{"id":2322,"date":"2025-02-25T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/?p=2322"},"modified":"2025-02-25T12:59:34","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T12:59:34","slug":"sales-canvassing-hard-work-that-pays-off-big","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/25\/sales-canvassing-hard-work-that-pays-off-big\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Canvassing: Hard Work That Pays Off Big"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>What do you think of when you hear sales canvassing? Door-to-door visits? Politicians pitching their platforms? Fundraising calls?<\/p>\n<p>Sales canvassing comes with that all and much more, and is a common practice in sales. In this piece, I will give an overview of sales canvassing, explain the strategy\u2019s benefits, and give salespeople\u2019 tips for succeeding with canvassing techniques.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"cta_button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/cs\/ci\/?pg=b91f6ffc-9ab7-4b84-ba51-e70672d7796e&amp;pid=53&amp;ecid=&amp;hseid=&amp;hsic=\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"hs-cta-img \" style=\"height: auto !important;width: auto !important;max-width: 100% !important;border-width: 0px;margin: 0 auto;margin-top: 20px;margin-bottom: 20px\" alt=\"Free Download:\u00a0Sales Plan Template\" height=\"58\" width=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/53\/b91f6ffc-9ab7-4b84-ba51-e70672d7796e.png\" align=\"middle\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#what-is-canvassing-in-sales\">What is canvassing in sales?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#benefits-of-sales-canvassing\">Benefits of Sales Canvassing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sales-canvassing-tips\">Sales Canvassing Tips<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Contact with these new leads can occur through four different methods: cold-calls, door-to-door visits, email and mail, and networking.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Cold Call<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>When canvassing through cold calls, a salesperson will call prospects after obtaining their phone numbers. These calls are unsolicited, meaning that there is no previous contact between the salesperson and the customer, and the customer has not asked to receive a call from said salesperson.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cognism.com\/state-of-cold-calling\">The State of Cold Calling 2024<\/a>, this approach typically yields a conversion rate of about 5%, with sales reps needing an average of three cold calls to establish contact with a lead.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"how many calls does it take to reach a prospect\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-1-20250213-2085924.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v%3DustEDDR9LWw%26t%3D2383s\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Cold-calling is typically done as an effort to make direct <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/sales\/what-is-sales\">sales<\/a> or drive leads and nurture customer relationships. For example, if you don\u2019t close a deal over the phone and convince a customer to purchase your service, maybe you\u2019ve persuaded them enough to sign up for an email list. From there, you can send follow-up emails and further nurture the relationship, and encourage them to become customers.<\/p>\n<p>However, for cold calling to truly be effective, we all know it has to be done exceptionally well. Smart. Thoughtful. Without rushing or sounding like you\u2019re just trying to sell something.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\ud83d\udca1Example:<\/strong> When a prospect mentioned working with another vendor, say,<em> \u201cThat\u2019s exactly why I\u2019m calling,\u201d <\/em>subtly positioning your offering as complementary or an opportunity to uncover gaps rather than as a direct replacement.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"cold calling with josh braun &amp; ryan reisert\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-2-20250213-6694331.webp\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"hs-responsive-embed-wrapper hs-responsive-embed\" style=\"width: 100%;height: auto;position: relative;overflow: hidden;padding: 0;max-width: 560px;max-height: 315px;min-width: 256px;margin: 0px auto\">\n<div class=\"hs-responsive-embed-inner-wrapper\" style=\"position: relative;overflow: hidden;max-width: 100%;padding-bottom: 56.25%;margin: 0\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Cold Calling with Josh Braun &amp; Ryan Reisert\" width=\"925\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ustEDDR9LWw?start=2383&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Top three tips I learned from this webinar:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Avoid sounding overly pushy or assumptive.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Use curiosity-driven phrases<\/strong> like, <em>\u201cI\u2019m not sure if it is or isn\u2019t,\u201d <\/em>to engage prospects without pressure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Frame offers as \u201csecond opinions\u201d<\/strong> or a chance to double-check current solutions, making your approach feel less threatening and more helpful.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Door-To-Door<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/sales\/from-salesman-to-svp\">Door-to-door<\/a> canvassing involves visiting the households and businesses of prospects that you\u2019ve identified as being able to utilize your product or service.<\/p>\n<p>Door-to-door sales typically see a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.portatour.com\/blog\/en\/door-to-door-sales-d2d-guide\/\">2% lead conversion rate,<\/a> but top-performing reps often exceed this benchmark. While 2% might not sound impressive at first, let\u2019s try to look at it this way:<\/p>\n<p>D2D sales rep approaches 100 people in a day. With a 2% conversion rate, that results in 2 sales. Over a 20-day work month, that adds up to 40 sales.<\/p>\n<p>The best thing about this is that you\u2019re only visiting relevant locations, and the homes and businesses aren\u2019t chosen at random. Like cold calls, the customers haven\u2019t asked to receive a visit from you, which classifies the practice as a canvassing strategy.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re going door-to-door to advertise your tree trimming business, you\u2019d purposely choose neighborhoods where homes have a significant amount of foliage. Going elsewhere would be useless, as there wouldn\u2019t be any work for you there.<\/p>\n<p>The fear of hearing \u201cno\u201d when you&#8217;re face-to-face with someone is always worse than reading it in a message or hearing it over the phone. But you\u2019ll love this piece of advice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/oliverlester97\/\">Oliver Lester<\/a> shared <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v%3DXcz7ljTEIjE\">in one of his sales lessons:<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne key thing is to get in the right mental state before you even knock. Confidence is everything. And here\u2019s the thing: I don\u2019t get confidence from a homeowner telling me I\u2019m good or from making a sale. Confidence comes from me deciding I\u2019m good enough and flooding my brain with positivity.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Mail and Email<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Canvassing via postal mail and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/sales\/sales-email?_ga%3D2.74082002.1949811946.1604587332-1941512261.1604587332\">email<\/a> involves sending a written sales offer to prospects via postal mail or email. They\u2019re less direct forms of canvassing, but the contacts receiving your pitch are still new.<\/p>\n<p>This method is a valuable strategy, as customers have the opportunity to assess your product or service on their own, rather than feeling the pressure to make a decision over the phone or face-to-face. If a customer feels stressed because you want a response right away, they may be more inclined to say no.<\/p>\n<p>Common everyday examples of postal mail canvassing are advertisements that you receive in the mail from local businesses. Maybe there\u2019s a new restaurant down the street, and they\u2019ve written compelling copy to convince you to visit their restaurant.<\/p>\n<p>And when it comes to crafting emails that sell, I came across a great <a href=\"https:\/\/mailshake.com\/blog\/cold-email-ab-test\/\">Mailshake case study<\/a> worth reading. Robert Allen from Acme Advisors &amp; Brokers transformed his cold email strategy with a simple A\/B test, increasing his reply rate from 9.8% to 18%.<\/p>\n<p>How did he do it?<\/p>\n<p>Allen analyzed negative replies and uncovered a recurring issue: recipients were questioning the legitimacy of his offer. This insight became the foundation for his strategy shift and eventual success.<\/p>\n<p>He replaced vague phrases like \u201cpotential buyer\u201d with specific details about why each business was being targeted.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"results \u2013 replies after changing email strategy\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-3-20250213-1233014.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/mailshake.com\/blog\/cold-email-ab-test\/\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>This extra personalization not only eased skepticism but also increased positive responses to over 70%, leading to 30+ meetings from just 206 prospects!<\/p>\n<p>So, to succeed in outreach, listen to feedback, tweak your messaging, and watch your results soar.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Explore the topic<\/strong>: I highly recommend <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lemlist.com\/playbooks\">Lemlist\u2019s sales playbooks<\/a> to refine your canvassing email skills.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Networking<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Networking is another form of direct sales canvassing, and it typically occurs at events that salespeople attend because they know prospective customers will be in attendance.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a sportswear company may have their salesperson go to a volleyball tournament because they know there will be teams there that may sign deals with you to use your clothing as their team uniform.<\/p>\n<p>Although networking is a targeted effort, it\u2019s not meant to close on-the-spot deals but rather to plant seeds for the future. Your prospects may give you their email or phone number that you can use to set up further appointments for sales-focused conversations.<\/p>\n<p>Remember that networking is great but also quite risky and, I\u2019d say, a slippery slope. You don\u2019t want to come off as intrusive, and under no circumstances should it be obvious that your goal is to sell.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/socoselling\/?originalSubdomain%3Dsg\">Tom Abbott<\/a> says, \u201cAs much as I love speakers, they always want to promote themselves. Don\u2019t be that guy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What to do instead?<\/p>\n<p>If you ask the legendary business coach Andy Elliott, he puts it perfectly: Mastering sales networking is about \u201cmastering\u201d a stranger. His tips focus on building genuine connections and tearing down barriers.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Smile and make a great first impression.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Start every interaction with a big smile \u2014 one that shows your teeth and shines through your eyes. A warm and welcoming demeanor instantly sets a positive tone. As Elliott says, your attitude can uplift someone else&#8217;s day. Combine this with a firm handshake, fist bump, or high five to create an instant connection.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Speak with familiarity.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Approach people as if you\u2019ve known them for years. Avoid robotic sales pitches and instead focus on being relatable and likable. Comment on the event, their company, or a general vibe of the event. Explore shared pain points in their role. A head of sales must struggle with setting up a good lead score, so you can ask them about that and simultaneously qualify a lead.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re selling a product or an idea, people are more likely to engage if they feel comfortable around you.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Be genuine and practice consistently.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>According to Andy, getting these skills takes practice. Make it a habit to greet every person you pass with a friendly <em>\u201cHey, how are you doing?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This simple act opens doors for deeper conversations. Genuine care for others is the foundation of long-term relationships, and in sales, this authenticity leads to trust \u2014 and success.<\/p>\n<p>Watch a short Elliot\u2019s training for more tips:<\/p>\n<div class=\"hs-responsive-embed-wrapper hs-responsive-embed\" style=\"width: 100%;height: auto;position: relative;overflow: hidden;padding: 0;max-width: 560px;max-height: 315px;min-width: 256px;margin: 0px auto\">\n<div class=\"hs-responsive-embed-inner-wrapper\" style=\"position: relative;overflow: hidden;max-width: 100%;padding-bottom: 56.25%;margin: 0\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sales Training \/\/ How to Build Rapport with ANYONE \/\/ Andy Elliott\" width=\"925\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r3st2GFOO_A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Benefits of Sales Canvassing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Some salespeople may feel apprehensive about engaging in canvassing, as it may force them out of their comfort zone. Cold-calling people that you\u2019ve had zero contact with can seem daunting, especially since sales calls can come with rejection. However, there are significant benefits that canvassing can bring to salespeople and the businesses they work for.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>1. Unlimited <\/strong><strong>contact<\/strong><strong> opportunities<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">For businesses, a significant benefit to sales canvassing is that there is never a shortage of contacts. Once you\u2019ve outlined your target audience, simply generate a list of prospects that fall into this category, and you can begin calling them, visiting their business, and sending them mail. If your business is experiencing a period of stagnant growth, sales canvassing is a valuable strategy to consider when existing leads are running dry.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>2. Deep insights into the target audience<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Cold-calling customers can also help businesses learn more about their target audiences. To explain the reason behind your call, you\u2019ll need to give detailed information about the product or service you\u2019re selling and why it will benefit them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">The prospect will need to follow up with an answer, likely providing reasoning and information behind their decision. These personalized interactions give more information about customers than what is gained from them signing up or subscribing to your service from your website.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>3. Cost-effectiveness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Canvassing is also economical, as it doesn\u2019t require any additional money spent on hiring and training sales consultants or creating new departments.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">The teams that already exist within your sales department can participate in canvassing, from salespeople to sales managers.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>4. Unlimited skill growth and development<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">The salespeople who do take part in canvassing will learn valuable sales skills, like learning how to deal with rejection, the best ways to communicate with customers, and how to create sales pitches that convert customers and drive sales. You\u2019ll learn the strategies that bring you the most success so you can continue using them as you grow in your role.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">A benefit for both salespeople and the businesses they work for is that there is no limit to canvassing. You can call as many people as you want, send as many emails as you wish, and visit as many houses as you want. There is an unlimited number of actions you can take, which helps businesses expand their clientele and is valuable for salespeople looking to gain experience and perfect their skills.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Sales Canvassing Tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Effective sales canvassing is a great way to manage your sales territory and learn new skills. Nevertheless, the process may feel daunting, as it\u2019s all about making contact when there\u2019s never been contact before.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Let\u2019s go over a few tips for salespeople to keep in mind when canvassing.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Identify target markets.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Without knowing who your customers are, it\u2019ll be challenging to create a prospect list. Thus, a crucial practice in sales canvassing is identifying your target markets. Do this by creating buyer personas \u2014 representations of your ideal customers that are created based on relevant data and research.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">HubSpot\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/make-my-persona?_ga%3D2.74082002.1949811946.1604587332-1941512261.1604587332\">Make My Persona<\/a> tool can help you through this process.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"create your target persona with helpful prompts in make my persona by hubspot\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-4-20250213-6026436.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong><em>Example<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">If you offer landscaping services, the prospects you contact must be land plot owners, have a garden or yard, etc. Those who would use that service. You wouldn\u2019t want to reach out to people who live in apartment buildings, as they have little use for gardening when they don\u2019t have their own yard. A better-suited prospect would be the building manager or property owner.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Having the necessary information to understand who your customers are and who they should be makes it easier to focus your time on qualified leads, saving you time and effort. Creating buyer personas and identifying target markets is beneficial for small businesses and enterprise companies alike.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">The best example I can think of in email sales canvassing is how Peregrine, a turn-key commercial solar power service, <a href=\"https:\/\/belkins.io\/case-studies\/lead-generation-for-turn-key-commercial-solar-power-service\">set 55 appointments and closed two deals in 6 months<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"measuring roofs to target the right prospect with sales canvassing.\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-5-20250213-5169951.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;font-size: 12px\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/belkins.io\/case-studies\/lead-generation-for-turn-key-commercial-solar-power-service\">Source<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">With Belkins\u2019 help, the team used Google Earth to measure the square footage of the roof and other sources to estimate the average monthly electricity bill. This way, they sourced only those leads who could gain from the proposal and save a feasible amount of money from electricity bills.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Set goals.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">This step influences a sales pitch. The goals may vary:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 1.125rem;letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\n<li>Solicit customer feedback and upsell.<\/li>\n<li>Qualify a lead.<\/li>\n<li>Make an instant sale or attract first-time customers.<\/li>\n<li>Spark interest and lay the groundwork for future connections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Or maybe your business hopes to grow its client list by 5% each quarter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">It\u2019s also essential for you to set daily goals within those overarching goals. For example, maybe you have a goal to call 100 people by the end of the workday and obtain contact information from 25% of those calls. Whatever your reasoning is, identifying a purpose at the beginning will translate to the right words in your sales pitch.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Create a sales pitch.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Your pitch should clearly show the prospect why your product or service is perfect for them and how it will meet their needs. In the realm of 2025, the only pitch that will yield results is hyper-personalized.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Upskill:<\/strong> Peak at how to <a href=\"https:\/\/belkins.io\/blog\/cold-email-outreach-for-manufacturing\">create a personalized email campaign for manufacturing<\/a> with email templates that deliver.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Creating a sales pitch ahead of time can also help you prepare yourself and quell any anxieties you may have from cold calling or knocking on doors. If you\u2019re calling many people within a day, this can also be a time-saving practice that helps you stay focused and organized.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">I talked to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/edwardjwhiteiii\/\">Edward White,<\/a> head of growth at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.beehiiv.com\/\">beehiiv,<\/a> and here\u2019s what he recommends for pitching during networking:<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\u201cWhen canvassing new creators at events, I bring a brief, tailored report that shows how newsletters in their niche are performing. For instance, I recently approached a fitness coach who wasn\u2019t monetizing their email list. I shared stats showing that sponsorships for fitness newsletters average $3,000 a month, with examples from similar-sized creators,\u201d White says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">White notes that this approach cuts through skepticism because it gives them something tangible.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\u201cIt\u2019s shortened my average pitch by 15 minutes and doubled follow-ups since they\u2019re already intrigued by real numbers. Sharing actionable insights upfront proves our value and keeps their attention, even when they didn\u2019t know us before,\u201d White says.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">If you\u2019re a sales manager leading a team that often canvasses, consider creating a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales\/playbooks?_ga%3D2.74082002.1949811946.1604587332-1941512261.1604587332\">sales playbook<\/a> where you share scripts and pitches that salespeople can follow when making calls and visiting businesses.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Don\u2019t fret about hearing \u201cno,\u201d and be understanding.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">A common trope that people associate with canvassing is rejection. While it may be difficult to understand, receiving a no from customers shouldn\u2019t be taken personally. Understand that some people just aren\u2019t interested in what you have to offer. Even when their \u201cno\u201d sounds harsh.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">When talking to prospects who respond positively, they may still have questions or worries that they\u2019re relying on you to address before they say yes. Be understanding of their pain points, and present yourself as the best resource to solve them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Regardless of outcomes, recognize that people who are saying no likely have a good reason to do so. Some people dislike cold calls or being interrupted by a knock at the door. Others will see your sales email and flag it as junk or throw your brochures away. Aim to be understanding, no matter the outcome, and don\u2019t take negativity personally should you encounter it.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Show, don\u2019t just tell.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Rather than jumping straight into your pitch, share a short, relatable story about a problem you\u2019ve solved. It makes your offer feel more personal and catches the listener\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Here\u2019s a role-play scenario from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/spieczny\/\">Steven Spieczny,<\/a> VP of Marketing at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kognic.com\/\">KOGNIC<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 1.125rem;letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\n<li><strong><em>Steven: <\/em><\/strong><em>\u201cHi, I\u2019m Steven Spieczny from KOGNIC. You know, I recently worked with a mid-sized tech company that struggled to make sense of their data, and they were overwhelmed and couldn\u2019t act fast enough. With our platform, they turned that around in just a few weeks and started making smarter decisions.\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Prospect:<\/em><\/strong><em> \u201cIs that so? What exactly did you do for them?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>Steven:<\/em><\/strong><em> \u201cWe helped them integrate their data sources into one seamless system and used AI to identify trends they couldn\u2019t see before. Could something like that help your team?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\u201cProspects see how your product works through the lens of someone like them, making it easier to connect the dots,\u201d says Spieczny.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Use a CRM.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">When customers aren\u2019t already in your system, it may be challenging to keep track of conversations with them, especially if you\u2019re calling a significant number of people in a day. If people don\u2019t give definitive yes or no answers over the phone, it\u2019s also important to nurture that relationship and follow up with them.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">At HubSpot, our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales?_ga%3D2.74082002.1949811946.1604587332-1941512261.1604587332\">Sales Hub<\/a> helps salespeople streamline their processes. Within the platform, there are a variety of useful tools, like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales\/click-to-call?_ga%3D2.74082002.1949811946.1604587332-1941512261.1604587332\">Sales Calling<\/a>. Cold-callers will find value in this, as the platform allows you to make calls, record them, and take notes on the conversations you\u2019re having (shown below).<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"use hubspot sales hub for sales calling\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-6-20250213-4881228.webp\"><\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">When paired with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hubspot.com\/products\/sales\/sales-automation?_ga%3D2.202840273.1158093168.1604526313-2130846895.1604526313\">Sales Automation<\/a> tool, it becomes even easier to follow up with leads that haven\u2019t given definitive yes or no answers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">You can note their hesitation within the call record and then use the sales automation email tool to schedule follow-up contact to nurture relationships and convert them to customers. The image below depicts the follow-up automation options offered by the tool.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;width: 650px;height: auto;max-width: 100%\" title=\"\" alt=\"hubspot sales hub automated follow ups\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/sales-canvassing-7-20250213-6155019.webp\"><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>Hone your canvassing skills.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">When I started out in sales, I was also afraid of hearing rejections, prospects yelling at me, or questioning my niche knowledge. The book <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/SPIN-Selling-Neil-Rackham\/dp\/0070511136\">\u201cSPIN Selling\u201d by Neil Rackham<\/a> came to the rescue.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">This is a holy grail for all salespeople who want to sell confidently and prevent or combat rejections. The book is based on real sales metrics, A\/B tests, and role-play examples.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Invest time in canvassing books and training as they prepare you to encounter real sales challenges and come out as a winner.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">A few good reads would be:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-size: 1.125rem;letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Selling-C-Suite-Every-Executive-Successfully\/dp\/0071628916\">\u201cSelling to the C-Suite&#8221; by Nicholas A.C. Read and Stephen J. Bistritz<\/a> \u2014 Focuses on gaining access to high-level decision-makers, an important aspect of advanced canvassing strategies.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Art-Prospecting-Your-Guide-Door-ebook\/dp\/B07PQT5ZR8\">\u201cThe Art of Prospecting: Your Guide to Getting in the Door\u201d by Tony Hughes<\/a> \u2014 A practical guide to modern prospecting, including strategies for canvassing and using digital tools to supplement face-to-face efforts.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Never-Split-Difference-Negotiating-Depended\/dp\/0062407805\">\u201cNever Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It\u201d by Chris Voss<\/a> \u2014 Teaches you the use of tactical empathy to build trust and rapport and introduces the \u201cNo\u201d approach to build stronger agreements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a style=\"font-size: 1.125rem;letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);, sans-serif)\"><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"letter-spacing: var(--cl-text-letter-spacing, normal);color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\"><strong>From \u201cNo\u201d to Grow: Turn Rejection into Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">In sum, sales canvassing helps businesses grow. There\u2019s an endless list of potential customers, and by reaching out and building relationships with new prospects, companies can expand their customer base.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Is it easy? Definitely not. You\u2019ll hear \u201cno\u201d a lot and probably get some not-so-nice responses. But it\u2019s all part of the process and progress, so don\u2019t take it personally. Learn to filter it out.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Good communication and a solid approach are the keys that unlock (almost) every door.<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: var(--cl-text-color, #213343);, sans-serif)\">Besides benefiting the business, salespeople who canvass gain valuable experience in learning how to engage with customers, answer their questions, and deliver compelling pitches that drive leads and close deals.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" style=\"min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important\" class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/track.hubspot.com\/__ptq.gif?a=53&amp;k=14&amp;r=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.hubspot.com%2Fsales%2Fcanvassing-tips&amp;bu=https%253A%252F%252Fblog.hubspot.com%252Fsales&amp;bvt=rss\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do you think of when you hear sales canvassing? Door-to-door visits? Politicians pitching their platforms? Fundraising calls? Sales canvassing comes with that all and much more, and is a common practice in sales. In&hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrapper\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/25\/sales-canvassing-hard-work-that-pays-off-big\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue Reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Sales Canvassing: Hard Work That Pays Off Big&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sales"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2322"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2332,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2322\/revisions\/2332"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.backstagelenses.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}