Fear of knocking on doors?
If you’re a door-to-door salesperson, chances are you probably face this fear from time to time.
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Especially does this often occur after being away from selling for some time (holidays, illness etc.). Not only is it bothersome, but more importantly it cost you money as you waste valuable time. However it is usually easy to overcome. As soon as you have knocked a few doors, and spoken to a few customers that day it gets easier. The problem is just overcoming the first door..
More on: Door-to-door sales.
Here is a little “first aid kit” you might use whenever you face this fear:
1. Don’t think about selling anything for a while. You only goal now is to knock 5 doors. Nothing else.
2. Stop your car, and do this super easy motivation technique (6 steps).
3. Drive up to the nearest house you see without judging how it looks, wondering what kinds of people who live there etc. Ring the doorbell without having a single thought in your head. If the person who opens turns you down, it doesn’t matter. Try to keep the conversation going on other subjects than sales just to get your tongue warmed up so to speak.
4. At the next house you will feel even calmer. And at the fifth house, the fear will most likely be totally gone.
Here is another “trick” you can try to boost confidence and build up a “I can do anything”-mental state BEFORE you knock on the first door:
Do something out of the ordinary at a shop, coffee shop or restaurant before you start working. For example say that you would like to order a tuna fish pizza at a hamburger restaurant, while holding a straight face. Or walk up to the counter (after you have eaten the hamburger), and say that “this is the best hamburger I have ever eaten in entire life!).
Talk to strangers. Tell the person behind the counter a joke while you order food or coffee. Give somebody a compliment. Act like a comedian. Walk down a street crowded with people singing a silly song or speak out loud a line or two from Hamlet. Just do anything to get yourself out of your normal comfort zone.
Good luck, and happy selling!
7 comments
Suprisingly many salesmen struggle with this fear. Will print this out at the office. Thank you!
Door to door causes me to become anxiety ridden. This “technique” is gonna be used by me this week. I was so scared/nervous last week my wife had to kick me out of the car.
I tried to quit after the second door, both no’s. Third door, no. Fourth door, I was not quite as nervous and just mechanically got out of the car….SALE! 25% closing ratio but I only got to speak with 3 decision makers so 33%……………….but I was still an uncomfortable coward and your article is gonna calm me right down. Thank you!
Everyone is nervous when they first start knocking doors. I had social anxiety when I started. It is something that you need to practice over and over, every day. You get through the fear but doing it. I also used other techniques such as striking up random conversations in gas stations or stores. This helped me get past the fear of initiating a conversation. You will come to find that people are not scary and that most of them will have a full conversation with you, sometimes about their personal life and everything. You just got to get out and do it, the hardest door to close is your car door. For some advice on ice breakers to say when you first meet someone, take a look at:
http://superherosaleswoman.com/sales-ice-breakers-warm-up-your-customer/
im a brand new business owner here in tasmania, selling and installing insulated rollershutters. in all of my previous experience i have been a consultant by apt. closing the leads the PR team booked.
Now, im the PR, im the consultant and the installer and its pretty obvious that my business is failing in the lead generation dept. any tips on building my skills and confidence would be much appreciated, any tips on building a PR team would also be gratefully received. i have been a consultant for somebody elses pocket too long…. i know how to close, i know how to install. door to door is making me crazy
I think being able to motivate yourself is the number one biggest obstacle when door knocking. The best tip is learning to ask for referrals so you can cut down on your prospecting time. Great site by the way, a good resource for others to ask others what works best for them.
We did the same thing with a whole bunch of professionals and we got over 15 scripts and 30 tips with this ultimate door knocking guide. I hope it helps others here with their door to door prospecting,
http://www.leadheroes.com/the-complete-guide-to-door-to-door-cold-knocking/
Let me know what you think!
Hi every one. I am 30 yrs young and just went from facilities Maintence for gated luxury HOA communities to door to door solar sales in pheonix az.
I can talk to anyone on the street bums marines police and so on. Make jokes and get loud. Even sit with the homeless out side my office and share coffee and a smoke just talkin.
But as soon as I start hitting doors I choke up stumble and forget my pitch.
I am going to try these techs.
But does anyone have a suggestion
Thanks for the incredible tips, going to use it today.
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