[david@zap-clean]

This morning...

knock knock - door opens.
<me> Hello, Mrs kennedy, it's David from Zap-Clean (blah blah)
<cust> er, my name is Barton.
<me...checking paperwork> er, oh, You're not Mrs Kennedy, at No 28.
<cust> No, but this is No 28. I don't know anyone called Mrs Kennedy.
<me> Ok, sorry to bother you, I must have the address wrong, I'll call them on the phone to check.
<cust>, Ok... Oh, while you're here can you quote to clean our suite, 4 chairs, 2metre rug, and HSL?
<me> Sure....
10 minutes later: new job booked for next Tuesday 

Mrs Kennedy was at No 42? I was 10 minutes late

A great (lucky) result... which makes up for the bigger mess-up I made on Saturday, which is another story

[Jamie Pearson]

Once upon a time when I was a domestic carpet cleaner (18 years ago) I would always go knock doors and hand in a leaflet after each job. Would usually do up to 6 either side of the property I was working in. Assuming they didnt have driveways, gates etc. but I would spend about 20 mins on it after the job. It was a great lead onto other business. With the same type of situation. On spot quotes, sales of spotter, taking away rugs etc etc.

I have also polished the wrong hotels marble entrance before too though 

[david@zap-clean]

Looks like a great marketing technique then...

[wynne jones]

Here's one for you.

When you do a job and she is saying she can't believe how wonderful it looks, tell her to go round all the neighbours to come and have a look as you are doing it. 

[JandS]

Good one Ken Wainwright put up on the other forum.
When you pull up go to one of the houses either side of the address your going to and knock on their door.
When they say "oh no you must have the wrong address they live next door" just apologise, tell them what your there for and give them a card.
I've done it on the odd occasion and got work from it.

[jim mca]

I could not find the house I was looking for and knocked on a neighbour to ask a week later they called and booked me 

Jaime

Bet you still invoiced and got paid 

[Ian Gourlay]

Perhaps it shows door knocking works

And it could be pretending to be lost is a good soft way to do it

[Allan Simmons]

Door knocking works, when we started I remember dropping free spotter bottles, a small 4ox if nobody was in, a large 1litre if they answered.  In fact why don't we still do this?  Might have to give it a go again.

Love the lost / wrong house ruse though 

[david@zap-clean]

I've just done it again today!!!

Had an EOT flat to clean, No 4... it was lashing down with rain and the nearest parking slot was labeled No3, with a big sign saying NO PARKING.  But it was 09:30, and only a 2 hr job, so I risked it, rather than have a 50mtr walk, uphill, in the rain... I left a note in my cab.

When I finished the job I found a car blocking me in.. so I called on No 4, who was not happy - so I apologised, told him I had left a note in my van, and was generally cheerful and friendly.  A few seconds later I was in his flat surveying two expensive area rugs :-)

I should have been a salesman :-)

[wynne jones]

You are a salesman.