More canvasing advice

[Zeno Mondibus]

Hi all!

Quite exhausted but also more than a little jubilant.
As per request from ilove cheese I'd like to share some of my experiences
canvassing, most of which is common sense.

1) If you see someone with an ipod and kind of hunched and walking fast then
I
think that the chances of handing out a flyer is minimal. Same goes with
people
on the phone...though not always. Many times people on the phone take one
and
smile.

2) Don't argue. I was allowed to hang up a poster in one establishment but
at
the same time the one who gave me permission took exception with the people
of
New Orleans for not evacuating when they were told to. I wanted to say
something
about being elderly or not having a place to go but just said (almost
sarcastically) "Huh, that's interesting."

3) Big chains and banks are not receptive, though I like going in there
anyway.
This act alone tends to provoke thought, and perhaps even a little guilt.
:-)

4) If you are denied by an establishment, go ahead and give the person who
denied you a small flyer (if they are friendly). Sometimes people as
individuals
are very sympathetic though they may be afraid of offending their boss or
company. Always be polite and give them a nice warm "Thank you" anyway.

5) When the poster is accepted, I think it is good manners to look the
person in
the eye and give a genuine heartfelt thank you. This may get them to pay
more
attention to the poster and maybe even talk about the events.

6) When in a business establishment, explain who you are, and what you are
doing
and why. I have found that when this is done in front of their customers the
proprieter will feel almost obligated not to be an a-hole and deny you.

7) After hanging up a poster I give a small flyer to the person and say
"This is
for you." If they are friendly, I explain the nature of the events and where
they are at.

8) It doesn't hurt to dress nice.

9) Believe in what your're doing. We are trying to help people, not sell
something. Don't feel that you are impositioning people. People that belong
to
this country have a duty to help one another, and when it is such a small
thing
as allowing you to hang up a poster, there is no reason to feel guilty about
it.
It is my firm belief that people who are successful should "Give back to the
community".
People who don't are not only selfish, but one of the causes for our
difficulties in the first place.

To Wrap it Up:
The posters are effective. More than once today I have found people staring
at
them with interest, and I was quick to hand them a small flyer, and a smile
of
appreciation. And last night hanging out at Fatty's more than a few times
when I
showed them the small flyer said "Oh wow, I've seen that around town." One
such
person was an evacuee from New Orleans!

-zero

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[joey in astoria]

wow - about that last part!

I've got the exact same findings.

I'd just like to add that I had a lot of small flyers left over - I'm
not the best at handing them out, but I try.

Today, I stuck them in the Village Voices on Broadway. Seems like our
demographic. Tommorrow I'll stick some in the Metros. You guys might
want to try this in the Ditmars area.

Thanks, Zeno for the tips! Very well put.

--
joey in astoria @ http://astorianyc.blogspot.com