A good script for voters becomes a conversation with the voter instead of a volunteer talking “at” a voter. This requires asking a voter a question within seconds of connecting. That is why it is best to begin every script with:

Hello, Mr./Ms. _________?

This serves two purposes. It confirms that you are speaking to the correct household (and not a child or babysitter) and it gets the voter to respond – even if just to confirm the name.

The caller should not be worried about mispronouncing the name as this is actually a way to engage the constituent. Simply do the best you can then ask:

Did I say that right?

If the caller made a mistake, then thank the voter for correcting him/her. At this point, a conversation has been started.

Next, make a short statement of why you are calling and what you want. Then ask the first short question.

Each question you ask should separate you from your opponent. For example you would NOT want to ask a voter if he supports ethical behavior. EVERYONE will support ethical behavior. Instead, ask for their opinion on taxes, etc.

If your script is well written and your callers are well trained, you should get at least 10% of the voters to tell you he/she will not be supporting your candidate. If the only responses you are getting are either support or undecided for your candidate, you need to improve your script.

If no one is supporting your opponent, your data cannot be trusted and you probably have received false positives of about 20%. This happens when you do not have a conversation with a voter, but instead talk “at” them. They say yes to get you off the phone.

The final question should be “Do you have any comments you would like me to pass on to (candidate’s name)?” so voters have a chance to tell you what concerns them most.

Then, thank them for their time.

© Copyright 2009 Kristina Keats