Tactic 101s | Canvassing:
Here’s an overview of Canvassing - the purpose it serves and how to plan your own canvass. Feel free to drop your thoughts and experiences with canvassing in the comments.
Purpose
Canvasses can be used to:
- Survey a community
- Build support for a political candidate
- Build support for an issue
- Share information or resources
- Invite people to an event.
AT LEAST TWO WEEKS OUT
- Find a location pick a date and time
- Confirm a location, date, and time
- When you call a venue, here’s the ask:
- Can we launch a canvass at your location? We are expecting [x] people from [insert time].
- If you have a volunteer who is helping to set up/recruit, confirm the above with them and ask them to give you a list of folks they are inviting
- People answer the door most often during dinner time on weekdays, and on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons/evenings
- Decide on goal attendance
- Promote on email/social media/make calls to potential participants
- Create canvassing training specific for this event
AT LEAST ONE WEEK OUT
- Solidify a script
- Confirm the launch location
- Send reminder emails to registered participants, continue to recruit others
- Decide on your general walk list
- Confirm training, tech, and support roles for the canvass training and launch
- Confirm literature or other relevant materials
AT LEAST 2 DAYS OUT
- Confirmation calls to registered participants
DAY BEFORE
- Confirmation calls to registered participants who didn’t answer in the first round of calls
- Refresh walk list and print any necessary materials
DAY OF (Before Canvass)
- Call or text confirmations to registered participants
- Arrive at location early to set up
DAY OF (After Canvass)
- Send a thank you email to all participants- include next steps for participants
- Share successes on social/traditional media
