Introduction
Here are some tips to get the most out of conversations on stalls, at events, or door knocking. Whether you are looking to recruit people, build your contact list, or encourage people to take action here are some basic guidelines.
Initiate contact!
Through activities like stalls and handing out leaflets we are seeking to interact with as many people as possible.
If we sit back and wait for people to come to us, we will miss many opportunities. This isn’t about being a nuisance, but it is about being active and initiating contact with people. We have something important to talk to them about.
If we sit back and wait for people to come to us, we will miss many opportunities. This isn’t about being a nuisance, but it is about being active and initiating contact with people. We have something important to talk to them about.
When setting up a stall consider standing in the front or to the side of it, rather than behind. As people walk past you could step towards them, or walk with them (without being intimidating).
Have a friendly greeting which introduces you and what you are doing eg
- ‘Hi, I’m Holly, I’m here today on behalf of X. How are you today?’
- ‘Hello, I’m Holly from X team. We’re talking to people today about X. Can I ask your opinion?’
- ‘Hi there. Take action on X issue – sign our petition…’
An initial question can be a good way to engage people, and slow them down. Depending on their interest you can walk them over to the stall to collect contact details, provide more information etc.
Listen
Once you have engaged someone in conversation, really listen to them. People can tell when you are focused on them, and if nothing else this will contribute to a positive experience of your group. Have open body language, make eye contact (not staring or eye‐balling), nod, and show you are listening by summarising and checking for understanding, or asking follow up questions.
People are more likely to shift their position when they feel listened to and respected, not talked at.
Ask Questions
Questions are a great way to get people talking, but also get them thinking about things they may not have put into words before.
Ask open questions (which can’t be answered with yes/no) to encourage people to talk, and go deeper. For example:
- ‘What would you like to see change in your community?’
- ‘Why is that important to you?’ or ‘Why do you care about that?’
- ‘If there’s one thing you could change what would it be?’
Respond to people where they are at. If you have a sense of the kind of issues people care about from talking to them, tailor your messages to that.
Avoid making assumptions, moralising, or generalising about people. If people seem interested, but don’t have time to talk, give them a brochure and refer them to the website. Offer to add them to your contact list.
If people are definitely not interested, leave them be.
Share your Story
Sharing a little about yourself can be great for building rapport, making it a two‐way conversation, and adding authenticity. Don’t give your life history or hog the conversation!
Think about why it is you care about this issue and are taking action on it. What could be good to share?
Remember to respond to where people are at, and don’t share your personal story in a way that shames them, or suggests you are better than them.
Prepare
It can help your confidence to familiarise yourself with the topic you are engaging people around. This doesn’t mean that you have to be an expert – for example if you are encouraging people to get active about climate change you really don’t need to know all the science of climate change or the technicalities of renewable energy.
Just be interested in your topic and find out what actions make a difference, and the rationale for the actions you ask people to take.
Chat with others about how they communicate with people. What have they found works well? What kinds of issues come up a lot?
If you get Stuck
If someone asks you a question you can’t answer, don’t panic. Some useful responses:
- ‘That’s a great question. To be honest I don’t know the detail on that one. How about I take your contact details and we’ll get back to you?’
- ‘Can you tell me more about this issue? Why is it important to you? What would you like to see happen?’
- Refer them to your group’s website or other resources.
Some don’ts:
- Don’t argue
- Don’t be rude
- Don’t be superior
- Don’t get bogged down in detail
- Don’t ever lie or make things up
Remember
- Be friendly
- Be respectful
- Be yourself
- Represent your group well
- Support each other
- Have fun!
Explore Further
- Running a Street Stall
- Door Knocking: A Case Study in Moving People to Take Action
- Deep Canvassing to Shift Hearts, Mind and Votes
- Deep Canvassing Scripts and Examples
- Tools for Canvassing and Door Knocking
- Tips for Phonebanking or Calling Volunteers
- How to Have a Persuasive Conversation, GetUp
- Structured Conversations on Campaigns, Amnesty Australia
- How to Have a Persuasive Conversation, GetUp [The Four C’s]
- Circles of Commitment: A Model of Engagement
- How Powerful Conversations Won Abortion Rights in Ireland
- Talking About the Bushfire Crisis and Climate Change
- Market Stalls Toolkit, 350.org Australia
- Organizing: Start Here