Everything old is new again – at least when it comes to marketing strategy. While you might think of door-to-door sales as a thing of the past, it’s actually a highly effective method for acquiring new customers in today’s modern climate. Many thriving corporations are seeing the benefits of adding door-to-door selling to their marketing mix, and here’s why:

Advertisements are easily tuned out.

Commercials are everywhere these days. From billboards and TV commercials, to social media and mobile advertising, we're flooded with so many advertising messages that it’s easy for all of it to blend together into one ocean of noise that easily fades into the background.

This is why door-to-door sales should be part of your marketing strategy. Unlike any other advertising medium, in-person sales reps create real connections with potential customers. They communicate from one human to another, customizing their sales pitch and even their body language and tone in a way that even the most sophisticated digital advertising and artificial intelligence can’t. Well-trained salespeople are able make the potential buyer feel comfortable, attracting their interest and initiating a discussion, which is the first and most important step of acquiring new customers.

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The competition is fierce.

With so many companies vying for consumers’ attention, it’s extraordinarily difficult to stand out. Even the most creative billboards and eye-catching social media strategies are bound to get lost in the mix.

Door-to-door marketing is a secret weapon for any company looking to carve out space in a crowded market. Not only is it a less common approach to customer acquisition, but it is highly effective at reaching people who have been unresponsive to other forms of customer outreach. Actively engaging face-to-face provides the opportunity to first, inform customers about products they might not have otherwise known about; and second, influence their decision-making process.

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People buy from people.

As much as technology has changed over the years, human nature has not. There is no digital replacement for connecting face-to-face, human-to-human. A commercial can’t ask a business owner to describe the challenges facing his business. An internet ad can’t inquire about the needs of a growing family, make eye contact, or interpret facial expressions. But a skilled salesperson can.

Through door-to-door sales, companies are able to localize their marketing efforts and connect with customers on a personal level. By engaging one-on-one, salespeople are able to learn about the needs, wants, and concerns of their customers throughout the sales process. By building rapport, they are able to establish trust, which in turn translates not only to the consumer’s decision to buy – but to remain loyal to the respective brand.

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It’s highly adaptable.

The launch of a new product or service is expensive and time-consuming through most marketing channels. Whether you’re paying for market research, air time, graphic design, public relations, or anything in between, the expenses add up quickly.

This is another key differentiator of door-to-door marketing. Not only is it more cost-effective, but it’s dramatically faster to implement changes and market new products. When you already have an outside sales team in place, launching a new product is as simple as educating the salespeople about your new offering. The right door-to-door sales team should be able to start selling immediately and at no added cost to your company.

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Success is 100% measurable.

The tricky part about most forms of marketing is that the success or failure of a campaign is often a gray area. While a given ad might enhance brand recognition or contribute to the buzz about a new product, results are difficult to quantify.

Unlike advertising campaigns, there is no doubt as to whether a door-to-door sales strategy has been successful. The number of new customers acquired is crystal clear, allowing companies to track progress, calculate ROI, and make changes accordingly.

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There is a reason one of the oldest professions, face-to-face sales has seen a resurgence over the past decade: it works! No matter how advanced digital marketing becomes, people will always prefer to buy from people. It’s human nature. While the smartest sales strategy is diversify your sale and marketing tactics, including a door-to-door element to your marketing mix remains a highly effective way to increase revenue and drive consistent sales results.

With the right combination of work ethic, people skills, and self-discipline, working on commission is an extremely rewarding way to earn a living and build a successful career. Sales teams that work on a sales compensation plan earn more when the company sells more, making these pay structures a win win for both sales professionals and their employers. There are many types of sales commissions, but taking a job that offers commission either on top of or instead of a base salary can pay off for motivated employees looking to maximize their earning potential.

Let’s take a look at six benefits of commission work.

You control what you earn.

One of the best things about commission based work is that you can make as much money as you want. If you’ve ever had an hourly or salaried position, you know how frustrating it can be to have to wait for a raise in order to see a bigger paycheck. When you earn sales commission, however, you get to determine this yourself. This is especially great when you’ve got your heart set on a big purchase: in addition to saving up over time, you can increase your income and speed up the process.

It’s the best preparation for running your own business.

Have you ever realized that business owners are technically working on 100% commission? If their companies aren’t making money, they aren’t either. There is no better practice for an aspiring entrepreneur than a job that pays commission rather than a fixed salary. Whether working as a sales rep, a real estate agent, or earning another type of commission based pay, working on commission will teach you self-reliance, a no excuses mentality, organization, money management, and resilience -- all of which are essential for survival when you’re running your own show.

You aren’t micromanaged.

Another huge perk of being paid on commission is having a high degree of autonomy, which means that your boss isn’t looking over your shoulder all day. This is great for people who enjoy making their own decisions or who prefer working independently. With most commission jobs, it’s up to you to determine exactly how to structure your day to maximize success.

You can’t become stagnant.

When you’re picking up an automatic weekly paycheck, it’s easy to take your foot off the gas from time to time, especially if you know a co-worker is getting away with doing less work for the same pay. Jobs with a commission structure force you to stay on your toes, which is great for your professional growth. When you’re always on your A-game, career success is inevitable.

Your effort is rewarded.

As much as delayed gratification is crucial for long-term success, we all love a good immediate reward. One of the perks of commission work is the direct relationship between working hard and seeing results. Doing that little bit extra -- visiting that one additional customer, asking that one extra question, putting in that extra hour -- has the potential to pay off, literally. Each individual sale matters, and typically when the employee works harder the employee earns more too.

It’s fun.

There’s something to be said for ‘the thrill of the hunt’. Successful salespeople will even tell you that there’s something addicting about it. Nothing feels better than working hard, earning a sale, and seeing a happy customer. Since no two days are exactly alike, working on commission is always an exciting adventure.

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If you’ve never earned sales commission before, the idea might sound intimidating. But, as anyone who has tried it for themselves will tell you, if you possess a student mentality, a strong work ethic, and an internal drive to succeed, you’ll find that the rewards of a sales commission plan are plentiful.