What if there was a way for a campaign to quickly, cheaply and cleverly reach a large number of potential voters?  What if a candidate could respond almost instantly to an attack on his/her campaign?  What if John Q. Candidate could have the Governor speak on his behalf to thousands of households, in an instant?

Hey, there is a way!  Automated phone calls, or Robo Calls.

GOTV (Get Out the Vote) calls are a unique and effective way for a candidate to reach thousands of voters with a message, a response or simply a reminder to vote.

As Cheap as it Gets

Compared to direct mail, automated phone calls are dirt cheap.  Mailers do have great value, but they are not a last minute, budget saving plan.  When you factor in printing and postage and handling, mailers can cost anywhere from $.40-$.50 per piece.

With an automated phone call, you can reach a household for less than $.06.  Yes, that is six pennies, or a nickel and a penny.

Now Where Did I Put that List?

All you need to get things rolling is a list of phone numbers.  Nowadays, candidates can contact their local election boards or city clerk’s office to obtain a list of registered voters.  Depending on how well records are kept, you can break lists down by Republicans, Democrats, people who voted in the last 2 elections and even more focused.  A good format for this list is Microsoft Excel.

I Never Said That

One of the greatest values of the robo call is to respond to a negative attack against your campaign.  Yes, I know it is hard to believe, but politics can get dirty.

Say your opponent sends out a negative mail piece telling the community that you are in support of moving back curfew for minors to 1am.  Did you really say that?  I doubt it.

You can easily respond by sending out a call telling voters that you are in favor of quality family time and the streets are no place for children to hang out.

Do Not Call…Do Not Worry

Political calls are not subject to the Do Not Call list registry (Indiana excluded).  You can hear the disapproving moans of voters all over.

What Do I Say?

An autocall should be concise and brief.  Do not state all your beliefs, your entire political platform or ramble on about how you came into politics.  Here is a sample:

Hello, this is Sally Meyer.  I am running for Alderman at Large on November 3^rd and I would appreciate your vote.  My strategies on budget planning, crime prevention and city beautification are based on today’s needs and our future’s concerns.  My experience in this community makes me the best candidate for this position.  On November 3^rd, remember Sally Meyer for Alderman at Large and know that your community will be in the right hands.

Helpful Tips:

-Limit your message to 30 seconds

-Say your name and position no less than 2 times

-Speak conversationally, as if you were talking face-to-face

-Practice and time your message before you record

-Request that your message is placed while people are typically at work, 10am-12pm or 2pm-4pm

-The day before the election is a good day to place the calls

Other uses for automated phone calls:

-Prospecting for yard sign locations

-Increasing turnout at a fundraiser

-Increasing voter turnout of voters who will vote for you

-Targeting specific demographics with a specific message

Automated phone calls are an invaluable tool for any campaign.  If public speaking isn’t high on your list of fun things to do, surely you can record a simple, effective message and have it blasted out to thousands of households.