“If I built my business using door knocking as my main prospecting tool, but can’t do that anymore because of the current situation, what are some other ways I can meet people and prospect?”
It’s a good question. Most likely answered with “cold calling” as the response. Now is a perfect time, as you head into next year, to look into an alternative to door knocking and other approaches that you may not be able to utilize anymore. It’s imperative that you find something that is both unique and future proof.
This year has been a major turning point for most agents, with some faring much better than others.
For the next six months, your business is likely to continue as it did for the last six months. This could either make you very happy or very upset.
As we enter the last quarter, you may be reflecting on your experiences this year and thinking about what you want to do differently in 2023.
It is not necessary to use a telemarketing approach to find potential customers. You will have more success if you spend time talking to people in your community and providing them with useful information.
The Best Alternative To Door Knocking In 2023? Interviewing Business Owners Remotely
This is a common strategy that you may have tried a couple times before. It’s likely that you had fun doing it and found it enjoyable. Something that you don’t often say about cold calling or door knocking.
There are many benefits to conducting interviews with business owners as we move into next year. You can help businesses that are struggling, create content for yourself and the business owner, and build relationships with them.
You may be wondering how you can conduct an interview if you can’t meet with the person in person. Won’t meeting with them have the same safety issues as door-to-door campaigning? The short answer is that you can interview remotely.
A lot of people think that online events won’t be successful because no one will watch them. If you’re thinking this, ask yourself why you think that.
This is a limiting belief. A limiting belief is when we place a reason behind why we absolutely cannot do something, but the basis of this belief stems down typically to one of two things (sometimes both!):
- I’m not good enough
- I won’t be loved
As an agent, you’re likely to come across rejection on a daily basis. We often use the term “rejection” as a buzzword in these situations.
When you find yourself thinking that remote interviews won’t work because only in-person interviews are interesting, it’s worth asking yourself why you think this. After all, if content creators like Gary Vee are doing it, why shouldn’t you?
Limiting Beliefs And What They’re Doing To You
We are all influenced by our past experiences. For example, you may have tried to do a remote interview in the past and judged its effectiveness based on a small sample size. Or, someone may have made a negative comment about a Facebook Live story you did, which made you feel like you should never be on video again. Maybe you feel that you can only do something if you can do it perfectly.
These beliefs are preventing you from finding a different way to door knock that can make your business successful in 2023.
Let’s see if we can debunk the negative beliefs around interviewing business owners remotely by looking at the benefits of doing so.
Interviewing Businesses: What Are The Benefits?
An interview is a chance to help out a business owner while also forming a connection with them. With the events of 2021 and 2022, many small businesses are still going through tough times. If there’s a small business near you that has been struggling, they probably need help making the transition to a more digital format.
You can help others and create content for both of you by doing the interview. If a friend or family member of theirs is wanting to move, who do you think they are going to refer business to?
What Are The Downsides?
- Using a video conferencing tool is likely a new application for you. But not necessarily new technology. Video conferencing has been around for years and you’ve likely used it through Apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Video Chat, and Skype.
- For those of you who hate being on video, this will bring with it an opportunity to grow. Like it or not, how we look on video is how we look when we’re knocking on someone’s door! The big difference is that we are more cognizant of how we look when we can see ourselves on camera.
- Door knocking in the past has allowed you to show up and get started. Interviewing business owners remotely will require a little more scheduling ahead of time, but will save you time in the long run!
How To Use Remote Interviews As An Alternative To Door Knocking
1) Pick A Video Conferencing Platform
Before you conduct any interviews remotely, you need to get familiar with a video-conferencing application. This is the software you’ll use to host the meeting and record audio and/or video.
There are a variety of video conferencing apps that you can choose from. Searching “video conferencing app” on Google or the App Store will bring up thousands of results. So to narrow your search down, let’s focus on Zoom, which is widely seen as the best option.
Zoom is a free video-conferencing tool that you can use to conduct interviews remotely, which is fortunate because it is super simple to use!
2) Signup And Download The App
To start using Zoom, sign up for an account on the Zoom website. You can sign up for a free account or a paid account. Once you sign up, you will be prompted to download the Zoom App. The Zoom App is how you will start, schedule, and join meetings.
If you want to make using Zoom more convenient, integrate it with your calendar. This will let you see your upcoming meetings in the app, so that you can start or join them quickly.
3) Start A Meeting
After you have the Zoom App installed, sign in with your login information.
After logging in, you will have the option to start a new meeting, join a meeting that is in progress, or schedule a meeting to take place at a later time.
If you’re hosting a meeting, you can either click “Schedule” or “New Meeting.” Clicking “Schedule” will allow you to fill out the details of your meeting, and also add the meeting to your calendar.
New Meeting will give you the option to begin your meeting right away. When you click on this button, you’ll be brought the following screen:
This screen allows you to connect your audio so that you can hear and be heard. You can record your screen, invite your interviewee, and start your video.
4) Inviting Your Interviewee
The next step is inviting your interviewee to the meeting. Click on ‘Invite People’ to do this.
Choose how you would like to invite others to join the meeting. You can either invite people from your email contacts, send out an email invitation, or copy the invitation link to send to any participants.
The Best Door Knocking Scripts for 2023 (+ Video Examples)
1. Ben Bacal’s Beverly Hills Door-knocking Scripts
If you’re an agent who has been working for more than a few months, you’ve probably heard of Ben Bacal. He’s one of the most successful luxury agents in Beverly Hills, having sold a Bel Air home for a record-breaking $94 million. He has also sold homes to celebrities such as Matt Damon, Ellen DeGeneres, and Madonna.
What most agents don’t know is that Ben Bacal got his start in real estate door knocking. Here are Ben’s general door-knocking script and the script he uses for “drive knocking” mansions with gates and intercoms:
General Door-knocking Script:
This person is interested in buying the speaker’s house.
Drive Knocking Script:
I’m sorry for interrupting, but my client found your property on Google Maps. It’s not visible from the street, but she’s a very successful TV entrepreneur who’s interested in buying a property in that area. Can I come see it to see if it would be a good fit for her?
2. Sean Moudry’s Door-knocking Script for Listing Agents
It can be hard to think of a good reason to knock on a stranger’s door on a Sunday morning. The best thing you have going for you as a salesperson is a history of successfully selling homes in their neighborhood. Now that you have a reason to be there, here is a script you can use from Sean Moudry:
Hi there, my name’s [your name] and I’m the agent selling the property down the street [point]. We’ve had lots of offers [waive contracts] and can only accept one in the end. The home’s gone for much more than we were expecting and the other buyers are still looking for a place in [neighborhood]. Do you know anyone looking to sell up in this HOT MARKET?
3. Monica Carr’s Beginner’s Door-knocking Script
Monica Carr is a real estate agent who went from broke to earning a million dollars by building a brand and door knocking. The script she used was very simple, but it was very effective. Here is her script from her TomX talk:
“Hello, I am Monica. Your neighbor just sold their home for 1.5 million dollars. What do you think of that price? Did you get a chance to see it during the open house? That one sold with multiple offers. There are still people who want to live in your neighborhood. If the price is right, would you consider selling your home?”
Monica explains her script in more detail and shares her inspirational story in her TomX talk below.
4. Eri Hass’ Market Report Door-knocking Script
A former music industry executive, Eric Hass, started his real estate career door knocking in Los Angeles. While most agents think door knocking million-dollar homes would be pointless, Eric disagrees. He framed the issue in his interview with Mike Sherrard by saying, “Luxury doesn’t mean $#$%, it’s just another zero on the price, and those people need to sell too.”
Like Monica’s script, Eric’s script is simple, friendly, and offers homeowners something to be curious about to spark conversation. Here is the script:
Hi, I’m Eric Hass with EXP Realty. I’m stopping by to give you a housing update on [your farm area], comparing quarter one to quarter four, and to see if you have any questions or interest in moving soon.
5. Micah Mruwat’s Home Valuation Door-knocking Script
Real estate coach Micah Mruwat is confident that door knocking is a great way to succeed in the industry. Like other successful agents, Micah begins by introducing herself and ends by offering something valuable that will make the person she is speaking to interested and spark a conversation.
Hi, my name is Micah Mruwat from EXP Realty. I won’t take up much of your time—did you realize that a home just a few houses down sold for $50,000 over asking price? If you’re interested, I am an expert in the area and I would be happy to give you a free valuation of your home.
Watch Micah explain her script in more detail and go over other door-knocking tips in her video here:
What Do You Need To Interview A Business Owner Remotely?
- A reasonable internet connection
- A laptop or desktop with a webcam
- An interested business owner!
- An awesome attitude
- Set appointments through Facebook, Instagram, Calling, or Email. Ask for 15-30 minutes of the business owners’ time to create a FREE feature of their business through the interview.
Really, that’s it!
