The Door Hanger That Stopped Me in My Tracks

I walked out my front door the other morning, pulled it shut behind me and there it was, hanging right on the doorknob. A door hanger with a REALTOR’s name, logo and contact info on it (plus a really cute family photo).

I stood there for a second, just staring at it. I mean, I hadn't seen one of those in ages. And there was no scrolling past it, no swiping away and no algorithm deciding whether I'd view it or not. It was just hanging out there, waiting for me to find it.

We live in a world where every agent is fighting for attention online. Social posts, email blasts, text campaigns and digital ads are all competing for exhausted eyeballs. Sometimes the best way to stand out is to do the thing nobody else is doing anymore.

If you’re looking for ways to cut through the noise, here are five analog moves that still get a prospect’s attention:

1. Door hangers still make people stop and look. Nobody does them anymore, which is exactly why they work.

2. A handwritten note dropped in a mailbox or left on a door says you took five minutes to think about someone specifically. People notice that attention to detail and personalization.

3. A single photo printed on a postcard and mailed to a past client beats a mass email every single time.

4. A branded item left at a local business (not a cheap pen, but something actually useful), keeps your name in front of people for months.

5. Showing up in person at a community event, a school function or a neighborhood gathering puts a face behind the name in a way no Instagram post can.

The digital tools aren't going anywhere, and you should absolutely keep using them. But don't overlook the stuff that feels old-fashioned. In a sea of notifications and ads, something tangible and unexpected cuts right through the noise. Analog tactics tend to work best when they’re part of a broader plan. I walk through that planning mindset in 9 Steps to a Successful Real Estate Year.

If you’re looking for more ways to grow your real estate business, check out The 20th Anniversary Edition of The Real Estate Agent’s Business Planner on Amazon. The book pairs well with The Real Estate Agent's 12-Month Planning Workbook for a complete real estate success system.