January 13th is Door-to-Door Salespeople Day

Avon Does it, Girls Scouts do it, Fuller Brush does it,  Bible Distributors do it, Pots and Pans Peddlers and even photographers do it! What do they all do? They sell door to door! Back in the 70′s my mother owned a photography studio in San Diego and she had a team of sales people who would go door to door in assigned neighborhoods selling “Memories Packages” to families and individuals. It was a great way to spread the word about her company and create a new client base. As I recall the packages were about 1/3 the regular cost. It was to get people into the studio. The reason it was effective is that at least 50% would buy more than the package. It became her number-one strategy for new business. The sales people would get half of whatever the package sold for so we made a decent living most days. I do remember sometimes it was discouraging when I didn’t make even one sale. It was all I could do to stay motivated. But then I would remember how many people loved the results and the good days always outnumbered the bad.

So if your product or service lends itself to selling Door-to-door, here are my 4 tips to better Results:

4 Tips to Better Door-to-Door Sales:

Start with Communities. If you can sell in communities all the better. I would suggest you contact the leaders of the community such as their board. The people responsible for making decisions on behalf of the group. Ask if you can sell in their neighborhoods. Offer to do a demonstration in the common area or clubhouse. Give premiums for doing so.  Make them an offer they cannot refuse. If you get sanctioned by them, it will be that much easier to sell to people.

Dress For Success ~ People are more concerned about opening the door than ever before. Your appearance could be holding you back or making you more successful. Since you have onlay a few seconds to make a good impression, you must dress for success. If your company or product lends itself to a suit and tie or business attire, then by all means, you should wear that.  You should always have a visible PICTURE ID on you, visible so the prospect can see it before opeing their door. Have a sign on your vehicle that identifies you and your company. If you don’t drive a company car, buy some magnetic signs that clearly state the company name and a contact phone number. This will reassure people and you will find more opening the door for you.

Your Pitch ~ In door to door sales, you have only a few seconds to make an impression. Your opening line is critical to the end result. Be prepared. Practice. Be sincere. Be ready to answer preliminary questions. Entertain them. Keep them interested. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t. Change your opening until you feel confident that the one you are using achieves the best results for you.

Your Attitude is equally important. Ask ANY successful sales person. You have to stay positive. There will be many people who will say “no” and even a few shutting the door on you. There will be days that you don’t sell anything. It can be challenging. Remember it is a numbers game. The more doors you knock on, the better your chances of success. As long as you stay positive.  Make each call count. Don’t take the rejection personally. It is not the easiest job, but it can be rewarding both from a financial aspect and from an emotional aspect. One happy customer can carry the positive door-to-door sales person through the day!

Did you know that in 1952 more than 2% of the workforce sold door-to-door? And that it was the fastest growing industry of that time. For more on that, read this  article on Door-to-Door Sales that ran on April 1, 1952.

For 365+ more marketing ideas and to purchase your copy of the 5th Edition of Quirky Marketing Calendar 2011 go to:  http://quirkymarketingcalendar.com/buy-the-ebook/