Des Moines Register Gets to Know Doug and Operation Red State

Thanks to Renda Lutz for asking me to share what we do here at Operation Red State with the Des Moines Register’s audience.  The picture shows off the home studio pretty nicely too.  The green screen is to the right there but you get the idea.

Here’s a sample from the piece:

Why did you create OperationRedState.com: The digital divide between conservatives and the opposition was palpable in 2008. This gap was boldly accentuated by President Obama’s hyper-strategic use of technology to develop “micro-constituencies” online. I wanted to passionately target a niche market with our membership web site platform and it hit me, “Why not deliver the same web strategy and new media execution we deliver to businesses…to conservative political candidates?”

The membership site allows us to create compelling content once and serve clients affordably throughout the nation. We actively provide web-execution services to campaigns as well.

Red Alert Hour Interview with Tom Blaskovich – Conservative Local Leader

I spent an hour with Tom Blaskovich, a Des Moines native who was a catalyst for my move to Iowa four years ago.  We talk local issues, politics, and discuss what will happen when conservatives take back both Houses and the Governor’s office.  Will THEY be the responsible party when they have the power?

Are you running for office and have an election coming up this Novemember?

I’ve been working a deal with a candidate for Mayor on Twitter.  Election day is November 3rd and he asked if we would extend his membership to cover through that date.  That exchange prompted this clarification and this DEAL!

1. ORS is designed to help you as a candidate AND as the incumbent.  Once elected to office, you’ll want to stay abreast of the latest on technology.  You’ll receive continued training and education in what will keep you effieciently communicating and leading with technology on your side.
2. Since many smaller budget mayoral campaigns are nervous about budgets…we’re extending ANYONE who signs up during the month of July through the end of November.  So call it a free month or call it customer appreciation.  The bottom line is that we want to EARN your business over the long haul.

Sign up for ORS on the right hand side of this page and we’ll take care of the rest.  Thank you.

The Operation Red State “Red Alert” Hour on Macsworldlive.com with Isaiah McGee

I was honored to fill in for a host on the MacsWorldLive.com Internet Radio Show platform here in Des Moines, Iowa.  I spent an hour with Isaiah McGee who’s running for Mayor of Waukee, Iowa.  Isaiah and I spent an hour talking about the community of Waukee and why he chose to run for Mayor.  We had a great time and I encourage you to listen to the program and see for yourself.

Isaiah is findable at @waukeeformcgee and @isaiahmcgee on Twitter and at www.facebook.com/waukeeformcgee

Operation Red State Named Strategic Technology Partner to Funk For Congress Campaign

The Operation Red State team proudly announces that it will be serving as a strategic technology partner to the Funk For Congress Campaign in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.

Mr. Funk is an amazing conservative candidate and will fully engage technology to communicate his message and open a two-way channel of communication with voters.  Funk stands on a solid conservative base and his message is straightforward and powerful.

We’ve partnered to ensure Funk’s 3rd District constituents get a “360 degree view” of their candidate…not only receiving the stump speeches…but gleaning powerful insights into Funk through candid “campaign trail” content.

We’re proud to have Dave Funk on both the Campaign Technology Consulting side of ORS…as well as the subscription side where we provide remarkably affordable technology training for your entire campaign leadership, volunteers, and staff.  Now the Funk for Congress Campaign is fully armed…locked and loaded…and ready to take back the Third Congressional District of Iowa.

Are you ready…to win?

ORS is Live today on The Bean Walker LIVE Internet Radio Show

Please join me today as I chat with Tim Albrecht on his show The Bean Walker Live on Macs World Live.com.  For those of you outside Iowa, The Bean Walker is simply “The Drudge Report for Iowa”.  I encourage you to take a look.

I’ve gotten to know Tim Albrecht over the last few months after he attended the Tax Day Launch Party for Operation Red State. Let’s put it this way, there’s no one better connected to the Iowa political scene than Tim and I’m honored to share the mic with him today.

Join us at 3PM Central Time on The Bean Walker LIVE on MacsWorldLive.com

The Dems Push Back with Social Media

To mark President Obama’s first 100 days as President he visited a small town in Missouri.  This just happens to also be where the Dems are making a second push with social media to win over the minds of the people.  Organize for America.  Sounds great, right?  No, this is just another Democrat grass roots movement that is being employed because of recent opposition.

USA Today put out on article today stating that Organize for America is using social media as a way to expand Obama support  nationwide through grass roots efforts.

So far they have held 11 community meetings and Patricia Justice, Ph.D student from St. Louis says “I have not seen something of this magnitude.”  The article’s author calls the movement  a “first-of-its-kind effort.”

Seriously?!  First of it’s kind?  You’ve seen nothing like it?  All because of 11 meetings and 600,000 supporters (they didn’t report how many of them were actual tax payers .  There largest meeting thus far had an entire 200 people attend.  Impressive. Especially compared to the 20,000 tea party protesters in St. Louis back on April 15th.

In all seriousness though, this movement is supposed to be grassroots.  There is no link to a Facebook page.  There is no link to a Twitter handle.  There is no link to a website.  There is nothing that shows a serious 21st century grassroots movement of any kind or the development of an online presence.

Grassroots movements in the 21st century encompass a powerhouse combination of social media and IRL (in real life) interaction.  It’s about creating a two-way conversation that can be held online or face to face.  The Tax Day tea parties are a perfect example even though the drive-by media is still somewhat unwilling to recognize its impact .  First, we know we made an impact otherwise the left wouldn’t be scrambling like they are.  Second, we haphazardly created this two-way conversation.  There were websites, Twitter pages, Facebook groups, and more, that were entirely devoted to this single event.  This naturally was picked up on the donkey blogs and drive-by media.  Through this we were able to reach out to even more support.  That is a grassroots movement at its best.  It may have started out as some haphazard movement online but it’s becoming increasingly popular for conservatives to participate online.  Now, it’s a strategy and one that will work.

Read more about the article here.

A Politician’s Pitfall on Twitter

I don’t do this very often but felt it necessary.  Starting now I’m going to be writing some posts on small things that a politician should not do unless they like self afflicted espionage on their campaigns.

Today’s social media political pitfall is regarding Twitter.  Those of you that are new to Twitter may have noticed or even followed the notorious @Secrettweet, @Secrettweet2, @Secrettweet3, and @Secrettweet4.  These accounts (I think all of them) are associated with SecretTweet.com.  This website is actually a pretty forward thinking concept that allows individuals to vent or share their most personal, deepest, darkets secrets.  A lot of people use it and you don’t even have to have a Twitter account.  Anyone can go onto their website and send a “secret tweet.”

I am in no way questioning the integrity of this website or it’s creators, but this is a website that NO politician should be using.  Go ahead and follow them, after all, some of the tweets are actually kind of funny.  While this website and its tweets are private you never know what could happen and considering we’re all human I’m sure there is a politician or two out there that has used it or considered posting something on it.  DON’T!  I know this seems like a pretty common sense thing but just wait until the first news story breaks out about a politician or public figure that decided to share he/she was smokin’ dope in the school yard and got caught through a secret tweet.

Listening to the Cloud

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the cloud at some point during your online explorations.  Well what is the cloud?  What does it mean to listen to the cloud?  How can the cloud help you?  The cloud is aggregated content from websites, blogs, rss feeds, and anything online.  Cloud computing software enables individuals to scan the content from the world wide web and use it to their advantage.

PR companies have been investing heavily in service clouds.  These are programs and tools used to scan the internet to listen to what people are saying.  I’m sure you all heard about the disastorously disgusting Dominos Pizza YouTube video that came out last week with two employees doing “weird” things to the pizza.  ABC news did a piece on it two nights ago  showing how Dominos reacted.  During this video they met with PR Consultant John Bell (I think that’s his name) and showed exactly what listening to the cloud can do for you.  Check out the video here and skip ahead to -1:06 in the video and see the analysis at work.

Listening to the cloud, or just listening online, is vital for your success as a politician.  You need to know what people are saying, who’s saying it, where they are saying it, and how people are responding to it.  If there not saying anything at all don’t think you’re safe, it just means you’ve failed because noone is talking about you.  There are a number tools out there you can use to listen to your online brand, some are done manaully through searches, others are done automatically through alerts, and others are comprehensive  aggregators.

If you’re still pretty new to this stuff just start out subscribing to Google alerts and blogs in your Google Reader or any other RSS reader you use.  You can even do it through your Microsoft Outlook.  This will take a little time to set up, but it does automate the process for you.  You can even look at doing it manually with searches at places like search.twitter.com or socialmention.com.

There will be more on this inside the ORS zone.  Subscribe now!

Here is a podcast from ORS’s Doug Mitchell @ ManageingTheEdge.com from 4/24 about listening on the web.

Managing the Edge – Listening on the Web

Related articles by Zemanta

• What is RSS? How to Understand This Essential Tool for Reporters and Producers (newmediabytes.com)
• Developing in the cloud without falling (alan.blog-city.com)
• Who Coined The Phrase Cloud Computing? (johnmwillis.com)
• The Cloud Marches On… (loupaglia.com)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (42.7MB)

Highlight Video from the ORS Launch Party

Paul did a great job editing this video into a highlight and promotional video from the ORS Launch Party.  We had a great time on Tax Day.  Join us and take a peek inside the event.

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