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Over the past several months, we have covered door knocking from every possible angle. It all began in April when Ralph Yarl, a 16-year-old Black teenager, went to pick up his brothers, knocked at the wrong door, and was shot twice by the homeowner. Within a week, another young person, a 20-year-old white woman, got lost and went to the wrong house while trying to find a friend’s home; she was also shot.
That’s when I wrote an op-ed on Inman about retiring door knocking for good.
“These days, telling your agents to door knock for new business isn’t just dated advice, but it could also be a deadly endeavor. In a world where gun violence is in our headlines daily, it’s time to retire this technique for good,” I wrote.
Since that first post, we’ve covered a wealth of content, insights and resources from a variety of perspectives banked for your education right here on Inman.
Don’t do it
- After Ralph Yarl, it’s time to retire door-knocking once and for all
- Downplaying door-knocking danger: The Download
- Don’t knock door-knocking. The benefits still outweigh the risk
- Agents, stay off my grass and don’t knock on my door
How to be safe and strategy-driven
- Have a plan, bring a buddy: How agents door-knock today
- Learn the strategies of this self-proclaimed ‘door-knocking champ’
- Stop being needy! Start delivering value like UPS
- Read the signs to make your door knocking more effective
- 7 door-to-door sales secrets to make you a better door knocker
Not sure where you stand?
- 9 ways to get new clients without having to door knock
- Door-knocking is personal. Stop trolling your colleagues
- Readers weigh in on the (ongoing) door-knocking debate
At Inman Connect Las Vegas last week, this all culminated onstage. Inman’s head of contributors Dani Vanderboegh moderated “The great door knocking debate,” featuring DOORA’s Ernesto Vargas (pro door knocking) and myself (anti-door knocking), where we ran through all the angles in a live debate.
Top door-knocking takeaways
The final results? Although we jokingly agreed to disagree, we did have five significant takeaways on the topic:
- Go with a strategy
- Don’t go alone
- Layer digital advertising
- Try direct mail
- Be active in the community
The key is consistent practice and planning for the best results. Know your area, and listen to your gut instincts. Don’t feel pressured to do it if it doesn’t feel right for your business. There are hundreds of other ways to prospect. If canvassing a neighborhood isn’t your jam, digital door knocking is a great way to get your “foot in the door.”
Other pro tips
- Use tools like @homesnappro with smart analytics to sharpen your game and identify homes that are “Ready to list.”
- Open house events are great to door knock around.
- Remember to lean into building your brand awareness in the neighborhood beforehand for better results.
This debate is far from over. As technology and sales practices continue to grow and change in this pivotal market shift, there will always be two sides to the door-knocking coin. I look forward to the next round, and I encourage everyone to keep sharing perspectives, alternatives and best practices around this topic. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
Together we can keep knocking on both digital and IRL doors to connect with our future client base.
Rachael Hite is a former agent, a business development specialist, fair housing advocate, copy editor, and is currently perfecting her long game selling homes in a retirement community in Northern Virginia. You can connect with her about life, marketing, and business on Instagram
