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When
Weekdays before 3 PM are normally the busiest times on campuses. Most large universities provide a
steady flow of pedestrians throughout the day. Smaller colleges usually have a steady flow between
classes. Some schools, including many community colleges, continue to have a flow of traffic past 5 PM.
Permission
Some schools allow leafleting by outsiders, while others do not. Public universities are supposed to allow it
according to federal court decisions, but some do not follow such rules and others try to limit leafleting by
requiring you register and limiting where you can stand.
If you do not know if leafleting is allowed (or if you know it isn't) walking around and not offering
to staff is a good tactic. At small schools, leaflet only during class changes. Even if someone eventually
tells you that you are not permitted to leaflet, it will likely be after you've given out a great number
of brochures.
Many schools within cities provide a flow of students on public sidewalks where they can be reached.
Click here for more information on the legal issues
surrounding leafleting and what to do if you are stopped.
Where
In front of the student union is usually a good spot. We keep notes for the best places to leaflet
at schools so check the site for your school.
Other location tips:
- Leaflet to groups of students sitting around talking or students studying.
- Leaflet inside academic buildings and student unions when the weather is bad. Set up on a table, especially if no one seems to be monitoring them.
- Go into cafeterias and walk from table to table giving out brochures. Sit and talk at each one for a bit (one activist has done this with success).
- Get to school before the first class change, that means usually 7:30 or so, and stand between where the residents
live and where classes are and only leaflet people in the direction of those coming to class.
- When the traffic gets heavy, the turn down rate sometimes gets high. Moving to a less trafficked area can increase the acceptance rate. But even with a low acceptance rate, you can give out a lot over the course of an hour if traffic is high.
- Discreetly leaflet in the lobby of buildings by sitting on a bench working on a lap top computer or reading a
book and getting up to hand students leaflets as they pass.
What To Say
Vegan Outreach volunteers have found the following phrases to be effective:
- Brochure against animal cruelty
- Brochure to help animals
- Brochure against factory farming
- Info on non-violent eating
- Hello
- Info about where your food comes from
- Make informed choices
- Info on helping animals and the environment
- Did you get one of these? (esp. for tough crowds)
One successful leafleters says, "With all the talk about what best opening line to use, it seems to me that most people don't hear a word I say anyway. I've stopped using opening lines altogether, and just hand people a pamphlet. If I do say something, it's just something simple like "Hello" to get their attention. I think that the main purpose of an opening line is to screen out people who aren't interested. However, when leafleting to a crowd of young people, like on a college campus, I really would prefer for everyone to take one."
Nervousness
Nervousness fades once you've offered the brochure to a few people. Students commonly have flyers for upcoming parties and plays thrusted at them, so they are accustomed to being approached by leafleters. If you look like you know what you are doing, they assume you're supposed to be doing it.
A couple leafleters give their experience:
"When I first started leafleting I felt uncomfortable and was kind of rigid. Now I stay really loose, I mosey over to people and give greetings as I leaflet, often engaging in friendly banter. When standing I bounce a little bit to be loose."
"Thanks for all your help. I needed your pep talk. Some people ignored me, others laughed as I walked away after I handed it to them, but for the most part it went smoothly. I handed them out as I walked among the students. My nervousness did fade as soon as I started handing them out, like you said. And, I did see students actually reading them."
Remember, there will almost always be some students who are very glad you are there and who are excited to get the information!
Tips from Some of the Most Prolific Leafleters
- If someone says they are vegan or vegetarian, ask them if they want to help out. Some do and it might result
in another regular leafleter.
- Try to project that you're having a good time while leafleting. Smile and say "Thank you" to
individuals for their time. even if they don't take a brochure, it encourages many to come back and ask for
one. Politeness, friendliness, sincerity, and humility all help encourage people to take a brochure and ask
questions.
- A good response to "I love meat," is "But do you care where it comes from?"
- If approaching people can see you from far away read the pamphlet as they walk towards you.
- The Lean - "If you extend your hand all the way and lean your shoulder forward and bend at the waist a bit
towards the student, they will naturally take the leaflet, I mean hey, you are giving so much of yourself to
try to reach this person, they would feel bad leaving you hanging, but this is a delicate thing, because
you don't want to try too hard, sometimes I even step back a bit so I can do a full extension towards the person."
- The Head Tilt - Tilt your head while offering the brochure.
- The Backhanded Leaflet - If someone passes just behind you, pass them a leaflet behind your back.
- People often decide whether to take a brochure from someone based on whether the person in front of them took a brochure. If you get a string of individuals who turn you down, it might be wise to stop for about 10 seconds and then start back up again.
- Say "Hi." Pause for them to say "Hi" back. Then ask them if they would like a brochure.
- When approached by two people at a time, fan the pamphlets out so that one is sticking out for each person.
- Especially when leafleting a tough crowd, make eye contact with the person when they are about ten feet from you and then hold that eye contact as they approach and until they take the brochure or pass. Others have found the exact opposite tactic to work - look at their hands as you are attempting to hand them the pamphlet.
- For when you are going to spend multiple class changes at one school: I leaflet folks going one way when it is
heavy and leaflet in the same direction the next period. By doing this,
I don't get the same people the next period. As the day progresses, I'm getting many repeats, but I'm also getting
several hundred new folks. "Have I asked you yet?" minimizes offending people and ensures new folks are reached.
- "As a place gets saturated or when someone rejects the leaflet, it may sound and feel corny at first
but I give every single person a big thumbs up, "You already got one? Great!" I have found this is extremely
effective! It leaves the next people coming the impression you had a positive interaction, you are not a salesmen or a
nuisance. I do it to everyone from morning on. It's really funny later in the day when 10 people in a row give me a
thumbs up, then I know they already got the leaflet, and it makes my job easier. As it gets later in the day, if
I'm unsure I'll ask, "Did you get one of these?" without extending my hand."
- "Today I had bouts of virtually zero acceptance rate. I tried all sorts of tactics, but in the end
being soft spoken and non-aggressive proved to be the best strategy for this crowd. The students
at Harvard get leafleted so much that I think they react negatively to people pushing stuff in their face all
the time, but when they can see what someone is giving them in a non-forceful way, they can better choose to
take it or not instead of just shutting down completely."
- Brian Grupe has the following advice about smaller schools:
- Class changes. Unless the traffic is REALLY slow, only leaflet students either as they are
coming or going. The flow will be lighter; resist the urge to try and leaflet all students. If you do try and
leaflet everyone in both directions, by the second class change you will be getting students you
already saw, and your acceptance rate will plummet once new students see others refusing booklets. After
three class changes, change locations.
- If the college is REALLY slow, leaflet students in both directions near one specific
building or classroom, then move to a different location for the next class change and do the same.
Then you can go back to the first (if there isn't a third option) and start all over again!
- Positioning. For most smaller schools, just about everyone lives on campus. What I do is
either look online, or ask students when I arrive where the dorms are. About 15 minutes before a
class change, leafleting near the dorms is awesome. If the dorms are all scattered about, chances are
at least the classrooms will be bunched together. If this is the case, leaflet as close to the entrances
of the buildings as possible. It is important to mix up where you stand.
- Parking. Most small private colleges here on the east coast do not have outsider parking available.
When I first arrive, I look to see if there is any security and if it looks like they will be checking parking
decals. If not (almost never), I park where I please in the student lots and do not worry about it. I have NEVER
been ticketed. Also, visitor parking permits can usually be obtained from the visitor center or police department.
You don't have to explain your business. Just say you're visiting and need a pass.
- Faculty/staff. If it's private and you're not sure if you can leaflet, don't offer brochures to
staff members. Generally a good policy.
- If someone tries to kick you off who isn't a police officer; smile and nod until they leave. Then
back to work! Chances are you won't see them again.
Links
How to Start an Animal Rights Group at Your Campus from
Raiders Organized for Animal Rights (ROAR) at Middle Tennessee State University.
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Monica Ferroe