Surveys are a great way to engage with local residents.
They give residents the opportunity to feedback their concerns and priorities for the local area. When followed up with casework and updates they build important relationships between the Lib Dem team and local people.
There are many ways to distribute Resident Surveys.
This article looks at doing Knock and Drop Surveys. These are personally handed to residents after a knock on the door. Residents are then asked to complete the survey immediately and leave it sticking out of their letterbox for collection.
ALDC has a full campaign pack with survey templates here.
Why do Knock and Drop Surveys?
Knocking on doors and leaving surveys with people to complete immediately maximises the number of returns you will get. This means more connections with local residents, more valuable feedback on local issues and more data to record on connect.
Knock and Drop surveying is also a very pleasant way to canvass residents. Almost all residents will be happy to take a survey from you. Many will be impressed that you are out to get their feedback rather than just canvass for their vote. Knock and Drops are an excellent way to ease in new canvassers and give them experience of knocking on doors. Of course you still get canvass data through the completed surveys!
As you are not asking hard canvass questions, knock and drop surveying should be done far out from an election. The Summer and Autumn months are ideal. In the few months prior to polling day you need to switch to direct canvassing.
What Surveys should you use?
This is up to you – and there are many templates available to choose between.
ALDC has an extensive library of Surveys. Some are general and cover a number of local issues. You can also do a themed survey on a big local issue – for instance crime and community safety.
We are currently holding a bulk buy deal for enveloped surveys – with a 20% discount for ALDC members. Find out more here.
All resident surveys must:
- Be named and addressed. If residents are asked to complete their own details many will choose to remain anonymous.
- Include a prominent ask for email addresses and phone numbers.
- Ask for voting intention as one of the questions.
- Contain a correct Fair Processing Notice. This way you can record the data people provide on Connect and use it for future Lib Dem campaigning and engagement.
- Include an ask for volunteers – particularly local deliverers.
Template surveys from either the ALDC website or the Lib Dem Campaign Hub will always include the above.
How to Maximise your Return Rate
Keep your conversations short, and only give people the option of leaving the survey sticking out of their letterbox. The most effective way of handing over a survey is to:
- Introduce yourself
- Explain you are distributing local issue surveys to get people’s feedback. Ask if you can leave one with them and then hand it to them. Almost everyone will agree and take one.
- Once you have handed the survey over ask the resident to complete it within the next half and hour and leave it sticking out of their letterbox for you to collect later. It’s essential you do this, and present it as the only option. Collecting from letterboxes is how you achieve a high return rate.
- Post the survey through for people who are not home. Make sure there is an easy return mechanism. ALDC templates will have space for your FREEPOST address that aligns with the window of the envelope so it can be returned in the same envelope.
Always Report Back
You have had a successful evenings door-knocking and collected back a healthy number of surveys. Reporting back on what you have found is just as important as delivering the survey itself.
Process any personal casework that has back on the surveys quickly. Record any contact details and voting data on Connect. Look across all the surveys and analyse the feedback. What are the main concerns raised by local residents, and what can you do to address them?
If you have delivered a Knock and Drop Survey to a street or walk, you can produce a leaflet or mailing back to the street detailing the main issues people raised and what you are doing to tackle them. Similarly if you have distributed a survey to your entire ward you will need to let people know the results and the actions you are taking with a follow up leaflet.
- You can download an A4 template Report Back Leaflet here (PDF preview)
- You can download a template Report Back Letter here (PDF preview)
If you get round a good chunk of your ward each year with knock and drop surveys, and follow up with casework and report back letters / leaflets, you will make hundreds of strong connections with local residents and make sure you are on top of people’s priorities for your local area.