Uber does it. Lyft does it. Send drivers to where there's known demand - rather than going to the same old locations as many cabs do. It's a smarter use of resources. Similar technology can improve canvasser productivity so they meet more people, in less time, with less effort.
Where are the best spots and times to micro-target canvassers? Local volunteers know their communities best. Have them collect this information for you.
A campaign manager defines what information to collect in Survey 123 and shares a link (via email, SMS, social media) with local volunteers. They collect the details needed using this link - without having to install an app. The tagged locations are mapped automatically and used to micro target canvassers. Just like Uber and Lyft, it's simple and efficient.
"Where Do We Canvass?"
Organize For Action advises "the goal of any canvass is to talk to as many people as possible." Therefore, we want to target areas that are dense with people and allow us to easily talk to them all. We recommend canvassing both door to door and public locations where people pass by regularly. Good canvass spots include grocery stores, sporting events, public transport stops, fast food restaurants, parks, college campuses.
Try it for yourself by pretending to tag a canvassing location at this link from a mobile phone. (You can do this anonymously with a random address).
This is the console that the campaign manager sees. Information from volunteers is immediately mapped as they submit it. Individual records can be queried and data can be exported as a spreadsheet for use in other applications.
DemLabs didn't develop this solution. We applied Survey 123, an existing ESRI software package in response to a request from a campaign in Virginia that wanted to use their canvassers most effectively. Using applications that have already been proven in business is faster and cheaper and involves less risk than developing new software.
Drop us a line if you'd like to learn more - or have some other challenge that might be solved using existing technology.
Co-Founder, DemLabs