What Is a Summer Sales Program?

Summer sales programs explained: how pest and security companies relocate teams for four months, how housing and pay work, and who should go.

Short answer: a summer sales program is a four-month door-to-door job, usually May through August, where a company moves a team of reps to a market, provides housing, and the reps knock doors six days a week selling pest control or home security. It is the most common way people start a door-to-door career, and because pay is commission, results range widely from one rep to the next.

How it works

Recruiting runs from fall through spring. Companies fill teams months ahead.
Pre-season training happens on calls and in a few in-person sessions before you leave.
Relocation. The team drives or flies to the market. Housing is shared apartments arranged by the company.
The season. Knock from late morning to dark, six days a week. Team meetings every morning. A leaderboard every day.
Back-end pay. A chunk of your commission is held until the end of the season, tied to how many of your accounts stay active.

Pay

Commission per account. Companies publish a commission scale that rises as you sell more. Housing is usually free or deducted at a low rate. Ask specifically how the back-end works and when it pays, because it is where most summer rep complaints come from.

Who should do one

College students and anyone with a free summer.
People who want to find out if they are good at sales without a long commitment.
Anyone who wants into solar or roofing but has no sales record yet.

Who should not

Anyone who cannot be away from home for four months.
Anyone who needs steady weekly pay from day one. Look at fiber or a canvassing role instead.

How to get on a team

Apply through Knock Door to Door and select pest control or home security. Tell us your available dates and whether you can relocate. We match you with programs that still have spots in the markets you want.

Questions

When do summer sales programs start?

Most start in late April or May and run through August. Recruiting runs from the previous fall through spring.

Is housing included in summer sales?

Usually yes. Companies arrange shared apartments in the market. Confirm whether it is free or deducted, and get it in writing.

What do summer sales reps sell?

Mostly pest control and home security. Some programs sell solar, lawn care or fiber.