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Canvassing Tips and Techniques
Typical “Old–Style” Canvassing
The way that many of us were taught to canvass has nothing to do with creating dialog or understanding. It has nothing to do with bringing others into the political process. Most canvassing techniques have nothing to do with getting others involved in making the changes that are necessary to positively affect our communities and nation.
The typical canvasser merely delivers a sales presentation, collects a check, and moves on to the next house. In most cases, the person who was just canvassed won’t hear from the organization for another year — when another canvasser returns to collect another check.
Successful canvassers do have one thing in common — they are very good at getting those who already agree with the issue at hand to part with some money. However, if the person being canvassed doesn’t already agree to the importance of the issue being presented, the canvasser’s chances of success are greatly limited.
Generally speaking, most canvassers have a script with which to work, and they stick very close to that script. They will always work to guide the “dialog” according to that script and what the organization wants to accomplish. The typical canvasser is trained to keep on the move, and not spend a lot of time trying to convince a single person to write that check.
The success of a typical canvasser is not based upon how many people they can get involved in creating positive changes within our communities and our nation. The success of these canvassers is based only on how much money they bring into the organization. Their continued employment as canvassers is conditioned upon such a success.
The way such a canvasser is successful is that they keep the person being canvassed on their script.
Usually the goal of most organizations that send out canvassers is to gain the funding so that they can continue their work based upon a top–down model of politics. The top–down model is not about inclusiveness, nor is it about getting others involved in the process.
Their methods never include permitting others the opportunity to get involved with their own voices and their own actions, and never include working towards substantive political change through a bottom-up democratic process.
This is why we have to learn to canvass differently.