Phone Banking: How-to and Tips for Success 

Below is everything you need to get started with phone banking for Mel Manuel’s congressional campaign .If you have any questions or need help, please contact Jeremy JF Thompson at 504-258-2882 or email campaign@mel4louisiana.com. 

Get Set Up To Make Calls

Step One: Check out this short video on phone banking and using OpenVPB here.

Step Two: Gather the tools you’ll need:

  • Phone – To participate in the virtual phone bank, you can use your cell phone, home phone, or Google Voice.

  • A computer or tablet and Wi-Fi or Internet Access – You!ll need a laptop, desktop, or smart tablet with internet access to use the VPB website.

Step Three: If you don’t already have one, Click here to set up your ActionID.

Step Four: To start making calls, click the button, and follow the instructions below.

  1. You can click here to view talking points realted to Mel Manuel’s campaign and resources for voters.

  2. Once you enter your zip code, you’ll see who you are calling and the script. You can see the voter and the voter’s phone number whom you are calling above the script. Review the script and check out the questions for which you’ll be recording data in a drop-down field embedded in the script. After recording this data, you’ll save and proceed to the next call at the bottom of the page.

  3. If you don’t reach the voter, you can click the red button beneath the voter’s name and provide any relevant information.

  4. If you would like to leave a message about Mel’s campaign, you can click “No” under the question “did you reach someone?” You will then be provided with a voice message, we have drafted for you.

  5. If someone answers, click “Yes” on the drop down menu for the question, “did you reach someone?” You will then be provided with a script. Please answer all questions in the drop down box provided. By doing this, we receive the data and you will be able to seamlessly move through the script. It is ok if you go off script slightly, conversations will flow naturally. Please, be sure to mark ALL the questions though. This is VERY important!

DOs and DON’Ts

  • DO practice your introduction with a warm friendly tone. Most people decide whether to take your call within the first minute of your introduction.

  • DO “smile while you dial,” since this comes across to the person. Also, try standing up during calling if you can because this will help add energy to your conversation.

  • DO be respectful of their time. If they can't talk, politely end the call.

  • DO try to use their name. If you’re not sure you should call them by their first name – ask.

  • DO thank them for their time. Even if the call didn!t go well or according to plan. It's more important they hang up from a positive experience associated with the campaign.

  • DO make sure to track the outcomes of each call correctly. This data is really important for campaigns.

  • DO Be prepared for voters telling you "No” or hanging up.

  • DON’T talk fast through your script. Take your time when speaking – it’s not going to go any better if you speed through it.

  • DON’T go completely off script. Please follow the basic script because it was prepared with intentional verbiage to be the most effective but still try to make it your own.

  • DON’T interrupt. Let them finish their thought and then respond.

  • DON’T speak negatively of other parties, campaigns, or organizations.

  • DON’T worry if you only talk to a few voters in each shift. It's normal to only contact 10% of the voters on your list!

THE SCRIPT

We recommend reading through the script to get familiar with the flow of the call. If you have any questions, please contact Jeremy directly.

Hi, may I speak to (Voter Name)?

Hey (Voter Name), my name is ____________ and I’m a Volunteer with Mel Manuel’s campaign for Congress. May I take one minute of your time to tell you why Mel is running? Awesome.     

Mel is running because they know that we deserve a better quality of life, including lower home insurance prices, free healthcare for all, a living wage, quality public education, the right to make medical decisions for ourselves, and the freedom to be who we are. I’m making phone calls because every vote matters, and we need all of the 120k Democrats in our district to make it to the polls this year. 

Question 1: Early voting starts on October 18th and election day is November 5th. Can we count on your support for Democrat Mel Manuel this election?

Dropdown Options: Yes, No, Maybe

If Yes: Thanks so much for your support! (Go to Question 2)

If No: Thank you for your time. Have a wonderful day.

If Undecided/Maybe: Well, I’m voting for Mel because (insert the reason you are voting for Mel). Mel is born and raised here in Louisiana and they will always fight for all the people of Louisiana. What is the issue you care most about this election cycle?

(Have a short conversation with them about what they care about. Really listen to what they are saying. Respond with a personal anecdote about why you care about that issue too (if you do). If you know how Mel feels about this issue, share that too. You can use talking points provided to you, refer to info on push cards, and/or ask if they would like someone to follow up with them to talk to them.)

Question 2: Would you like to get involved and volunteer with the campaign? (Be prepared to share some of the ways they can volunteer)

Dropdown Options: Yes, No

If Yes: Thanks for wanting to volunteer. Is there an email address I can share with the campaign to get you signed up? (ask for their email address and input their info into the volunteer spreadsheet).

If No: No problem. It was great speaking with you. Thank you for your time and have a great day!

Closing: It was great speaking with you. Thank you for your time and have a great day!

  • IF WRONG NUMBER, THANK THEM FOR THEIR TIME AND HANG UP.

  • If they moved out of district, thank them and hang up.

  • If people have questions about voting in general, please direct them to the Secretary of State Voter Info page.


IF NO ANSWER, LEAVE FOLLOWING MESSAGE:

Hello, My name is ____________ and I’m a Volunteer with Mel Manuel’s campaign for Congress. Mel is running because they know that we deserve a better quality of life, including lower home insurance prices, free healthcare for all, a living wage, quality public education, the right to make medical decisions for ourselves, and the freedom to be who we are. I’m making phone calls because every vote matters, and we need all of the 120k Democrats in our district to make it to the polls this year. If you want more information about Mel’s campaign, you can go to www.mel4louisiana.com. I hope you’ll consider voting for Mel Manuel on November 5th. Thank you so much for your time.

FAQ

  • A: Once you log in to the VPB and enter a zip code, you will see your first call pop up. At the top of the screen you will see a voter name and in the center of the screen you!ll see their name, the script to use.

  • A: After you log in, you'll see the script in the center of the screen. Take a moment to read the script out loud. When you are phone banking, look for the sections where you will need to enter information based on your conversation with the voter. This information is very important, so make sure you review it first! To get started with calling click here.

    .

  • A: Please follow the script as much as possible. It was prepared using language and a structure that campaign staff knows to be most effective. Before you begin, take a moment to read the script out loud and practice a few times. That will help it feel a little more natural and comfortable. We understand that conversations may flow so if you go off script briefly, we understand. However, do your best to get back to the script.

  • A: The system has prompts that are easy to follow. If you were unable to contact the voter, you’ll click on the “I couldn't reach [Voter Name]” button at the top of the script, select why you were unable to contact them, and then press the $Save & Next Call” button. When you connect with a voter, you will complete the field embedded in the script. At the bottom of the page, it will prompt you to “Save & Next Call.”

  • A: Thank you so much for letting us know—good catch! Please send us an email to campaign@mel4louisiana.com with a screenshot or picture of the error and any information identifying where you saw it.

  • A: Yes, please do! If you choose to leave a message, we have provided a script for you.

  • A: Probably not. There may be a lot of wrong numbers, and that’s okay. Voter files are not always current, so with every number you call you are helping to refine the list.

  • A: No way! Voters will receive a lot of calls from other advocacy organizations or directly from the campaign, etc. It’s important to get in a positive mindset before dialing and to remember: don’t take it personally.

  • A: If it's an issue-specific question, contact Jeremy and one of our volunteer coordinators can work on getting an answer to them. If the voter wants to connect with the local campaign to ask for a ride to the polls or find out about volunteering, we can follow up with them.

  • A: Thank you for volunteering! Instead of clicking “Save & Next,” just click the “Stop Making Calls” button at the bottom of the script once you have completed your last call.

  • A: First, if you haven!t phone banked with a VPB before, the first step is to click on “Create Action ID” and follow the prompts from there. For best results, we recommend doing this on a laptop, desktop, or tablet (rather than a smartphone), and enabling two-factor authentication. If you have just created an Action ID and are attempting to log on for the first time, make sure you  have verified your identity by checking your email and following the instructions provided. If you have verified your email and are receiving an error message, please note that Safari is not a supported browser for OpenVPB. You may also wish to double check that your email address and password have been entered correctly.

If you have any questions or need help, please call or text Jeremy JF Thompson at 504-258-2882 or email campaign@mel4louisiana.com