Sending Someone Away from Your Door

My rule of thumb is, if I don't know the person at the door that is knocking or ringing the doorbell (or if they weren't invited over), we don't answer the door. It's just safety issue for us, plus it's a good way of avoiding the unpleasantness of having to say, "Thank you but no thank you."

I just printed off a sign from my computer that says:

NO SOLICITING
This includes sales, religious, political, etc.

I had tried just a No Soliciting sign but that didn't work. Since I have added the phrase underneath, I don't have anyone knocking on my door other than school kids.

I graciously say, "I'm not interested." If they keep on talking I repeat it and slowly close the door so that it doesn't feel like I'm slamming it in their face. I don't open the screen door.

I also have a no soliciting sign on my porch post but I still get salesmen. After a couple of times telling Jehovah's Witnesses that I wasn't interested they stopped coming by.

Put a small polite note on the door saying no soliciting.

You could:
•Not answer the door
•Put a small "no soliciting" sign on your door, then don't answer the bell, if rung
•Just answer the door and ask that they not stop by in the future b/c you are happy with your church and have enough magazines!

Of course its OK. I would just say 'listen, I really hate to waste your time...you should not that I am just not interested in becoming a witness or buying a magazine and to be perfectly honest never will be."

i had the same thought when three people started to verbally attack me at the kiosks in the mall today,,,,,no i dont want your soap, cell phone, or hair straitener. I actually thought it would be nice to keep a crucifix or string of garlic to flash at them.

it would be funny at least

It's your house. It's your life.
You don't have to be polite to people
who are stealing your tiime from you.

Tell the Jehovah's Witness lady that you have enjoyed your conversations
but you've become much more busy lately and can no longer take the time to chat with her. Thank her and wish her well.

The kids w/the magazines . . . . drugs schmugs.
These kids are working on commission and will push push push.
Before they start their pitch, tell them you do not subscribe to magazines.
Period. Full stop. Thank you for stopping by.

Put a "Please no religious or sales solicitors" sign on your front door and then don't answer the door when they come.

I have a no soliciting sign (usually we took it down when we painted) and I just point to it, smile and close the door. Or say "no Thank you and close the door. There is one person that kept coming back before the holidays. I have two dogs who used to bark when someone came to the door but now the older one is deaf and niether of them bark. I wanted them to bark at this solicitor because I didn't want to answer the door but we have had breakins where theives pose as solictors and then break in the house if no one is home. Our police dept has advised to answer from a closed door to make sure they know you are home. Anyway, this particular time I got the dogs leash out knowing he'd bark excitedly at the door thinking he would go for a walk. LOL, that person hasn't been back! I did have to take the poor dog for a short walk.

i used to get at least 2 religious or sales people a week at my door. i put a "no soliciting" sign on the door and i haven't gotten one since:)

You have to be very firm and tell them -don't ask them -not to come to your home anymore. You don't know these people or the people they know, and you don't have to be mean (usually), but it takes a lot for some of these folks to get the hint! If I'm outside when these types approach, I simply say, "I'm not interested" and turn my back and walk inside. If they come to my door, I tell them that through the door. I don't consider it rude -what I consider rude is someone interrupting my time and my day for something completely ridiculous or a scam.

I am not sure how your municipality is structured but in ours you must obtain a permit to sell door to door (except Girl Scouts and others of that sort). Fortunately we can also register on a "Do Not Solicit" list. If the solicitor obtains the proper permit than they are given the list of people they can not solicit. This being said, if someone shows up at my door I know they did not go through the proper channels and I report them. (We also have a sign to post on our door which states no solicitation per borough code.)

Believe it or not one person did try to solicit me one time and when I questioned her about her permit she tried to say she had one. I reported her and the police responded and made her go through the proper channels before she could proceed.

Otherwise I think the process works marveously because I never get solicited. Do you think just posting a sign on your door or near your doorbell might deter them?

Apparently in our neighborhood it has gotten out that I'm agnostic and my husband is atheist and every couple of months we have to deal with a large number of churches sending people through our neighborhood to knock on doors. Some are rather pushy and rude and so I get rude back. I have told them(the rude ones) never to step foot on my property again. Others if I see the bus or vans drop off the church groups I will get my two big dogs and have them on very long leashes in the front yard. Big dogs barking at them tends to keep them out of my yard. LOL I know sounds mean but since these people already seem to know my lack of religion they are pushy when they get a chance to say even one word to me.
I agree the sign is a huge help cause we put one up and it helped. I found a anti-religion solicitation sign that I plan to add to my regular sign as soon as I can get it shipped to me.

If it is during the day when I am home with the kids, I don't answer the door. I don't care, I don't know them and I am busy. If it is Saturday, I am doing family stuff so I just don't answer the door. It is my house and my door, we pay the mortgage and only open the door if we want to. Sometimes I do open the door to the kids and just tell them that I am not interested just because they don't always realize the significance of not coming to the door and they just stand there, but they usually go on. We did have some JWs come by and we invited them in, and talked and talked with them trying to listen and answer questions. Those particular ones never came back, guess we got crossed off their list. Now I just don't answer for anyone except the lawn guy, FedEx, Ups, Usps and my neighbors. The neighborhood is quiet during the day and I think this is the safest policy. One time my son was even in the window saying "Mommy Mommy there are ladies at the door" I just said "Yeah I know" and went about my business, it sent the appropriate message. Good luck!

I think you need to say exactly what you have said here. You believe they have good intentions but you are not going to attend their church. You are happy where you are.

I think it is important that you do this. She may think you are actually looking a little interested otherwise. Good luck...don't feel bad, they are bothering you not the other way around.

In our town there are stickers that you can get from the local Consumer Protection agency that says "Solicitors Not Invited" -- I would get some, post it and not answer your door.

The more you chat with her, the more you will encourage her. Same with the magazine people. I would get a no soliciting sign AND if you know for a fact that it is these people, I would just not answer the door.

aren't you sweet? if i'm busy i just tell them i'm not interested and close the door. i have no problem doing it. i'm not rude, just firm.
i love the mormons. i invite 'em in if i have the time and we have lovely conversations. but i think they've given up on me, haven't seen 'em in a few years.
i tell the JWs i love to discuss religion, and religious discussions in my house are always conducted in the nude. i assume they're fine abiding by my custom in my house? no? ah, regretfully must decline the opportunity then.
of course, that could backfire on me one day. then i'll find out if my dog is really of any use or not.
;) khairete
S.

i think the best way to handle something like that is to say "i think its great what your doing and what you believe but im sorry to tell you that i am not interested, any religion is a personal choice and i respect yours just like anyone would respect mine" what someone chooses to believe in or not believe in is still they're choice no matter what and no one can really make someone choose what to believe unless thats how they were raised. i dont know where you stand as far as religion but its all about wether your content with how you see things. no one can really judge anyone because NO ONE is perfect so pretty much they cant get angry or upset with you just because your not interested in what they believe.

I put a sign on my door--NO SOLICITATION. If people still knock, I ask is this a solicitation call? By law, they have to say yes if they are selling something---- and you say, I am not interested. If the JH people come, you say --please take me off of your list. I am not interested. Have a great day! Close the door nicely. If they come again, you remind them of your chat you had the previous month. Be kind, be firm and don't waiver. If you act too kind or the slightest bit interested, she/he will stay and think this is the opportunity they have been waiting for, that they have somehow gotten through to you--so be clear in your intentions.GL

M

You just have to be firm. Do not engage in conversation. Calmly close the door.

As for the magazine sales, cleaners, etc, I don't open the door. I just let my dogs bark and I communicate that I am not interested.

As for the kiosks at the mall.... I hate those too.

Well are they catching you outside or something? I just wouldn't answer the door....a few times they will catch the hint. Our old house was right down the street from a freaking JW church. They drove us crazy all the time. I would never go to the door. I don't believe in their teachings-its twisted but that is just my opinion and I'm not saying they are bad people I just don't have the same belief and I respect they don't believe the way I do so the same should apply to them in my opinion. Sometimes I feel like they are a cult. Recruit more people! C'mon we need more people to recruit! Planting a seed is one thing planting the seed and constantly going over to look at it to see if anything has happened is just quite irritating and frustrating......When they catch me outside I will usually make up an excuse like sorry but I have to go get the kids up from a nap or sorry I have to get ready to be somewhere-I have an appointment, etc. Don't feel guilty for making up an excuse-they are invading on your time. Its your choice how you would like to manage your time. If they get offended -Oh well guess they are in the wrong line of work then............

I tell religous people this:
"I am the only one who reads the word of the lord in this house, ty & have a good day," then I shut the door. Most recently a group of JW's (and I mean a group of ten or more) came to our house on Thanksgiving. I know they don't celebrate, but it was rude to me. They haven't been back since.
I tell everyone else..."No thank you, please don't return to this property, have a good day."
The rudest people I ever got were from AT&T. The fourth time they came to my house (in a period of 4 weeks) they heard it from me, and I didn't care about being polite. =)

My sister is a Witness and does the hours of service and if someone asks them to not bother them again they are very understanding and don't bother them again...if you have asked them to not come and they are still doing it then you need to make sure and call the Kingdom Hall when they are having meetings and ask the elders to visit with them. It won't hurt their feelings, they get this a lot and understand that everyone doesn't want the interruption of their day.

As for the rest, a NO SOLICITORS ALLOWED sign is enough to tell anyone to not come on your property to sell you something or give you something.