Posted from DailyPaul (http://dailypaul.com/node/7118):
The following is an email response from me to one of our fellow Ron Paul Supporters:
Hi Sam,
I've canvassed professionally for 14 years. I've been a professional salesman for 30.
It's been said that all politics is local. Knocking on someones door is as local as it gets.
There is a small degree of salesmanship involved. Yes, you are making a sale.
You are selling yourself.
This largely consists of three ingredients:
A warm genuine smile, enthusiasm, and a persuasive impassioned plea to take action now.
Enthusiasm is key. You either believe what you are saying or you don't. In our case, Ron Paul Supporters love and respect him, so the enthusiasm is natural and genuine. All the sales training in the world cannot take the place of enthusiasm.
The next step is to simply speak from the heart. If the election wasn't important to you on a personal level, you wouldn't be initiating contact. Nothing takes the place of telling them why you volunteered to support Ron Paul, and why you choose to spend your day knocking on their door. I would tell everyone you meet that you are a volunteer for the 2008 presidential election and that you are helping spread the word of your hero, Congressman Ron Paul.
My experience is the majority of people are actually flattered when they find out your business. They know you are not there trying to sell a product and earn a commission. Because of that, people are receptive to listen to what you have to say. But I'm getting ahead of myself just a bit.
Here's the steps to successful canvassing:
1. Preparation. Eat, shower, select your clothing, try and wear a RP shirt, hat, or button, gather up your fliers, clip board, voter registration forms, (whatever you have), choose your neighborhood (any will do just fine), and focus on having FUN! Start thinking pleasant thoughts about Ron Paul, the campaign, and start smiling. You must wear a smile at the front door. So start smiling before you get there. Put your cell phone on vibrate, take the plunge, and get ready to knock on your very first front door!
2. Open the screen door. I don't like a barrier between me and the customer. I want to see them. I want them to see me. Head to toe, face to face.
3. Knock loudly three times (three distinct knocks). People can be in the back yard, listening to music, hard of hearing, whatever... So make it a loud knock.
4. With the screen door still open, take one step backward. This gives them personal space. Stand straight with good posture, start smiling, and wait for them to open the door. Wait up to 30 seconds before knocking a second time. Don't rush them. They may be on the phone or in the bathroom. Waiting before knocking again shows patience and respect on your part.
5. When they answer the door, your smile needs to become larger and genuine as you state your business. Doing so sends the message that you are a friendly person, that you are happy and having fun, and it is an invitation for them to do the same. A beautiful smile is disarming and quite contagious. You'll never make a new friend or close a sale without it.
Here's a sample script. Use it or not. Or even better, develop your own style that works best for you:
Hi. I'm Sam "Smith" and I live in the neighborhood.
I'm a volunteer for the 2008 presidential election.
Are you folks planning on voting in the upcoming election?
(Nearly no one is going to say they don't vote, so expect a yes at this point)
That's great. Because I'm out helping to spread the word about my hero, Congressman Ron Paul.
Have you ever heard of Doctor Ron Paul? (Their answer will be short and to the point).
I'd like to tell you a little more about him and leave you some information. But before I do, may I ask you if you have a "hot button", or an issue that concerns you about the election and the direction our country is going in?
(This is an important step. Many people DO have issues. They ARE concerned about our country. And they appreciate someone asking. Remain silent and let them answer. Promoting dialog and listening to them speak shows class on your part, lowers their defenses, and helps build trust.
Now I'm going to speak. I'm going to take this conversation upfront, face to face, and very personal. The primaries start in less than 60 days and we do not have time to pussyfoot around. We won't have time to knock on this persons door again. It's time to get to the point & CLOSE THE SALE.)
Well if I may, I'd like to ask a question. We've been in a war in Iraq for 5 long years. How do you folks feel about it? Do you think we should continue staying, or bring our troops back home as soon as possible?
(This question separates the wheat and chaff. The Iraq war has been in the news since 2002, and remains the issue of our day. The anti-war sentiment is huge. It is our trump card, and we must use it to win the election. It's an emotional hot button. Closing a sale is an emotionally impassioned plea to take action NOW. And now I'm going to really speak from my heart, pull out all the stops, and state the best and most concise case I can to earn their business. And it's going to go something like this):
Ron Paul is the only presidential candidate who opposed and voted against the Iraq war before it started. And interestingly enough, he is a Republican, not a Democrat. We represent the Anti-War Republican electorate, and there are many millions of us. In fact, thousands of active Ron Paul Supporters are doing the same thing that I'm doing right now throughout the nation. We believe that the security of our country is weakened by continuing to attack a country that did not have weapons of mass destruction and as our own intelligence community has confirmed, had nothing to do with 9-11.
We think it's time to come home right now. But unfortunately none of the Democratic presidential candidates agree with us. In the last nationally televised democratic debate, the three front runners, Hillary, Obama, and John Edwards, refused to commit to ending the war. Not even by the end of their first term in office. Did you know that? Are you aware that the Democrats are supporting the war, and are seriously considering expanding the war by attacking Iran, possibly with nuclear weapons? Can you imagine expanding the war and continuing it through the year 2012?
Can you imagine the consequences of attacking yet again another country that has never attacked us? If we attack Iran, crude oil will likely double to $200 dollars per gallon, and Americans will be paying 5 dollars or more for a gallon of gas. I don't know about you. But my family can't afford to pay anymore than we already are. Can you afford $6 dollar gas? I know I can't.
But please know that Ron Paul is not a one issue candidate. As a United States Congressman he's been fighting for constitutional civil liberties for more than 20 years. He voted against the Patriot Act, and has sponsored legislation to restore our freedom & liberty. He also wants to reduce the size, the cost, and the control of the federal government. Ron Paul supporters see virtually no difference between most Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Both parties support the growth of government and both parties support the expansion of the war. Despite the rhetoric on the news, the Democrats have had control of Congress since 2006 and have done nothing to end the war, bring our troops home, and end the financial burden of average Americans like you and me. Did you know that the cost of the war thus far, averages about $8,000 dollars per man, woman and child in our country? Did you know that we're paying for it with borrowed money?
What are we going to do when the bills come due? Who's going to pay for money that none of us have? We're not even keeping up with the interest.
Anyway, you get the idea. This is what I'm doing and saying at my neighbors front door. Yes, I'm emotional. Without emotion from your heart, you will not convince someone to take action. You will not convince them to get re-registered NOW as a Republican to cast their Anti-War vote for Ron Paul in the California primary election. They will not be able to send an anti-establishment message to Washington. A vote for the Democrats is a vote for business as usual in D.C.
Now you make an impassioned plea for urgent action, something like this:
Please help us get a handle on the mess in Washington.
Please do your own research. Get to the Campaign web site and learn more at www.ronpaul2008.com.
Please learn what all the excitement is about and why millions of other Americans support this remarkable man.
Please help us regain control of our country from self-serving politicians and special interest groups.
Please watch this DVD with your spouse. Just pop it in after I leave and find out for yourself what I'm saying.
Please help us spread the message of freedom and liberty to your spouse, your friends, family, and neighbors.
If we don't take action now, things will only get worse. Much worse.
Please consider joining us. We need your help and support.
Are you willing to commit to watching this DVD?
Can I count on you to at least do this?
Then pull out two voter registration cards and leave them with them.
And leave several fliers, the more the better.
Give them some "study" material.
Break out a Slim Jim and read it to them, as you show them what it says.
The general rule of sales is tell them, tell them what you just told them, and then tell them again.
Sincerely thank them for taking the time to listen.
Ask them for their name, phone number, and email address so you can check back with them and email more information. (You already have their address). If they say no, and they probably will, ask them if you can at least have their first name & email address to put them in contact with the on-line articles, resources and speeches of Dr. Ron Paul. Then with you pen in hand, look down at your clip board as you prepare to write, and ask them again....... My I have your first name please. If they say not again, agree with them, look back down at your clip board and ask... what is your email address please?
Sometimes closing a sale is not easy. If you're willing to easily give-up before they do, it could signal lack of enthusiasm on your part. But do what you do it with class. Know when to back-off, cut your loss, and move to the next door.
Don't hold back. Go for the close. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain by doing so.
Any questions they ask about Dr. Paul's positions can be addressed by sending them to the official campaign web site. Don't answer specific policy questions you are not familiar with. And even if you are, it's more effective if they read Paul's positions themselves. No one explains Ron Paul better than Ron Paul.
Pique their interest, get them excited, challenge them to learn more, stress the importance of getting the next election right, and ask them to join our efforts to stop the war, restore civil liberties, and get our country back.
___________________________________________________
Does canvassing work? Yes!
Why should we do it? To win!
The best you could likely do, all by yourself, in one long day, is making contact with about 100 households. And that won't change the outcome of the election.
But if 60,000 other Meetup members did the same thing, we could reach out to 6,000,000 households in one single day. Wow!
The Romney campaign has spent about 60 million dollars, still has little to no enthusiasm, and has yet to improve their national standing in the polls. Throwing vast money at a bad idea accomplishes nothing.
We will not win this election with expensive radio and TV ads. But we can win with motivated voters that show-up for the primary elections.
Canvassing is virtually free, requires no gasoline, no car, no map, and no previous experience. Nothing can replace the effectiveness of face to face contact with our friends and neighbors. The hardest door you will ever knock on is the very first one. Get past that door, and it's all downhill and HUGE FUN from thereon. Congratulation's! You've just joined an elite corps and there's no turning back from here. You might want to take a deep breath.
We can & will win this election by spreading the message of freedom and liberty to everyone we meet, and everyone we have not yet met, who lives within easy walking distance of our own front door. Time to talk to our neighbors. Hit the streets, leather on the pavement, share our excitement, and spread this message with smiles and enthusiasm from coast to coast.
We need a national Canvassing Web Site, with a daily "thermometer tally" just as HQ is doing with the money tabulator. Active supporters can sign-up on the web site, post-up their daily tallies of new first contacts, and watch the national numbers grow in real time on a day to day basis. How exciting to support this effort and be part of a revolution. How exciting to participate, watch & monitor the daily results of our combined national efforts. There's nothing easier and more FUN than talking to your neighbors about your favorite subject: Ron Paul.
It would be great if supporters could post blogs and share their own experiences and resources. I personally do not have the ability to do this much needed web site. Anyone who could would likely get an invitation to the White House when Ron Paul is sworn into office.
If the same 38,000 supporters who donated their hard earned dollars on November 5th to achieve 4.2 million dollars in one day invested just 10 full days canvassing their neighbors (38 million households), Ron Paul could win in a landslide decisive victory. Victory is ours if we pro-actively reach out and take it. What price are we willing to pay for freedom? What will be the cost of failure?
One person can't do it by themselves. But working together we will do it.
David C.
San Jose, CA
Source : DailyPaul (http://dailypaul.com/node/7118), 11/12/07
