Politics is Personal.
Talk local. Knock on doors. Listen.
This is a story about what works when you door-knock. The instructions will tell you what doors to knock on. This is fine. The instructions will also encourage you to learn the issues and the data. These instructions, or the training, will also give you a script.
You’re there because you know how important the issues are, so good — give yourself a little refresher course, and now it is time to get practical. And, shhh, throw away the script. Door-knocking works but more informally. Really. Below is a real example.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Old guy — a curmudgeon, answers the door. He looks at me (with a button on my shirt and brochures in my hand) and says: “I’m a Republican.”
Me: “That’s okay. Any chance you’re on Social Security?”
Old guy: “Yeah, couldn’t get along without it.”
Me: "Did you know the Republicans have been voting to cut back on Social Security? They even want to raise the age of when you can collect it.”
Old guy: “Hurumph.”
Me: “What about Medicare? Do you use it?”
Old guy: “Well, yeah. Doctors and those prescriptions are pretty expensive these days.”
Me: “Did you know that the Republicans have been trying to cut Medicare, eliminate savings on things like $35 insulin, and a whole lot more?”
Old guy: “But those farmers … they’re all so rich. They make too much money.”
Me: Don’t you know any farmers who went broke and had to get out of farming whether they wanted to or not? That’s BIG AG putting on the squeeze. The Democrats are working to bring honest competition back. Enforce anti-trust. That’s what we need to do.”
Old guy — the curmudgeon doesn’t say a word. What he does do is reach out and pluck one of my brochures out of my hand.”
Me: I smiled some more, and said, “You’re already registered. Right? Be sure to go to the polls so your voice counts.”
Did I offer a brochure? No. We discussed what my door-knocking target, the “Old guy—curmudgeon,” wanted to discuss.
The conversations — the listening, can start differently. Maybe there are pretty flowers by the door, and that’s the way to start. What’s important is finding common ground.
Flowers by the door — your flowers look great, followed by asking a question — Are you registered to vote? Or, did you know that Republicans not only are working to ban abortion everywhere, but they want to ban IVF and also contraception?
Kids’ toys in the yard — It looks like my kids are about the same age as yours, or I remember when my kids played with those, too. I’m wondering what you think about vouchers. Did you know that every dollar spent on vouchers comes out of money for public schools?
That script, i.e., the one you threw away, was formal. It likely required you to talk “at” people rather than listen and respond.
What’s essential for a successful Door-Knock is to be personal, to listen, and to respond. Politics is personal, and policies affect people personally. Power offers us additional opportunities to make policy, and Social reminds us that we must ensure we’re personal and likable if we want to get things done.
The unwritten rule is that people get involved in politics for three reasons.
Policy. Power. Social.
Door-knocking is Social. If you’re training Door-Knockers, teach them about making friends and following the law. When your Door-Knockers finish their list of doors, require them to return to you to get their numbers but also for everyone to tell a few stories and be proud of their work. Together — making new friends, we win.