In The Know

Anyone who has ever participated in the political arena understands the concept of canvassing. A team of volunteers is brought together, goes door-to-door in a target district, and connects with constituents to learn more about their plans regarding an upcoming election or vote. The goal is to build awareness and sway undecided voters to support your cause or candidate.

However, it can be tricky to know whether your efforts can (or will) go beyond the issue at hand. In most cases, traditional or surface-level canvassing barely makes an impact on a voter’s worldview. If your team did their job well and connected with the right audience, they will have gained valuable votes for your cause, but that’s where your campaign’s influence usually ends. 

Enter deep canvassing, a long-term strategy focused on building relationships and driving societal change.

What Is Deep Canvassing?

Compared to traditional canvassing, which focuses on brief interactions and delivering scripted messages, deep canvassing is all about having longer, more in-depth conversations with people about their beliefs, values, and opinions. It focuses on engaging people in meaningful dialogue, relying on active listening, empathy, and personal storytelling to create a more memorable conversation. 

The strategy has become popular among those who are passionate about controversial issues, such as freedom of choice and same-sex marriage. That means you’ll often find yourself having tough but important conversations with your audience. Nevertheless, the key takeaway is that they’ll help you forge genuine connections that foster lasting change in attitudes and behaviors. 

Benefits of Deep Canvassing

Deep canvassing offers significant advantages over most traditional canvassing strategies. By spending additional time to talk to and understand your audience, you can accomplish the following:

Build Genuine Connections

A persuasive canvassing message can convince someone to support your candidate or cause in an upcoming election. But deep canvassing does more than that. By showing empathy and a willingness to listen, you create a real dialogue in which you are both able to share your thoughts and experiences. That, in turn, builds a genuine connection with the people you speak with. 

For example, if your campaign is focused on LGBTQ+ rights, a deep canvassing approach might involve volunteers sharing their personal stories of how these issues have impacted their lives. These conversations can rehumanize polarizing topics and help your audience move past divisive rhetoric. 

Win Hearts and Minds

Research has shown that deep canvassing can be more effective at changing people’s attitudes and beliefs than traditional canvassing methods. By engaging in longer, more thoughtful conversations, deep canvassing can help individuals reflect on their own values and consider new perspectives. 

Imagine that you are approached by two advocates, one of whom recites a short script before asking you to vote for their candidate and another who spends upwards of 20 minutes talking and listening to you. The latter advocate has a genuine chance at influencing your beliefs and changing your opinion toward the side of the issue they support. 

Encourage Civic Engagement

Deep canvassing can also mobilize a community. If people feel as though their voice truly matters, they may be more willing to get involved in the causes that matter to them. For example, a deep canvassing campaign on climate change might inspire your audience to take action, perhaps by making adjustments like using reusable bags at the grocery store or decreasing their electricity usage. 

Address Polarization

Today’s political arena is dominated by sound bites, hot takes, “gotcha” moments, and passive-aggressive (or outwardly aggressive) social media posts. Deep canvassing takes the conversation beyond these surface-level interactions and seeks to bridge divides by fostering mutual understanding. 

By focusing on empathy and personal stories, you can help reduce hostility and build common ground between people with differing views. And that can be particularly effective when speaking to undecided voters and those who are misinformed about your cause or movement. Thanks to your willingness to step outside of your bubble, you can help reshape the beliefs of people in your area. 

How to Deep Canvass

Before engaging in deep canvassing, you will need to do the following:

Invest in Training and Resources 

Volunteers need to be well-prepared to engage in meaningful conversations, so consider hosting training sessions on active listening, empathy, and storytelling. Additionally, your organization will need to invest time and resources into building up your team. You can’t send them out into the neighborhood without the proper skills, after all.

Adopt Political Tools

Robust advocacy and campaigning tools can help you plan more effectively, allocate resources, and identify which neighborhoods to canvas. These solutions are also useful for tracking the results of your canvassing efforts and providing insights into how you can get better at connecting with people. 

Tap Into High-Quality Data 

Data represents the foundation of any canvassing effort. Don’t tackle a neighborhood of your staunchest opposition during your first go at deep canvassing. Give your team an opportunity to learn and grow by targeting moderates and undecided voters. 

High-quality political data will help you determine which neighborhoods to target. You can also use the insights you gain from such data to better understand which topics are most important to your audience, train your team on key talking points, and devise a strategy for breaking down barriers.

Demo Aristotle Today

Aristotle is a leader in political data. Our team also provides dynamic technology tools for campaigns and advocacy groups. Schedule a demo and learn how Aristotle can power your deep canvassing initiative.