Polis, the Techstars alum behind door-to-door marketing analytics software, has a new name: Knoq.
Originally launched as the provider of a door-to-door canvassing app to help campaigners and politicians keep better track of their door-knocking campaigns, Knoq has since pivoted away from its political component to focus on sales and marketing, along with what the company calls "neighborhood outreach"—educating people about a suite of different products and services.
"Political work is extremely hard to sustain," said CEO Kendall Tucker. "When an election cycle ended, we were looking around, and corporations were so excited about talking to people in person. We decided to focus on the biggest way we felt that we could make the world a better place, which was this consistent outreach, where neighbors are helping neighbors and talking to them about products and services that can make their lives better."
To that end, Knoq—one of BostInno's Startups to Watch in 2020—has recruited, trained and guided 37 neighborhood representatives, or "Knoqers," to knock on people's doors. Relatively fresh off a $2.5 million seed round and now generating more than $2 million in revenue annually, Knoq plans to hire 200 more Knoqers by the end of the year.
Knoqers are all direct employees of the company rather than independent contractors. They make $15 an hour plus benefits and commission, which Tucker said translates to anywhere between $50,000 and $100,000 a year for the average Knoqer.
Currently operating in Boston and Kansas City, Knoq is planning on rolling out teams in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Texas this year, starting with Salt Lake City next month.
Tucker also clearly realizes that as the novel coronavirus spreads across the United States, with social isolation recommended in several parts of the country, people may be wary of the potential for disease to be spread via door-to-door sales. (Read through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's information on coronavirus here.) On Tuesday, Knoq debuted a new "no-contact" marketing channel. According to a press release, Knoqers will be able to drop literature and samples, talk to people "only when appropriate" and deliver necessary services.
For Tucker, although Knoq is first and foremost a tech company, it also provides a path forward for people who are looking for careers in sales.
"[Our representatives] generally don't have sales experience," Tucker said. "But people log into our app, they go through this robust training, first learning how to do sales and then learning about the products in their own neighborhoods. The app uses data so that they can go to doors when people are home. They can talk to people about products and services to actually relate to what the homeowner wants. We're driving a lot of value for homeowners, but at the same time, we're helping people get that next stage in their career path."
