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I know what you’re thinking, and to be truthful, I thought so too. Door knocking? You want me to knock on people’s doors, disrupt their day and then pitch my services to them? If the anxiety is building in your chest just thinking about it, that’s a normal reaction. But as soon as you get over that anxiety, the sooner you’ll realize how door knocking in real estate is a tried-and-true lead generation technique that will build your business.
The National Association of Realtors reports that online real estate conversion rates are between 0.4% to 1.2% (about one conversion per 100 leads). In contrast, the conversion rate for door-to-door sales is 2% to 3%. That means out of 100 houses you knock on, 2 to 3 will convert, likely due to the personal, face-to-face interaction and care that comes with door knocking. So, I guess you can’t knock it until you try it (I’ve been waiting to use that one)!
Before you hit the pavement, let us give you the roadmap to door knocking in real estate, including the best times to knock, plus tips and scripts that will get the conversation started.
What is door knocking in real estate?
Door knocking is exactly what it sounds like: walking around a neighborhood to knock on the doors of potential clients. However, it’s a lot more than that. It is one of the ultimate forms of marketing — you are putting your brand, your services and your face, quite literally, out for the world to see. Plus, it’s low cost. The only fees you’ll be paying for are travel and materials like business cards or door hangers, all of which are tax-deductible.
Other goals of door knocking you should keep in mind are:
- Building rapport in a neighborhood
- Establish yourself as the go-to agent in a specific farm area
- Make listing appointments
- Gather contacts
- Work in conjunction with other marketing strategies (e.g. direct mail, social media ads and signs)
When is the best time to knock on doors?
Different days of the week require you to knock at different times. Since many people work Monday through Friday, the time to get the most activity is on Saturday mornings between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. or early evenings between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Odds are people will be home and relaxed during these times.
If you’re visiting during the weekdays, you’ll want to aim to be there from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Some people say the morning is a good option, but going too early will set you up for failure if people are trying to get out the door for work and/or school. Try between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. for stay-at-home individuals, people who work from home or retirees.
Tips for making the most of your real estate door knocking
Now, it may sound pretty easy just to walk up to a house and ring the doorbell, but you need to prep beforehand so the interaction has the outcome you’re looking for. Otherwise, your nerves may take over, and the whole thing may turn into a ding-dong-ditch situation. Here are our top tips to make your door knocking efforts successful.
Tip 1 – Map out your journey
Decide which area you want to tackle and print out a map that shows the number of houses and layout of the neighborhood. Count up the houses you intend on visiting and divide them based on how much time you’re spending in the area and how much time you plan to spend at each house. Then, draw the path you’ll follow to fill the allotted time.
It might sound silly but think of this as if you’re a kid planning your route for trick or treating. Aim to hit 30 houses, and then check the time and see how you’re feeling. If you think you can do more, go for it! It is difficult to predict how long you’ll be at each house. One house you might spend one minute at while another might take 30 minutes, but estimate an average of 15 minutes per house and adjust as needed. Take notes on paper or directly in your CRM to document which houses you got to and when.
Keep in mind that you may not get to every house in one day, so planning your door knocking strategy over the course of days or weeks could be more feasible.
Tip 2 – Dress comfortably
It might be tempting to step out in your fanciest outfit to show potential clients you’re the agent with the mostest, but resist the urge. Think about it: you’re walking around all day, probably sweating, and greeting people on their turf.
Opt for clothing that will be appropriate for the weather conditions and will make other people feel comfortable, like jeans and a t-shirt. You don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb in a suit and tie or heels. Aim to blend in with the neighborhood, but feel free to include some flair. Get T-shirts made with your logo and name on it so you’ll reinforce your brand without trying.
Tip 3 – Create collateral to leave behind
Collateral refers to tangible marketing materials, and you want to have a bunch to leave behind when you’re knocking on doors. The best options are business cards, door hangers, postcards and real estate door knocking flyers. These are easy to carry and should be chock-full of information about you and your services. Door hangers can also be left behind when someone isn’t home.
If you need some design inspiration, look no further than Coffee and Contracts. They have customizable marketing materials for anything you can think of (printables, social media, campaigns, events etc.) and cater specifically to real estate agents.
Visit Coffee and Contracts
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Tip 4 – Respect no soliciting signs
As you begin your journey around the neighborhood, be conscientious of “No Soliciting” signs. Depending on where you’re located, these signs can be a matter of law, making soliciting technically considered trespassing. In truth, is someone going to call the cops on you? Probably not, but they could!
However, I would pay more attention to the subtly behind the no soliciting message: I don’t want you to come to my door for any reason. If you start your first impression by not listening to an obvious message people put out specifically for door knockers, then you already blew it. Instead, leave a door hanger and move on to the next house.
Tip 5 – Know local market trends and provide value
Why do we dislike people knocking on our door? Because many of them do not provide any value, so they’re just seen as a disruption to our day. Before making the rounds, do a deep dive into the statistics of the general area and also get hyper-local info about the neighborhood you’re knocking in.
How many homes have sold in the past 6 months? Did they sell at ask, above or below? How long were homes on the market? Be able to share these stats when you speak to neighbors so they have an idea of how their home will stack up.
If you want local data at your fingertips, venture to Altos Research. Sign up for free to access information about your zip code or expand your knowledge in multiple locations. Altos will provide you with the data you’ll need to provide value to everyone you visit.
Visit Altos Research
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Tip 6 – Be ready for rejection and be able to exit yourself
I’m not going to sugarcoat this: you will get rejected–repeatedly and often. This may come in a polite way, “We’re not interested” and “No, thanks,” or it will come as doors being slammed in your face or “Get off my property.” The best thing you can do is smile, thank them for their time and move on to the next house.
You may also run into people who want to reject you but are too nice to do it. Read signals and body language and know when to exit. For example, my husband made an appointment with a solar panel salesperson after he knocked on our door the day before. We listened to his pitch and, after hearing it, told him it wasn’t a fit for us. However, no matter how nicely we said we weren’t interested, he wouldn’t leave. Instead of leaving, he continued “selling” while I was preparing dinner and my family was sitting down to eat it. We eventually had to get very stern and almost literally push him out the door (I guess we were being too nice!).
Lesson here: Read the room and know when you’re wasting your time. Your time is your money, and you are valuable. It’s better to move on to someone who wants to work with you than waste your time and energy on someone who is giving you clear or subtle signals they are not interested.
Quick tips for dealing with rejection:
- Expect it: Going into this industry, you will be rejected often. If you go in knowing it is likely to happen, it won’t be so shocking and will ease you when it does happen.
- Don’t take it personally: When people say “no” or “they’re not interested,” they’re not rejecting you. They’re rejecting what you’re offering.
- Learn the source of the rejection: Reflect on why someone said no to your offer and learn to address that point in future conversations.
- Seek improvement opportunities: Continually improve your technique as you go from house to house by paying attention to body language and responses. Adjust your strategies as you learn what people want and need from your services.
- Focus on what’s next: Always remember that there’s more opportunity around the corner. If someone says no, that’s ok. Other people will say yes.
Tip 7 – Keep yourself safe
You: How are you? I’m Gina Baker with ABC Realty. I listed the property down the street and had multiple offers, which means there is a lot of interest in this neighborhood. For the right price, have you ever thought of selling your home?
Neighbor: That’s great, why don’t you come in, and we’ll talk about it?
If your initial thought here is: Yes, I’m about to get a client! You’re thinking wrong. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go into someone’s house. While entering someone’s home could be perfectly safe and innocent, you never know. The fact is, you’re jeopardizing your safety by walking into a stranger’s house (remember stranger danger?). Politely ask to continue the conversation where you are with something like, “Thank you for the offer, let’s keep chatting here if you don’t mind.”
No sale is worth your safety, so stay vigilant, let your real estate agent buddy, friend or significant other know where you are at all times, and use safety apps like SafeShowings or GuardOn. Some agents opt to carry weapons like pepper spray or a Taser, but only do so if you’re comfortable and can properly use them.
Tip 8 – Follow up with all connections
Once you’ve walked the neighborhood and gathered as many contacts as possible, it’s time to put in the work to turn these leads into clients. Add all their contact information to your CRM and start them in an email campaign to begin nurturing them until they are ready to commit to selling or possibly buying another property. If any prospects seemed very eager, give them a call to set up an appointment.
If you don’t yet have a CRM or are looking to upgrade, take a look at Top Producer. It has premade text and email templates and even custom MLS market reports, which will be perfect for the individuals you just visited.
Visit Top Producer
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Tip 9 – Prepare a script (and practice it beforehand)
I left this one until the end because I have some example scripts below, but you should have your door knocking scripts ready and rehearsed before you set foot out the door. Practice with a friend and have them act out different reactions when “opening the door” so you can respond differently.
When you’re out in the neighborhood, try different versions of your script until it feels comfortable and you get the reaction you’re looking for. You want it to sound like you, but you should also adapt it to the individual you’re speaking with. It will take a couple of times to get it right, but stick with it!
Door knocking scripts
Take these scripts and make them your own by adding your tone of voice, slang or personal connections you have with clients.
Script 1 – Previous listing
Agent: Hi, how are you? I’m [Name] with [Company]. I listed the property down the street and had multiple offers, which means there is a lot of interest in this neighborhood. For the right price, have you ever thought of selling your home?
Script 2 – Open house close by
Agent: Hi, how are you? I’m [Name] with [Company]. I am working with your neighbor at [Address], right down the street. They’re currently selling their home, and we hosted an open house on [Date]. Did you have a chance to take a look?
We already received an offer on their house, but there were over [number] offers, so I know there’s a lot of interest in the area. Have you ever thought about selling?
Script 3 – Free home valuation/comparative market analysis (CMA)
Agent: Hi, how are you? I’m [Name] with [Company]. I just sold [Address] right around the corner from here. So, I figured I’d walk around the neighborhood to see if anyone was interested in knowing what their home was worth. I can do a free home valuation for you if you’d like.
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Script 4 – Neighbor introduction
Agent: Hi, how are you? I’m [Name]. I just recently moved in down the street, so I wanted to introduce myself. Even though I’m new to this neighborhood, I’ve lived in [Town/City] for years and have been doing real estate with [Company]. Just wanted to stop by and give you my business card just in case you need assistance with anything!
Script 5 – Looking for sellers
Agent: Hi, how are you? I’m [Name] with [Company]. I just recently sold [Address], and there was a TON of interest and a TON of offers. Unfortunately, only one person could get the house, but I know there are a lot of other people who would love to live in this beautiful neighborhood. Do you happen to know anyone else interested in selling?
The full picture
Door knocking in real estate takes a thick skin and a willingness to put yourself out there. But once you start rolling through the neighborhood and collecting contact information, you’re opening up a world of marketing and lead generation avenues that will continue to build your local real estate business for years to come.
