Make the Ask
Now that you've identified potential volunteers, gotten to know them, and figured out a variety of roles for them to play, you're all ready to get hard commitments from folks.
Here is a time-tested formula for recruiting volunteers and mobilizing people.
Mobilizing rap:
- Introduction - who you are, what you are doing
- Problem - what it is you're trying to solve
- Solution - how your campaign can be the answer to the problem
- Urgency - provide slight agitation for change
- Ask for Action - a concrete, specific ask for what you want them to do
- Record Data - not technically part of the rap, but it is critical to keep track of all information for future use.
Use the following template to create your own "script", keeping in mind the volunteers issues, interest, values, as well as their capacity and commitment.
| Introduction
Ex: "Hi, my name is Fatima and I'm calling with the Community Participation Project" Write your own introduction here.
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| Problem
Ex: "Did you know that last year our neighborhood had a voter turnout of less than 45%?" Write your own problem statement here.
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| Solution
Ex: "CPP is working to educate voters and turn them out to vote." Write your own solution statement here
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| Urgency
Ex: "We've only got 1 more week til Election Day and hundreds of voters to talk to." Write your own urgency statement here.
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| Ask for Action
Ex: "Can we count on you to volunteer this Friday at 5pm to go door-to-door and talk to voters about the issues?" Write your own ask for action here.
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