[nabs-l] Question about canvassing.

[Cynthia Bennett]

Most of my in-person fundraising experience has occurred at
blindness-related events. But now I have a potential opportunity where
I would canvas. This means that I would stand on a street, locations
change on a daily basis, and it is my responsibility to engage
passersby about a cause in the hopes of signing up members of the
cause and therefore raising money. My conversation skills are very
good, and I am also good at gaging peoples’ interest once the
conversation has started. But I have some fears that I would love some
advice about. Typically, canvassers make eye contact with people when
they are about 30 feet away. My first alert that anyone is around will
be talking or footsteps. Just from my own observations from my
experience when I need to ask a question on the street, often times,
by the time I have finished my question and by the time the person
realizes that I have engaged them in conversation, they are actually a
few steps past me. So, do you have any strategies for engaging people
sooner? This may not be an issue since the person will quickly realize
that I am blind, but it will also be easier for them to continue on
their way without speaking to me whereas they may have stopped if I
had engaged them before they pass me. This position has strict
fundraising quotas, so engaging people in conversation properly is
essential.

I am so used to having a table to use as a center for engaging people
at events the NFB has done in public, but I feel that this position
really relies on me as a person since I don’t have anything else but
myself.

Even though this opportunity is not ideal, I think I could learn some
great skills, and it is immediately available because I know the
director of the office. But it is also not something I want to do long
term. So if I accept it as and opportunity, I want to have some
concrete methods for attempting to do the job successfully so my short
time there can be profitable for the causes and for myself.

I appreciate any feedback you can offer.

-- 
Cynthia Bennett
B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington

clb5590 at gmail.com
828.989.5383