this question is from Scott and Scott is
says that he has been door-knocking
and handing out business cards and it
has not been working he's wondering if
he's saying the right thing and asking
for advice so I would start with look at
this from the homeowners perspective so
you've got to really put yourself in
their shoes to figure this out so I
can't tell you exactly what to do but I
can give you the clues to figure it out
so you have to first look at it from
their perspective and imagine a couple
scenarios one they were eating dinner
two they were helping their kids do
their homework they were watching a
television show maybe they were even
expecting the FedEx guy to drop off
something important that they're really
excited about and when they came to the
door it was you not the FedEx guy
there's a million scenarios where you're
interrupting them and immediately the
tension level goes up because you're
there to sell them something you're
there to bother them you're interrupting
maybe they were having a fight before
they answered the door now some of these
things are things to keep in mind so
that you don't take it personal when you
know they're a little rude to you or
send you on your way and it doesn't feel
like a very pleasant experience but at
the same time
you have to immediately overcome this
and so from their perspective when they
open the door and see you what do they
see and experience what is the
subconscious feeling and thought they
have in the first 10 seconds you've got
to make sure you get that correct how do
you look how are you dressed how do you
speak do you smile how do you present
yourself what are the very first words
out of your mouth think of a marketing
piece and a headline if you get
something out of your mailbox and that
headline doesn't immediately tell you
what's in it for you and why you've got
to have this now well then why would you
possibly read that marketing piece you
wouldn't you throw in the trash when
they open the door what's the very first
thing you say it's like your headline
what did you immediately communicate
that is in it for them why should they
pay any attention to you give you the
time of day and not just shut the door
so you've got to really think about the
presentation and the experience and once
you figure it out you do the same thing
over and over and over again what does
your business card look like first of
all business card isn't exciting to me
what can you
of them that when they closed the door
they set it on the counter and when they
look back at it it reminds them why they
must do business with you or why you're
doing something giving delivering
something that they need how do you keep
that thing you just gave them from going
into the trash did use a magnet that
maybe they throw it up on the
refrigerator for a later time did you
give them a gift did you give them
something that has value that they want
to even keep a business card ah that's
that's just there's nothing there's no
value there it's not a gift of anything
there has no value why they'd want to
save it so what can you give them that
they would not want to throw away or
they'd want to save because they think
they'll use it or they'll need it at
some point so you're also working to
make sure that thing you hand them
doesn't go in the trash as soon as they
close the door because maybe they're not
ready for you now maybe they'll be ready
in four months and so you want them to
save that thing other considerations
would be how you're communicating what's
in it for them so for example if you
knock on the door and say hey I work in
your area I want to grow my business I
need some more business Alma your lawn
it would be good for me I mean you
wouldn't say it that way but you get the
idea what are you communicating them
it's all about you if you open that if
they open the door and you say I would
like to mow your lawn for free for a
year in fact if you look across the
street at those five homes across the
street that notice how awesome the lawns
look I I will mow your lawn for free for
one year no catch you have to pay me a
dime no tip nothing clearly that's
absurd but what's the difference in the
two examples the first example it's what
what's in it for you you being the guy
trying to sell the second example it's
all about them I mean that would be the
dream come true situation they open the
door you're super professional
incredibly nice they just immediately
get this incredible first impression
you've immediately conveyed trust and
then you say you know what I'm gonna
because you're such a great person I'm
going to take care of your property for
free for a year no catch well of course
you wouldn't want that
so your job is to figure out the middle
ground between the first and second
examples I gave
get it give them something as close to
that second example clearly you can't
give away lawn mowing for free for a
year but what can you do to gain their
trust maybe give them something of value
that they would want to use you try you
and so you have a far better chance when
you knock on the door of winning their
business if you somehow do those types
of things
you immediately reposition the
experience from I want something from
you too I have something I would like to
give you that will be a huge benefit to
you and you will absolutely won it you
being the homeowner and how do you
immediately convey trust what do you
leave behind that won't end up in the
trash so what can you do in in when
you're knocking on doors I think you put
yourself out there bit your expenses
your time and that's it so I think you
have some money on the table to give
away what could you do could you give
them something what could you give them
because the better the bonus the more
compelling the offer whether it's
something you mail from on a mailing on
a direct mail piece where you're
advertising a bonus and incentive versus
knocking on their door even when you're
knocking on the door you still need to
give a bonus incentive to make them take
action now for example you knock on the
door and you say I take you you don't
start with this but you immediately
communicate the benefit for them and
introduce yourself convey trust and then
you mention I take care of three of your
neighbors on this street and I just
wanted to knock on your door and let you
know that well this is not the way to do
this so I didn't think this through
ahead of time but the idea being I
wanted to knock on your door let you
know I take care of three of your
neighbors I noticed that your sprinkler
head was leaking and I just wanted to
let you know and also by the way we're
running a special right now where for
any client that signs up for service
with us we're giving away a free iPad or
iPhone or iPad iPhone or whatever you
know something iPod you get the idea and
now clearly the value of giving that
away
excuse me formerly
clearly the value of something like an
iPad that you would give away from
mowing their lawn is too great but what
is it that you could give them as a
bonus that's the same concept and I'm
not saying you have to give that thing
away but what is it you could give away
because that's a lot more compelling
than just saying I would like to take
care of your lawn because I take care of
your neighbors well why should I why
should I take action right this minute
whereas if you say if you sign up
tonight and by the way the proof of the
quality of my work is the three
neighbors across the street that I now
take care of if you sign up tonight
we're running a special and I will give
you a free iPad again you're not going
to use an iPad but it communicates
immediate value to them and they don't
want to lose out on that so what is it
that you could give them a value and it
could be something so much smaller
obviously it would be something so much
smaller than that but if you want to win
a lot more business then you've got to
think about it and that way think about
all those different things and there's
more but if you start working on those
things and you perfect it when you find
what works you keep saying and doing the
same thing over and over again you'll
find that you have success and I would
leave with the end with this if you're
knocking on doors trying to sell lawn
mowing for example at the end of the
year most homeowners are not interested
they'll just wait till next year to make
a decision they don't want to deal with
it now if you're knocking on the door to
sell lawn care in spring when the grass
is just about to start growing or a
better set has just started growing a
lot of people need it in fact everybody
needs lawn care at that moment in time
your chance of success goes way up so
make sure you're doing your door
knocking at the right time of year
selling the right type of service that
they need right now it's all about right
now whatever you're selling they don't
you can't be a scenario where they might
need it in three weeks they gotta need
it now so whatever whatever time of year
you're knocking on doors be selling the
thing they need today that's the best
chance of getting them to take action
today so good luck