Welcome to Close it now, an H Vac sales training podcast with Sam Wakefield.
Speaker AHere we'll build your reputation in residential H Vac sales to be the expert influencer in your market.
Speaker AYou'll get insight into the top minds in the industry as they share their skills and hacks to help you on your journey.
Speaker AThis podcast isn't just about selling more.
Speaker AIt's about understanding your customers needs and building efficiencies behind the scenes so you can sell more but work less while being top of mind when people think H Vac.
Speaker ANow let's get started with your host of the Close it now podcast.
Speaker AThis is Sam Wakefield.
Speaker BWelcome back to Close It Now.
Speaker BI am Sam Wakefield and I am so excited and grateful to be here with you today.
Speaker BToday is kind of an interesting day.
Speaker BWe'll cover a handful of things that happened this last week in Raleigh, North Carolina and during my on site visit, changed some lives, put up some cool numbers.
Speaker BAnd so we're going to review that, some lessons from in the field.
Speaker BAnd also I when I was there, I have to give a huge shout out to Justin who he surprised me with a bag of coffee beans.
Speaker BSo today's what's in your cup is brought to you by Justin at Air Experts in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Speaker BThank you so much.
Speaker BMan showed up and he gave me this bag of.
Speaker BIt's called Larry's Coffee, a local roaster in Raleigh, North Carolina and he does organic fair trade shade grown coffee.
Speaker BAnd yeah, I'm pretty excited.
Speaker BEvidently he uses everything is roasted with solar energy, which is pretty awesome.
Speaker BI love that.
Speaker BAnd yeah, so it is Larry's Coffee Cowboy blend, medium roast, smoky and bold.
Speaker BHints of dark cocoa, brown sugar and cedar.
Speaker BIt's Sumatra and Nicaragua blend.
Speaker BSo it is pretty good.
Speaker BIt's delicious.
Speaker BAnd let's take a what's in your cup sip right now.
Speaker BThree, two, one.
Speaker BAll right, everybody, let's continue the conversation about the door pitch.
Speaker BBecoming a hunter.
Speaker BThat is what this is, episode number six.
Speaker BSo we're rounding out the episodes.
Speaker BSo first of all, sorry for a delay in getting this posted because this last week when I was in Raleigh, I happened to be in an accident.
Speaker BSo it definitely delayed things.
Speaker BIt pushed me off of my schedule for a handful of things.
Speaker BAnd if you want to see what the pictures look like.
Speaker BSo when you're, when you rent cars with Avis, they have a mystery car selection that's pretty cool because it's a little bit less than like just the regular sedan.
Speaker BSo it's a little bit cheaper and it's Basically you're signing up for what's, whatever's available.
Speaker BLike it could be an ev, it could be a hybrid, it could be a gas engine, it just could be anything, literally anything in their fleet.
Speaker BWell, so I show up in Raleigh and they're like, hey, you want a Dodge Challenger?
Speaker BSo I'm like, heck yeah I do.
Speaker BI'll take a sports car.
Speaker BWhich was a blast to drive around all week until Wednesday night.
Speaker BSo turns out in Raleigh, North Carolina, they are growing like crazy and they have not built out their infrastructure yet.
Speaker BSo there was Wednesday night when I was there, there was a backup onto the highway by about a tenth of a mile at the exit ramp that I was taking.
Speaker BAnd also it's positioned so perfectly that you literally can't see the car stopped until you're on them.
Speaker BSo over 60 miles an hour, I didn't even have time to put my foot on the brakes.
Speaker BI smashed into the back of a Crown Victoria.
Speaker BWho smashed that car into another car.
Speaker BWho smashed that car into another car.
Speaker BSo yeah, it was rough.
Speaker BIt was a four car pileup.
Speaker BThankfully no tickets were assigned.
Speaker BThankfully.
Speaker BAnd here's a lesson for every single one of you.
Speaker BThere is no excuse to be under entry insured.
Speaker BMake sure you buy the insurance.
Speaker BIt's worth every penny.
Speaker BSo I ended up totaling that Dodge Challenger and I have to give a huge kudos shout out to Dodge and their safety.
Speaker BThe airbags immediately went off.
Speaker BI literally walked away from this thing.
Speaker BAnd if you look, you can go to the close it now Facebook group or find my Facebook page and you can see pictures from the accident and, and to look at it, it is horrible.
Speaker BI saw it later, I was like, oh my God, there's no way we walked away from that.
Speaker BBut every single person walked away from that wreck and it was a blessing.
Speaker BSo super grateful for that.
Speaker BI am grateful to be here with you.
Speaker BIt put some perspective.
Speaker BDefinitely needed to get realigned in my life.
Speaker BSo I am grateful for you listening.
Speaker BI'm grateful that I'm here to be able to bring you this message.
Speaker BAnd yeah, it was wild.
Speaker BAnd at 7:30 the next day I was back at it, crushing the sales training in Raleigh.
Speaker BAnd we made some closed some deals that day.
Speaker BIt was a crazy day overall, but man, am I blessed and highly favored and so grateful to be here with you.
Speaker BSo let's get into the door pitch, shall we?
Speaker BWell, this is episode number six of the Becoming the Hunter and, and so, and we went out on the doors while I was there in Raleigh, it was Fun.
Speaker BOne guy, he knocked on a door, and here's the power.
Speaker BIf you don't.
Speaker BEven if you don't go out and, like, hit hundreds of doors, you know, that's fine.
Speaker BThe level of wherever you want to be, the level of your income, you decide, right?
Speaker BBut at minimum, at least knock the neighbors.
Speaker BAnd then the neighbors across the street cloverleaf it or six pack it, it's called.
Speaker BAnd here's why.
Speaker BOne of the guys went and revisited an installation of his knocked on the neighbor's door because they have coupons for a discounted fall tune up right now.
Speaker BAnd the neighbor was like, hey, you know, I've used somebody for that.
Speaker BI don't really need that.
Speaker BHe's like, but what's going on next door?
Speaker BSo he tells him how they're.
Speaker BHe went over to say, hey, if any, you know, any debris blows into your yard, let me know.
Speaker BI'll be here to clean it up.
Speaker BYou know, we care for the area and the concern about the space.
Speaker BWe leave things cleaner than we found them.
Speaker BAnd the guy's like, okay, cool, man, that's great.
Speaker BHe's like, yeah, I was actually.
Speaker BI'm glad you stopped by.
Speaker BOne of the guys parked in front of my driveway earlier, he's like, no problem.
Speaker BI'll have it move.
Speaker BSo there's a lot of value for y' all to go back to your installs.
Speaker BIt's another touch point with the homeowner, another opportunity to ask for referrals.
Speaker BBut as he was talking to the neighbor, the neighbor's asking, well, what's going on?
Speaker BSo he's describing to him, well, it's a split level house, and he's got room.
Speaker BThese rooms above here are hard to heat in the winter and hard to cool in the summer.
Speaker BSo we're able to fix that.
Speaker BWe're replacing the ductwork, and we're going to redirect some things.
Speaker BSo kind of give him a general overview.
Speaker BBut while he's doing it, he's pointing to the homeowner, the neighbor's house that he's talking to, because the houses are built the same.
Speaker BThe neighbor's like, oh, my gosh, I have that problem too.
Speaker BWould you come look at mine?
Speaker BSo right there, he was able to schedule and an appointment to go evaluate the neighbor's house to do a duct system change out for him also, which was so cool.
Speaker BAnd another guy, he was on the team.
Speaker BHe was like, yeah, man.
Speaker BHe's like, I realized that we're starting to talk about this door knocking thing, and I Realized I have my own neighbors of my own house that I've never even talked to.
Speaker BI was like, because I just asked everybody in the class, I said, do your own neighbors know what you do?
Speaker BBecause if they don't and they go with somebody else, how are you going to feel?
Speaker BSo sure enough, he went and introduced himself to a couple of his neighbors.
Speaker BAnd one of his neighbors says, man, I've been seeing your car.
Speaker BI've been wondering what you did for them.
Speaker BI've been meaning to call you because our system is getting old, it's time for a new one.
Speaker BAnd I just didn't know who to call.
Speaker BHe's like, I'm glad you stopped by and you're my neighbor, so that's even better.
Speaker BAnd so he was able to schedule a new system sales appointment out of that.
Speaker BSo talk to your neighbors, talk to people.
Speaker BIf your own neighbors don't know what you do, shame on you.
Speaker BThat is awful.
Speaker BGo talk to them.
Speaker BBut alright, so on this door process, right, so step one, kind of a quick recap and then we'll get into the next section.
Speaker BStep one is breaking preoccupation.
Speaker BStep two is the problem.
Speaker BStep three was the solution.
Speaker BStep four is the pullback or takeaway.
Speaker BAnd step five, today is the transition.
Speaker BSo there's a couple things with the transition that I want to cover.
Speaker BWe've got a couple philosophy things, a couple mindset things and we'll actually get into what that means.
Speaker BBut so the transition itself, there's not a lot of actual verbiage for it.
Speaker BBut the transition is when you actually move, make the transition to scheduling the appointment or if you're the one doing it, scheduling the actual inspection or move into the inspection.
Speaker BSo this is where most people miss it because this is where fear of rejection really comes up, right?
Speaker BBecause we're getting to the place of asking, not asking for a sale, but we're asking for an appointment.
Speaker BAnd there's where some people say no and where a lot of things come up that we have to fight through.
Speaker BSo one of the.
Speaker BAnd so a couple of the mindset here and the goal is, you know, and this is really where we're here a lot of things like hey, I'm eating dinner, give me a card, I'll call you when I'm interested, those kind of things.
Speaker BAnd so in the go, there's, there's really never a good time to buy, you know, basically our mindset has to be right now is my time.
Speaker BIt's like Mr.
Speaker BHomeowner, step into my office.
Speaker BYou are now in my timeline, I am here to do business, right?
Speaker BThat is our mentality.
Speaker BThe mentality of a closer is, I'm here now.
Speaker BLet's make it a good time to buy.
Speaker BI'm here to do business, right?
Speaker BYou have to raise your hand and say, I commit to being a freaking savage.
Speaker BI commit to being a freaking savage, right?
Speaker BI will close this deal.
Speaker BIt is my time.
Speaker BI'm here.
Speaker BWe're going to do business today.
Speaker BSo that's if you're on the doors or just in general, if you are there for business.
Speaker BI'm going to do business.
Speaker BWe're going to close this business today while I'm here.
Speaker BThere's no such thing as lack of urgency.
Speaker BThere is such thing as you are urgent enough to close the deal for that homeowner, right?
Speaker BSo we've got to develop the mentality and commit to be a freaking savage.
Speaker BHave the same urgency at 10 o' clock on Tuesday morning as you do Friday night at 8 o' clock when you have to go out there.
Speaker BSo those close have that same mentality the rest of the week.
Speaker BSo the transition, though, what happens here is.
Speaker BAnd there's one of two things.
Speaker BWe can either be teeing up the appointment for another person to come out or we can be.
Speaker BOr even for ourself.
Speaker BYou know, if you're knocking and setting appointments for yourself and scheduling those, you know, that could be what we're doing.
Speaker BOr if you're there to.
Speaker BAnd they've got, they're like, hey, I've got time now.
Speaker BAnd you move right on into the free, you know, the home inspection or whatever you're doing, then that is the right time for it.
Speaker BBut the transition sounds like after that pullback, after that takeaway.
Speaker BListen, I don't even know if you this home qualifies for the program yet.
Speaker BThere's a couple criteria.
Speaker BDo you mind if I ask you a couple questions or I just need to ask you a couple questions to see which houses on this street qualify.
Speaker BFirst one can be the thermostat, right?
Speaker BDo you know what kind of thermostat you have?
Speaker BWe know the thermostat has really no bearing on the system.
Speaker BHowever, in the homeowner's mind, you have to remember, most homeowners think whatever brand of thermostat they have, that's what brand system they have, right?
Speaker BI've got a Honeywell heating and air system.
Speaker BI've got a Nest heating and air system.
Speaker BIt doesn't really matter.
Speaker BAnd so that's why we're like, okay, great, I just need to check that out and see what's on your wall.
Speaker BThat's a good start to see where our.
Speaker BMake sure you've got things in place for our criteria here.
Speaker BAlso the age of your equipment being asked.
Speaker BDo you know how old your air conditioner is?
Speaker BBut in both of these cases the transition is starting to move towards that piece of equipment.
Speaker BRight.
Speaker BIf we're outside and we are.
Speaker BOkay, great.
Speaker BDo you know what, how old your system is?
Speaker BIs it a, you know, just throw out a few different model names, ask them like, we know what the most common things in this neighborhood was.
Speaker BIs your system a Linux?
Speaker BYou know, blank, blank, blank.
Speaker BIs it a train?
Speaker BIs it a carrier?
Speaker BIs it a rim?
Speaker BWhat is it?
Speaker BAnd they more than likely won't know.
Speaker BEven if they do, they're not going to be super accurate.
Speaker BSo we just start walking towards that unit.
Speaker BSay, okay, great, let's just go.
Speaker BAnd so you literally just transition into the motion of walking out towards the condensing unit.
Speaker BRight.
Speaker BWe're going to walk towards the condenser or when it's thermostat.
Speaker BSo okay, great, no problem.
Speaker BI just need to check out a couple things.
Speaker BGrab your filter size while I'm in there and that way when we come for our inspection, we can have that free filter for you if you're doing a free filter giveaway.
Speaker BSo the whole point of the transition is moving towards.
Speaker BWe're giving them the feeling that the inspection is already starting and they can see how simple it is.
Speaker BOkay, here.
Speaker BGreat.
Speaker BNo problem.
Speaker BWhile we're there.
Speaker BPerfect.
Speaker BSo if you're doing it right, then great, get it going.
Speaker BIf more than likely most of you are probably going to be scheduling appointments for another time as soon as you get there.
Speaker BOkay.
Speaker BYep, yep.
Speaker BFor sure.
Speaker BYep.
Speaker BI see what we need to see here.
Speaker BPerfect.
Speaker BLet me just document this.
Speaker BAnd great.
Speaker BLooks like you qualify for this program.
Speaker BWe just need to get you on the calendar here.
Speaker BIs this evening at 7 or tomorrow at 10, which is a better time for you?
Speaker BAre you guys normally morning or evening people?
Speaker BPerfect.
Speaker BAnd then offer a time anchor.
Speaker BThose times really close.
Speaker BDo not book a time that's more than 48 hours away.
Speaker BIf you leave it up to them and say, hey, when would be a good time?
Speaker BThey're always gonna offer a week.
Speaker BDo not let that happen.
Speaker BAnchor the time frame really, really, really close.
Speaker BSo when you anchor the timeframe to like if I was knocking a door and right now as I'm recording this, it's 11:45 in the morning, I would say I would absolutely volunteer a time of like, how about 10 o' clock tomorrow morning?
Speaker BOr I've got 6pm today.
Speaker BThe second one that you offer is the one you want them to take now.
Speaker BIt's anchored so close because now if they suggest another time, more than likely it's going to be like the evening of the next day or something.
Speaker BBut now we've anchored it super close.
Speaker BSo the negotiation, they can push it out a little bit, but they're going to keep it really close to where we've anchored.
Speaker BIf they originally say, hey, how about a week from now?
Speaker BIt's very difficult to pull forward and say, I don't know, how about 6pm tonight?
Speaker BThat doesn't work.
Speaker BSo you've got to anchor it really, really closely.
Speaker BAnd this same conversation, y' all works for follow up as well.
Speaker BIf you just can't close it in the house, you've gone down the complete objection tree.
Speaker BThey're not having it, they're not closing it.
Speaker BThen.
Speaker BThen when you schedule the follow up, it doesn't sound like when do you want to get back together?
Speaker BThey're going to suggest a week or two.
Speaker BNow you suggest.
Speaker BGreat, let's talk.
Speaker BGrab your calendar.
Speaker BLet's go ahead and schedule the next time to get together.
Speaker BI've got today at 6 or tomorrow at 10am what works better for you?
Speaker BAnd let them push it out.
Speaker BDon't think that they need a specific amount of time to think about it.
Speaker BThat's absurd.
Speaker BThinking about it happens in seconds.
Speaker BDon't let it lapse.
Speaker BBut if they absolutely want to break and get back together, then set a time that is super soon and then let them push it out if they want.
Speaker BOr normally they're going to agree with that.
Speaker BSo it's all about anchoring the specific time that you want the follow up to happen on.
Speaker BSo that's it.
Speaker BSo that's it.
Speaker BSo we're just transitioning, we're scheduling the appointment, scheduling the time frame, but so much of it is just moving on into the inspection or the first part of it.
Speaker BSo great, let's go check that.
Speaker BSo the couple criteria here, I just got to double check.
Speaker BMake sure your home qualifies for the program and just start walking around to the side of the house.
Speaker BLet's see.
Speaker BI saw it on.
Speaker BIt's on this side, right?
Speaker BAnd just head that way.
Speaker BThey'll follow you.
Speaker BMake them follow you out the door.
Speaker BRight?
Speaker BOr yeah, it's a thermostat.
Speaker BJust got to check that out.
Speaker BGrab Your filter size.
Speaker BI'll be out of your hair here in just a couple minutes and we'll get you scheduled.
Speaker BBoom.
Speaker BStart walking into the house, right?
Speaker BJust show me where that's at.
Speaker BLet's just check it out and just grab some notes, grab a picture of it, grab some notes.
Speaker BThat way when you come back, it gives them the feeling that the inspection is already started.
Speaker BAnd once that happens, it locks the appointment in so much stronger because they have that perception that you're already doing work for them and you haven't charged them.
Speaker BSo it's a service that you're giving them.
Speaker BSo it's really, really, really incredible.
Speaker BJust that transition to get started and the homeowner will appreciate that and they will absolutely get it.
Speaker BFollow through.
Speaker BThe interesting thing we're finding is with H Vac door appointments, the actual no show rate is so much lower than for like for example, when I was doing solar or some of the other appointments, right?
Speaker BThat's when, when it's an appointment style booking on the doors, a lot of times the rate of no shows is really, really high.
Speaker BSo like for example, solar no show rate, a 50% sit rate is really, really good.
Speaker BWhat we're seeing in H vac, those numbers are way higher than that.
Speaker BAnd that's the beautiful part about it.
Speaker BBecause again, this is a want based, it's not a want based sale, it's a need based.
Speaker BEveryone knows it's inevitable and so we have to function within that and we have to understand the true psychology behind what we're doing.
Speaker BEveryone knows it's inevitable.
Speaker BSo that means they're grateful when we show up because we're not coming across as people that are trying to convince someone that they have to do something that they don't.
Speaker BThat's the difference.
Speaker BEveryone knows that.
Speaker BAnd when we frame it as it's a courtesy service or we've got a special program running, it's such a different conversation for the homeowner than for then when anybody else knocks the door that's selling solar or pest control or you know, or alarms or insurance or roofing or whatever it is.
Speaker BNow, roofing after a storm, that is a need based as well.
Speaker BSo it kind of borderlines that.
Speaker BBut at the end of the day, everyone uses H Vac all the time and they know that they need things, right?
Speaker BAnd so that's why this is such a beautiful door knock.
Speaker BBecause the, and the sit rate and the number of people that are setting appointments is so much higher than anything I've seen in any of the other door knocking industries.
Speaker BSo it is absolutely gorgeous.
Speaker BSo that is the.
Speaker BThat's the door portion of the episode for the for today becoming a hunter.
Speaker BAnd man, I am so great again.
Speaker BI'm so grateful to be here with y'.
Speaker BAll.
Speaker BI would appreciate if you've ever gotten value from my podcast, go leave me a five star review wherever you listen and reach out.
Speaker BFind the Close It Now Facebook group and join that.
Speaker BIt's an awesome community.
Speaker BI do a lot of trainings in there and if you didn't know, yes I do have training programs and coaching programs for you.
Speaker BI can come to your location.
Speaker BWe can get the whole team going.
Speaker BI have an online course that you can find@h vacdoors.net and also I am going to be quick announcement.
Speaker BI am going to be a speaker at Door to Door Con 7, January 25, 2627 in Salt Lake City.
Speaker BThe other keynotes there are going to be Lance Armstrong, going to be Chris Voss who wrote Never Split the Difference.
Speaker BHighly recommend that book and Sean White, Olympic gold medalist multi times over, Sam Taggart and myself.
Speaker BI am going to be a speaker there.
Speaker BSo go to the events link and use the code SAMW10 for a 10% discount and that will get your the events link is@h vacdoors.net so you can get both my online course and you can grab yourself a ticket for you and your team to get to Door to Door Con 7.
Speaker BIt is the epicenter of an entire room filled of hunters who are wanting to get to the next level.
Speaker BYou will sit next to people who literally own and run $250 million a year organizations who are striving to get better just like everybody else.
Speaker BAnd it's awesome.
Speaker BIt's incredible.
Speaker BAnd the atmosphere will uplevel you.
Speaker BYou cannot go there and not be completely changed and not ready to go back and just absolutely slay some dragons in your market.
Speaker BSo get to Door to Door Con 7.
Speaker BI'm going to be there along with a bunch of other rock stars and it is incredible.
Speaker BI'm starting a speaker series so you'll get to hear a sneak peek of some of the speakers for the event on the podcast.
Speaker BSo that is coming up and otherwise I just am so grateful for y'.
Speaker BAll.
Speaker BI can't say that enough.
Speaker BYou know, when you come when you have a wreck like I did and you have this like moment of, you know, see almost see your life flash before your eyes in a moment and you realize how blessed and highly favored you are to to be living on this earth.
Speaker BEveryone go hug the people you love every single day.
Speaker BBecause you're not promised tomorrow.
Speaker BAnd I'm just going to leave you with that today.
Speaker BBecause you know, yeah, we can change the world, a heat stroke and a frostbite at a time.
Speaker BBut at the end of the day, why do we do it?
Speaker BFor the people that we love, to have time with them.
Speaker BSo go hug your loved ones today.
Speaker BAnd that is the reason you do this.
Speaker BThat's the reason you're striving to get better.
Speaker BTo be a provider for you, for your family, to take that responsibility.
Speaker BSo go make some special moments with them.
Speaker BCreate some memories.
Speaker BBecause they are worth it and you are worth it.
Speaker BI love you and I appreciate you all.
Speaker BI will talk to you soon.
Speaker AThanks for listening to Close it now with Sam Wakefield.
Speaker ASubscribe to the podcast now so you're first to hear new episodes jam packed with actionable tools and tips to make you the top H Vac professional in your market.
Speaker AIf you have have friends and colleagues who would like this show, share it with them and send them to our Facebook community for more in depth discussion about the challenges we all face and how to overcome them on the Close it now podcast.