NOTE: Let folks know that there is a lot of detailed information in the book – this presentation will really focus on management and set up issues that are in common to both phone and door-to-door canvass operations. Exciting introduction The purpose of the session is to Provide basic ideas for managing a volunteer canvass – whether that is a phone or door-to-door
Whether an old phonebank … Got those lists, got those phones ...
Note that this is a modern call center where all the calls are computerized
Certain things remain the same … the right callers (don’t want this one!)
And the importance of good training.
Securing facilities Where can you find available phones? Brainstorm with group where to get phone – don’t forget free minutes on cell phones. Where can you run the door knock out of near the targeted area? Make sure the facility is close to where you are knocking, easy to find, and hopefully free. Brainstorm with group a few “types” of places.
Don’t get into the weeds – note that none of these schedules are absolutes – only guidelines. Typical volunteer phone shift = 3 hours calling Typical volunteer canvass shift 2 hours knocking
Airlines over recruit by 25%. Think how many times you’ve gotten busy and just forgotten. Keep the dates in your schedule so you can just fill people in. Reminder calls should be done at least the night before the phone bank or doorkock Remember to be nice to no shows no matter how much number pressure you’re under
Danger Will Robinson. Don’t go into detail here. This is mostly to impress that lists need lots of time for preparation – do not leave to last minute. Find someone who has experience cutting turf (explain what that means). That is the only way that anyone actually first learns. Getting lists Voter file or enhanced membership lists. Briefly mention the basic info you need from the database (name, address, phone, affiliation or ID info)
This was produced on Google map. Example of scan bar list. Walking lists (cutting turf for doors) Find someone who knows how to create a walk list – a list that actual makes sense to walk – there are available programs out there – also Google map can do it to a certain extent.
Note how simple this is – produced on a simple Access program. There are also variations – bubbles, scan bars, etc. Don’t go into the weeds on it. Phone lists (make them readable for phones) Easy to read – not too many names to a sheet (to show progress for volunteers) simple instructions printed on each list.
Funky animations. Comes in in the following order: Walk List Walk map Instructions/common questions Script Registration card (or volunteer sign-up card) Lit Pencil
Supervision is critical for an effective phone bank
You have some key goals as a supervisor. Make it the experience fun Educate people on the issues Make people want to come back (make it fun)
The same components also apply to door knocks It’s important that the phone bank agenda be tight and move seamlessly and quickly. You should always have some fun time at the beginning too. At the end trust me on this if volunteers don’t fill out their tally sheets you will be very sorry so make sure they do. If you have made the night fun people will want to do it again so remember the #1 reason people volunteer is because somebody asked them. So ask people to come back. Remember to thank them…Remember to thank them!!
This slide is to just make the point. Don’t get into the weeds here.
