Door knocking is a divisive practice among real estate agents. Many swear by it, while others prefer to stay as far away from it as possible.

But when it comes to making personal connections within your geographic farm, door knocking is still one of the most effective techniques you can use. The key is to go in prepared.

Below I share six tips to help you become a door-knocking pro in no time.

1. Set expectations

When your goal is to connect with an entire neighborhood, you need to be proactive about actually making that happen. And the truth is, if you don’t have a goal, you’ll quit far too soon.

But don’t just set expectations for yourself. Be direct with the people you’re talking to. When someone answers the door, state your intention upfront. Tell them who you are and what you’re trying to accomplish. When you do, they’ll be much more receptive to your message.

2. Ask questions

When you show up at someone’s front door, the last thing you want to do is make it an awkward experience for them. Work to build rapport by complimenting an aspect of their home or landscaping and asking questions. This little bit of effort will put your potential clients at ease, and you’ll learn useful information about them.

After introducing yourself, ask your prospects:

• Are you looking to buy or sell in the next X months?
• Are you in your dream home?

Based on the answers someone gives, you can figure out where they would be in your sales funnel. From there, you can either work toward the sale in the short term or place them on a nurture/drip campaign.

James Festini has become a top producer in multiple markets, and door knocking has played a significant role in his success. He advises agents to listen for the no that’s actually a not right now. That person could very well become a client in the future. Remember that when you’re door knocking, you’re not likely to close a listing standing on the stoop; what you’re doing is trying to qualify leads.

Ask questions that lead you to what you want to know. Find out where homeowners are in terms of interest. Then, see how you might be able to add value to their lives. Speaking of which . . .

3. Offer value

If someone isn’t ready to buy or sell at the moment, you should still work to establish yourself as a valuable resource. For example, you can ask them if they’re looking to do any home renovations. If so, offer them the name and contact information of a contractor you trust. This will go a long way in setting you apart from other agents.

Another way to give value is by offering a comparative market analysis (CMA). Here’s how that conversation might go:

“Good morning! My name is [Your name] from [Your company]. Did you know that the home down the street at [address] sold for [amount of money]? Because I love this community so much, I’m offering a free market analysis to everyone in the area who wants one. Would you like to know how much your home is worth?”

From there, you can get this person’s email address and phone number, which will allow you to add them to your nurture campaigns.

Want to really take your value to the next level? If you’re a ReminderMedia customer, be ready with a promotional copy of your branded magazine. You can customize your back cover with information about your local partners and even offer coupons to the people you meet when you’re out door knocking.

4. Dress for success

Dress for the brand you want to portray. While you shouldn’t show up in a t-shirt and shorts, a 3-piece suit might be a little overboard for most purposes.

The important thing to keep in mind is that people will make a judgment about you within seconds of meeting you—and, in many cases, they judge on appearance.

That’s not to say they’re judging you by the way you look. It’s about how put together you are. If you have a shirt with tails, tuck it in. Iron out wrinkles, and be mindful of messy hair. Those things go a long way in making a solid first impression.

5. Stick to a start and stop time

As I mentioned earlier, most people don’t have success when door knocking because they give up too soon. You might give up after 10 doors and the 11th could be the one. (Of course, it could just as easily be the 12th, 13th, or 33rd door that yields results.)

The best thing to do is commit to start and stop times. For example, knock between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and stick to that period no matter what happens.

6. Put the other person at ease

Success in sales has so much to do with mindset. Simply put, if you don’t visualize success, you won’t achieve it. You need to go in believing that you will get results. If you go in with a defeatist attitude, people will know, and it’ll be that much harder to get anyone to work with you.

In addition to a positive mindset, you need to personalize your approach for your audience. Practice the art of mirroring posture, gestures, and even tone of voice. Make eye contact, but, if the other person doesn’t maintain it with you, don’t keep staring at them. It’s all about making the other party feel comfortable.

At the end of the day, door knocking is a way to make connections and build awareness of your brand in the community you serve. The most important thing to remember is that it’s a cumulative effort. You won’t see results right away, but, when you do, the time you’ll have spent will be worth it.