The prevailing theme of this podcast episode revolves around the current state of the heating and air conditioning market, which is characterized by a significant downturn of 20 to 30% across various regions, particularly in North America. Despite these challenges, we maintain an optimistic outlook, as this period of stagnation has engendered a condition of pent-up demand, ripe for future replacements. We delve into the broader implications of these market fluctuations, examining how they affect both individual sales professionals and the industry at large. Furthermore, we assert the importance of adhering to integrity and ethical practices in our approach to sales, emphasizing that even amidst difficulties, one must persist in doing the right thing. As we prepare for what is anticipated to be a record-breaking summer, we encourage all listeners to enhance their skills and engage with our community for collective growth and success.

There are some bizarre oddities going on in global market these days with some people having a record-breaking year, while others are down by the entire market. Sam Wakefield discusses this phenomenon and shares some good tips for surviving the HVAC market. He notes how the 22 refrigant, being a thing of the past, should be replaced with a new system, and doing so can help grow sales despite the market scare. Sam also shows how you can have a new record-breaking year starting this summer with pent-replacements and doing a winning presentation for the new system!

The discourse presented in this episode articulates the complexities and fluctuations currently afflicting the heating and air conditioning sector, particularly within the context of a global landscape that exhibits stark contrasts in performance. The host, Sam Wakefield, elucidates the peculiarities of the market, wherein certain regions are witnessing exceptional sales metrics while others are enduring significant declines—some as severe as thirty percent. This juxtaposition elucidates the necessity for HVAC professionals to remain agile and responsive to the shifting demands of the marketplace, as well as to the evolving expectations of their clientele. Central to the conversation is the theme of integrity in sales practices. Wakefield posits that the foundation of successful selling lies not merely in achieving high close rates but in cultivating trust and transparency with customers. By prioritizing education over persuasion, HVAC professionals can better serve their clients, ultimately leading to informed purchasing decisions. This approach is especially salient in light of the anticipated challenges posed by new refrigerant regulations and the need for system replacements, which necessitate clear communication about the benefits and efficiencies of modern HVAC solutions. The episode further reinforces the notion of community within the HVAC industry, urging listeners to engage with one another through platforms designed for knowledge exchange and support. By sharing experiences and strategies, professionals can collectively navigate the intricacies of the market, thereby enhancing their efficacy and resilience. As the discussion draws to a close, Wakefield projects an optimistic outlook for the upcoming summer season, characterized by a potential surge in demand driven by pent-up replacement needs and heightened consumer awareness. This hopeful perspective serves as a motivational impetus for listeners to remain steadfast in their commitment to ethical practices and continuous improvement, as they prepare for the opportunities that lie ahead.

Welcome to Close it now, an H Vac sales training podcast with Sam Wakefield.

Here we'll build your reputation in residential H Vac sales to be the expert influencer in your market.

You'll get insight into the top minds in the industry as they share their skills and hacks to help you on your journey.

This podcast isn't just about selling more, it's about understanding your customers needs and building efficiencies behind the scenes so you can sell more by but work less while being top of mind when people think H Vac.

Now let's get started with your host of the Close it now podcast.

This is Sam Wakefield.

Welcome back.

This is the Close it now podcast.

Sam Wakefield here, I'm your host.

Today we are talking about a really interesting topic.

There are some crazy things happening in the heating and air industry all around the world.

Actually not just in North America, all over the world.

There's some really bizarre oddities going in in the market.

Some people are having record breaking years while most people are actually down by entire market.

And when I say the entire market, I mean the entire regions of continents are down 20 and 30%.

So we're going to talk about that today.

There's some weird things happening, but get ready, get ready, get ready because it is fixing to break loose and go crazy.

So that is what we're talking about today.

And I've got a good message with this that I think will really help you out.

So if you haven't already, make sure to find our Facebook group, go to CloseItNow.net, find our Facebook group, join the group.

There is some really fantastic conversation going on in there.

People just like us, we're out in the field every day.

We're in this community of world changers.

We are changing the world.

We're saving the world one heat stroke at a time.

We're saving the world one frostbite at a time.

Literally changing the way people live in their houses.

And it's such a fulfilling type of industry and this is such a cool thing that we get to do the way we get to serve people and help people and do it with honesty and integrity and a heart of service.

And that's our mission, man.

We're there to.

I mean obviously the name of this podcast is Close It Now.

Yes, we want to close it now.

We're out there to buy, changing the world, make a ridiculous income because it's absolutely possible.

But the only way that we can help people is if they buy what we're selling.

So how do we Come better at serving others by becoming better at influencing them and helping them make a buying decision.

It's not about convincing people.

We don't convince anyone into buying.

We help them make an educated buying decision with two important elements with us and right now.

So they make that buying decision with you right now to do the right project.

And that is through education.

It's through psychological influence of just helping them overcome their layers of resistance to saying yes to you while you're in the house.

And so that's our mission, man.

That's what we are all about all around the world.

This podcast has gone global.

I want to say hello to all of our H Vac neighbors everywhere around the world.

We're up basically too many countries to name now.

I know we're at 30 plus countries that we're in.

So greetings and salutations to every single one of you.

Go join the Facebook group.

Join in the conversation.

We would love to have your perspective and your input into the conversation because it's so valuable.

Together is a really, really cool mastermind type of a concept.

Say we have 12 people in a group and if I just share my experience from the last month, everyone gains one month's worth of experience.

But if 12 people each share their experience from this last month, instantly we get a year's worth of experience in a single conversation just because we can learn from others.

And so that's the power of coming together as a group.

That's the power of coming together on the same place at the same time and just sharing our experiences and sharing what's working, sharing what's not working.

So go join the Facebook group.

It's a cool place.

I look forward to chatting with you in there.

We do a lot of live videos and that kind of stuff.

But let's dive into today's topic.

Today's topic is something that it's been heavy on my heart lately because I see it affecting so many people around the world.

So the numbers are pretty crazy right now.

I know that most of North America, most of the markets in North America are down like 20 to 30% and have been for several months.

And it's crazy.

It's super, super crazy.

I don't know specific numbers for other markets around the world, but North American markets are down 20 to 30%, which is nuts.

Now something else is happening too.

Also, of course, have coaching clients.

If you don't know, we have a coaching program.

We have two different levels of coaching program and it's all virtual.

You don't have to go Anywhere.

We just do it through a video conference once a week and we get together and learn the system.

So I have coaching clients who are breaking all kind of records in their own markets too, which is cool.

But generally speaking they're kind of the anomaly because for whatever reason the market call it a warm winter in the northern hemisphere.

I need to check up on the weather for the southern hemisphere, but it's been a warm winter in the northern hemisphere.

That's what's caused the slowdown in the market.

And by in the market, I just mean the sales, overall sales in general.

So what does that mean for us?

1 it means, and so I've got great news for you.

Basically raise your hand if you want to hear some good news.

If you're tired of hearing bad news, the good news is that with the slowdown in replacements, the slowdown in change outs you've experienced, we've experienced.

What that means is that's called pent up replacement.

That's out there normally over the last several months, you know, six, eight months, what would the systems that would have been replaced because it was that much slower, that means they weren't replaced.

So basically what I'm telling you is there's a lot of extra out in the world right now that is ripe for replacement.

It's ripe to have terminal failures, have cataclysmic failures that must be replaced.

On top of the fact that in The United States R22 refrigerant is of course as you know now a thing in the past.

Now.

Yes, I know that there's some drop in replacements and that kind of thing, but we all know they don't work as well.

We all know there's the best solution for a system that used R22 refrigerant is now to replace it with a new system with new refrigerant.

So the combination of all of this pent up replacement that these systems that needed to get changed that didn't across this last year, combined with the fact that we're moving into the era of the new refrigerant now R22 has gone away, that is going to make for a banner year.

I'm predicting a record breaking summer coming up.

Also because this has been a record high in most a lot of the country, kind of a record warm winter.

I know places in the north are crazy cold and those are the places that are seeing some really great numbers.

But overall, as generally speaking across the continent with the numbers being down, I'm predicting an extra hot, long, hot summer that is Combined with the new refrigerant, issues with the new refrigerant, it's going to be an awesome record breaking year.

So get ready, get prepared now.

Work on your presentation.

Work on having the right conversation with the homeowner to move them into better equipment.

One great expression.

If somebody's considering just basic single stage equipment, be like, man, you must be rich when they say what say, you must be rich because this costs so much more to operate.

The higher up you go in the line, the higher you climb the ladder, the cheaper it is to run.

Don't you want to go with what's going to be the cheaper thing for you?

It's the cost of operation.

So your upfront cost is not the only cost, it's the cost of operation.

That is what makes such a big difference.

And so when you start having those conversations, people, they'll realize, okay, well at least we could upgrade a little bit to some of the better levels than just the basic because you could show them how in a matter of almost no time, it'll pay for itself.

So that's a topic for another episode to wrap this up with today is this.

Actually, I got this from my wife.

She's super insightful sometimes and she wrote this note down for me because it's just an encouragement.

Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong.

The key is to never stop doing the right thing.

It has to do with integrity.

Never stop doing the right thing.

Do the right thing, even when no one is looking, keep doing the right thing.

Because if you are still doing the right thing, so what if something goes wrong here and there?

I know that a lot of you that listen to this have been in a slump lately.

It's the time of year where there's a lot of.

I want to think about it.

There's a lot of, there's really no urgency in the marketplace.

People are like, well, I'm just tire kicking.

They're lookie loos.

They're just getting ideas about pricing and that kind of thing.

Which is perfectly fine except for the fact that the way that most project managers, most comfort consultants are paid, there's bonuses tied to our close rate.

And when you have a whole run of people who have zero urgency to make a buying decision and at the end of the day, we're not there to convince them.

We're not there to twist their arm and say, hey, you have to buy this right now.

We're there to give a rock star presentation, educate them if we can incentivize them to go ahead and move forward.

Absolutely.

And there's a handful of ways to do that, but some people have just decided they are not budging on making a decision right now.

It's okay.

So overall though, what I want you to know is keep doing the right thing when things go wrong, even when things aren't closing.

Because remember, this is just a season and before you know it, it's going to be insane.

Oh out there.

Extra insane this year.

Get ready, put on your running shoes.

Start now getting in shape to be able to physically handle what is going to be coming this summer in North America.

Because I'm telling you, you heard it here first.

This is going to be a record breaking year for every single one of you out there if you follow a system.

Because man, there's so much pent up replacement and it's going to be such a hot summer and the last few years haven't been that it's time to go crush it.

Especially when we tie together, we band together and we share insights and tips and tricks and things to make us all better.

If we can strive to be 1% better every single day than we were the day before.

If you ever take a number just like this will be fun.

We'll do this real quick on the calculator.

We're going to take 10 and we're going to multiply it by 1%.

Okay, so by 0.01, by 1.01.

So we're adding 1% to 10 one time.

Now it doesn't add up to a whole lot.

Now we're going to do it again.

Now we're going to do it again.

It's like 1.02, 1.03, 1.04.

But now what's starting to happen is that same 1% number over time is going to start multiplying and we're going to start hitting duplication.

And as that increases, all of a sudden these numbers are going to start getting bigger and bigger and bigger because it's only a matter of time until the compound effect goes into place.

And then what happens is that number just starts getting exponentially bigger and exponentially bigger and grows and grows and grows.

So there's a book by Darren Hardy, if you've never read it, called the compound Effect.

That's where it's kind of originally got made me understand the value of consistency, the value of doing things consistently every single day over and over.

Even if it doesn't seem like you're getting the results that you need or want when you start doing Those things consistently, you get better at them.

Practicing your presentation, practicing your greeting, practicing how to handle objections, practicing all these things.

Role playing with others.

If you don't have anybody to role play with, if you're out there on your own, you definitely need to get connected with us in the Facebook group and get in the group coaching.

It's basically your virtual sales meeting once a week.

I lead you through all the training, we work on the closes, we work on how to handle this type of conversation.

It's a blast.

I'm telling you.

We have a great time in there, but that's it.

You've got to work on this stuff.

Play it, record yourself and play it over and over in the car, do it in the mirror, video yourself, use the tools, use the technology we have nowadays.

Because as you see yourself, you realize, oh, that was dumb what I said there or man didn't make any sense the way I just said that.

How can I change it?

How can I make it more simplified?

We want to communicate on about a third grade level because that is the level that most people listen at.

As soon as you start to edge above that, you will start to lose people.

I mean you can look back at all of the different presidential debates over the last 10, 20, 30 years.

So you can look back across the presidential debate for the last 10, 20, 30 years and the person that communicated on the third grade level is the one who got elected.

People who communicate at the 8th, 9th, 10th grade level because they do these research every single time.

Of course the bigger words you use that starts to get into technical speak.

Yes, it's cool to use big words and impress people with your vocabulary, but it's not going to connect with people.

That's how you stay connected is speak on someone's level and communicate in a way they understand it.

So that's just a freebie there.

It's going to be insane.

O record breaking year.

Sometimes you can do everything right and things will still go wrong.

But remember, the key is to never stop doing right.

Do the right thing, even when no one is looking and walk in that integrity.

Don't just talk about having integrity, actually walk in it and you will see your life start to change.

Obviously we strive for integrity, but the more that we practice it and the more that we practice it, it's like this muscle that grows and grows and grows.

People will recognize that in you.

You'll basically attract the right customers, you'll attract the right employees, the right people to work with and the people to work for.

So that's my message for you today, is keep doing the right thing.

There is awesome times coming.

Be ready.

If you've never gone through this slow season of time, if you're new to the heating and air industry, be prepared.

This happens.

This is a very cyclical industry.

It's up and down.

So when we have the slow times, don't sweat it.

Basically take your entire year and look at it as one big picture.

Don't just microscope into a season and get discouraged.

Zoom out and look at the whole year at once.

And when you do that, you realize things they'll average out, they'll work themselves out.

So this is going to be an awesome year.

You guys go out and crush it.

You ladies go out and crush it.

I know you are.

And yeah, go out there, save the world one heat stroke at a time.

Save the world one frostbite at a time.

I will talk to you guys again soon.

Thanks for listening to Close it now with Sam Wakefield.

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