Host a Phone Bank House Party

Getting Started
Before
During
After

Host a phone bank in your neighborhood to reach out to area supporters and continue to build our movement for change.

A couple things to get you started:

If you're looking for space to accommodate a phone bank outside your home, you can try contacting a local business with multiple phone lines such as an insurance company or law firm. You might also try connecting with your local community center or library and organize a cell phone bank party.

Think outside the box! Remember, that what you are doing not only helps to strengthen our movement, it also serves to create and fuel your own neighborhood Obama team.

Have fun! Keep in mind that every call you make gets us a little closer to the nomination. Use this guide to start planning your own Call for Change phone bank.

Step 1: Create your Event

Take a moment to create your event online. Creating your event online means you’ll get your own page for your event, be able to send an invite to your friends, track who is planning on attending, and send details and reminders to your attendees.

A few things to keep in mind when creating your event:

Select Phone Bank as your event type.

Make your event searchable if you'd like to open it up to supporters on My.BarackObama. Make your event unsearchable if you wish only to invite friends and family.

Step 2: Invite Friends, Family and Fellow Supporters

Start with people you know.
Think about friends, family, colleagues and neighbors who are excited or interested in Barack Obama. Invite at least 15 people, knowing that at least half probably will not be able to attend.

Reach out to your larger community.
You can find your local My.BarackObama group and invite members to attend by emailing the group's listserv. You can create your own event flyer and post it at your local coffee shop, grocery store, or library. It's up to you if you want to keep your event small or try to invite all members of your local My.BarackObama group for a large celebration.

Encourage all of your attendees to RSVP.
Send an email to all of your attendees using the Email Attendees link on the Manage Your Events page a couple days before the event and then again on the day of the even. Encourage everyone to bring their cell phone and a charger so everyone can participate.

Step 3: Get your Materials in Order

There are several materials you’ll want to be prepared with before you begin your call for change!

Sign-in Sheets. This is the form that you will want to have all your attendees use to sign in.

Call Sheets and Scripts. Select the state you'd like to call, and then simply select "Call Contacts Offline". From there you will be presented with links that will allow you to print off your calls and a script.

Other materials you may want to have on hand:

Issue Flyers. Think about printing out flyers detailing Barack’s positions on important issues.

Obama Merchandise. If you’d like to provide your guests with buttons or show your pride with an Obama t-shirt, you can find these items and others in the Obama Store.

Camera. Don't forget to take pictures and share them with us after the event.

Step 1: Welcome and Training

Welcome
Welcome your guests and introduce them to others at your house party. Make sure every attendee signs in on your sign-in sheet.

Introduce yourself
Share with the group why you decided to host this event and why you support Barack Obama. Why did you get involved with the campaign? Everyone has a unique story about how they got engaged, and your guests want to hear it directly from you. Your openness will help set the tone for the rest of the event.

Training
Once people are settled, you'll want to go over the basics of phone banking. We have resources that are dedicated to making people feel more comfortable with the process of reaching out others in the community. You can gather your guests to listen to an audio tutorial.

Once your guests have listened to a few of the examples, give them some time to review the call script. You might want to break off into pairs and practice a few "mock" calls, just so everyone has a chance to get comfortable with the process. If anyone has additional questions, refer to our Frequently Asked Questions section.

Step 2: Making the Call

Now you should be ready to start calling for change! Make sure that everyone has enough space and all necessary materials: phone, call sheets, and a call script.

Occasionally check-in with your phone bankers to see if they need any water or have any questions. Remember, this a social movement. Your efforts will be ensuring that people in your community know that their is a real grassroots effort for change underway, and hopefully they will want to become a part of it as well.

Have fun!

Step 3: Wrap Up

Once everyone has finished up, be sure to set aside some time for reflection. Take some time to share stories. Talk about some of the more notable call experiences you had and what you learned. Not everyone will have a notable experience to share, but it is important to laugh and learn together. Doing so ends the night on a fun note and instills a sense of purpose and connection within the group.

Step 1: Capture Information

Enter your sign-in sheets online.

Step 2: Follow-Up

Send individual thank you emails to all of your guests and invite them to your next phone bank event!

Step 3: Share Your Feedback

What kind of event did you hold? What worked best? Share your ideas for future phone bank party hosts. Write a blog and send your photos to photos@barackobama.com.

Congratulations! You just helped Barack get one step closer to victory!
Check for more ways you can build this movement! It's people like you that make this campaign for change possible.

Organizing for America