Phone Banking 101

Tips for making the perfect ask to confirm volunteers, gain support for your candidate, and more.

Election season is here. 2018 campaigns have started gearing up for the primaries. Local organizations are gathering support for policy proposals to pass onto the legislature. Get ready to jump into the chaos that is election season.

So you agreed to make calls…

Maybe you love talking on the phone and want to put your skills to use. Maybe you’re more confident on the phone with a script than you are improvising on someone’s doorstep. Or maybe you’re like me, and the thought of knocking doors in January in Iowa makes you want to cry. Whatever the reason, you’ve decided to volunteer at a phone-bank.

…now what?

The first time I volunteered to make calls, I was absolutely terrified. I could barely call the doctor’s office without rehearsing what I wanted to say at least twenty times. How in the world was I going to talk to strangers? While I still hate calling the doctor, I have learned a thing or two about recruiting volunteers and voters over the phone. Below, I outline the tips and tricks that I and my fellow organizer friends use when we train volunteers on the phones. Calling strangers doesn’t have to be scary! Just follow these 6 steps.

6 Steps To Becoming a Phone-Bank Pro

1. Memorize your script. More than likely, someone will hand you a script when you arrive at the phone-bank. That script is your survival guide; the campaign or organization you are volunteering for gave it to you for a reason. Your script outlines why you’re calling and how to persuade them to join your cause. Is the campaign looking for people to commit to caucus for its candidate? Are you recruiting additional volunteers? Is there an event coming up that you want people to attend? These questions are what organizers call asks. Asks are the language in your script that focus on convincing people to help you achieve your goal, such as spreading awareness of an event or increasing voter turnout. This language is the most important element of the script. If you don’t have a script, make one before you start calling! Calling without a script is often less productive and more difficult. Avoid the risk of an awkward conversation and write down what you are going to say before you pick up the phone.
2. Master your ask. Let’s say you are making calls to recruit people to attend a house party where your candidate will be speaking. Your script might look something like this:

Hello! My name is Alexandria and I’m with the Smith for City Council campaign. Am I speaking to Michael?

Hi Michael, thanks for taking my call. How are you this evening?

I am well, thank you for asking! I’m calling to invite you to a community house party Mrs. Smith is hosting this weekend. There will be free food and drink, plus you’ll get to meet the candidate herself and ask her questions about why she’s running for City Council. Can I count on you to be there Saturday at 7 pm?

Let’s break this down. First, make sure your call feels like a normal conversation! The person answering the phone should know you’re a real human. Second, always specify the organization you’re calling for; this seems obvious, but it’s easy to forget if you’re nervous! Finally, make sure your ask is clear and persuasive. The language given above is often called a hard ask; your ask should provide all the necessary details and encourage people to say “Yes, I will attend!” In the example above, I specify exactly who the event is for and when exactly it will take place (I would provide the address of the event after confirming the person is available at 7).

But how would I persuade someone to attend this event? Let’s say I didn’t follow my script and said something like this instead:

Do you think maybe you could make it? It’s okay if you can’t, I know it’s a busy time of year for everyone.

Yikes. This is what we call a soft ask, or an ask that is easy for someone to quickly turn down. It would be very easy for Michael to respond to this ask with “You’re right, I am busy right now. I can’t make it.” This response effectively ends your conversation and almost guarantees he won’t attend your event. To summarize, an effective ask should always provide the key details about the event and make the person you’re calling want to attend.

3. Fake it ‘till you make it. If you make a mistake or stutter, apologize and move on. We’re all human — it happens! Use your script to keep yourself on track and regain your confidence. The next call will be better!

4. Make the most of your phone call. Every strong phone-bank script will include multiple asks in your conversations. My old campaign boss once told me: keep asking until they give you a firm no! If they want to attend your event, maybe they want to volunteer as well. Maybe they can donate food to the office or provide supporter housing for a staff member. Take everything you can get!

5. Be patient. Let me put this bluntly: people can be jerks on the phone. Your phone call is interrupting their life (or at least they think it is). Some people will claim your campaign or organization has called a thousand times. Some will claim they don’t have time to talk. Usually, neither of these statements is true. To get someone to listen, you have to be patient. Often, these situations require improvising. If someone wants you off the phone as soon as possible, try empathizing:

• “I know it’s a busy night, so I won’t take much of your time. I’m calling because…”
• “If we have called you a few times, it’s only because this election is so important and we need your support.”

Usually, statements like these will be enough to allow you to tell them why you’re calling.

Remember: if they answered the phone, they probably have time to talk to you for a few minutes. Some people will be incredibly rude or hang up right after you say who you’re with. Do not take this personally! Make note of people who ask to be taken off the call list to save yourself (or other volunteers) from another earful. Learning to handle more challenging conversations takes time and practice; you’ll have it down in no time!

6. Call with headphones! If you have headphones with microphone capabilities, use them! You’d never believe how much time is wasted holding your phone up to your ear and putting it down again between calls. Plus, your arm is bound to get tired after calling for a few hours. You’ll thank me later.

Let’s do this.

After understanding these tips, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an amazing phone-banker. If making calls ever feels overwhelming, remember: the work you’re doing matters to your organization. Even if the person you call can’t volunteer or attend your event, they’ll leave the conversation thinking about your candidate or organization. In Iowa, and in every state, voters want to feel courted. Your outreach makes a difference at the polls.

You can find local phone-banks and other ways to get involved in your community at actworthy.org.

Have another phone-bank tip? Share this post on Facebook and Twitter and let us know with #ActWorthy or #HowToActWorthy!