How to Be a Successful Canvasser

If you're not excited about your cause, no one else is going to be excited by it. When you approach people on the street, or knock on their door, they're going to be wondering why they're wasting their time talking to you of all people. Your excitement is what's going to win the nay-sayers over and get people to sign on or give money for your cause. Even if you doubt yourself and your performance when you're talking about your cause, you want to be so enthusiastic that people don't notice your mistakes or think that you don't know what you're talking about.

Don't sway

Body language is very important when you're canvassing. Swaying tells people that you are nervous and that you're not too sure about what you're talking about. You have to stand still and show that you are an authority on the issue that you are representing. Remember that you're not a child, and you're not begging them to stand there and listen to you or give you money. You're there because what you're talking about is very important and you want to present the best of yourself.

Have a strong voice

With an authoritative voice, you will sound like you know exactly what you're talking about and can answer any question that comes your way. If your voice is too soft, work on it. You don't have to be forceful when you're talking to people, but you want them to take you seriously. You're not canvassing because it's a nice Sunday in the park. You need to be able to get your point across so that people remember every detail after you have left.

Great Greeting/Awesome leave

When you first go up to someone or knock on their door, it's very important to have a great greeting. The way you say hello, or hi, is going to set the tone for the rest of the conversation. If people are put off by the way you greet them, it's going to make it hard for you to be able to turn them around and get what you want. And when you're leaving them, it's very important that you leave on a positive note. Leaving on a positive note sets you up for the next door or person you're going to approach. Setting yourself up properly is going to have a good affect on your greeting and make your day a lot smoother than it would have been otherwise.

Know your rap

The people that you talk to, don't know what you're going to say, but that's no reason for you not to know your rap. When you know your rap and all the proper responses you have available to you, it makes it easier for you to be able to talk to people and not have to think about what answer to give when they are not sure they want to sign up or give you money for your cause. It also makes things easier for your directors, because they won't have to spend so much time and money training you over and over.

Have bullets

Like a salesman, you should have bullets to use when you're talking to people. You want to have different ways of countering negatives. You don't want to throw everything at people when you're talking to them in the first few seconds, but it's good to have ways to sway people.

Retarget, Retarget, Retarget

Persistence is very important when you're canvassing, but you don't want to be too pushy. If you're asking people for money, you can use retargeting to get them to give even when they don't want to give. Retargeting tells them that you're serious about helping people or spreading the word, and you are not going to back down easily even if they're mean or spit in your face. Retargeting, works perfectly when you're dealing with people who are on the edge and seem like they want to give but are not sure about the cause or if they trust you. You can retarget them and set them at ease a little, because ultimately, they will not be giving as much as you had asked at first.

Smile

Smiling is very important to a canvasser. If you smile when you're canvassing people, they are going to get a good feeling about you. Even if you look like a scary big bear, you can set people at ease by smiling and allowing them to feel warmth around you. Plus smiling keeps your spirits up and makes you feel good about going up to people for your cause.

Stay positive

There are a lot of elements that make or break a canvasser's day, staying positive is very important. Staying positive is also the hardest thing to do as a canvasser. When the day is going rough, you have to find ways to keep yourself positive.