What I Learned from Knocking on Doors

I recently had to collect over 100 signatures by knocking on doors in my community. It was a massive departure from my comfort zone, but I learned a lot. For this week's bonus article, here are 5 unsolicited takeaways from that experience.

Always Respect "No Solicitors" Signs

This is common sense. Don't be a d***. If you don't want anyone knocking on your door, I highly recommend getting a sign! If they knock anyway, you have the right to treat them however you want in my opinion.

Even when there is no signage posted, don't be surprised if people are short with you or refuse to even answer the door (which is what I do when people come to my house). Folks are busy, and you're requesting their time without providing a heads-up. It would be unrealistic and narcissistic to expect their undivided attention just because you dared to knock on their door. You aren't that important.

Trump vs Harris Signs...

I didn't let political party affiliation prevent me from talking to anyone. In fact, homes with political signage in the yard were often the most pleasant people to talk to. People are much more inflammatory online than in person, and I would have been happy to grab a beer with multiple individuals on both sides of the political fence.

If you're knocking on doors to provide value to your community (whether presently or in the future), but you refuse to speak with certain people simply because they support a different political candidate, then you are not well suited to provide for your community in the first place. Why should anyone give you time and attention (or power) when you treat others like that? Don't knock on doors unless you're willing to talk to everyone, regardless of religion, race, or political affiliation.

Don't Judge a Book by its Cover

Some of the most receptive folks I chatted with looked downright unapproachable from a distance. I was often shocked to get a huge smile and 20 minutes of conversation from someone I was skeptical of talking to from 50 feet away.

Don't fall victim to stereotypes. Rather, use your intuition to steer conversations in a direction that benefits both parties. See a flag in the front yard supporting an NFL team? Use that. Are there chalk pictures drawn in the driveway indicating they have young kids? Use that. See particularly impressive Halloween decorations in the front yard? Compliment them.

Don't judge people in a way that prevents conversation. Rather, use your judgment to ensure you both walk away having enjoyed the chat. Your natural senses aren't evil, they're useful.

Retirees Like to Chat

My strategy was to pick houses with open garage doors or multiple cars in the driveway. I didn't want to deal with knocking on doors with no one inside. Since I was driving around in the middle of the day, this strategy naturally selected for retirees. Thankfully, I have always enjoyed talking with my elders, and they tend to enjoy conveying their wisdom to younger generations.

Show them that you're thoughtful, respectful, and want to learn, and you'll be shocked by their generosity. Prove that you can think for yourself, and you'll even earn their respect.

Be the Best Version of Yourself

Perhaps most importantly, you should bring the absolute best version of yourself to these conversations. People are scared of getting rejected, sure, but they also worry about being treated like sh*t. You can spare your feelings by presenting your best, most humble self.

If someone's being an a**hole even though you've given them no reason to be, they are definitionally being "unreasonable". There's no rationale for giving an unreasonable person the power to ruin your day. Keep that in mind, and your fears will dissolve. Once you learn this lesson, you'll realize you might as well take this approach with everyone, every day.

*Information presented on RxTeach does not represent the opinion of any specific company, organization, or team other than the authors themselves. No patient-provider relationship is created.