One of the biggest challenges I hear from canvassers when I walk doors with them in private training and coaching is when they get into situations and they’re at a loss for words… they don’t know what to say. Often times they get frustrated and lost and will regurgitate things they probably shouldn’t say. Their head is spinning and they respond with a fight or flight reaction. It helps the canvasser to know what their end game is at the door; what’s their objective. I’m talking about starting with the end in mind. Yes, the end game is to get the lead for an appointment, but not at the cost of frustrating the canvasser or irritating the homeowner.
I’ve sat in on many role playing meetings with canvassers where they discuss how to handle the situations when the homeowner just doesn’t set an appointment. It’s easy to offer suggestions in these meetings when it’s removed from the ‘fire fight’ at the door. And some of the worst suggestions I’ve ever heard come from the most successful salespeople in the company. They’re trained, built and conditioned to operate from a sales generating methodology, not a lead generating mentality as canvassers are. Sure, you can bulldoze your way through a call and get the homeowner to set an appointment, but at what cost? If the homeowner ends up feeling bullied into the appointment they’re only going to cancel later once they’re out of the ‘fire fight’.
The canvasser’s objective is to get the lead, but they also have to know when to walk away from the door with the confidence knowing they’ve done everything possible to get the lead. That’s what I’m going to address in today’s article.
The Conflict of Interest
Before the canvasser can be successful in getting a lead and setting an appointment he or she must understand the mindset of the prospect when they knock on the door.
When the canvasser approaches the door their thoughts and energy are focused on getting an appointment.
When the homeowner hears that knock on the door their mind is preoccupied with whatever it was they were doing at that moment. It may be watching TV, eating dinner or playing with the kids.
As the canvasser waits with anticipation for the homeowner to open the door he or she is waiting with a smile on their face ready to launch into their presentation. Start a conversation and build rapport.
When the homeowner opens the door and sees the canvasser they’re not thinking conversation and rapport, they’re thinking who is this stranger, probably a salesperson and how fast can I get them off my porch? The last thing they’re thinking about is your product or service. They may have a need for it; they may have had conversations with their spouse about replacing the windows or remodeling the kitchen or funeral preplanning, but at the moment the canvasser shows up on the doorstep that’s not what they’re thinking about. They’re being bombarded with thousands of sales and marketing messages that day and their guard is up.
This is the conflict of interest. The canvasser is starting at a disadvantage. You’re at their door, on their turf.
When the canvasser’s taught their only end game is to get the lead then they’re already put behind the eight ball. They’re not in the right place mentally to handle getting from where they are from knocking on the door to getting the lead. Think of it as transportation in the futuristic movies where the person stands on a platform and poof, they’re instantly transported to another location completely eliminating the journey between point A and B. That’s what the canvasser’s feeling when they don’t understand their end game fully. They’re conditioned to think that all they need to do is knock on the door and they’ll get the appointment; without the journey in between.
Who Has Control?
There’s a difference between a thermometer and thermostat. A thermometer measures temperature and a thermostat controls it. All too often canvassers act like thermometers and measure the demeanor of the prospect and respond in like manner. For example, a homeowner who cuts the canvasser off and pulls back from the door as if to leave the conversation; or one who says they’re not interested, but isn’t as forceful in their demeanor. Both these prospects are doing and saying the same thing and the canvasser can’t react in a like manner. Does the canvasser cut off the presentation and move onto the next door or do they stay and engage the prospect. They have to control the situation and set the tone and direction.
The key is in the tools you provide. The tools you have, or should have developed, teach the canvasser how to influence, how to persuade, how to be a thermostat and not a thermometer. A truth about canvassing, and this is unavoidable, success will not come without work. You can’t avoid having this conversation with canvassers on a regular basis. A football coach’s pregame speech is never about telling the team to go out on the field and treat the opponent with kindness and they’ll in turn do the same to you; they’re not going to tackle you hard and we’ll all get along swimmingly and sing coumb-by-ya after the game. No, it’s about going out there and taking the fight to them, it’s going to be hard, you’re going to get knocked around and yes, you might get hurt, but in the end you can stand proud knowing you’ve done everything you could, you gave it your best and in the end some we’ll win and we’ll lose some, but we’ll walk away with our heads up high.
That’s what the canvasser needs to hear. They need to know they’re going to go out there and expect that every homeowner is not going to have their noses pressed up against the window with excited anticipation for the canvasser to show up at their door like Santa Claus bounding down the chimney on Christmas morning. They’re going to get cut off, beat up and get their egos put in a bind, but they’ll have all the tools they need to do the job, not b b guns, but howitzers and the ammunition to go along with it.
This set’s the stage for getting the canvasser in the right mindset. This leads us to the next part of the system. Success leaves footprints, which is to say the footprints is the system, what you can follow to achieve the same results as others.
The Systems
Now is when we get into knowing when it’s time to end the conversation; no matter where you are in the presentation. This could be during the introduction or the end when you’re capturing the prospect’s contact information.
It’s all about the system. If you’re using my system then you know it’s:
Step 1: Introduction
Step 2: Transition
Step 3: No/Yes
Step 4: Feel, felt, found + Programs
Step 5: Partial programs
Following this system gives you a ‘shot’. I’ve actually had it happen that the prospect cuts me off and closes the door, but feels so compelled by my transition question they re-open the door to answer it. It doesn’t mean I’ll get the lead, but it gave me a fighting chance. The transition question is so powerful and can be used anywhere in the presentation. There are no long, detailed rebuttal scripts to memorize; just knowing this simple question you can pull out of your back pocket anytime anywhere in your presentation. Then, once the homeowner gives you an answer, you head off in the next direction with step 3. It’s a simple system. If you get cut off, you have the tools to take back control of the presentation.
This works for veteran or new canvassers and it doesn’t take any special personality traits (A or B personalities). Regardless if the canvasser is experienced or not, my step 2 question gives the canvasser the confidence to be in control of their presentation and their ability to move in the presentation. Again, knowing you’ve done everything you can to influence and persuade the prospect toward your ultimate end game, to get the lead and appointment. However, you can’t get to that end game without the mini victories along the way, along the journey.
If the prospect responds yes to your transition question you don’t have to get into a long conversation to establish need and want. If you did, it would irritate and annoy the prospect. If they give you a no then you know they haven’t taken the time to investigate what you’re offering and you have to spend more time establishing the need and want.
If your system is developed correctly you’ll isolate the prospects objections to the only 2 there are, money and time. When you follow the system and bring the prospect to either of these 2 objections you can not address them; in my system it’s steps 4 and 5 where I do that. When you get to this point you’re getting closer to your ultimate end game.
It’s about following the system; your system or mine, but follow the system.
If at this point they simply don’t want anything more to do with your opportunity you simply thank them and end the conversation. When you reach this point you know you’ve done everything you could to move the prospect to an appointment. You’ve done your job completely. Yes, you didn’t end up with the appointment, but the reality is you’re not going to get every lead no matter how good you are. In my experience, the leads are captured in the 4th and 5th steps of my system, but many canvassers never get to this point in the presentation and they don’t give themselves every opportunity to get the lead and appointment.
Here’s a little ‘inside baseball’, a look into my mindset when I approach every door.
- Do I understand my objective and end games?
- Have I practiced my system?
Then I go out and get my door numbers in. It’s that simple. Don’t complicate it. I’ve practiced, I’ve gotten my door numbers in and I delivered my presentations. And guess what happens, the leads come, the appointments get demoed, the sales happen and my commissions follow. I don’t worry about getting leads because I know they’ll come.
The money follows those who prepare, practice, knock on doors, get activity in, and deliver the system to the best of their ability at the level they’re at. Everything takes care of itself. The pressure’s removed. You’re simply mastering a skill set. If you don’t have a system that’s working for you then I offer to you investigate mine. You can learn about my entire system through my home study course, “Canvassing in the New Economy” at www.canvassking.com/CanvassingNewEconomy.html.
I recommend you review the live Silver Telecoaching call from August 14, 2013 for details and stories on each of the nuggets I shared in this article.
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If you have a question that pertains to the content of this article go to www.AskTheCanvassKing.com and submit your questions. I’ll answer them either directly back to you, or, if they would be valuable to all my members I’ll share them on a live Telecoaching call.