Is door-to-door canvassing an outdated strategy from the last century? Absolutely not! In fact, the simplicity of this human method continues to produce great results. The figures speak for themselves: it is estimated that the conversion rate for door-to-door meetings is 1 in 14 people, compared to 1 in 38 for telephone calls and only 1 in 10,000 for social networks.
Below is our analysis as to why door-to-door actions continue to be successful in 2023.
What is door-to-door canvassing?
Door-to-door canvassing is a method of fieldwork consisting of visiting people to present a political campaign, raise awareness of a social cause, or offer a product or service.
With a popularity peak in the 1960s and 1970s, door-to-door canvassing has enabled many organizations to deliver a message effectively and easily. By knocking on doors, associations carried out countless information campaigns, political parties were able to increase their supporters, NGOs to raise more funds...
In a pre-Internet world, the obvious appeal of door-to-door campaigning is understandable. What about today? Set aside from the 90's, with the emergence of new technologies, the results of this method have nothing to envy to those of the World Wide Web. Here is a closer look at the benefits of a timeless strategy.
4 reasons to go door-to-door in 2023
Let's look at the four main advantages of door-to-door way of campaigning.
1. Door-to-door results in richer interactions
There are many ways to spread a message or mobilize a group: phone calls, letters, online advertisements, leaflets...
However, these methods lack a fundamental element: the human factor. There is no substitute for the presence of a real person. It is much easier to trust in a face-to-face meeting than by reading an email or listening to a stranger's voice on the phone.
The superior effectiveness of door-to-door canvassing has been scientifically proven by American researchers at Yale University. By opposing various influencing techniques, they found that door-to-door canvassing was the most convincing method of increasing voter turnout - far ahead of personalized calls and letters.
The bottomline is that, even though technology has changed the way we communicate, nothing beats the real human interaction.
2. Digital canvassing through mobile apps and software
In 2022, conversion techniques are increasingly relying on new technologies to boost their effectiveness. Door-to-door makes no exception: thanks to door-to-door apps and software, it is now possible to target geographical areas and record the details of each interaction.
For example, Qomon is a platform that makes it easy to organise field campaigns by creating roadmaps, centralizing data and tracking people. Thanks to the immediate input, you keep track of all actions, you can go back to places not visited and compare the results according to districts and populations.
Hence, digital door-to-door canvassing maximises the effectiveness of fieldwork.
3. A cost-effective method of canvassing
Expensive marketing campaigns on social networks, high telephone bills, rental of stands at trade fairs... Whether the communication channel is virtual or not, capturing attention comes with a cost.
However, door-to-door canvassing is still a surprisingly inexpensive method. It requires few equipment and travel costs and is therefore within the reach of all budgets. In addition, door-to-door can be used to target a specific geographical area and reach people who are not digitally literate. It is therefore suitable for any type of organization.
4. On-the-job training for volunteers
Besides from being effective, door-to-door canvassing is rich in lessons learned. Volunteers and house-to-house workers learn how to:
- Identify precisely the needs of the targeted people
To better understand the needs and concerns of the aimed audience, communication is key. Knocking on every door means that you meet a huge number of people. Even if not every one engages in conversation, some of them will share their needs, concerns and desires. This information can be used to refine the arguments and read just the geographical goal.
- Accepting failures without losing motivation
If there is one thing that door-to-door canvassing teaches, it is to accept rejections. Yes, there will always be a number of people who are not interested. The important thing is to not be discouraged and to move on.
- Perfecting their presentation
You don't present things in the same way on your first visit as on your 60th. As you go along, you learn to adapt your pitch to seize attention. Moreover, you are better able to anticipate questions and respond to the most surprising requests. Thus, as volunteers gain experience, they increase their eloquence.
The success of door-to-door canvassing is based on several elements: the richness of the interaction, the power of persuasion, and the right demographic targeting.
In recent years, the emergence of mobile apps and platforms such as Qomon have modernized the practice, making it even more effective. In 2023, door-to-door campaigning is relevant; now more than ever!
