You do that by deciding what canvassers need to do — how many leads and demos do they need to bring in — to be promoted. Of course you’ll get turnover, but turnover will be higher if canvassers can’t see themselves ever doing anything other than knocking on doors. It’s a classic dead-end job. Establish benchmarks and you can say: “Hey, you’re doing really well, and you only need x number of demos to be promoted to the next level.” Now you’re managing a system.
- Recruit every day. Do you need to market your products and services every day? Of course. Not a day goes by that you don’t need leads. Think of recruiting for your canvassing effort in the same way. If you’re not doing it, you’re failing. Track all the ways you advertise, how many calls result, how many actually show up for the interview after the call. Do something every day to recruit, whether that’s taking out an ad, posting fliers, or approaching a clerk in a drugstore to ask if he is interested in making additional income.
- Make it predictable. Apart from everything else, it’s the up-and-down nature of canvassing that makes it such a challenge. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Get the systems in place and you’ll turn canvassing into a steady, predictable, measurable source of leads. Maybe even your best lead source.
—In 2006 Chris Thompson started Canvass King, a consulting company that works with home improvement operations to build and perfect their canvassing efforts. He was previously president of Ohio Consolidated Builders, a Cleveland window and siding company.cthompson@canvassking.com.
PAIN RELIEVERA knock at the door. The owner opens it. There’s your canvasser, who goes right into his pitch and asks for the appointment.
Resistance is high. The homeowner has been interrupted. She looks wary, disdainful. She gives some kind of objection or resistance. She’s like a boxer with her gloves held high. That’s where most canvassers give up and move to the next house.
How do you get the gloves down? First, ask if the homeowner has ever had an estimate for (windows/siding/roofing). Most people will answer that. If they have had an estimate, you know they want the e product but for some reason haven’t decided to move to the decision stage. If they say they haven’t had an estimate, you need to make them aware of all the problems that can result by not having new windows/siding/roofing.
Problems are about pain, and people don’t take action unless there’s pain. Tell them you can have someone look at their house and offer an affordable solution. Ask: “When’s the best time to catch you — morning, afternoon, or in the evening?” So many canvassers never get to that point, and then they wonder why they’re not getting anywhere.