Have you ever emailed your entire membership saying something along the lines of “can anybody help with a round of leaflet delivery this week? They can be collected from…”
Did anyone reply? Or did any more than the handful of stalwarts you already know come to collect some leaflets?
It’s frustrating isn’t it! But the reality is that turning Members and Supporters into regular leaflet deliverers is hard work. Very few people will spontaneously offer to help, or tick that box on your Focus leaflet that says “I can help deliver leaflets in my area.”
Instead, like any task in campaigning, you need to break this down into its component parts. Take a look at your delivery rounds in Connect – usually around 120 doors. Which rounds don’t have deliverers? Who lives nearby?
Remember that people are willing to travel to deliver leaflets. For a variety of reasons, some people even prefer delivering an area that isn’t where they live. Party members in derelict wards, or even adjacent parliamentary constituencies, could be more than happy to travel for a mile or more to deliver leaflets if they know it’s going to support a candidate they feel strongly about.
There is no substitute for picking up the telephone and working your way through a list of prospects. This should include:
- Party members – even if they’ve been asked before. People’s circumstances change!
- Strong Lib Dems (as identified on Connect).
- People you have done casework for.
- Friends/family of the candidate/councillor. If you’re too shy to ask a close friend or family member to help you win, you may find it a struggle asking a stranger!
- Voters who have signed national petitions, e.g. the campaigns on sewage or to rejoin the EU. These can be found in Connect
We are asking people to do us a favour, members and supporters who may have busy lives or health issues. They are allowed to say no and they need to be reassured that we will not be offended by this! A simple confirmation that we are grateful to every member and supporter for their subscription/support at election time will be enough. Don’t get disheartened. If you keep working your way through your list of prospects people WILL say yes.
This is a task that can be divided amongst a few people. One person gathers the data from Lighthouse, Connect and information from councillors. Another makes the phone calls and asks the question. A third helper might be responsible for physically taking the leaflets to the deliverer, and explaining the best way to complete the round.
There is a lot of “assumed knowledge” to delivering leaflets that won’t be obvious to a novice. Do you ignore No Junk Mail signs? What do you do if someone hands the leaflet back? How do you deliver flats with buzzers? It’s important to give clear instructions to new deliverers. Bundle the leaflets with a walk map and include additional notes. A template deliverers note can be found in our Campaign Resources library here.
Finally – and most importantly – remember to say thank you. This cannot be done too often! A text or WhatsApp might be enough, but a personal phone call from the PPC or council candidate is the gold standard.
Deliverers should be invited to social events, thank you parties, launch events. Most of the time there is no need to make an artificial distinctions between helpers who are signed up party members or supporters, and those who prefer not to join the party. Deliverers are more likely to continue helping if they feel a valued member of the local team.
Include deliverers in the distribution of members newsletters, send them Christmas cards (and even a box of chocolates) each year.
Building a delivery network is essential for councillors and campaigners. Deliverers can be recruited fast. It takes a bit of planning and identifying – and then crucially a personal phone call and a direct ask. If you stick with it you will soon find your volunteer network growing.