I often ask Lib Dem groups ‘Do you have more activists than you know what to do with’? Unsurprisingly, no one has ever said ‘yes, we do’. The truth is that, from the smallest local party to the biggest, we all need to build our teams.
The Summer is the perfect time to concentrate some effort on recruitment and team building. The temptation is to ease off on activity but that is a mistake. Effort put in now will make our life much each easier come elections next May (which most areas have in one form or another). There are advantages to doing it now: The weather is (normally) better, the days longer, we don’t have immediate deadlines, and we should be having newly selected candidates coming on board (see my blog on the importance of early selection here).
So, what should we be doing? If you have had elections do get your thank you leaflet out as your top priority. Then look at what your priorities are for recruiting new activists. One tool you can use is the Development Web, found here, which let’s you look at the strengths and weaknesses of each ward. Next, set out a plan of what you aim to do and set yourself targets.
What are the practical activities you can (and should) do?
1. Talk to your membership
When did you last talk to your wider membership? It is good practice to do this every year (remember, sending an email does not constitute talking to someone). Set up a survey to find out your members interests, skills and willingness to help out, or make a donation. Create a phone bank in Connect’s MyCampaign and phone around the members. There may be untapped potential there (remember, people’s circumstances change and a ‘no’ one year may become a ‘yes’ the next).
Pro-tip: Record the key information in MyCampaign. This will make it easier to manage your volunteers in future.
2. Recruit deliverers
Identify holes in your delivery network and go to those areas to canvass and/or do a knock and drop survey. Remember to ask every friendly Lib Dem if they can help deliver a few leaflets.
Pro-tip: When some agrees to deliver, you want to get them doing a leaflet as soon as possible. So, you could time recruitment to coincide with your next leaflet or do special street letters for every new deliverer. The key is not to leave it.
You can also target key areas to get sites for posters, stake boards and super signs.
Surveys and canvass card templates can be found here.
3. Do a recruitment leaflet
Using the Recruitment Target Pools in Connect, mail potential activists and members. However, don’t just leave it at that. It is important to follow up the mailing with a door knock, preferable within a day or two of it landing. This will increase the likelihood of getting a sign up. A mailing on its own will get a low response. Remember, most people will refuse. Don’t be offended, just thank them and move on.
The recruitment mailing and bulk buy deals can be found here and here.
Pro-tip: Try using the ‘pyramid’ asking technique. Start with your biggest ask and work down. If they won’t join, will they do some leaflets? If they won’t leaflet will they put up a poster at election time?
4. Get new candidates and activists canvassing
Of course, we want to get canvassing as soon as possible. Talking to voters now is just as important (if not more so) as in the Spring. It is also often an easier way for new people to start canvassing. Summer canvassing can be more of a relaxed conversation (but don’t forget the voter ID). Alternately, you can use a knock and drop survey, which most activists find a comfortable way to start door knocking. Finish sessions with a social element, maybe visit a pub (especially if it has a nice garden) or a coffee shop.
Pro-tip: Always organise your canvass sessions well, start on time, brief the team at the beginning on what you are doing and start new canvassers off ‘budding’ on the same doorstep with an experienced canvasser. Debrief, possibly at your social event.
5. Recruit postal voters
We know that postal voting increase turnout and reliability. If you have collected marked registers (lists of those who voted provided by the council) and input them into Connect, you will be able to identify those people who canvass as Lib Dems but are inconsistent voters and create a list. I call these ‘Goldilocks’ lists. Target them for door knocking (or a mailing and door knocking together – never a mailing alone) with the specific aim of encouraging them to sign up as postal voters.
You can back this up by emailing the same people (if you have an address), linking to the new Government online sign up here.
Pro-tip: There are all sorts of reasons that people don’t manage to vote, and often they forget that they haven’t, so don’t accuse them of failing to vote. Instead, try and find a supporter who can give you a real-life story to illustrate why people miss votes and should have a postal vote.
6. Do a team exercise
Bring your councillors, executive and activist together and do a brain stormer. What people do we need? What skills are we lacking? When do we need candidates? Hand out forms with a list of jobs on it and ask each attendee to identify at least one person to fill a job. These can be family, friends, those who you have done casework for or just people who ‘get things done’ in the area. Commit to following up with each suggested person and make the ask. Set a deadline for doing this.
Pro-tip: Simple but clear job descriptions of what you want people to do – even for deliverers – can help people sign up.
Of course, building the team doesn’t just mean recruitment. You need to look after your current activist base. Growing the team means keeping and developing those you have, as well as bringing in new people.
The Summer is a good time to have thank you parties and events. You don’t need to have complex events and raising money shouldn’t always be the aim (although what is a Lib Dem event without a raffle). Do remember to be inclusive and welcoming. A BYO BBQ or a meeting for coffee and cake can attract a different set of members to a dinner. The aim is to build the social cohesion of the wider team and to give people something to enjoy doing together.
Pro-tip: A lot of people find it daunting to turn up to an event where they don’t know anyone. If you have new people you want to bring to an event, meet them first. On the day, look out for them arriving and make sure they are quickly welcomed and introduced to people.