Best time for phone banking on the weekends?
October 2, 2016 10:46 PM Subscribe
I'm helping organize a phone banking effort from Hawaii for a ballot initiative in Washington state (3 hours ahead). From my googling, It seems the consensus is to phone bank 2-5pm Hawaii time (5-8 PST), Mon-Thurs. Since that's pretty inconvenient for most people's work schedules, we're considering holding these on the weekends. If we're to phone bank on the weekends, does anyone know if different hours would be more optimal than 5-8 PST?
Overall, any advice on whether phone banking with potentially less people on optimal days is better than doing it with more people on not so optimal days?
Overall, any advice on whether phone banking with potentially less people on optimal days is better than doing it with more people on not so optimal days?
As someone who makes and eats dinner between 5-8, I feel a lot of anger toward political and sales calls during those hours. I'd hang up on you.
That's why it's the best time to call. No use calling when there's no one home to hang up on you.
I would set it up for 4pm - 7pm HST (7 - 10 PST). Ideally 6-9 HST but your volunteers probably don't want to hang out until midnight their time.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 8:16 AM on October 3, 2016
That's why it's the best time to call. No use calling when there's no one home to hang up on you.
I would set it up for 4pm - 7pm HST (7 - 10 PST). Ideally 6-9 HST but your volunteers probably don't want to hang out until midnight their time.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 8:16 AM on October 3, 2016
Best answer: To answer the second question, the hardest part about phone banks is getting more people. Definitely run it when you can maximize people -- the difference in contact rates will be made up with the extra volunteers you want.
Consider the following scenarios:
10 callers @ 15% contact rate x 90 call attempts = 135 contacts
15 callers @ 10% contact rate x 100 call attempts = 150 contacts
On edit: I read the time zones backwards above (need more coffee.) You want to run calls 6-9PM local time, the latest legally possible window. Thats 3-6 HST. But run the phone banks when you have the most people.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 8:19 AM on October 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
Consider the following scenarios:
10 callers @ 15% contact rate x 90 call attempts = 135 contacts
15 callers @ 10% contact rate x 100 call attempts = 150 contacts
On edit: I read the time zones backwards above (need more coffee.) You want to run calls 6-9PM local time, the latest legally possible window. Thats 3-6 HST. But run the phone banks when you have the most people.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 8:19 AM on October 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
As a data point, I phone bank for Hillary Clinton from Hawaii usually during that 2-5pm range on weekdays. In my circle of friends/acquaintances 2-5pm weekdays would be more convenient than a weekend afternoon. On a weekend, mid morning would probably get the most people (10am-ish), especially if you arrange coffee and donuts -- but that might be less than ideal timing for the call recipients.
posted by melissasaurus at 9:23 AM on October 3, 2016
posted by melissasaurus at 9:23 AM on October 3, 2016
Former political organizer here: 5-8 PST is indeed the best time, or maybe 6-9. It's true some people get annoyed, but at least they're home. I've phone banked during business hours and it's super-ineffective. I would not call past 9 PST.
posted by lunasol at 10:55 AM on October 3, 2016
posted by lunasol at 10:55 AM on October 3, 2016
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posted by cecic at 5:54 AM on October 3, 2016 [2 favorites]