# Door hangers/door to door selling?



## aab1 (Sep 16, 2013)

While watching Shark Tank recently one guy had said he went to sell his product door to door and they thought it was a great idea. That made me think I should try that with my soap, I quickly checked the laws and it seems if the items are under $25 you don't need a license where I am.

However, I also then thought of making door hangers which are less disturbing and I wouldn't have to carry tons of soaps with me.

For the door hangers I was thinking of including a coupon code for my website like "localship" which would give them free shipping and I'd go deliver the order myself.

Do the door hangers or the door to door selling sound like a good idea and has anyone else sold soaps by either of these methods?

Thanks


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## sistrum (Sep 16, 2013)

Cold canvassing is a time honored tradition in sales.  I say give it a try.


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## namad (Sep 16, 2013)

Can't hurt at all.

-- 
Ashley Hanna
Soap Artisan | Hanna-Made Soaps

www.hannamadesoaps.com
[email protected]


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## innerdiva73 (Sep 16, 2013)

I would do delivery for orders over 75 within a 10 mile radius


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## Second Impression (Sep 16, 2013)

I wouldn't even bother with the door hangers, that stuff goes straight to the trash. Now face-to-face is a whole different story! Maybe even free samples among your nearest 50 neighbors? I give some of my oopsies to neighbors and all but one have come out to my farmers market to buy at full price. If nothing else, it's a great way to get to know your neighbors 

Sent from my XT907 using Soap Making mobile app


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## Stakie (Sep 16, 2013)

I would totally do door to door if it was possible! It is a great way to get your product out there as well as meet some new neighbors!


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## aab1 (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I saw another thread about selling door to door where virtually everyone said it was a bad idea, strange that this thread has opposite responses.

I already finished designing door hangers in Photoshop and will give them a try, I'll know if they result in any sales as the door hangers will have a unique coupon code for free local shipping.

I was thinking of offering free shipping on orders of $10 or more to begin with to those who directly got the door hanger so they will be very nearby (of course if they give a door hanger to a friend 50 miles away it won't apply).

About door to door, what's a good time that won't bother people too much and what would be a good way of carrying about 25 soaps (assuming $4 each on average that would be $100 of stock) in such a way that I can easily show the different models?

Thanks


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## Relle (Sep 16, 2013)

I don't like people selling door to door to me, so I wouldn't do it or recommend it, I find it it's an intrusion on my time and my home. If I want a product, I source it myself in my own time and don't want pushy people at the door. I have a sign on my front door - No door knockers and I know neighbours have the same.

As for a time slot - that's hard as a lot people are out all day at work and when they come home they have to prepare dinner etc around 6pm so they won't want anyone turning up then. Probably late morning for people at home.


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## DeeAnna (Sep 16, 2013)

What about an ad or insert in your local "shopper" newspaper? That might generate as much or more interest and sales in your local area as hoofing around with an armload of door hangers or samples.

I'm in the camp that I don't care for strangers calling at my home or business to sell me something. Just not my cuppa tea.


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## DonnaC (Sep 16, 2013)

I also agree that if you go door to door, you might not be met with open arms. It used to be acceptable to do this, but at least where I'm from, that time has passed. Even friends and families don't seem to just 'pop' over nowadays without an invite or agreed upon day/time.  Perhaps if you deliver a flyer to mailboxes, it might be the safer route.


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## dagmar88 (Sep 17, 2013)

If you have designed your product around a well defined target audience, it shouldn't be too hard to reach them.
IMO  going from door to door is ineffective. It _could_ work if you play the 'locally produced' card and really follow through with that theme. 
But  the chances those people just happen to have an interest in handmade vegan salt soap without synthetic fragrances seem slim.


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## Ael (Sep 17, 2013)

I wouldn't go door-to-door as many people these days don't really like that sort of thing, myself included. I won't even answer the door if I know it's someone trying to sell something. Like someone else has already said, if I was interested in a particular product to begin with, then I would have searched it out on my own.

Door hangers...those may be hit or miss. I never really looked at them, the times they found their way on my front door knob. I'd throw them away without even glancing, many people that I know, do the same things. If those two ways are your only options, I'd probably go with door hangers.

Why not put up a pretty flyer on the grocery store bulletin board? I know many places around still have those in use, and if yours does...there's a perfect solution! People could pull a little tag off the flyer that has the URL of your site (for example). Just a thought.


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## pamielynn (Sep 17, 2013)

I'd have to agree as well. I've posted a big "No Soliciting" sign, right on top of "Beware of Dog" . I don't know who these people are, that are ringing my bell in the middle of the day. With media reports of home invasions, I think many more people are wary of opening their doors to strangers these days. It might not be as big a deal if you live in a very neighborly environment - but I'd have to guess that this isn't the best option for you to get exposure.

And personally, I hate that people feel entitled to walk on to my property with their doorhangers, just so I get to throw them in the recycle bin. I have never purchased anything from a doorhanger. But that could just be me.


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## PinkCupcake (Sep 17, 2013)

Y'all must live in safer areas than I do! I would never go up to a stranger's door, and I don't open my door for a stranger, either.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 17, 2013)

I'm another one who doesn't answer the door when someone is selling something.  I personally wouldn't do it either.


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## dagmar88 (Sep 17, 2013)

PinkCupcake said:


> Y'all must live in safer areas than I do! I would never go up to a stranger's door, and I don't open my door for a stranger, either.



Last week I accidentally called the police on some vendors.
They did a safety survey and apparently wanted to sell alarm systems when people weren't feeling safe.
They came at my door twice in one month, no business card or work clothing and were gone as soon as I pointed out I have a couple of excellent guard dogs.
I really thought they were just checking out places to see who was worth robbing, but they turned out to be legit.
:razz: I guess I'm nut that trustful either...


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## aab1 (Sep 17, 2013)

dagmar88 said:


> If you have designed your product around a well defined target audience, it shouldn't be too hard to reach them.
> IMO  going from door to door is ineffective. It _could_ work if you play the 'locally produced' card and really follow through with that theme.
> But  the chances those people just happen to have an interest in handmade vegan salt soap without synthetic fragrances seem slim.



I don't understand why someone would have to be looking for handmade vegan salt soaps to buy, I'd be willing to bet almost 100% of my sales so far where from people that had never heard of such soaps before.

All they need is to be someone that buys soap, which is everyone, so why wouldn't they be intrigued into trying a new kind of soap?


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## dagmar88 (Sep 17, 2013)

aab1 said:


> All they need is to be someone that buys soap, which is everyone, so why wouldn't they be intrigued into trying a new kind of soap?




Yes, at $0.50-1.00 a piece, if they even buy bar soap.


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## aab1 (Sep 27, 2013)

So far out of 150 hangers placed one resulted in someone going and adding items to their cart but leaving without completing the order and another that did result in a completed sale.

I'll keep putting a few hundred more hangers to get a better idea of whether they are worth it or not.


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## bobbie.johnson (Sep 27, 2013)

Thanks for the update. I was wondering how it was going.


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## samcal (Jan 7, 2014)

Many individuals who are selling things door-to-door are completely honest and have a tough job. However, not all are, and some want to do more than just to get you hopelessly addicted to infernally scrumptious cookies. A number of ~deleted spammy link~ are being reported nationwide, so the amount of them active in many areas might be growing.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jan 7, 2014)

I have done door-to-door work for a firm.  Was hard work and went on the principle of 100-10 and seemed fairly accurate - for every 100 doors you knock, you'll have a decent conversation on your product/service with 10 of them.  Now, how many of them are going to buy a soap, I'm not sure.

If your aim to reach people who don't normally go to farmers markets or shop for soaps online, is it possible to pay the local supermarket to have a stand outside for a day?  It's fairly popular in the UK, I know that.  Not so much here in Austria, though.  But it does mean you'll see a lot of people who are in the mood for buying things......................


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## MirandaH (Jan 7, 2014)

I am not selling and I am not sure if I ever will, but my husband and I have discussed it and if I do sell, I will be selling a couple of other bath products as well, such as bath salts, bombs and candles.  I have been doing candles for years and I sell pine cone fire starters now.

My husband owns a tree service and we deliver firewood, so currently, I am making the pine cone fire starters and I make a bunch of them and put them in bags that a cupcake would fit in nicely, with a business card. When people order firewood or have a tree job done at their house, we give them a bag that I have tied up with some raffia as a thank you for their business and the business card tells them how they can order more fire starters.  It seemed like a good idea, since the people are already buying firewood and I have gotten several orders from doing this.  My husband even keeps some of the fire starters in a basket in the truck and some people have bought some right then, on the spot. This way, I am not knocking on doors and it isn't unwelcome, since they see it as a thank you gift and we are already there because they called us, doing business with them.  It basically gets my foot in the door and I find that I do get a little better than the 100:10 ratio, but I am selling fire starters to people who are already buying firewood so I know I am reaching my target market and not wasting fire starters on people who don't have a fireplace.

If I decide to sell my soaps, I will also make my batches a little larger and do some small samples in a brownie bite silicone baking sheet.  I will also make some tea lights and small bath bombs and small bags of bath salts and put them in the little bags as well and keep giving them out to everyone who we do any type of job for.  There is a lot of money in tree work and we won't be losing a whole lot by doing it.  I also probably won't give the soap samples to areas where I know they won't buy.

I do not answer the door for anyone either and I usually throw away door hangers unless there is something that really catches my eye.  Maybe you could find some sturdy door hangers and punch a hole in the bottom corner and tie a nice clear bag to it with a soap sample in it.  While I throw away most door hangers, if there were a sample attached, I would probably use the sample and if I liked it, I would buy.  I think that if you are door hanging, it is important to give them a reason not to throw it away without looking.  My parents had a business the whole time we were growing up and they had my brother and I door hanging and from my experience the 100:10 ratio is spot on if you are doing it blindly and not hitting your target market, like I have been doing with the firewood. But everyone loves to get something for free, no matter how small.


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