My canvassing resume
Thirty years ago, I raised money for environmental groups, primarily door to door. I survived almost ten years. It was a tough life. I earned commission. No donations, no paycheck. For a year, I made less than minimum wage. I got better after that. I read books. I asked questions.
Canvassing was an intense laboratory on communications skills and effective arguments. I got instant feedback, many times a night. A door slammed in my face was feedback. So was, “Will this take long?” I also heard, “You’ve convinced me. Let me get my checkbook.”
I estimate I talked to 100,000 people in my career. If that estimate is high, it isn’t off by much. The estimate may be low!
Canvassing was a lesson on who lives in America. There’s nothing like knocking on every door in a city to find out who we are. I would support a bill requiring every young American to canvass on important issues for two years. It would solve some of the tribal issues that plague us.
The Internet has replaced canvassing as the way most groups reach supporters and potential supporters, but the principles I learned in canvassing are relevant today. It’s important, in any medium, to know how to present an issue to get a positive response.
These tips will help change-minded people reach others. They come from personal experience. I lived the life for a number of years. My advice won’t work for everybody. Some will use other approaches, with better results.
This is my take.
Talk to the right people
Find people in the middle.
Don’t waste time with opponents. You can’t change their minds.
Don’t waste time with supporters. You don’t want to change their minds.
Look for people in the middle, open-minded people, folks who have a position that isn’t entirely set in cement.
Keep things simple
Tie in to people’s background knowledge. Don’t give them background knowledge on the spot.
“We need to reverse climate change.”
That’s good enough to explain what you’re trying to do. People know what climate change is.
From there, assuming you made a wise choice to talk to an open-minded person, and not a supporter or a detractor, field objections in a simple way.
“Yes, it will cost money, but reversing climate change is the most important thing we can spend our money on.”
Stay away from numbers
This is such an easy mistake not to make. Numbers are easy to attack. The more specific the numbers are, the more vulnerable to attack.
“ChatGPT will cause 20% job loss in our state within 5 years.”
Why go there? You’re almost certainly wrong. The actual numbers will be different. The world will never let you forget.
“ChatGPT will cause job loss, just as self-checkout took cashier’s jobs.”
You’re almost certainly right. It’s a stronger position to take.
Some people you talk to will want to quantify things more than others. Numbers will slip into the conversation. Just keep them to a minimum.
Ask for what you want
Ask for what you want, money, a signature on a petition, or whatever.
It may feel good to bring somebody around, but don’t bask in their conversion as validation of your life.
You spent time with them for a reason, and they’re wondering what it is.
“Sign the virtual petition, and donate to the good guys. I’ll send you the link. When can we expect your donation?”
Bow out if you’ve made a mistake
Some people pretend to be open-minded, then ambush you.
Leave.
If you’re on a mission to change minds, and won’t waste time with supporters, why waste time with argumentative opponents?
Just smile, thank them for their time, and go.
Don’t give up
Years ago, I canvassed on the issue of cancer caused by a large industrial facility in Colorado. The neighborhood I canvassed was downwind of the facility. I knocked on the door of a house. The woman who answered kept the door half-closed. She said she wasn’t interested in the issue, but I sensed an opening, and kept at it. As I talked, she opened the door bit by bit. A few minutes later, she invited me in, gave me a glass of water, wrote a check to the group I represented, and opened up about two cases of cancer in her family. She had tears in her eyes.
That kind of interaction is harder to pull off today. We live in virtual silos and bunkers, surrounded by our own kind. We don’t see people. We can’t read their body language to get hidden information about how they think. We express angry opinions on Twitter. When somebody expresses a virtual objection, it sounds final and rude. It may not be. There are people in the middle. We need to approach them with simple, effective arguments. We’ll meet with disappointment, but we’ll convince a few.