Friday, April 21, 2006

These canvassers really need to read up on approachability

3:20 AM 7 comments

I give props to anyone who canvasses. That's a tough racket! And I'd say it's as difficult - if not more so - than door to door sales. Not to mention it takes some understanding of approachability to do it.

Or so I thought...

Today I was filling up the tank (for no less than $2.77 a gallon, mind you), when I saw a guy standing by the door holding a clipboard.

Canvasser, I thought.

I inserted the nozzle into my tank and sat back down in the driver's seat. Out of my front window I saw three other men with clipboards surrounding an old man in a red Mustang. Whoa, there's more!

This guy didn't look happy. And although it was hard to tell what he was saying over the sound of The Strokes, he looked mildly annoyed.

And then it occured to me: a gas station is a great place to canvass.

Think about it: you've got a diverse group of people over the age of 16 who have to stay put for at least 5 minutes. Which means they can't walk away from you! It's a canvasser's dream! That is, as long as the canvasser approaches people in a friendly, non-invasive manner.

When my nozzle clicked, I walked out to get my credit card receipt. I kept my eye on the closest of the three canvassers, waiting to see if he'd approach me. Not yet. Maybe he doesn't see me.

I sat down, closed the door and turned on the car. And before I could drive away, the canvasser walked towards my car and said, "Yo my man...!"

My window was open. He stuck his head inside and flashed the clipboard in front of my face.

"Hey why doncha sign this petition right quick?"

Hmmm. Interesting approach. So much for "personal space."

"What's it for?" I asked.

"It's to help raise money for kids."

"Oh, no thanks," I said.

"AW COME ON MAN! DON'T YOU WANNA HELP THE KIDS?" he argued.

Dude...did this guy just yell at me? I thought.

But instead of getting upset like Mr. Mustang, I just decided to take the friendly way out. "Good luck to you guys!" I smiled.

"Hmmph...thanks," he said as he rolled his eyes.

I drove out of the lot thinking, "Good luck getting signatures with that attitude."

LET ME ASK YA THIS...

How could canvassers be more approachable?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That guy with the nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

7 comments:

Scott, canvassers drive me crazy. During the last presidential election, well-meaning volunteers manned the city park near my office every day. Not only did they approach the very same officeworkers, including me, multiple times, but often multiple times in one day. And, while I'm a Democrat and Philly is a Democratic town, approaching everybody with the line "Want to help us throw George Bush out of office?" is really making an assumption. Way to convert the fence-sitters! Sometimes I think political and civic groups employ volunteer canvassers more to give them a sense of involvement, than to effect any kind of change.

You know, every unique situation provides unique opportunities. I wonder if you would have signed the petition if, instead, the guys had pumped your gas for you and cleaned your windows?

I'd say the first step would be to not look so creepy. It seems that they always look so suspicious and, well, shady.
For me, appearences make a lot of diference in the way of approachability.

You're probably going to feel a bit like I'm blog stalking you when you get back to St. Louis, but I'm just trying to find common ground because I'm shy meeting strangers...

Canvassers are annoying because they take the shmarmy car salesman like viciousness to the next level. It only inspires a similar reaction in people.
If someone approaches me politely, I'll answer them politely.

And the more I think about it, canvassers are like telemarketers - they never shut up, even when you tell them specifically that you do not have an interest. Politeness and friendliness does go a long way.
If you're nice to me and I have a minute, I'll listen.

If you're rude to me, I don't care if you're going to hand me a winning lotto ticket, I want nothing to do with you. Or... well, maybe I wouldn't say no to winning money, but I digress.

Of course, Jackie has a point too. Whether you are trying to sell a point of view or a product, you have to sell yourself first.

hey, I google searched "canvasser + blog" to find blogs by or about canvassers or canvassing... just out of interest because I am a full-time canvasser myself.

Just to reply to the first person's comment...

a canvassers job isn't to convert fence sitters. We don't care about people who aren't totally with us on the issue because our job is simply to get those who already are, politically or financially involved in our different campaigns.

and I think the very fact that I alone fundraise over 10,000 dollars a month MYSELF, money that would most likely have never gone towards these issues had I not been there canvassing, shows just how much political clout canvassers gain for their prospective organizations.

Respect the career canvasser, we bring in tons of money, or they wouldn't bother to employ us or pay us as well as they do.

I had a canvasser come to my house and when i refused his business, he kicked the side of my car. Ok, couple hundred. But maybe next time its me or my child. Safety is my concern and if dont wanna feel like i have to submit because I'm afraid I'll be shot or vandalised. ESPESCIALLY IN MY OWN HOME!!!!!

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