Phone Bank managers & callers

Another very important and essential role for volunteers within a grassroots campaign is phone banking. This is one of the very best methods of communicating with voters and advocating for their support.

There are many different causes for phone banking: identifying voter support, offering yard signs to those that have pledged support, volunteer recruiting, event reminders, etc. Because there is usually a specific purpose for the phone calls, we will provide you with a script with a guideline for the discussion. Oftentimes the script does not have to be followed perfectly—it may even help raise your comfort level and skills relating to networking and communication.

These phone calls are usually short and pointed, to make them time-efficient and on track. Phone banking is usually done in the evening; dates and times of the phone banks are strategic so the greatest number of people will be home. There will be successive shifts of the phone bank, with each volunteer normally scheduled for an hour and fifteen minutes per shift. The first fifteen minutes will be orientation and training and perhaps time for role-playing with other volunteers to get comfortable with the script. There will be water, snacks and bathrooms for the volunteers. The location and date will vary with the purpose and number of phone callers needed.

Phone bank managers will provide the training to other volunteers, be available to answer questions from the volunteers as needed, and communicate with the next day’s shift of phone bankers and prepare to train the next shift of callers coming in. The role of phone bank manager is for anyone comfortable in the process and able to coach others. The phone bank manager will receive a more thorough training of the purpose of the phone bank and experience with phone banking is a major asset.