In all of these channels except the financial education program, we will keep our message focused on community-based democratic economics and will avoid presenting details that might overwhelm or confuse people.
Of course, for some individuals and groups we may go into greater detail on some aspect of the Common Good Bank plan — for example, for people who are passionate about local currency, we may describe how the Common Good Bank system is the ultimate local currency system.
Promotional channels:
CGB organizers will invite individuals to join as Founding Members, looking especially for individuals who can afford to join at or above the "Oak" level ($250 donation, $1,250 loan, $10,000 stock purchase).
We will launch the campaign with an email newsletter and will send additional newsletters at least monthly.
Our Program Assistant will contact all of our donors, advisers, lenders, advance investors, advance depositors, people who have signed up as future investors, people who have signed up as future depositors, and everyone else on our email newsletter list (in that order) to invite them to become Founding Members.
Every Founding Member is asked (online and on the membership form) to invite others.
In the Pioneer Valley or anywhere else that we have a senior organizer, any Oak+ Founding Member who is willing to invite others will be asked to throw a house party, where the organizer will speak, to recruit additional members.
We will invite any Founding Member willing to invite others, to work for us as an organizer. We aim to hire at least 50 additional organizers. This job opportunity will also be posted on green jobs websites and on posters in food co-ops, community centers, libraries, etc. in Western Massachusetts and elsewhere. See these steps for becoming an organizer. (Our Personnel Director will support and advise both organizers and Founding Members who offer to invite others.)
We will send press releases to newspapers, TV, and radio in Western Massachusetts. Our senior organizers will seek opportunities for radio interviews.
We will ask sympathetic and partner organizations to post our posters and help promote our membership campaign in their newsletters and websites.
Our senior organizers will seek to speak at meetings and events.
We will maintain a News webpage (with links to sites that link to us), that will help drive traffic to our website.
We will use social networking to spread the idea, creating interesting new content at least weekly.
We will spend up to $1,000 on Google AdWords in 2010.
We will pioneer a games-based financial education seminar that our organizers can use to attract an audience and help people understand how money works and how the Common Good Bank system can help us create a better world.
This seems to me to be more accurate and not such an appeal to egoism. After all, the CGB is promoting community!
I agree. However, when we were discussing how to say that, we could not think of a short way to make it clear that "our" and "we" were intended to include the reader. Bank of America could use the same slogan, with a very different meaning. Maybe "It's our bank, we decide together"?
I completely support a change to, "It's our bank, we decide together." We are a community bank afterall.
I just wonder if such a blatant plug for collectivism, may be repelling to many members of our Individualistic culture.
This seems to me to be more accurate and not such an appeal to egoism. After all, the CGB is promoting community!
I agree. However, when we were discussing how to say that, we could not think of a short way to make it clear that "our" and "we" were intended to include the reader. Bank of America could use the same slogan, with a very different meaning. Maybe "It's our bank, we decide together"?
And so, when the penny drops, and you realize that we are talking
about 'we' being the owners of the bank the slogan is just that much
more impactful. It's not my bank, and I don't decide, it is OUR bank
and WE decide.
We own the bank, we decide! Banking for the Common
Good means together we decide what to fund! Common Good Banking means
that we trust us to decide through direct democracy what the common
good is! We fund what we want and don't fund what we don't want. Common Good Banking returns the power to the people! It's OUR bank and WE decide!
What
I am sure is necessary is that our appeal is not immediately obvious.
If it is, it is a platitude. If it makes you stop and think, we are on
the right path. It's OUR bank, WE decide! does that, at least to some
extent, just because Bank of America could say it with such a different
meaning. We are all aware that the name Bank of America is misleading!
It's OUR bank, WE decide! is not just a slogan. It's your bank, you
decide is simply not true and hence misleading marketting not much
better than Bank of America! We are also not a community bank, which is also meaningless, we are not a coop bank or a credit union,
both of which are indistinguishable from stock banks, and have changed nothing. We are a stock bank, but we own the stock! It's OUR bank,
WE decide! ["Whadda ya mean it's our bank?" "Join us as an owner, and
vote on what to fund!" "Ya mean I can own the bank?" "Yes, you and everyone else around here who wants to participate in deciding what to fund!" "You mean like the music program at the school?" "Exactly! Put it on the ballot, talk it up, and if we vote for it it gets funded."]
Post edited 10:48 pm – November 18, 2010 by wspademan
John G Root Jr said:
It's Our bank, We decide!
This seems to me to be more accurate and not such an appeal to egoism. After all, the CGB is promoting community!
I agree. However, when we were discussing how to say that, we could not think of a short way to make it clear that "our" and "we" were intended to include the reader. Bank of America could use the same slogan, with a very different meaning. Maybe "It's our bank, we decide together"?
This seems to me to be more accurate and not such an appeal to egoism. After all, the CGB is promoting community!
When we are deciding what we want to fund in our community our community will soon reflect our values.
When we are deciding, through a democratic system that tends us towards consensus and is guided by people we trust, then our values will manifest and transform our society.
Democratic economics for a sustainable, just and peaceful world.
If you are unaware that the world we live in is created and maintained by the owners of the Federal Reserve through the debt based monetary system with its too big to fail banks, then all of the above are just platitudes. Only when you recognize that the monetary system binds us as wage and debt slaves in a system run by psychopathic (no conscience) corporations will you develop the will and commitment to implement the solution.
"The powers of financial capitalism had another far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a
world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country
and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the
central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent meetings and
conferences. The apex of the systems was to be the Bank for International Settlements in Basel,
Switzerland, a private bank owned and controlled by the world's central banks which were themselves
private corporations. Each central bank, in the hands of men like Montagu Morgan of the Bank of
England, Benjamin Strong of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, Charles Rist of the Bank of France,
and Hjalmar Schacht of the Reichsbank, sought to dominate its government by its ability to control
Treasury loans, to manipulate foreign exchanges, to influence the level of economic activity in the
country, and to influence cooperative politicians by subsequent economic rewards in the business
world."
Carrol Quigley “Tragedy and Hope” 1963. Bill Clinton's mentor at Georgtown University.
Our debt based monetary system is determining our destiny. The Fed, the issuer of our money is a privately owned banking cartel. Congress funds its operations with bonds (debt instruments) which the Fed "buys" with money it creates! All our money is a debt owed ultimately to the banking cartel. If we had a Common Good Bank, which understands that money can be issued directly, without enriching the bankers, we can supplant this system with a democratic one that gives concrete, real meaning to "of by and for the people".
It's Our bank, We decide!
When we are deciding what we want to fund in our community our community will soon reflect our values.
When
we are deciding, through a democratic system that tends us towards
consensus and is guided by people we trust, our values will
manifest and transform our society.
Democratic economics for a sustainable, just and peaceful world.
I agree that the Promotional Plan needs additional feelers — and to wiiiide audiences. As much as possible, CDOs should speak at relative events and conferences to spread the word to those with joint interests. I realize that house parties and viral marketing will help get us there.
Also, I've been asked dozens of times how is Common Good Finance using Online Social Media (Facebook, twitter, etc.) to promote the project. We absolutely should as this is a HUGE audience! I have done this a bit, but I think we need to all contribute to this side of marketing. I am happy to put together a detailed social media campaign with step-by-step instructions.
William — shall I?
Additionally, I am hearing, loud and clear, the need for a solid branding. I'm curious if anyone has any contacts in multi-media companies that would be interested in a pro-bono project. I think this could do wonders!
As I busily design a new PowerPoint presentation, I am sidelined by new thinking. I am most in sympathy with the belief that we need to focus on promoting a Project rather than selling a Bank. Consider what the word "bank" conjures up in the minds of our fellow citizens these days. Need a new bank? Hell no! I already have one I'd like to shoot! I say again, The "bank" is incidental to the Project. We need to promote the Project, not the bank!
I realize a great deal has been invested in developing the idea of the bank. AND, I believe we can leave most of that language in place, de-emphasize it, and reshape the Campaign into one that emphasizes the Project. That's what I was trying to do with my PowerPoint.
I would not want to go as far as John goes in pointing out the curses of capitalism! However, I have agreed with him all along that we need to pitch the WHY of what we are doing so people can get on board with the WHAT. It sounds to me like Rick as similarly inclined. to wit."we must be instilling the precepts that form the core of our own belief that this idea can change society – in everyone we can, as deeply as we can. Certainly in those that are chosen to represent the movement. Yes, this has to be a "movement" to succeed, not a bank."
An additional point I have also put forward previously is the importance of gaining national recognition via endorsements by recognized personalities. I believe strongly that there should be a focused effort toward this. If not,, why not? Imagine the power of having someone like Joan Baez or Michael Moore behind us! (OK, you choose the personalities!) The point is that if they were Founding Members it would be a lot shorter distance to home plate! And if people like that are not willing to be supporters, then we need to know why.
I am less concerned about the specifics of the new strategy. There is no way of telling if it will be more succesful other than to try it. I am not really sure how it blends with what John and Rick are doing in Mass. but I think they should have more time to work their plan than they have had, especially if they are seeing good results. By the way, I think I would be willing to come out to Mass. if it would be of help. But remember, I'm not a salesman!
As for Amiya-miya's questions, No, I really have no hope of making a living as a CO. I have not yet raised a dime! The training was useful but did not teach me things like how to approach business people, or how local money is so powerful. There is good moral support from everyone. But trying to get people interested in a new bank seems to be like talking to a stone wall.
I write all of this with deep regard for William and all those who have worked so tirelessy to get this project going. I hope, William, you will not be too discouraged. What we are trying to do is really huge! We must be wiling to be in it for the long haul.
As Personnel Director, I gulp in fear of personal loss at Rick and John's ideas… as I applaud and jump with excitement for Common Good Bank to have the concentrated energy, passion, and focus where it is needed to succeed and become a Common Good Reality by (or in) 2012.
William has a great team of organizers, but with 1000's of miles (and 3 hours time difference) between us, only so much (not enough) momentum can be harnessed to launch Common Good Bank. I think it must be difficult for William, who has birthed the Common Good Bank idea and coddled it for the last 8 years, to confidently relinquish control over the majority of the organizing when it is spread so far apart.
Yes, Common Good Bank is designed to be national and even world-wide eventually, but I agree that before we open, most of the organizing efforts need to be based out of where William and the Common Good Bank Board resides, Western Massachusetts.
Lastly, I have ultimate faith in Rick to lead a successful Membership Campaign, and with John as his side-kick… they'll be unstoppable. I think this would be a great adjustment for Common Good Bank!
I believe the new promotion plan is inadequate and does not reflect reality. We have no basis upon which to assume future results will be substantially better than what we have experienced to date.
Two useful ideas emerged from the recent review process that was undertaken to revitalize the organizing effort. One is the three tiered Founding Member contribution plan and the second is the determination to concentrate efforts in a specific location (Pioneer Valley).
What is needed is an animated, structured and coordinated campaign over a specified time in the Berkshires and Pioneer Valley of Western Mass. that is calculated to recruit the needed number of Founding Members. For this to be successful, we must be instilling the precepts that form the core of our own belief that this idea can change society – in everyone we can, as deeply as we can. Certainly in those that are chosen to represent the movement. Yes, this has to be a "movement" to succeed, not a bank. That's why we call what we've been doing "organizing," not marketing. Being ambivalent or schizophrenic about who we are, what we're doing and what we actually have to offer has not and will not serve us well.
We have to critique the existing system – it's the problem; and we have to explain in sufficient detail why choosing to support our campaign and to be involved can be decisive in creating the needed solution. If we passionately believe, people who really want to change things will respond to us, even if they don't completely understand everything that we're saying about money.
The campaign will be driven by people who can throw themselves at it. We need to target students and retired people who aren't dependent on earning much money during the course of an intense 3 to 4 month blitz. They need to be thoroughly trained at the outset and given constant support and supervision. We're talking, for instance, of directing the daily activities of perhaps 100-150 FT Staff and at least as many PT volunteers. The campaign resources (mostly the people) should probably be split 80/20 between the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires, respectively. Both will need central storefront offices where staff and volunteers operate and meetings can be held. The overall expenses need not be excessive and will be covered, at any rate, by the donations flowing in. The needed seed money can be raised beforehand, as preparations will take some time and the optimum kick-off point would not likely be before May. Recruiting the staff will require most of our attention in preparing for launch, that and putting the training materials and other supports in place to ensure that they succeed when they are tasked with specific outreach activities. Creative strategy and tactics need to be identified and developed.
Existing CDO's can be creatively plugged in to the campaign in various ways and we would want to pay them to travel to Mass. and work directly on it for as much time as they can spare. In the meantime, we need to work with each of them, individually, to make sure that their time is being invested wisely, for all concerned. Every CDO should realize that they can make themselves invaluable leaders by immersing themselves as thoroughly as they can in all facets of our organizing and to acquire the most comprehensive understanding of all the principles involved; as the chartering process is only the beginning of manifesting the vast potential of this project and their acquired skill and knowledge will hereafter be in great demand.
What we're accomplishing is historic. Everyone needs to understand that. When we talk to people, they need to get a sense of that too. Working on this campaign will be a privilege and an honor. We may recruit our students as part of an exclusive club, the "only one hundred," so named because we will accept only one hundred from all the applicants, only the most motivated and skilled. Someday, they'll be able to say that they were one of the "only one hundred" that started the movement for the Common Good. We might recruit 10 elders, to work with 10 students each; they, of course, would be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to achieve an astounding legacy.
William needs to be relieved of most of the responsibility he's assumed for the organizing efforts up to this point. After all he's done and all his perserverance, he should be free to concentrate on contributing in the areas he knows are important, that he is most capable of performing and that he's most interested in and comfortable in doing.
With my past experience, I'm confident that I can assume that role and manage the campaign to which I herein refer, if given the opportunity. Based on my past two months of intense organizing, I'm convinced that we can get this thing done in a years time if we execute the type of campaign that I'm conceiving. I'd love to think we could accelerate the process but I don't think it's very realistic. The important thing is that we must begin to implement a viable plan now, so that this time next year, we're not asking ourselves if we can get it done by 2013.
At the risk of appearing harsh in my judgement, I fear this plan will
result in a little more money than the "sign up now it's free and no
obligation" plan, but will also not get us to charter. What I know
needs to happen is education, one on one, in small groups, in
classrooms, in big auditoriums. We need a real campaign to help people
understand money. People need to know how the current system was
created and is maintained by the debt based monetary system in the hands
of private bankers and how the CGB, by returning the authoriity to
issue the currency to the people, solves the problem. Our appeal is to
those who really want to do something to solve our problems, and not
with a banking technique, but with real democracy that issues the
money. CGB fullfills the promise of the American Revolution: Of, by
and for the people. When we are able to issue the money for what we
want, what we consider worthwhile, is sustainable and for the common
good, then everything will change! The question is no longer "Where
will you get the money?" because we issue it for what we want!
Is the Government going to solve our problems? Are the Banks?
Are we? Well, how about if we had a bank and issued the money for what
we want? To my mind that is what is necessary. It is our bank and we
decide! It's your bank, you decide, is still an appeal to egoism.
Better than nothing, but without going into money as accounting, local
currency, mutual credit, what is the big deal? The big deal is that we
will not fund anything that we do not see as being for the common good.
Therefore, everything changes. And when there is no money for war,
environmental destruction, etc. and plenty of money for education,
culture, sustainable local business, etc, then everything changes. It is all about the money, afterall!
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