Going Door to Door
 

Objective

• To find people who are concerned about what has been happening in Washington, and show what they might do about their concerns.
• To develop contacts who might want to take action themselves.
• To let people know about the Marietta OH 9-12 Project web site and meetings.

Preparation

• Could provide soda-coffee-snacks.
• Make sure “support” materials are on-hand.
• Have small pads and pens for note taking.
• Have a small easel on which to write key points.
• Have handouts summarizing key points ready in case they are needed.

Making the Visits

• Recognize you may be uncomfortable, but your cause should motivate you to push on.
• Introduce yourself and ask if you can take a few minutes to discuss a topic they may be interested in.
• Give a brief introduction to the topic. (Several Role Play scripts for suggestions of how the conversations might go is under development.)
• If the person you are visiting does not want to take any further time, thank them and bid them good day.
• If they express interest, prepare some words that let them know what you have gotten out of the Marietta OH 9-12 Project site and how they might find it interesting. Hand them a business card and point out the Site Address and the Principles on the back.
• Engage in any conversation. Answer questions they may have to the best of your ability. If they take opposite positions on any issues you state, do not debate or argue. Explain how they might want to research the point further on the Marietta OH 9-12 Project web site or at other locations on the internet.
• Try to time the length of your discussion to no more than 10 minutes. If they want to talk further, mention that you might be holding a neighborhood meeting which they could attend. Or, offer to call them by phone and continue the point (if it sounds to you like it would help them become a supporter).
• Bid them good bye and ask if you could record their name and email address so you could follow up with selected material that fits the conversation you have had. If they decline, ask them if they would like your email address in case they have questions in the future. Have several cards with your email address and name on them.
• Ask if they think their friends would be interested in one of the Marietta OH 9-12 Project Business Cards. Give them a number of cards if they say yes.

Follow Up

• Contact the people who attended; thank them for attending and if their objectives were met.
• Ask if they visited the Marietta OH 9-12 Project web site, and were are pursuing any of the topics discussed?
• Ask if they would like to attend another meeting. And if they would like to go with you to the twice a mounth Marietta 9-12 meeting?
• Ask if they would be interested in hosting a neighborhood meeting like the one you held?