Friday, March 27, 2009

Say what? "No Soliciting" Signs are Tacky?

Apparently some people think this. Apparently these people don't get solicitors at their doors! lol I just picked up a small sticker that fits in my screen door. But it must be minuscule (or invisible) because my door bell continues to ring.

After the following conversation, I decided to make my own sign.

Ding! Dong!
Me: Yes?
Solicitor: I'd like to show you my cleaning products and get your opinion.
Me: (pointing to sign) Isn't that soliciting?
Solicitor: No, I don't consider it to be soliciting.
Me: Well, I do.
Solicitor: No, I don't think it is.
Me: Can I buy your products if I'm impressed with them?
Solicitor: Yes.
Me: (closes door)

My new sign:



No Soliciting

Solicitation so·lic'i·ta'tion n. [suh-lis-i-tey-shuhn]
1. To petition persistently; importune: solicited the neighbors for donations.
2. This means selling something.
3. Requesting donations.
4. Advertising
5. Surveys
6. Viewing my phone bill to see where you can save me money.
7. Saving my soul.
8. And yes, YOU too. If you don't know my first name, then don't ring my doorbell. TIA!


I'm taking votes on how long it will be before my house gets egged. By the way, for those of you in need of a nice unobtrusive sign, I found these.

18 comments:

Freckles Chick said...

LMAO! Your sign is pure genius. I'm guessing that should keep even the eggers away.

The Jehovah's Witness peeps always come by, but for some reason only when I'm home and not DH. I've told them time and time again that I was raised Buddhist and plan to keep it that way. But they're intent on saving my soul so they keep coming back. Now I just shout thru the door "My soul's fine!". Seriously.

D-ra said...

wait...someone stopped by your house to sell you cleaning products?? that seems so weird to me. I've really never had people come to my door like that. Except Verizon- we already have DSL with them, but they stop by sometimes to push Fios on us.

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Love it...still laughing....glad I found your blog.

Hope you will stop by my blog for a visit.
I am new to blogging and I am loving all my new friends.

I am giving away my first EVER BLOG PRIZE.

I have a gift basket business and it is the most requested gift over the last 15 years.
From the comments I have already received, it appears to be something a little different.
I have been so touched by the comments. I really do want to bless people!!!
I have decided that giving is life at its BEST. The drawing will be late afternoon on Saturday...wow that's tomorrow!

Katie @ makingthishome.com said...

Cool! Those vacuum and cleaning supplies people are so frustrating. My only question is: what about those cute little kids selling Girl Scout cookies and stuff? What's your take on them? I guess they probably won't read and understand the sign, maybe...
Your house is seriously looking fabulous, by the way. Love that blue in the bedroom.
Katie

Meredith said...

I think your sign is fantastic!

Julie said...

I have a No Soliciting sign on my window just outside my office door: clear as day, bright red. A woman came in one day, pointed to the sign, chuckled and said, "This is great! Would you like to buy..."
Am I allowed to throw my stapler at their head after that???
But kids always get me... :(

Courtney said...

Haha! This is hilarious!!

Krys72599 said...

I had the LDS people or the Jehovah's Witness people ring my doorbell one day, soon after we moved into our new home. I'm Catholic but we bought a beautiful home in a neighborhood where my wonderful neighbors are almost all Orthodox Jews (we're within walking distance of their synagogue).
Anyway, I answered the door, they started trying to save my soul and I held out my hand - I always wear a gold and diamond cross ring. I explained briefly that I'm Catholic and I practice and thanks, but no thanks, have a nice day.
They said, very condescendingly, "You're Catholic? Really?"
That stopped me dead in my tracks - "Yes. Why?"
"Well, you have that on your door (with a head nod to the mezuzah the previous owners had on their door jamb)."
My response?
"Well, it sure didn't hurt the previous owners any so we're just going to leave it right up there. Okay with you?" Accompanied by my door slamming in their faces!

Micha said...

I know I'm commenting on a forever old post, but this was funny to me. The best solicitation I've received was just a month ago. Some guy rang the bell and when I didn't answer slipped a paper through the door INTO MY HOUSE that said something to the effect of "Tired of solicitors? Get a no soliciting sign" and proceeded to explain all their design options and "extremely reasonable rates." Seriously, my irritation faded and I just started laughing. I think it's the best door to door sales I've ever seen - at least in entertainment value.

Jill said...

That is great! When I was a kid my mom had a custom sign made that said "NO PEDDLERS, AGENTS OR SOLICITORS". I am looking for a sign for my door bc I am so sick of the foot traffic trying to guilt me into parting with my money!

Jill said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
iamurme said...

I think mine will say "All solicitors must first get past the dog."

EllenB said...

Posting to an old post, but what the heck?! Found a cute sign online today that might work. Wish it were just flat metal, though. http://bit.ly/cqmvwX

Yarrow said...

I am looking at making me and some neighbors a No Soliciting signs. It is insane where I live, at least 4 to 6 a week selling everything from vaccums to students wanting sponsered for w/e to ppl selling meat....yes meat that one still blows my mind. Like I want to buy meat from strangers with a freezer thing in the back of a pickup truck..yuk. (not swans truck either).

Taratart said...

I came across this blog and love it. I'm so sick of people coming to my door trying to sell me crap. I put up a "no soliciting" sign after some dude selling cleaning products tried to come in my house without even asking me. He then got angry when I told him "no." Now I just came home from lunch and even with my sign up, some weirdos left political pamphlets with a salvation track ALSO in the bundle of goodies at my door. I would never vote for the people they were promoting and I already have a relationship with the Lord so I was very unamused. I think salvation tracks actually have the opposite effect of their intended purpose. I'm a Christian and they disgust me--I can only imagine how an agnostic or athiest would view them. Talk about useless pieces of paper! Well anyway, I love the sign you created. I would order one if I could! :)

Anonymous said...

I did something similar -- put the definition of solicitation up on a handmade sign. I actually have only had ONE person bypass it since I put it up a year ago -- compared to the dozens I would get each month before.
I just wish I could order one somewhere that wasn't made of out of paper ;-)

Anonymous said...

I was thinking about putting up a sign reading "A shift worker lives here, please do not disturb as they are sleeping. Thank you." Of course, no one here is a shift worker but the folks who want to save my soul do not know that. Thoughts??

rita said...

ok... i can outdo you. When my triplets were infants, invariably some stranger would stop at the house to sell, beg, ask for a petition to be signed.... ect.. even a milkman...

I had a no soliciting or peddling sign. This was completely ineffective. I finally posted a picture of all three of them screaming and underneath in big letters pur
" IF YOU WAKE THEM... YOU TAKE THEM... until you get them back to sleep"

Strangely enough, the intrusions stopped.