Canvassing for SalesFrom time to time, everybody puts off doing things because they “don’t feel like doing them.” Over the Christmas holidays you promised yourself you would start exercising as soon as the ball dropped. Then you committed to getting a jump on your taxes as soon as the W-2’s arrived, rather than doing an all-nighter alongside a stale pizza and a bitter pot of strong coffee in mid-April. But you didn’t do either one, along with many other chores and projects on your radar screen.

As a salesperson when this happens maybe you should transition into a Vulcan. How many times did we hear Spock tell us to ignore our feelings because they just get in our way.

The point I want to make here is that the concepts we’re going to discuss will probably be as distasteful as the scenarios just described. However if you convince yourself to spend a fraction of your time on these two strategies, your dislike for them will decrease, and your sales results will pleasantly surprise you.

I realize that sales solicitation isn’t allowed in every community, but when employed in unrestricted areas, it is a great way to meet people and create lots of sales conversations.

With that said I want to explain neighboring and canvassing, so that you will understand them and begin to see them as I do. The key is to avoid sounding like a stereotypical door-to-door salesperson, who nobody wants to talk to. Just relax and remain conversational and consultative.

Neighboring is contacting people in the nearby 4-6 homes adjacent to and across the street from, where you are selling or doing customer service follow-up’s.

The best time to do your neighboring is during the installation of your product or the establishing of your service. Curiosity will increase as the neighbors see a service vehicle or hear a worker making noise, which will help get the attention you desire.

Since it’s human nature to want to keep up with the Jones’s, it makes sense to attempt to talk to the neighbors, especially if the same situation or need may exist at their home (need for roof, fencing, termite control, lawn service, etc.). Your odds for success will also increase if you can convince your original customer to introduce and recommend you personally to these neighbors, automatically changing the contact from a cold call to a warm referral.

Neighboring steps are simple and basic:

  • Offer a complimentary checkup, audit, etc. to determine a need and desire for what you’re selling.
  • Provide some type of written report to the homeowner on the findings.
  • Follow with a proposal/estimate highlighting any discounts you may be currently offering.

For not homes, leave a business card and call back from a reverse phone book to share why you were in their neighborhood, and attempt to set an appointment.

Canvassing is neighboring on steroids, basically a wide-spread attempt to meet prospects in housing developments who may become interested in your product or service. Canvassing also works well when you are introducing or rolling out a new product or service. In order to make contact with the largest number of residents consider devoting a couple of hours to basic old-fashioned door knocking campaigns between 6-8pm (summer) or late on Saturday mornings (any season).

Since most salespeople aren’t really excited about canvassing, it will help if you have an accountability partner. As you work in pairs, determine in advance how you will divide any jointly-made canvassing commissions, in order to avoid misunderstandings on payday.

Although it might not be the most loved activity you do as a salesperson, once you get out there and loosen up a bit, it’s not nearly as awkward as you’re thinking it will be.

When picking areas to canvass, choose neighborhoods that fit the profile of what you are selling. For example if you sell roofing you wouldn’t want to waste your time in a neighborhood where the homes were just built last year.

Here is an idea for you to chew on from a canvassing event that I participated in while helping an environmental services company roll out a new offering.

  • The sales team assembled at the office at 5pm for a pep rally and some basic instructions. (Reps were given several hours off earlier that afternoon to avoid fatigue)
  • Reps were paired together and assigned areas to cover. A rollover contest with cash/prizes was announced, and sales commitments were publicly solicited and logged on a marker board.
  • Reps were told to call the office as sales were closed, to determine if their transaction triggered pre-set rollover levels, qualifying them for cash/prizes.
  • Admin was asked to text message the sales results to all reps in real time to maintain excitement and create heightened competition.
  • I demonstrated a short role-play of what to say and do, followed by the reps performing a similar dress rehearsal.
  • We all hit the streets with instructions to reassemble at 8pm for a cookout, grilling steaks on site.
  • The group reassembled and posted the board with results, then awarded prizes and ate, followed by lots of bragging.
  • Management was very happy with the results, and after all sales follow-ups were complete, that office exceeded their sales budget by nearly 20% that month.

Canvassing

Canvassing will always work if you do, but you’ve got to make it fun or you are done!

—————This Customer Sees Value————–

“Doug’s online training sessions have been a valuable addition for our sales training. The subject matter includes all facets of the sales process and helps eliminate the isolation effect of single operations by allowing participants to share success stories and ideas across multiple markets.” Dwayne Hazel, Tuscaloosa, AL. Click here to see how it works.

——————————————————————–

©2018 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC