D2D Marketing. Knocking on the Customer's Front Door.
Yesterday was my day for door-to-door salespeople. I had two knocks within 15 minutes of each other. I can go six months without the doorbell ringing once so the two calls so close together was unusual. In my current neighborhood, however, the door-to-door sales effort has become a rite of Spring.
In the past, it's been a high school or college kid looking to paint my house or a lawn service technician promising to transform my yard. Yesterday, I had two very different experiences, which made me reflect on the value of tone.
The first knock was another college kid looking to schedule a free gutter estimate. Of note was his physical location - after knocking he had retreated fifteen feet to the bottom of our front stairs. He physically wasn't in my face and that helped make him to be less intimidating, less intrusive. He also had a grin that was ear-to-ear - this guy was happy doing what he was doing. First impression was positive. He asked how I was and if I had a few minutes. Polite – my positive perception was growing.
He went on to describe how he was setting up free gutter estimates for some of my neighbors. I need gutters so we kept talking, building some rapport. His enthusiasm made me think he believed in what he was doing. When we got to setting up a calendar date for my free estimate I naturally asked how long for the appointment. "An hour and a half" was his reply. This information effectively ended our exchange.
Clearly, my free estimate - his offer - was really a commitment for a hard selling appointment. I just don't have that kind of time or interest in that, and I told him so. He understood and off he went undaunted to knock on my neighbor’s door.
The second knock was a technician from a well-known Telco brand. Her service vehicle was across the street and she wore dirty branded overalls. We had ended our phone service with this brand nearly two years before - instead signing up with our cable provider for phone and Internet service.
This brand has been relentless in their direct mail efforts to bring us back. But, there she stood as living brand ambassador right at the door a mere tweleve inches from being inside my house. She wasn't grinning either. She was at the end of her day, and door-to-door selling was clearly not her primary job.
She had me as a current customer, but I corrected her. She didn't like that and her face went from low energy to a little annoyed. She wanted to tell me about the latest and great television service upgrades in my neighborhood, but her tone and body language said she wanted to go home. I didn't waste her time and pretty quickly gave her the "not interested" response.
Door to door seems like an extremely old world way to sell. I see how it can work for the local, small business. And I even appreciate the notion of how extending the use of your service people to sales people could help grow your business. But, a little training and the right tone can impact your results. Whether your unknown brand or a well-known brand, in this medium being friendly, positive and helpful are mandatory. Does anyone know if there’s a Do Not Ring My Door Bell list like the Do Not Call list for telemarketers?
