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What products or services could I sell door-to-door to make money today?

by ginnysclub1
12 replies
Over the years, I've had teams of people selling various products and services door-to-door. I've various home improvement products such replacement windows, burglar alarms, solar panels, etc.

However, I've had the most success and made the most money, selling what I called, 'self-contained' products/services. In other words, not lead generation, just straight up, cash-in-hand or direct-to-bank. I was able to turnover hundreds of thousands selling competition tickets and magazines, for example.

America tends to be a few years ahead of the UK, is there any trends, products, or services that you can could suggest?
#doortodoor #make #money #products #sell #services #today
  • Profile picture of the author Oziboomer
    You might like to try a smart doorbell.

    If they haven't got one and they opened the door they're a prospect.

    If they have got one you know to give them a miss.

    If their neighbour has got one it is a pretty easy "Keeping up with the Jones's sale"

    Best regards,

    Ozi
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    • Profile picture of the author ginnysclub1
      Thank you very much for that suggestion. I'm going to do some research on that.

      It's relatively small order value therefore an impulse buy. I'll need to see what kind of mark-up there is.
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  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    I don't know if you mean door to door to consumers or business owners. Let's assume consumers.


    A couple of guides:

    The majority of people won't listen to you or even open the door. You are really selling to a small percentage of home owners.

    If the people let you in the door and are willing to talk to you, I've found it makes little difference what the price point is. I've sold $29 products, and $2,000 products...and the same percentage buy...you hear the exact same objections.

    If you are going to hire others to do this, pick something simple to explain. If you are just going to do it yourself, pick something that has a high profit built in.

    The reasons I like vacuum cleaners is that they are pretty universal. Everyone has one. And the manufacturers are begging for dealers....there are so few people out there today selling vacuums, even though 20 years ago it was common. It's a fun sale. You are't talking about a lot of money. Most pay with a credit card or you can arrange financing at any finance company. A $2,000 vacuum cleaner will cost you about $600 from the factory. Lots of brands to choose from.

    Simplified underwriting life insurance policies are like that too. High profit, And just about anyone that will let you in the door is a prospect. You need a license to sell life insurance, but they are easy to get. And the state test is easy to pass.
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    • Profile picture of the author ginnysclub1
      Thank for your suggestions. Coincidentally, I recruit an ex-vacuum cleaner salesman for a client, just a few months ago. I most admit that I was surprised that people were still selling vacuums via in-home direct.

      This chap was making good commissions but he had to leave the job because he had lost in driving licence. In the UK, as far as I'm aware there's only one company that sells vacuum via direct sales - it's a company called 'Kirby' I don't know if you've heard of them.

      Anyways, it's another idea that's the hat. Thanks again, Claude.

      Unfortunately, the life insurance suggestion would not be feasible in the UK as Insurance sales is heavily regulated.
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  • Profile picture of the author myob
    I have reps that go door to door giving out samples and offering discount memberships for top of the line health and fitness products. It's actually a relatively easy way for quickly generating leads because they're not really overtly "selling" anything and most people are already taking some kind of vitamins.

    There is no long and messy presentation, and we always leave with a powerful sensory impact in less than four minutes. As far as I know, no one is marketing door to door like this outside of my company. Most likely, not many people are even willing to do it.

    Dressed up in athleisure, these reps jog door to door through newer suburban neighborhoods with backpacks full of samples and product pamphlets. After a brief intro at each door, the rep asks prospects if they would try our fitness and energy sample pak in exchange for their opinion.

    Of course these guys (and gals) are quite fit, so saying no to such an offer with all of its implied benefits would be like saying no to health and vitality itself. Full contact information is obtained including phone and email, and an appointment is scheduled for a followup phone call within the next 3 three days.

    Conversion to orders runs about 40% through this process, which sometimes does take several weeks. But over 70% become repeat customers, and a small percentage of those (about 3%) even become active distributors.

    You can't really sell anything these days door to door without a relevant permit or violating some oversight regulating agency or local licensing ordinance. But just giving away free samples with a bit of creative class and style may certainly keep you from generating unnecessary complaints and adverse attention.
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    • Profile picture of the author ginnysclub1
      I'd like some more information about this, if possible
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      • Profile picture of the author myob
        Originally Posted by ginnysclub1 View Post

        I'd like some more information about this, if possible
        It's really nothing new. Real estate agents especially have been using this technique for decades. They call it "farming". Successful geographic real estate farming specialists systematically and continuously market to a neighborhood to brand themselves as the area's real estate expert.

        Similarly, physically fit and energetic guys and gals in brightly colored athletic wear generates a high level of curiosity. They systematically give out free samples of our energy drinks and nutritional products door to door, in exchange for prospects' feedback. Nothing is ever sold upfront, so receptivity is quite high. We run through the neighborhoods about 2-3 times every year.

        We generally followup within 48-72 hours by phone, email, or return visit depending upon the resonance. Every sale almost always also results in referrals, generally in other neighborhoods or even other states. These leads are given to local distributors who also canvas door to door in the referrals' neighborhoods using the exact same method. And the cycle goes on and on ,,.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shreya Surana
    Hey ginnysclub

    The business you can do from door to door are which instantly are solving the problem faced by people.
    Once you ring the bell and say that you are selling a specific product, it should immediately strike that it is required by them.
    Now, all this completely depends on the demographic you are selling to and the geography you are selling in.
    It varies widely and does not depend on the product but whom you are selling to.
    For example : you can sell anything related to ease the hurricane disturbances in california, so and so.

    All the best
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  • Profile picture of the author otjcenter
    Why do you want to sell door to door, this is an almost extinct practice it`s like going back? In time to the 60`s, now times have change people are very hostile to door to door sales people. You should think about this you can build your business in line, but also send out lefts through letter boxes. Even the big boys of the Hight street are moving on line.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by otjcenter View Post

      Why do you want to sell door to door, this is an almost extinct practice it`s like going back? In time to the 60`s, now times have change people are very hostile to door to door sales people. You should think about this you can build your business in line, but also send out lefts through letter boxes. Even the big boys of the Hight street are moving on line.
      I want to address that. Yes, far fewer people sell things by knocking on doors...or walking into businesses. But it isn't because they are treated badly.

      Thee are far fewer cold calling salespeople (or cold knocking) because the unemployment rate is at an all time low. And door to door salespeople are recruited when they can't get a salaried job. If unemployment goes up to 10%, you'll see a resurgence in door to door selling.

      Sure, you can sell online. You can build a funnel, compete with everyone else online, and make some sales.

      Do you know who you are competing with when you are selling door to door? Nobody.
      And the reward is immediate. If I need to make $10,000 in the next two weeks, and had no business yet...

      I'd grab an expensive thing I could sell and just start pounding the pavement. In a week, I'd have most of my sales.

      Building a sales funnel online is a better way. But it's a better...slow way.

      Online selling isn't always the best answer. sometimes direct selling, or even direct mail, serves you better.

      There is no one best way. Although creating a joint venture with a marketer is pretty close.
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    • Profile picture of the author myob
      Originally Posted by otjcenter View Post

      Why do you want to sell door to door, this is an almost extinct practice it`s like going back? In time to the 60`s, now times have change people are very hostile to door to door sales people. You should think about this you can build your business in line, but also send out lefts through letter boxes. Even the big boys of the Hight street are moving on line.
      I have been knocking on doors around the country and training others for my company for 20+ years and rarely encountered "hostility". As my old mentor always used to say "You can get rid of just about anyone with a click of a mouse or flick of a finger. But it's much harder to get rid of a body."

      And there are some increasingly powerful branding advantages for going door to door as many companies are rediscovering. With "Do Not Call" lists, email spam, mobile devices, voice mail, etc, it has actually made it more difficult for companies to get their message to consumers without making some kind of a physical presence.

      For example, this "extinct" practice among cable companies, real estate, security, home services, and even b2b sales seems to have been growing especially in the past few years. It is not uncommon for my team to add our pamphlets on to the pile left by other door to door sales people. In my experience, it seems to be one of the most cost-effective methods to quickly generate responsive local leads.
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    • Profile picture of the author ginnysclub1
      Direct sales still have a place. For example, with charity givers, you'll have a segment that will donate without encouragement and another segment who will react to advertisements and a third segment that will only donate when contacted either by face to face or on the phone. When charities ignore the last segment, they risk leaving lots of donations on the table.
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