Door hangers can be effective, but you should have reasonable expectations. Don't expect them to be magic-- they should be a part of your marketing mix.
Select the are carefully. Preferably an area where you have other marketing. You should not expect more than 1 call per 1,000 distributed, particularly the first time you do it. If you repeat the same area every 2- 3 months, the response will increase.
We do a minimum of 5,000 when we do door hangers. We get 4 to 8 calls, some many months later.
When you get a job in your target area, immediately begin proximity marketing. Send postcards to the neighbors. Hand out more door hangers or flyers to the neighbors. Get a sign in the yard ASAP and leave it there as long as possible. All of this will increase your visibility and increase the effectiveness of each marketing piece.
Brian Phillips