The real ROI here is velocity - get as many visits in as fast as possible. Pick a neighbourhood for efficiency, sure, but the point is to generate enough volume to surface your own pattern.
Once you've logged 30-50 calls, you'll see which verticals bite, which objections stall, and where your pitch actually converts. Without data, the only signal you have is repetition.
Your manager's right about the concept, just terrible at framing it. This isn't about "being efficient" - it's about building a statistically significant sample so you can optimise your route and talk track.
Until then, brute force. Every door is a data point.