FREELANCERS UNION BLOG

  • Advocacy

Would It Kill You to Pick Up the Phone?

pac-phone-bank-goal-blog-photo.JPGMarried to My Phone I’m going to level with you. I make a lot of calls to a lot of members every week, and while many see it as a chore, it is singularly the most rewarding part of my job. And I’m not the only one who feels this way! Recently, we had 10 super Freelancers Union members help us toward our $10,000 PAC fundraising goal by phone banking fellow members (that's some of them in the photo to the right!) Lynn, one member, was so transformed from a cold-calling phobic to a phone banking phenom during our past lobbying efforts for the Freelancer Payment Protection Act that she blogged about it! What’s more, Lynn’s time on the phone helped us get this historic bill passed in the New York State Assembly, and we are now working diligently to make sure it gets passed in the next session - which means turning out members in target districts to meet with their elected officials and tell them to move the bill through the Senate! How do we arrange for members to meet with their senators? By calling them! And that’s why the phone is my partner-in-crime. But it’s not like I have an exclusive thing with the phone – if you find yourself in New York, you can jump in, too! ** Who’s There?** From bill collectors to prank calls from the miscreant up the street, to an unknown number on your caller ID, we want to know: Who is it? When it’s a surprise phone call from a person (or organization!) you care about, it can be the best call of all. In an era of Facebook wall posts, the sound of a human being on the other end of the line is refreshing. For me, the sound of my old college roommate’s voice from Texas (Hi Kayla!) can take me right back to warm memories in a way that a text or an email never could. Sometimes, we just catch up about our lives. Other times, one of us might be calling to ask a favor-which is ok, too! I’d like to hope that getting a call from us can help you feel the very same way as a call from your best friend. **We know you’re busy tracking down gigs and making ends meet, so we’d like to be that sliver of sunshine on the line reminding you that you’re not alone in this freelance endeavor. **When we call about events like working together to pass bills that protect freelancers, Freelancers Union is asking because we have your back, just like I know Kayla has mine. And when we call, we come in peace! Pose questions. We’re happy to answer them – it’s part of making our pitch, letting you know we can talk, that we’re in this together. Jump On the Line For those voiceover artists, expert social media communicators, or love-birds-in-an-intense-long-distance-Skype-relationship- with-your-freelancer-travel-journalist-partner in our midst: we could really use your soothing cords and persuasive personality and phone call endurance on the lines next month. We’ll be making thousands of calls to fellow members in target districts to tell them about the legislation.  I can’t do it alone. You’ll get to speak with fellow freelancers and be the friendly voice behind those subway ads. And for this particularly phone bank, we’re pulling together a Phone Bank Leader Board for some good old-fashioned competition. The top volunteer during the two-week Freelancers Union Phone Bank Challenge will win a $50 Amazon gift card. For everyone else - count on being showered with candy and praise during your time with us. So, can I count on you to sign-up for a short phone bank shift between Monday, September 12 and Friday, September 23 in our DUMBO headquarters? Times are flexible during the day and evening and I’ll call you (fancy that!) to set up a concrete and convenient window of time. While you’re considering it, drop us a line on your thoughts. What’s it like getting a call from us? What do you want to talk to us about? Also, can’t make it to the city to phone bank? Let me know in the comments where I can find the best breakfast taco in Austin, so I can repay Kayla for all her kind phone calls when I visit.  I want to be in guacamole heaven. Kaitlyn Freelancers Union Organizer Questions? Find Kaitlyn tweeting at @organizerkait!