Keep Solicitors Away

Season of Salesmen - How To Keep Them Away

Summer time is upon us. That means warm sunshine, kids running around and endless circles with the lawnmower. Along with those great adventures, most of us will endure another summer activity: the knocking on our door by summer solicitors. Like an African safari documentary, the sunshine announces the door-to-door season has begun. 

It must be effective to send the armies of college students and sales reps all over the country or we wouldn’t see them each year. Surely some people get excited to find new things to buy, but for the rest of us, it’s not something to look forward to. So the question arises, how can we let them visit those wanting new things and leave the rest of us alone? A simple solution: A No Soliciting Sign.

Are No Soliciting Signs the Best?

The most common way to keep solicitors away is a No Soliciting Sign. We’ve seen them displayed on doors for years and they usually seem to do the trick. All but the most determined solicitors will back away once they see those familiar words. While the battle has raged on for many years, the Supreme Court has ruled that local laws restricting solicitation are unconstitutional, you still have a right to keep your property private. In other words, while the act of actually soliciting is allowed, you are also allowed to place No Soliciting Signs and Private Property signs around your home or business. This clearly states that you do not wish to be disturbed and they should respect this right. Those who choose to disobey your orders are effectively breaking the law and your privacy.

What other ways can I protect my privacy from solicitation?

Laws and ordinances with regards to solicitation are most commonly passed on the local level and can be quite different from city to city. It’s important to check with your local city or municipality to see what options are available. Some areas have “do not knock” lists, similar to the telemarketing Do Not Call list. Specific solicitation hours with night time prohibitions are also common in areas. This helps keep later hours peaceful and also is a safety measure. Some criminals pose as salespeople and search for easy targets during the day while striking at night once they have sufficient information.  If your local area does not have a time restriction ordinance, it might be a good idea to suggest it at the next city meeting. If a time restriction or something similar cannot be ruled upon, do not open your door at night. This keeps you and your family safe regardless of local ordinances.

While the laws can’t do much to actually stop solicitors there are options available to you. If you really want a quiet evening a No Soliciting Sign is the first step, and usually, you won’t need to take another.   

Do Signs Stop Religious or Charitable Groups?

While many cities and areas don’t have specific no soliciting laws, even more don not have laws regarding charitable or religious groups. Usually, this is because they are not technically “selling” a product. This often leads to annoyance by those who have placed signs and can be confusing with regards to the word solicitation. Many religious or charitable groups will ignore the sign, assuming you will welcome them because of the lack of selling products. A solution to this is having a sign specifically stating all forms of soliciting and proselyting is not acceptable. To put further emphasis, Sign Wise sells signs that specifically include religious and charitable groups on our no soliciting signs.

If someone continues to disobey your signs and you declining them in person, they are required to leave immediately by law. Even if your city or area does not have soliciting laws, having a sign that clearly spells out what is not welcome should be enough. Those that refuse to acknowledge your instructions may be guilty of trespassing, depending on local laws of course.  

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Sign Wise has built a selection of our most popular No Soliciting Signs that include religious and charitable group signs. We have seen a large increase in orders for these signs as the laws change and people want to include a no soliciting sign.  As well as these signs, Sign Wise manufactures thousands of other signs including parking signs, safety signage, OSHA/ANSI signs, and much more. These signs are made with the highest quality of materials and made right here in the old US of A. If you’d like a quote or are looking for a custom sign please give us a ring at (877) 631-0197 or email us at sales@shopsignwise.com or check us out online at www.shopsignwise.com