The Publisher’s Page

There are people who swear that door knocking is the best way to start a real estate career or a political campaign.

I have done a lot of door knocking in my time, starting back in 1957 when I was in short pants selling apples door-to-door for my Cub Scout pack. I have since knocked on doors for my community, for charities and even at real estate offices when I was selling real estate ads for the Real Estate TV shows that I created back in 1988.

Even with all that experience I still find the idea of knocking on doors something that I dread. I am ready to listen to the people today who make convincing arguments about social media, networking on the Internet and creating ads on YouTube. They say all these things make impressions on people that are compelling and work for your business just as well as door knocking.

I am intrigued by the YouTube example especially. When I think of the effective messages that I have seen on YouTube, such as the Super Bowl commercials, they really leave a good impression. While most of these commercials are aired on television in the American media, we occasionally see them in Canada and we are inspired by how well they work. They range from the comedic Volkswagen commercial about engineers getting wings when cars roll over 100,000 km, to the brilliant Budweiser commercial about the bond between a dog and the Budweiser horses. Of all these commercials, only a few actually speak about the product itself but rather leave the impression of a great short story with the brand name entrenched in the message.

With YouTube ready as an immediate medium to carry your commercial and the availability of reasonably priced cameras and recording devices, it’s pretty easy for anyone to make their own commercial. While there are a lot of political messages on YouTube, I am surprised there are not more creative real estate commercials out there. I’m sure Realtors will find and embrace this medium in the future.

I am ready to believe this is the new cold calling. Once you have a good creative commercial crafted and produced, all you have to do is attract customers to come online and watch it. I really want to believe this is the new door knocking of the times without actually walking in the cold and fearing what you are going to encounter behind those real doors. I am so ready to believe this and I have almost convinced myself this is all true.

The problem remains that I just cannot deny the success of pulling together a good attitude and going out to knock on door after door in your marketing or “farming” area.

I cannot deny the effectiveness of speaking to a person at their house; about their house. The personal contact and the simple message that people are important enough to make a salesperson come out and knock on their door to humbly ask for their business remains a lasting positive message. I have to admit that even people who aren’t as smart as me have acknowledged that when it comes time to cast their ballot in an election, the candidates who came to their doors to ask for support get the more serious consideration.

There are always going to be people who don’t like anyone coming up to their house and who even slam the door in the faces of people collecting for charity. I can personally say that you are guaranteed to run into a few of those folks when you are out there. I know I did whenever I went door to door.

The thing is, door knocking works every time if you really go at it with a good attitude. You have to work a number of blocks, both sides, keep a good frame of mind and be ready with a cheerful hello. I am reluctant to admit it but it works. I am no poster boy or fashionably elegant in appearance, but I am sincere and for reasons I cannot articulate exactly or explain, door knocking, as much as I dread it, has always worked for me.

If your technology and social networking is working for you, that’s fantastic, don’t stop. If it’s not working, try door knocking. You have nothing to lose but a sunny afternoon and a bit of shoe leather.

Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].