commonly known as cold calling, door-to-door selling and soliciting. This was the first
method of marketing, and it made sense back when life was simpler. But is it still effective
now in our high tech society and is it effective in marketing to baby boomers?
Even to this day, canvassing remains an effective marketing method, and one of the reasons
why guerrilla marketers love it is because it’s free. Other than the time involved and
potentially the gas it takes to go meet with prospects, there are generally no other charges
involved. Guerrilla marketers love that.
Andrew Steele busted the myth that canvassing is a thing of the past in his article called,
“How to Win an Election: Go Knock on Doors,” published on August 10, 2011 in the Globe
and Mail Update. He cited a Yale University study that compared different forms of voter
outreach effectiveness. The findings were that mail and phone calls had almost no impact
on voter turnout, but face-to-face outreach had a substantial impact.
With privacy laws being put into place more and more, it is important to be sure canvassing
is legal in your state or that you don’t need a license to canvass. “No solicitations” signs
should of course be honored when going door-to-door and when making cold calls over the
phone, “Do Not Call” lists need to be honored as well.
The key to effectively using this weapon with baby boomers is all in the presentation.
Remember, baby boomers are optimists, they have a quest for knowledge, and they don’t
mind spending money as long as it relates to their passions or if it will help them improve
in some way. Highlight these points, keep the conversation geared toward the benefits they
will get and make them the subject of your talk instead of you and your product or service.
Show them how their lives will change or be enhanced from the product or service. Show
them what they will achieve or improve in a positive light. Find out their passions and
values, and show them how the product or service is the best solution to making those
passions a reality. These are the keys to a winning canvass.
For a fictional read on the topic of canvassing, pick up Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
(also available as a movie). To begin using this weapon in your own sales plans, there are
three steps you want to follow in order to perform this method like a guerrilla marketer
would:
Step one: This Initial Contact
Step two: Presentation
Step three: Close
Canvassing to Corporations
Car Billboard Advertising is HUGE
Closing Canvassing Thoughts
