Volunteer to Volunteer phone call guidance
The Volunteer to Volunteer (V2V) calling program aims to build a strong volunteer base for the upcoming midterm elections. This document provides guidance for making calls to past volunteers for Together We Elect and Movement Labs to get them reengaged.
Included in this Action Kit:
- How to join the V2V team and request calls
- Guidance for filling out the V2V call form
- Voicemail message
- A draft script / talking points for reaching out to volunteers
- Sample emails sent out by the system
- Description of the roles we are asking prior volunteers to fill
- Information on Together We Elect and Movement Labs
A few tips:
- Be thankful and smile – they can tell over the phone if you are doing that!
- Use this script outline as a start. Make this your own and feel comfortable with your conversations.
- If you want to make calls anonymously, directions on how to use Google Voice are here.
To make these calls, we ask that you have a Together We Elect account and take the V2V Connect training.
Please sign up here if you are interested in joining our team.
How to get started
1. Join the V2V Team
If you have not previously done V2V calling:
- Attend a training or calling session OR
- Watch the training video OR
- Read through this guidance.
- Take a Short Quiz
After you pass the quiz you are a V2V team member! An email will provide you with the link to start making calls.
2. Request V2V calls
-
Click here to request past volunteers to call.
- Enter the email you use to log in to Together We Elect.
- Select the number of calls you would like to make between now and Sunday.
- Select the desired Timezone for your calls.
- Click Submit
You will receive an email with links for each of the volunteers you would like to call.
Start by selecting one of the links and then go through the list.
Note:
- The Instructions button on the V2V callers Volunteer Dashboard links to this set of instructions you are following.
- The Training video (also on the V2V callers Volunteer Dashboard) takes you step by step through the V2V calling process.
- If the Volunteer Dashboard does not appear, email v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
3. The V2V calling cycle
You may request a list of people to call at any point during the week. Once a week on Sunday evening, we will reclaim (put back into the database) all the prior volunteers who have not yet been called that prior week. That way, if you run out of time or something gets in the way (think life), your volunteers will get contacted when someone else submits a request to get a V2V calling list.
Guidance for making Volunteer to Volunteer calls
1. Fill out the V2V Connect Calling form
The callee’s information should be fully filled out with their email, first and last name, phone number, and zip code. If any of this information is missing, it would be ideal to capture it when you talk to the person.
1. Call the callee using your phone.
2. During your call, please fill out the following information.
3. Select one of the drop down options from the Call Response prompt:
- Committed – Ready to take next steps
- Committed – Non-Specific Activity – ready to commit but not sure what activity
- Needs more info
- Check back later
- Not Interested/Busy
- Left Voicemail
- No Answer
4. If check back later, please enter the date and time for follow up.
5. If Check back later or Committed – Non-Specific Activity. please select ‘Other’ as your Activity of Interest. This will ensure that this call gets counted as connecting with someone and will be reflected on your weekly analytics report.
6. Activities of Interest – select one or more as appropriate
- Action coach – They want to be an Action Coach (see below for description),
- V2V caller – They are interested in calling prior volunteers (just like you are doing now),
- Chat Editor (see below for description)
- Postcarder
- Texter
- Other
If the prior volunteer expresses interest beyond the tactics listed above, there is a dropdown menu to select the specific skill they would like to share by selecting ‘Other’.
7. Place any notes in the ‘Call Notes’ section.
8. Ask if the volunteer speaks Spanish and click the box.
9. Sending emails:
- The system automatically sends all emails.
- When you connect, emails are sent to the callee and to you the caller. If you leave a voicemail, the system sends an email to just the callee, not to you.
- For people who are ready to take next steps, need more info or want to be contacted in the future, select the correct checkbox for the email to be sent.
- If you selected Other for the Activity of Interest, the email to be sent would be ‘Specialized Skill’.
- The Together We Elect Volunteer Coordinator will follow up with the callee after the automated system email is sent.
- Please consider putting in a personal message as part of the follow up email. Sections below provide examples of the automated emails going out based on your calls. Your personal message can add context with respect to your conversation with the prior volunteer.
10. Your first name and email should be populated on the form.
11. Hit the Submit button which enters the information into the database and sends the appropriate email.
2. Leave a voicemail
If there is no answer, you can leave a voicemail. This voicemail will be followed up with an email from the system to the person you are calling when you check “Follow up from Voicemail” for the type of email to send. This will provide a link to togetherweelect.org and other relevant information. The sample email is below.
Here is an example of what you might say:
Hi, [Volunteer name], this is [My Name] with Together We Elect and Movement Labs. First, thank you for all your volunteer work helping to get out the vote and protect our democracy! And second, we’d like to reconnect with you for our next big push. We’re gathering a network of volunteers in advance of the upcoming midterms by doing easy calls to like-minded people. We would love for you to join us. Please check out TogetherWeElect.org. A follow up email will provide more information. Take care, and we hope to talk to you soon! Thank you so much!
3. Phone call script / talking points
- Hi, is this [Volunteer Name]?
- My name is [Your Name], I’m a volunteer with Together We Elect, previously Together for 2020, in partnership with Movement Labs.
- I want to start by thanking you for your past volunteer work helping to save our democracy. I’m sure you know that our work is far from over.
- So, right now, our strategy is to begin to re-connect on a personal level with key volunteers and work to recruit, organize, and support a strong coalition of volunteers across the nation for many local and national groups. That’s where we need your help.
- We need people like you to call people from our Prior Volunteer list – to make calls just like I am doing with you right now. These are all calls with like-minded friendly people.
- Training, phone banks, and guidance are available. We have all the information you need to succeed and we have experts to support you in this role.
- We would love for you to be part of our team. So, can I sign you up?
- If they don’t want to make calls:
- We’re also looking for Action Coaches to help volunteers find the actions and events that best fit their schedules, and make the best use of their talents and passions. We do this through friendly, one-on-one, scheduled Zoom conversations. We have trainings for this as well.
- We are looking for Live Chat operators to help people in realtime.
- We also have numerous, ongoing texting campaigns available at Movement Labs.
- There are other options for volunteering including social media, technology and more.
- Do any of these actions or roles sound interesting to you?
- Be sure to check out our new website: TogetherWeElect.org for further information.
Emails sent out
1. Email example for V2V committed follow up
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. This lets the new volunteer know that someone will be in touch and it gives you insight into all the great work you are doing! It will be sent to people who are ready to start V2V calling. A similar email is sent out to people committed to Action Coaching and Live Chat. If someone is interested in multiple activities, one combined email is sent out. Your personal message is appreciated.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today and thanks for volunteering! I have you down for V2V Caller. Personal message goes here.
We’ll be reaching out about how to take the next steps. In the meantime, please create an account on the Together We Elect website and select Volunteer to Volunteer calling if you haven’t done so already. This will give you access to our Volunteer Dashboard. if you have any further questions please reach out to us at v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org
Thanks so much!
Your name here
2. Email example for V2V needs more information follow up
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. It will be sent to people who expressed an interest in V2V calling but need more information. A similar email is sent out to people committed to Action Coaching and Live Chat. If someone is interested in multiple activities, one combined email is sent out. Your personal message is appreciated.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today about our Volunteer to Volunteer Connect program. Personal message goes here.
Someone will be back in touch with you shortly. In the meantime if you have any further questions, please reach out to us at v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
Thanks so much!
Your name here
3. Email example for V2V try me later follow up
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. This lets the new volunteer know that someone will be in touch and gives you insight into all the great work you are doing! It will be sent to people who expressed an interest in V2V calling but are not quite ready. A similar email is sent out to people committed to Action Coaching and Live Chat. If someone is interested in multiple activities, one combined email is sent out. Your personal message is appreciated.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today about Together We Elect. Personal message goes here.
As we discussed, we’ll reach back out to see if it works for you around MM-DD-YYYY. In the meantime if you have any further questions, please reach out to us at v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
Thanks so much!
Your name here
4. Email example for texter or postcarder
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. It will be sent to people who expressed an interest in texting or postcarding. Your personal message is appreciated but not required.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today and thanks for volunteering! I have you down for: Postcarder,Texter
Here’s a link to the Together We Elect Calendar. We promote campaigns from our allies across the country. You can filter the calendar by action type (like postcarding or texting), using the filter bar on the left side. You will need to Create an Account on the Together We Elect website if you haven’t done so already to see calendar event details.
Everything you need to get started to text with Movement Labs is here:
If you have any further questions please reach out to us at v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
Thanks so much!
5. Email example for Voicemail
This email is sent out by the system to the person for whom you left a voicemail. You do not receive a follow up email.
I just left you a voicemail. I was calling because we have you down as active with us in the 2020 election cycle, and I was hoping you might want to get involved in the midterms. We’re looking for people who might be willing to make calls to volunteers like yourself to see if they want to re-engage. For more information check out:
Volunteer to Volunteer Connect
Alternatively, if you’re interested in texting we’ve already started texting campaigns for voter registration and re-engagement. You can use this link to get started:
For more information about all our volunteer opportunities check out our Together We Elect website.
If you have any further questions please reach out to us at v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
Thanks so much!
Your name here
6. Email example for Specialized Skills
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. It will be sent to people who expressed an interest in providing a specialized skill. Your personal message is appreciated.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today and thanks for volunteering! I am so glad you expressed interest in helping with specialized skill. Personal message goes here.
I will be forwarding this to our volunteer coordinator who will be in touch to follow up. In the meantime, you can Create an Account for Together We Elect if you haven’t already done so which will allow you to explore all Together has to offer.
If have any further questions please reach out to our Volunteer Coordinator.
Thanks so much!
Your name here
7. Email example for Committed - Non-Specific Activity
This email is sent out by the system to the person you just talked to and yourself. It will be sent to people who expressed are committed to volunteering but are not yet sure what they want to do. Your personal message is appreciated.
Hi Volunteer name,
It was great to talk with you today and thanks for volunteering!
Personal message goes here.
I know you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at Together We Elect. Please browse the website to explore options. You can also create an account on the Together We Elect website.
If you have any further questions, please reach out to v2vconnect@togetherweelect.org.
Thanks so much!
Your name here
Volunteer Opportunity Descriptions
1. Role descriptions
Together We Elect and Movement Labs descriptions
1. Together We Elect
TOGETHER WE ELECT engages, motivates, trains, and supports individuals and groups to take effective action to strengthen Democratic representation in the U.S. House and Senate in 2022. We promote events and volunteer opportunities offered by organizations such as Activate America, Force Multiplier, Movement Labs, Movement Voter Project, along with candidates and coordinated campaigns in swing districts and battleground states. Last year, operating as Together for 2020, we mobilized more than 10,000 volunteers to elect Biden/Harris, take the Senate, and hold onto the House.
2. Movement Labs
At Movement Labs (formerly Resistance Labs), our mission is to build a country that works for everyone.
We combine data, technology, and experimental methods with an army of passionate volunteers to build power. We use peer-to-peer texting to help grassroots organizing, recruit candidates to run for office, and help those candidates win. We look for opportunities to work in red and rural areas, and with communities that have too often been ignored.
Since we launched in 2017, we’ve sent over 200 million texts, worked with some of the nation’s top progressive organizations and campaigns in all 50 states, and mobilized over 11,000 volunteers for change.
