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BY DR. GLENN MOLLETTE
Knocking on doors is as American as apple pie. Politicians, sales persons, clergy, girl scouts, federal census workers, and the list goes on of persons and professions who have depended on knocking on doors.
When I was a child, I sold Grit newspapers. I needed to knock on a lot of doors to sell 20 papers which made me a cool $1. Serving churches for years I have probably knocked on over a thousand plus doors to invite people to church. I’m so glad no one shot me.
The recent shooting of a 16-year-old teenager in Kansas City, mistakenly knocking on the wrong door, is beyond insane. The teenage boy was at the wrong house to pick up his brothers who were a block away. Who shoots through a door without reason unless the individual is crazy or on drugs or perhaps both? The problem is, we do have a severe mental illness epidemic in America and a drug crisis. Throw in America’s growing gun violence issues and therefore knocking on strange doors becomes a scary scenario.
I admit hearing someone knock on the door at dinner time is a bit aggravating. Usually for me, it’s a high school band member selling mulch to raise money for the band. Or, it’s someone raising money for another school project. You can’t be irritated with a 15-year-old kid out trying to raise money for his school. Unless, you are crazy or on drugs. Then anything might tick you off. By all means, don’t be this person.
For the most part, more and more industrious people are relying on social media to try to gain new business. It’s true you can reach more people more efficiently via Internet advertising, social media and other media sources than by taking all day to knock on a few doors. If people want it, they will respond to your advertising.
People have rightfully withdrawn from knocking on doors because they are paranoid of disturbing someone’s favorite television program, meal or nap. This is never a good environment for making a sale or making a friend.
Maybe the day of selling magazine subscriptions, brushes, vacuum cleaners, and stuff like that door-to-door is in the past. Do any ministers ever knock on your door and invite you to church?
If someone does knock on your door, don’t immediately invite them into your house. They should have a picture identification badge for you to see. They also should talk to you about a future appointment when you can make time for the pitch. In addition, they should present you with some information containing a phone number so you can call them if you have further interest. You can always say “no thank you,” and shut your door. If you have a chain lock on your door or a glass locked door you can talk through then you are even better off.
Give consideration to the hard work some people put into knocking on doors. Give careful consideration to how you answer the door.
(Glenn Mollette is a national syndicated columnist whose column appears in all 50 states and over 500 media outlets. He is the author of 13 books.)