Good morning!
Back in the day, canvassing businesses door-to-door was normal, accepted, and a decent use of time. In 1982, when I started selling, we had no internet, no cell phones, and the doors were open and unlocked. There was also no voice mail and no caller ID, so people were much more likely to pick up the phone and talk. That’s not to say things were easier. I prospected in the snow every day, uphill both ways. But I digress…
These days, making initial contact with a new customers is wicked hard. Spend some time cold calling and you’ll know what I am talking about. It really sucks. Day after day, week after week of pounding the phones will leave you frustrated and feeling as though the effort isn’t yielding any results. That’s not true, of course, but it sure feels that way.
While it is not as efficient as it once was, there is nothing wrong with spending a day a week in the field going from one business to another, banging on door and dropping off goodies, calendars, memo pads, or business cards. At best, you might get lucky and gain access to a company. At worst, you will at least feel like you are doing something worthwhile. Augment this with your normal prospecting efforts and perhaps for the first time you will feel as though you are moving the sales needle a bit.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
