The door knocking rules every Australian operator should know

Door knocking is still the fastest way to get customers with no budget and no reviews. It is also regulated, and the rules catch people out.

This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current ACCC and state fair trading guidance.

## Permitted hours Door-to-door sales calls are permitted 9am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays. Not on Sundays. Not on public holidays. Outside those windows, only by appointment.

## Do Not Knock stickers If the sticker says do not knock, do not knock. It is also, conveniently, a house that was never going to buy anything.

## What you must do at the door State your name, your business and the purpose of your visit, up front. Show ID if asked. Leave immediately when asked to leave, and do not return to that address for at least 30 days.

## The trap: unsolicited consumer agreements If you sign someone up at the door and the value is over $100, that is an unsolicited consumer agreement under the Australian Consumer Law. Which means:

• The agreement must be in writing and given to the customer, setting out their rights.
• There is a 10 business day cooling-off period.
• You must not accept payment during the cooling-off period, and there are restrictions on supplying during it.

Read that again. Knock on Monday, sign at the door, and you legally cannot take payment for ten business days — and the customer can walk away in the meantime.

## The fix, and it is a better sales process anyway Do not sign anyone up at the door. Book a quote.

"I'm not here to sign anything up. If you like, I'll take two minutes now to measure and I'll text you a price this evening. If it suits, you book it whenever you're ready."

The customer then contacts you to accept. The agreement is no longer unsolicited, the cooling-off restrictions do not bite, and the conversation is far more comfortable — which is why it converts better.

## The numbers that make it worth doing Forty doors in two hours: about fourteen answer, four are interested, two book a quote, one becomes a job. At $400 that is $10 per door knocked, including every single no.

You are paid for knocking, not for closing.