue sticks, etc.). Food Drives are also necessary year round.
====Board, Committee & Commission Vacancies====
Applying for a Board, Committee or Commission (BCC) at the city or county level is an excellent way to begin participation in your local government without being elected, with none of the costs associated with a campaign. In fact, having BCC experience should be your number
one priority if you intend to run for an elected position in the future. It helps build a resume for when you do eventually run for office. It is also an excellent way to network within the community prior to running for office.
Many of these BCCs come up with insipid and insidious regulations as to why you can’t paint your shed, or dictate rules regarding fences around your yard, or worst of all, come up with recommendations for cities and counties to put a sales or parcel tax on the next election ballot for some local pet project.
Volunteering for a local BCC gives you the opportunity to halt the encroachment of more government, and tax increases at the local level. Most cities and counties have vacancies on many of their BCCs at any given time. All positions have term expiration dates.
Most cities and counties have their various BCCs listed, along with their current member and term expirations online. Local community newspapers, both daily and weekly ones, will also post when a position is going to be made available on a BCC, especially if a member of the
community has reached their maximum number of terms to serve.
=====Searching For BBC Vacancies=====
In most of California’s 58 counties (Amador, Colusa, Del Norte, Lassen, Mono, and Tehama being the exceptions) it is very easy to find current vacancies. '''For the rest of the counties, simply go to the county’s website, and in the search bar, type “vacancies” or “vacancy.” Your number one search result will likely be a web page listing all current vacancies, or a list of vacancies for various BCCs, often under the Board of Supervisors section of the web page.''' Many County Board of Supervisors (sometimes abbreviated BOS) have the power to appoint these positions.
For the aforementioned exceptions:
'''Amador:''' Check under [https://www.amadorgov.org/about/county-news County News] for notice postings of vacancies.
'''Colusa:''' Contact the Board of Supervisor Clerk, or a Deputy Clerk and ask for a list of current vacancies and upcoming vacancies in which you can apply.
'''Del Norte:''' No centralized web page listing vacancies exists. To search for vacancies, when they occur, they will be posted in the local newspaper, or on that particular BCC web page, which is found [http://www.co.del-norte.ca.us/departments here].
'''Lassen:''' This information is not available on their website, and they have said that they don’t have a system in which to gather it. Watch local newspapers for posting of vacancies (it’s required by law).
'''Mono:''' Call the Clerk of the Board, Scheereen Dedman (760) 932-5530 for vacancies, and check local newspapers for posting of vacancies. No web page listing vacancies exists.
'''Tehama:''' Go to the Clerk of the Board’s web page and click the latest Appointment List [https://www.co.tehama.ca.us/government/departments/clerk-of-the-board/ here]. The PDF appointment list will show what terms are expiring when, and qualifications.
=====Applying For A BBC Position=====
To apply for a BCC, most of the counties also include an application page, and a list of requirements or directions when applying. You can usually find these pages under the Board of Supervisors page for county, and City Clerk page for cities. Some positions may be
County District related, and you may have to be a resident of that particular District to apply.
If in doubt, or you need further information or clarification, it is recommended that you call or email the City Clerk, or Clerk for the Board of Supervisors.
====Communication====
There are several tools you can use to create brand and organization awareness. While it’s important to note that no two affiliates are the same, and what works for one affiliate may not necessarily work for another in this respect (especially if you’re at different building stages, i.e., new vs in-progress, vs established) chances are that at the very least one of the following tools could help you reach “small-l” libertarians, registered Libertarians, those who are “politically homeless,” or those desperately looking for sanity in a world growing seemingly more absurd by the day.
=====Web Notification Platforms=====
'''[https://www.meetup.com/lp/how-to-group-start Meetup]''': Meetup is a community based event notification platform which also has a mobile
app. It can be a great way to let people know about, and find your events. Individuals who sign up indicate that they are interested in local volunteer opportunities, politics, community causes, etc. You can select any number of descriptions to define your county affiliate,
especially if your county affiliate decides to engage in local charity or activism work. The biggest problem is that it costs money ($99 per 6 months) and isn’t guaranteed to yield results, so this might not be the best option for newer affiliates who can’t afford to expend
their very limited capital. It is however possible to share an account (up to 3 groups are allowed) so it might be prudent to consider partnering up with neighboring affiliates and splitting the costs.
'''[https://us.nextdoor.com/ Nextdoor]''': Nextdoor is a neighborhood network which also has a mobile app. It’s the most localized communicative tool at your disposal. It helps you reach out to literal neighbors, businesses, non-profits and public agencies in your area. You’ll find that many members of your community are very much in-tune with local issues. Posting and commenting on a lot of these threads could serve as an opening to introducing members of your immediate community to your organization so long as you keep things civil and professional. This is a free service.
'''[https://patch.com/ Patch]''': Patch is an online newspaper for local neighborhoods. That being said, it does not have a local community page for every city, town, district or neighborhood. If one doesn't exist for yours, you can put in a request with them to create one. You can also select which communities you want to promote your event in. If it’s beyond the area in which you’ll be meeting, that will likely cost money. It is however free to post a notice for an upcoming meeting, and if you so choose, pay to have it promoted on its web page when they send emails out to local community members.
'''[https://www.cityspark.com/ CitySpark]''': This is an online calendar of event webpages some local TV networks in your area may use to list upcoming events. It’s free to list, but costs money to promote your listing if you’re looking to have one of the top results or have a special notification window link attached.
'''Local Media Online Community Calendar''': Many local TV affiliates (e.g., ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc.) that may not use CitySpark, likely have on their own Community Calendar Events page on their respective website where you can add your upcoming meeting. Don’t confuse
local TV affiliates with national network pages. If you’re not sure which local affiliates serve your region, do a web search (e.g., “all NBC affiliates in California”) and you should find a Wikipedia page where you can search by state and find your service area. There are also
independent news stations in your area which should have their own department. Some independent stations may even have a deal with local network affiliates (e.g., WB bringing in a local CBS news broadcast).
'''[https://www.craigslist.org/about/sites#US Craigslist]''': This might be a better resource for more rural counties. Visit your local
Craigslist page and go to the “Community Section.” There you can choose to post to “Events” and “Politics” when promoting a county affiliate meeting. You may have to change the wording slightly between the posts or Craigslist might cite that your posts are too similar. The “post” link should be in the upper right hand corner. There, you can either use a county affiliate email, or use a Craigslist generated one. If you use your county affiliate email for contact be sure to “word it,” otherwise bots will glean it and likely spam you.
=====Other Communication Platforms=====
======Newspapers======
Even in the age of the internet, physical, printed publications are still a great medium for outreach, especially among older members in your county. More often than not, publications will simultaneously publish physical newspapers in addition to publishing
online. While this is particularly true for major newspapers, even smaller, community specific daily or weekly newspapers maintain this practice. You should gather a list of all of the newspapers currently publishing daily and weekly/bi-weekly newspapers in your county.
A quick Google search will show you the major ones. For the smaller, daily and weekly newspapers that aren't easily found via online searches, visit barbershops, doughnut shops, restaurants, and other local businesses. These are the establishments most likely to have a
stack of local community newspapers given that many of these are free and supported through local advertising. Grab a copy of each one you can find. The masthead will give you information on how to contact the publication as well as their website.
For daily newspapers, you to need to give a little more than a week’s advance notice of your organization’s meeting. (For weekly newspapers, you need to give a little more than two week’s advance notice.) Send notice to whoever edits the local “Community Calendar” or “Event Calendar.” Keep it simple, only include:
* Who
* What
* Where
* Date
* Time
* Basic Info
* Website or Facebook Page
While it would be wise to include a standing meeting and/or location (assuming you have one), it could be a “double-edged sword.” Often times small, city/town-specific newspapers will not include your event if it’s held in a different city/town that has its own publication.
Nevertheless, you may be able to convince any publication to habitually include your event if you explain that your organization services the entire county.
'''Letters to the Editor:''' Nearly all publications (even free community weekly papers) have a “Letter to the Editor” section in them where the public can comment in support, opposition, or question the reasoning or motive behind certain current events. This can include anything from government or business actions or policies, to a statement from a prominent individual, to any other number of wide-ranging issues. Before writing a letter to the editor, check their respective policy. Many publications post their guidelines in their print and online periodicals. Most will require you to be a resident within the area of the paper’s circulation, especially if it’s city/town-specific or county/regional-specific. There’s always a word limit (usually between 150-500 words). Writing a letter to the editor will teach you how to write concisely, which will take practice, especially if you’re trying to put together a complex argument.
When writing your letter, keep it specific to the point of the topic (i.e., no name-calling, incendiary claims, or “straw-man” arguments). Have several members of your organization read it over for input and edits before submitting. Keep in mind that when you’re submitting something in an official capacity, you’re not just representing your organization to your community, but representing the State and National Party as well, which means that it’s important to be inclusive, inviting, and provide rational and cohesive thought in the ever growing tumultuous climate of political partisanship and hyperbole.
If the publication elects not to publish your letter on any given week, don’t necessarily take it as a personal slight. Keep in mind that newspapers only have so much room to dedicate to “Letters to the Editor,” and there’s always a good chance that they may prioritize other letters based on factors such as submission date or topic urgency. That being said, there’s always a chance editorial staff may deeply disagree with your position and actively choose not to publish your letter, especially if that particular publication has a history of political bias. Nevertheless, don’t get discouraged; assuming you continue to submit letters, you should eventually get published.
'''Opinion-Editorials (Op-Eds):''' The Chair or a member of the affiliate's Executive Committee should introduce themselves to a local paper they believe to be fair and welcoming of “controversial” (i.e., Libertarian) opinion pieces. Some counties with very strong Democratic or Republican leanings may ignore this overture. If your local paper is hungry for content however, they may take in the occasional guest Op-Ed piece. Speak with the editor about writing an Op-Ed piece when there’s something important or time sensitive happening in your county/region (e.g., water management, wildfires, decriminalization of psychoactive plants, qualified immunity, the local sheriff's record on issuing CCW permits, etc.). If you’re successful in getting a few Op-Ed pieces published, talk to the editor about writing a once-a-month guest Op-Ed column.
======Radio======
The message of liberty is valuable, so it follows that it should be shared with as many individuals as possible, and across as many mediums as possible. You can find great success getting into the booth at radio stations (this is particularly true during election years). Studios and managers are always looking for enthusiastic community members and County Officers to talk about their party, principles, candidates and initiatives. Getting on the air gets you into people's homes, cars, and worksites spreading the libertarian message on a station they’re already listening to. These can be prerecorded interviews, live call-in ‘Question & Answer’ sessions, or on the spot at local events. If the station doesn't answer their phone, walking in is always an option. Some stations appreciate a face to face meeting before doing a segment or show.
'''Public Service Announcements (PSAs):''' Everyone wants a radio station to do a PSA for them because it's essentially “free advertising.” As a result, radio stations only allot so much time for them given that they take time away from programming, and paid advertising. If you’re going to attempt to have a radio station broadcast a PSA about your organization, it’s recommended that you only use it for when you’re doing a charity-only focused event (coat drive for the homeless, yearly local waterway/creek clean-up, an annual volunteer event that benefits the community, a change drive for a local children's hospital, etc.).
Good articles on how to write a PSA include:
[https://www.govtech.com/education/news/how-to-create-the-perfect-public-service-announcement.html How to Create the Perfect PSA]
[https://mediatracks.com/resources/how-to-write-a-public-service-announcement/ How to write a PSA]
As with newspapers, be sure to include:
* Who
* What
* Where
* Date
* Time
* How people can participate
* Why they should
This article discusses how to find out if a radio station allows PSAs, and how to thoroughly place one:
[https://www.awwa.org/Policy-Advocacy/Communications-Outreach/Public-Communications-Toolkit/Placing-a-Radio-PSA Placing a Radio PSA]
=====Press Releases & Media Alerts=====
A common misconception is that press releases and media alerts are the same. A press release is what one writes when they announce the launch of a political campaign for office (e.g., a Libertarian running for County Supervisor or Mayor). A media alert informs the press about the event being held to celebrate said launch, and is designed to encourage the press (in all forms) to cover the event. Press releases and media alerts are great tools to inform the press (including bloggers and podcasters) covering certain topics about news worthy events. Needless to say, organization meetings do not warrant a press release—the Libertarian presidential candidate coming to stump and hold a rally, speech, or fundraiser however, does. If an event is particularly newsworthy, you can roll the press release and media alert into one. In this case, you would have the press release on top, and the “Who/What/Where/When/Why” at the bottom.
Standard practice is to send out a press release as soon as the news can be shared, but it is strategically best to have it go out on a Monday or Tuesday (8AM or 9AM local time). “The Cathedral” is notorious for publishing press releases with "bad news” on Friday or Saturday
at the end of the day, which means that by Monday it will either be buried, or no longer timely to cover.
======Press Release======
The whole purpose of a press release is to get coverage, and noticed by a target audience. There is a format to press releases, and you can find templates online. The parts of a press release are:
*Letterhead and/or organization logo.
*Contact information: (i.e., who should the press contact for more information or an additional quote?) Include a name, email and phone number.
*Listing if it’s for “IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or whether there’s an embargo until a certain time to announce. (Try to refrain from submitting a press release unless it’s ready for “IMMEDIATE RELEASE.”)
*Headline: keeps it brief, and tells the most important detail of the release.
*Sub-headline: adds additional key information to the headline.
*Dateline: listing the city, state and date of the release.
*Body: this is the key information you’re trying to convey to the press. (Follow the journalistic style of writing and put the most important information in the first paragraph. Reporters and editors will usually only skim it over and read the first paragraph. They’ll usually only bother to read the whole thing if they’re interested in covering the story.)
*Quote: something about the subject. (You can quote the county Chair, or someone who’s an expert in the field of topic. Make sure you get approval if you’re crafting a quote for someone you know, and keep it simple.)
*Boilerplate: this is a simple paragraph at the end of a press release used to describe your organization, and the LP in general. (Be sure to include a website to either your organization or to the Party.) End the press release with either “-30-” or “###” or “-end-” at the very bottom. It signals that there’s nothing more to the press release.
If you need help or have any questions about writing a press release, please reach out to the Communications and Media Committee.
After the press release is written, the next thing you need to do is get it to press. There’re two ways to do this:
# Send it out over a news wire service which distributes press releases to the press. The Party has an account with EIN news wire service which distributes press releases based on geography and industry topics to thousands of newspapers, TV stations, radio, and anyone else watching the news wires.
# Create a list of media contacts in your area which you can contact via email. Don’t include your press release or media alert as an attachment, instead write the press release into the body of your email. That way you can include a short introduction and pitch as to why they should bother covering your news. Don’t submit your press release to an online web contact form at a news web page; it’s highly unlikely to get read. Instead, ring ahead of time and ask for the news desk. Once you’re speaking to someone in the newsroom, ask for an email address where you can send a press release. Create a database for all the newspapers, TV and radio stations, and record their email addresses. For newspapers in particular, you'll want to send it to the appropriate reporter covering the topic of your press release (e.g, Cannabis Regulation, Politics, Civil Liberty issues, etc.) If you’re not sure who to send it to, send it to the Deputy Editor or Assignment Desk.
While you don't have to use a news wire service, it’s highly recommended that you send your press release to key media in your area via email. (This is why creating a database of print and online newspapers, TV and radio stations is essential.)
======Media Alert======
A media alert, like a press release, is a way to inform the local press about an upcoming event of note. Again: don’t do a media alert for reoccurring meetings. They should only be done for something important (e.g., a protest, a rally, a local volunteer charity effort, etc.). Media alerts are much simpler to craft. All they require are a basic headline, followed by the “Who/What/Where/When/Why” the media should bother covering the event. Media Alerts can also be sent out over a news wire service, as well as to the local press via email.
Media alerts should go out via news wire approximately 5-7 days before the event, and sent out same time to newspapers and radios (assuming you have that much time to plan ahead). TV station media alerts should be sent via email two days in advance, and once more the day before. If it’s a last minute event, send is out as soon as possible.
====Newsletters====
Established organizations should have a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly newsletter that they send out to their membership. If this seems untenable, you should at the very least consider sending out a newsletter two weeks prior to your next meeting. The announcement of your next meeting should top the newsletter, followed by news about upcoming opportunities for people to apply as candidates in elections (e.g., openings on boards for water, sanitation, parks & recreation, etc.) anything in which you can bring libertarian sensibility to organizations that serve the community. Be sure to also include information about upcoming volunteer events, as well as the most recent successes of your past community outreach (with photos, e.g., trash pick up at a local park, foster youth support, loose coin drive for a local NGO charity, etc.) Make sure to keep it brief and to the point; the longer the newsletter, the less likely the recipient is to read it.
====Official Email====
=====Domains=====
Every organized county should have an official email domain for Officers, if not all county affiliate ExCom members. For those of you who don’t have one, they’re generally not actual email accounts, but rather, forwarding addresses that you tie your personal email address to
(the latter is significantly cheaper). While there are several places you can register a domain, one of the easiest and cheapest is [https://domains.google/ Google Domains].
=====Signatures=====
The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in the State of California, which is why it’s important to maintain an air of professionalism. Every affiliate ExCom member should create an email signature that they use for all official communication whether it be
internal, or external. The signature should at a minimum consist of: your name, your title/role within your affiliate, and the name of your affiliate. Additionally, you might consider adding your affiliate’s logo, as well as your website and maybe even social media links, especially if email is going to be your primary method of reaching out to prospects, as well as local businesses and political figures.
====Seminars====
While this handbook attempts to go into detail about everything that is integral to running a successful county affiliate, there is only so much that a 50-100 page book can cover. Many issues, or topics lend themselves to demonstrative, rather than explanative, presentation. Thus, the Affiliate Support Committee hosts multiple seminars a month on a wide range of topics, from running a website or using Party tools (e.g., Neon), to appropriately conveying libertarian principles. For each workshop, a google form will be sent out with dates and times for members of County Executive Committees to sign up. Once the date and time have been decided, a Zoom link will be sent out to everyone in case others who missed the first email would like to join. In order to make sure that you are fully utilizing the seminars created by the Affiliate Support Committee, please check your email on a regular basis and fill out forms for seminars that you are interested in. If a topic that isn't being covered would help you or others you know, feel free to email the Affiliate Support Committee to request a specific topic.
Seminars to Date Include:
* Nationbuilder (Website Building) 101
* Rhetoric 101
* Public Relations 101
* Liberty Speaks
While attending seminars live is preferable so that there can be real-time discussion and
clarification, recordings of the aforementioned seminars (which are purposely designed to be
evergreen) can be found [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WnMWaG2IdzVkzs2bsPuWRDRHuxn_VrUo here].
== Web Presence==
== Web Presence==
==Affiliate Index (Organized)==
==Affiliate Index (Organized)==
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