MEDIA ADVISORY, Sept. 25 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Spokesperson Availability:
WHAT: If you are planning coverage on presidential campaign fundraising pegged to the Sept. 30 deadline for candidates to file federal quarterly financial reports, spokespeople from Convio, Inc. can talk about how today's progressive candidates are breaking new ground in using the Internet to raise money, reach out to constituents and mobilize grassroots support. Convio is the online fundraising company working with former Vermont Governor Howard Dean and U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman in their bids for the Democratic party's 2004 presidential nomination.
Third-quarter financial results could set new records. Dean for America predicts it will bust former President Clinton's $10.3 million quarterly record for fundraising in a non-election year. Newsweek's Howard Fineman says Dean's Q3 total could be close to $20 million. Helping to drive results is the campaign's use of Convio to mobilize participation in Dr. Dean's House Call -- a Sept. 29 conference call between Dean and thousands of supporters attending as many as 3,500 house parties nationwide. The campaign expects to set a new Guinness Book record. Find out from Convio's experts how the presidential campaigns are using the Internet to:
-- "Democratize" the political process through grassroots fundraising
and participation;
-- Create urgency to stimulate contributions from both first-time and
repeat contributors;
-- Sign-up hundreds of thousands of constituents (nearly 420,000, to
date) to receive frequent campaign emails encouraging
participation, contributions and other support;
-- Conduct "viral" fundraising by giving volunteers easy-to-use
Internet tools for building personal Web pages and soliciting
relatives and friends via email;
-- Efficiently organize supporters to participate in regional and
national events; and
-- Interact with constituents and give them a voice to foster
participation and loyalty.
WHO: Spokepeople include:
-- Gene Austin, Convio's CEO
-- Vinay Bhagat, Convio's founder, Chairman and Chief Strategy
Officer
WHERE/WHEN: Convio's spokepeople are available 24/7 -- we will schedule interviews based on your needs and deadlines.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND: Dean for America raised nearly $3.6 million online in Q2 2003 -- or nearly half the combined online-offline total for the quarter. The campaign continues to use the Internet extensively for generating support. The organization raised $1.03 million during a four-day August push and plans to raise an additional $5 million online during the last 10 days of this quarter.
Convio, Inc. is the leading provider of Internet software and services to help nonprofits and individual-supported organizations become more effective at fundraising, mobilizing support and managing constituent relationships. Convio's other clients include Easter Seals, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, American Diabetes Association, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, AVON Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, KCET Community Television of Southern California, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, National Trust For Historic Preservation, Georgetown University and Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. For more information, please visit www.convio.com.
The Convio logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=340