John is one of our founding members and biggest supporters. He shares his best tips and tricks for helping to spread the word: "The old saying: “you only get one first impression” is so true in personal publicity"

Ways of publicising Voices for Forrest

by John Sherwood

One of our greatest needs is to inform people in Forrest electorate about the existence and purpose of Voices for Forrest.

Here are four ways in which I’m achieving this. I have shaken cans in fundraisers for voluntary agencies for 60 years. Not everyone likes the personal eyeballing of strangers in public, but they can do publicity in other ways. There are hundreds of methods to choose from, or even invent, to suit your personality!

Offer fliers near corflutes: I tie 2 corflute signs to my tricycle and stand nearby (see photo), offering fliers to anyone who wants (about 40% of people). If they comment, I engage them in a chat for however long they seem interested (about 10 chats per hour). No fliers wasted, and some good engagement with strangers who have never heard of V4F.

Corflutes as sandwich boards: Tie corflutes together and slip them over head, facing back and front like sandwich boards. Walk around town in populated areas, offering fliers, and engaging in chats where appropriate. Often, fliers given out and chats are more frequent than the above standing method.

Offer fliers at alfresco areas at coffee shops etc: This is a new method to me, and proved very successful. The percentage of chats to mere handing out fliers was higher, partly as they were seated. Again, I thanked them and moved on as soon as I saw their attention was waning.

Offer fliers to groups of people around town: Groups feel less confronted by offer of fliers, and two groups I approached recently all took fliers and also had a good chat.

The old saying: “you only get one first impression” is so true in personal publicity. One quick sentence while holding out a flier, is all you usually get.

I am trying out many different single sentences to say as I offer a flier, to find two or three which get the best responses. At present, “We’re trying to elect a community independent to Canberra in the coming federal election” and “Increase community democracy in federal parliament through a local independent” seem to produce best results.

I’d value your comments please.