Does knocking on doors really work?

[patientlady]

Go back and see everyone of your customers. Make an appointment to see them, to make sure they are there. Go with ultimately the reason for getting three leads from them for other businesses they deal with, get the contact name and as much detail about the co lead.
Even ask your customer to call them while your there to arrange an introductory appointment.

Set up a Trustpilot account, and while you are in these past customers get a 5* review.

While your there, see if you can get some additional ancillary work if thats possible
p/l

 

[Lissandragaren3]

Is this really helpful topic?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I don't think it will work. People nowadays have become enclosed in their own shell through the internet and social media. They've forgotten how to physically interact with people in the real world that they've become introverts in that way. I've witnessed countless times that many people don't like sales persons visiting their homes. They don't want someone selling them something because they might be compelled to buy it out of respect or pride when they don't even have any need for it. I myself don't like that. I'd like to buy stuff on my own without anybody "compelling" me to buy this or that. I have trouble declining people that's why I don't like sale persons coming over uninvited.

Parking is going out to attract other businesses not loners that hide behind the sofa

 

[alan1302]

They don't want someone selling them something because they might be compelled to buy it out of respect or pride when they don't even have any need for it.

I don't like people coming selling at my front door as I'm not interested in the slightest...if I want to buy I will go and find the details no need for anyone to come to me.

 

[alan1302]

Parking is going out to attract other businesses not loners that hide behind the sofa

Someone that is a loner not not necessarily hide behind the sofa - they just enjoy their own company rather than others most of the time.

I'm generally a loner but don't hide behind the sofar nor would I not talk to you.

 

[MBE2017]

I don't like people coming selling at my front door as I'm not interested in the slightest...if I want to buy I will go and find the details no need for anyone to come to me.

There will always be a few people like yourself who would rather not be contacted, which is why I mentioned using various methods of marketing, no single way works for everyone.

Surprisingly to people like yourself, the vast majority of people like personal contact if done correctly. I would say from personal experience 90-95% are happy by such an approach.

It is foolish to believe people can sell you something you do not want, more likely you are scared you will be encouraged to buy.

As for no need in anyone to ever visit you, how exactly would a security system be designed for your property without a personal visit? You might think you know what is required, but what if you are wrong?

 

[Nochexman]

I run my micro company providing parking and security solutions in and around Norwich. The parking side is going fine but the security side is a bit lack lustre.

I was thinking whilst driving along listening to an audio book by Richard Branson would physically knocking on industrial units and so on still work in this day and age? Im thinking about going to the nearby industrial parks and physically asking them about their security arrangements and seeing if i can be of any assistance to them in improving their current offering.

So would it work or would i be wasting my time which could be better spent on another idea?

Curious to know what you decided to do in the end?

 

[parkingandsecurity]

In the

Curious to know what you decided to do in the end?

In the end I made sure the website was fully up to date and correct. I then contacted my current clients to try and cross-sell some of my products.
I also gained a small contract this week after reading a report in the local paper about "homeless man attacks woman in residential car park" and the article stated that the managing agents were looking to appoint some security. As such i emailed them and said i would be happy to give them a quote. Within 20 minutes of the quote going in I had the contract agreed and signed back to me the same day. The local media attention will hopefully shine the spotlight on me and the business if "someone" helpfully lets the press know as they have done 2 follow ups on the incident already so one saying "Parking and Security solutions have now been contracted to assist in the security" will do me wonders.

 

[Ashley_Price]

I also gained a small contract this week after reading a report in the local paper about "homeless man attacks woman in residential car park" and the article stated that the managing agents were looking to appoint some security. As such i emailed them and said i would be happy to give them a quote.

Well done on being so proactive - often it is these sorts of things that can work over knocking on doors "at random".

Mind you, what people say in the press and what they actually want can be two different things.

Back when I had the call answering service, there was an interview in a local paper with a jeweller (he made and sold his own creations) in my town and one of the things he mentioned in the interview, was he would love someone else to answer his calls, as he got so many it disturbed his day, when he was trying to make the jewellery.

I immediately went to see him, and he said he wasn't interested.

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Quite unbelievable that on a section dedicated to sales the overwhelming response is negative! Knocking on doors is like fishing. You may have the wrong pitch, be fishing at the wrong time, using the wrong bait but you persevere, try different methods, learn from your mistakes. Don't be put off by 'no's'. Forget it, move on and knock on the next door. Remember you are not trying to sell them something, you are trying to offer them a service that they should have, that they've probably thought of sorting but haven't had the time to. It's hard soul destroying work but pick your days, target your area or customer type and you'll get more success.

.......and here you have the perfect example.........
In your last post where you say you won the contract for residential parking security and now hope the 'media attention will shine on you', suggests you'll be sitting on the edge of your desk waiting for the phone to ring. Don't! You have a story to tell, one they may already be aware of, a good door opener to approach every other residential parking agent in town. Go and knock on their doors NOW!

 

[Financial-Modeller]

Congratulations on being proactive and winning the contract.

...The local media attention will hopefully shine the spotlight on me and the business if "someone" helpfully lets the press know...

Continue with the proactivity. Write a press release and send it to the newspaper for them to print.

 

[parkingandsecurity]

Well as it happens the press are meant to be doing an article in the next 24 hours along the lines of:
"Single mother upset as parking rules" due to the fact a tenant parks outside an allotted area (her garage) and now the freeholder wants to enforce the lease she has gone to the press. We were contacted for comment and provided a small neutral statement sympathising with the complainant but also pointing out that the majority of issues are caused by tenants whose partners visit and still park in the area without there being provision. No such thing as bad press after all

 

[antropy]

In the

In the end I made sure the website was fully up to date and correct. I then contacted my current clients to try and cross-sell some of my products.
I also gained a small contract this week after reading a report in the local paper about "homeless man attacks woman in residential car park" and the article stated that the managing agents were looking to appoint some security. As such i emailed them and said i would be happy to give them a quote. Within 20 minutes of the quote going in I had the contract agreed and signed back to me the same day. The local media attention will hopefully shine the spotlight on me and the business if "someone" helpfully lets the press know as they have done 2 follow ups on the incident already so one saying "Parking and Security solutions have now been contracted to assist in the security" will do me wonders.

Good to see that you perseverance paid off! Always shows that if you find a lead and act upon it quickly then you put yourself in a very good position to win the contract. Alex

 

[parkingandsecurity]

It's like fishing, I see relevant articles in the press and contact people as a result.. sometimes i get a bite and sometimes I don't.

This is a very reactive-proactive way. I can only react to press - usually after a crime when people are at their most vulnerable and worried sadly.

I want more pre-emptive leads where people are looking for security as a general requirement as opposed to dealing with an occurrence of crime.

 

[antropy]

It's like fishing, I see relevant articles in the press and contact people as a result.. sometimes i get a bite and sometimes I don't.

This is a very reactive-proactive way. I can only react to press - usually after a crime when people are at their most vulnerable and worried sadly.

I want more pre-emptive leads where people are looking for security as a general requirement as opposed to dealing with an occurrence of crime.

Unfortunately as you highlighted previously people only consider having security when something bad happens. However I am sure there will be postings from larger companies where they are looking for security firms but if I am honest I am not sure where you would find out about these listings. Alex

 

[Deleted member 59730]

It's like fishing, I see relevant articles in the press and contact people as a result.. sometimes i get a bite and sometimes I don't.

In my experience knocking on doors works. However you have to think of it like fishing when you mostly come back empty handed. Organise to knock on a lot of doors. When I started my publishing business I reckoned on 3 - 4 calls in a morning and another 4 in the afternoon. In one memorable morning I got six new accounts before lunch. Some days I got nothing but insults.

My business was based in a couple of newish industrial units so we were easy to find but I was surprised that I very rarely got any sales calls at the units. I also, in 32 years, only got one person knock on my door asking if I had any jobs available.

 

[davidlee21]

It doesn't work. Nobody likes to be disturbed.