To help you plan a successful leafleting
expedition that will alert others to the plight
of farmed animals, we’ve compiled a
comprehensive list of tips allowing you to make
the most out of this effective advocacy
strategy. We’ll examine a variety of
strategies—from tried-and-true tips to fresh, new tactics—so that, when it
comes to leafleting, you’ll have plenty to go
on.
Remember, the most
important—and often overlooked—advice is to
have fun and maintain a positive attitude!
Have a good tip to share?
Please send us an e-mail at
anne (at) veganoutreach (dot) org.
Click on category below for
related tips
Planning Your Leafleting Expeditions
What to Wear
Where to Stand
Demeanor
What to Say
The Social Dynamics of Distributing the
Leaflet
Security and Laws
After Leafleting
Stocking Leaflets
Other
Planning Your Leafleting
Expeditions: Tips on Finding a Location
- We’ve found that the best outreach
locations are those frequented by youth,
like colleges or concert venues. On the
whole, young people seem the most willing to
consider the plight of animals and have the
most amount of freedom to explore new ideas
and eating habits.
- Chances are that there are multiple
colleges and universities in your area. You
can look online to find out when a school is
in session. Generally, peak student foot
traffic occurs between the hours of 9 a.m.
and 3 p.m. Some campuses can be quiet during
class sessions, but as soon as passing time
hits, watch out! Also, some colleges see a
decent amount of foot traffic throughout the
evening. If you can find a safe, well-lit
area, don’t rule out evening leafleting.
- In addition to colleges, you can also
leaflet quite successfully at festivals,
parades, political rallies, high schools,
places of worship, outside subway stops, or
in your city’s downtown at lunchtime. These
locations are great for those of us who are
too busy to leaflet during the weekday,
because you can hit many of them in the
evenings or on the weekends as well as
during the day.
- Concerts often present us with good
opportunities to leaflet in the evening,
especially when they are located in venues
near public sidewalks. Give the concert
venue a call to find out when the show will
end and get there 20-30 minutes beforehand.
Find the best exit and get ready to pass out
hundreds of leaflets in just a few minutes,
as attendees pour out!
- Plan ahead by reviewing event calendars
for local venues once a month. Then compile
info on the event or concert that you wish
to leaflet, such as the date and expected
starting and ending time. This will allow
you to arrange your schedule accordingly, as
well as to recruit more help for bigger
happenings
- Another great resource for finding
popular events is
Pollstar.com. On the site's upper left
corner, you can enter your city in the
search engine and find upcoming events in
your vicinity.
- Take notes on the “leafletability” of
local venues and recurring events so that
when it comes time to plan another
leafleting expedition, you’ll know which
events/venues will be most successful.
- If you plan on bringing a large quantity
of literature for an event, it will be
helpful to invest in a handcart to help with
on-site transportation. For smaller
quantities of leaflets, backpacks are best.
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What to Wear
- Make an effort to dress according to the
crowd you are leafleting, so that appearance
doesn't distract from your main focus: the
animals. How we present ourselves as
activists will have an impact on what others
think about vegetarianism on the whole.
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Where to Stand
- Once you are at a venue, seek out the
best place to stand in terms of foot
traffic. Depending on the situation, you can
stand in one spot or walk around offering
the leaflets to people you come across.
Sometimes the acceptance rate can be higher
in a less crowded spot.
- If the weather is bad you can try
leafleting under canopies or wherever there
is protection from the elements.
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Demeanor
- Smiling, making eye contact, and being
upbeat will increase your receptivity rate.
Politeness, friendliness, sincerity, and
humility all help encourage people to take a
leaflet and ask questions.
- Saying "Thank you" to passers-by, even
if they don't take a leaflet, may encourage
someone to come back and ask for one.
- Many activists are nervous about
leafleting. In our experience, nervousness
fades once you've offered the brochure to
just a few people. Remember, there will
almost always be some recipients who are
very glad you are there and who are excited
to get the information, and very few who
will be downright rude.
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What to Say
- It can be important to let people know
what they're getting by starting with an
opening line. This has the purpose of
screening out those who already have our
leaflets, are not interested, or are already
veg. A few of our favorites include:
- "Info on animal cruelty?"
- "Brochure to help animals?"
- "Info on factory farming?"
- "Pamphlet on non-violent eating?"
- Some feel that opening lines are
overrated and that many people don't even
hear much of what we say. Rather than using
an opening line, you could just hand people
a leaflet or say something simple like,
"Hello" to get their attention.
- It’s not uncommon to encounter fellow
vegetarians and vegans while leafleting. If
they decline, “No, thanks, I'm already veg,”
you can offer them Vegan Outreach's "Guide
to Cruelty-Free Eating" pamphlet which has
recipes and nutritional information. Some
may ask about getting involved in activism
and you can exchange contact information
with them.
- Occasionally people will want to ask you
a question about factory farming, animal
rights, vegetarianism, or health. Most of
the time you can refer them to the leaflet
or an online source for answers, but
reviewing common questions and familiarizing
yourself with good answers can be useful.
You can review our list of
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers here.
- It’s okay to admit it when you don’t
know something. We don’t need to be
encyclopedic with our responses. Sometimes
the simplest answers are the best.
- Try not to engage in discussions of
great length, as these could limit your
ability to continue leafleting.
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The Social Dynamics of
Distributing the Leaflet
- Make sure to hand out the leaflet right
side up and facing away from you. This will
ensure that people can see what's being
offered, and if they decide not to take it,
the message about veganism and animal
cruelty will probably still enter their
thoughts, even if only briefly.
- Don't expect people to run up to you for
a leaflet. Some people are uncomfortable
leaving their “personal space,” in which
case it can be helpful to extend a leaflet
out to them, rather than just showing them
what you have and waiting for them to take
it. Walking up to a passer-by and actively
offering your leaflet will increase the
likelihood of it being taken.
- Some leafleters have increased the
acceptance rate, especially in tough crowds,
by looking each person in the eye and
holding his/her glance until he/she takes a
brochure. In other words, don't lose eye
contact by looking to see if the individual
is reaching for a brochure. Others have
found the exact opposite tactic to work —
look at the person’s hands as you are
attempting to hand him/her the pamphlet.
- People often decide whether to take a
brochure from someone based on whether the
person in front of them took a brochure. It
is also common for someone to refuse if the
person before him/her refused. If you aren't
successful at first, wait a moment to let a
few people pass and smile as you offer
information to someone who hasn't seen
anyone dismiss you.
- Try handing out leaflets to groups of
people sitting around talking or students
studying.
- At times when the traffic gets heavy,
the turndown rate becomes very high,
especially if you are not being aggressive.
In such cases, moving to a place where the
traffic isn't so heavy can be effective.
Even though the turndown rate can be very
high, you can still hand out many leaflets
over the course of an hour.
- Although it is not very common, on
occasion you will encounter individuals who
will be confrontational. In these
situations, the best thing to do is remain
calm and redirect your attention to other
individuals who are receptive. Don't take
insults personally.
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Security and Laws
- A common worry activists have about
leafleting is that they could get in trouble
at a given venue. As it turns out, you have
legal authority to leaflet hassle-free on
almost all sidewalks, public college
campuses, and other public property.
Compassionate Action for Animals and Vegan
Outreach have leafleted at nearly 1,000
campuses and thousands of other venues, and
have had problems at only a small portion of
these. The worst that can happen is that you
are asked to leave, and as long as you do
so, there should be no problem.
- Some schools allow leafleting by
outsiders, while others do not.
According to federal court decisions,
public universities are supposed to allow
leafleting, but some do not follow such
rules, and others try to restrict leafleting
by requiring you to register and limiting
the places you can stand. You may register
for a table at some colleges from which it
is still possible to give out a large number
of leaflets (usually 200 to 500 in a couple
of hours) just by standing nearby.
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After Leafleting
- To maintain a good reputation with the
venue, clean up! Pick up any discarded
leaflets, and save those in good condition
for future use.
- It's a good idea to take notes on your
experience and/or have a follow-up
discussion with any leafleting partners.
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Stocking Leaflets
- In your daily life, you can get leaflets
out to the public by stocking leaflets at
neighborhood libraries, grocery stores,
restaurants, cafes, veterinary clinics,
record shops, and other places where fliers
are permitted.
- Before stocking literature at an
establishment, it is important to get
permission. Otherwise, you take the chance
that the leaflets will be discarded.
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Other
- Consider joining Vegan
Outreach's “Adopt A College” e-mail
discussion list. Get more tips, share your
experiences and distribution numbers, and
enjoy a greater support network.
Learn more here.
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