This podcast episode elucidates the pivotal strategies for transforming tire-kicker leads into decisive buyers within the HVAC industry, particularly during the transitional seasons when urgency may wane. We explore the dual facets of the decision-making process: the logical and emotional components that govern consumer behavior. By employing an effective investigation process, we underscore the necessity of identifying and addressing customers' genuine concerns while simultaneously nurturing their emotional engagement. This approach not only enhances the likelihood of immediate sales but also fosters a lasting connection with clients, ensuring that your company remains top of mind. Ultimately, we aim to equip HVAC professionals with the requisite insights to thrive, even amidst off-peak periods.

There are two things that drive people to buy. There’s the logic side of the brain and the emotional side of the brain. Logic is only the steering wheel, but the emotion is the gas pedal. So what do we do to make people take their foot off of the brake and put their foot on the gas to take action with those buying decisions? How do we increase the urgency of that sale not only in the peak season but in the offseason as well? In this episode, Sam Wakefield shares some strategies on how you can tie in all of the buyer’s emotions and capitalize on that to make those sales in those off times.

The podcast delves into the intricacies of HVAC sales, particularly focusing on strategies to engage potential customers during off-peak seasons. The host, Sam Wakefield, emphasizes the importance of understanding the emotional and logical components of the buying process. He articulates that while logic serves as the guiding force in decision-making—akin to the steering wheel of a car—emotion is the catalyst that propels individuals toward action. Wakefield encourages HVAC professionals to harness this duality by effectively investigating customer needs and employing a probing questionnaire to uncover underlying issues. He illustrates this approach through real-world examples, demonstrating how addressing customer concerns can transform a seemingly passive inquiry into a genuine sales opportunity. Ultimately, the episode provides actionable advice for HVAC professionals looking to optimize their sales tactics, particularly during periods when demand is typically subdued. Furthermore, Wakefield articulates that the key to converting 'tire kickers'—individuals merely seeking price estimates—into actual buyers lies in the ability to evoke urgency and emotional connection. He suggests that HVAC professionals should focus on the discomfort customers experience with their current systems and encourage them to envision the relief that new solutions can provide. By fostering an emotional dialogue that resonates with customers' lived experiences, sales professionals can effectively motivate them to act promptly rather than delay their decisions. This nuanced understanding of the sales process is crucial for professionals aiming to enhance their effectiveness and drive revenue, especially during off-peak months when competition is less fierce. In summary, the podcast serves as a comprehensive guide for HVAC sales professionals, equipping them with the insights necessary to navigate the complexities of customer interactions. By integrating emotional intelligence with technical knowledge, HVAC professionals can elevate their sales approach, ensuring they remain top-of-mind in their markets while maximizing their sales potential, even in challenging conditions.

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, buy, 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.

What is going on everybody?

Sam Wakefield here.

Hey, I wanted to discuss a really important topic.

Especially in the spring and fall when we're in between peak seasons.

It's not crazy hot, it's not crazy cold.

In fact, the weather is just about near perfect outside.

What do we do to increase that urgency?

What do we do to.

When the leads that are coming in are things that are like, man, I was just wanting to see what it's going to be like.

The ones we traditionally call tire kickers.

Right.

Well, how do we get those tire kickers to buy when they think they're just, oh, I'm just getting prices for the fact of just getting prices.

And well, we're probably not going to do anything until, I don't know, maybe next summer or next winter, all those kind of times.

What do we do with that?

So raise your hand if that has ever been you.

I know in our team we're having a rash of those appointments lately, but at the same time, there is a way to do that.

So first of all, what you have to understand is there's two things that really drive an actual, not just decision, but drive people to actually buy.

There's the logic side of the brain and there's the emotion side of the brain.

And the best analogy for this that I love to use and that just really makes the most sense when we are talking about cells, especially in heating and air, is the logic side of the brain.

Imagine you're in a car.

The logic side of the brain is the steering wheel.

That logic will point the wheels in the right direction.

Logic is people are understanding that you are the person that they want to buy from.

Your company is the company they want to buy from.

Your product is the product that they want to buy.

Everything you're recommending in the project is the right project.

That's going to be the solutions for the problems that you've uncovered.

Through your investigation process.

That's the logic side of things.

That's the understanding and realizing, okay, all of these things are lining up.

However, logic is only the steering wheel.

It's only going to turn the wheels, but emotion is the gas pedal.

What do we do to help them take their foot off of the brake and put their foot on the gas to actually take action with those decisions, Take action with the things that all of the solutions that you're recommending as the steering wheel.

What do we do to get them to put on the gas, to take action.

And not just take action, but to take action now, to take action with you right away, to take action immediately.

That way you can start making those sales in the off season instead of, okay, well, when's a good time to follow up?

And they tell you, well, you know, maybe five months from now.

Well, like, why am I even here right now?

Right.

And so that is, how do we do that?

Well, the best.

It starts with a really good investigation process.

And with that, of course, Facebook was having issues yesterday, but I'm putting in finally into the files of the Facebook group the homeowner questionnaire that I have for you as a gift.

It's going to be in there as soon as Facebook will cooperate with me.

Look in the file section.

It'll be in the Facebook group.

But your homeowner questionnaire is the first place to start sitting down with people say, and here's a simple way to do it, especially for all you service techs out there.

A lot of service techs reach out to me, like, man, all of this sounds great in a sales appointment, but how do I apply it?

A service visit where a lot of you guys I know are, you know, maybe smaller shops.

You do the service, you do the sales, you do it all.

The best way to roll into that is great.

I understand, Mr. Ms. Jones, I understand that your maybe your heat's not working right now.

Before I get started, would you mind if I ask you a few questions?

That way I can serve you best.

Of course, they'll always say yes.

And so when you ask us, okay, before I get started working on your why you called, I'm going to fix, of course, going to fix the problem why you called.

We're going to figure what that out is.

Before I get started, would you mind if I ask you a few questions so I can help you best?

I can serve you best.

And then with those questions, that's when you start asking what rooms in your house are when?

Some rooms are warm, are there others that are cold.

When some rooms are cool, are there other rooms that are warmer, too hot?

Who say what?

Who in the house is experiencing asthma or allergies?

Don't ask.

Does anyone ask who does?

Because somebody always does.

Say if they don't, they'll tell you they don't.

But somebody always does.

So ask who is experiencing those kind of problems.

Your electric bill and your gas bill, is it higher than you would like it to be?

And of course, the answer is yes.

Right?

So it starts with this investigation process.

Once you've got the investigation process, and this is the time of the year, you've really got to peel that onion.

You've got to take that because each layer of questions.

So when they tell you, yeah, you know, my.

My daughter's room is a little colder in the winter.

That's when you have to follow it up with, oh, wow, really?

Okay, how so tell me more about that.

Can we go take a look and start to ask more questions to uncover how bad the problem really is?

Wow, is that a concern?

A great example is my working with a guy right now.

He was in a house with someone and the homeowner was kind of this tire kicker person, but raises this interesting problem.

He's like, man, my dining table, this whole area where the dining table is, is always hot.

What can you guys do about it?

And these two bedrooms are always hot.

Is there a problem?

What can be done?

Basically, that's why I called you.

So the initial call, and this is interesting, this is very, very, very important to understand this.

The initial call, what it said on the lead log.

The first part of the conversation that they were having was, well, I'm just getting some prices to find out how much it's going to be when I decide to replace my heating and air system.

What was uncovered that he mentioned was, I've got these problem temperature areas.

Is there anything that can be done with that?

Now, there's two different ways you can go about it.

You can start ask yourself, gosh, why am I here?

You're not planning on doing anything for a few months.

That's the lazy way out of this situation.

That is the way to say, you know, just write it up to another tire kicker estimate.

Right?

But the way to actually go about handling that is.

And the way to capitalize this time of year, to capitalize on those moments would be to ask them more about it.

Say, okay, and then take the time to figure out what the problem is and find out what the solution is.

Like, we've talked about so much yes, the lead came in as a tire kicker lead.

However, if he's talking, he's bringing up problems that he's having.

That means he's raising his hand and saying, I want to fix this.

We all, when they talked about when they sit down at the dinner table, it's always hot in the dining room.

Capitalize on those moments.

And how to do that is this.

And this is how to grab a hold of the emotion of the sale.

You figure out what the solution is, because there's basically always a solution for most things.

Figure out what the solution is.

In our case, it went from just talking about equipment to about 2,500 to $3,000 worth of ductwork changes, modifications, air balance, all of this kind of stuff.

So.

And he had even my.

My person I was working with, he had.

Even the homeowner had mentioned, maybe we could just add a vent in here.

Because there's no vents in this dining area.

We just don't want it blowing right down on the table.

So the way to turn this conversation is instead of saying, well, okay, when do you want to do the system?

When it's time for that.

Yeah, we can fix all these problems to turn, increase the urgency, increase the emotion, crank that knob up.

Is to have.

Turn the conversation into, okay, that's no problem.

We fix this every single day.

I'm glad you called us because we're the right company.

Once you figure it out, say, okay, no problem.

Here's what we're gonna do.

We're going to add the vent over here.

We're going to get rid of those silly triangle cheese boxes in your attic.

We're going to run everything consistently together into home runs.

We're going to put in dampers.

We're going to do a complete air balance.

We've got to do new plenums.

All this was the solution for this specific situation.

Now, here's the turning point.

You've already gone through the emotional stuff.

Put mentally put them back in that place.

Be like, okay, Mr. Mrs. Jones, remember when you were sitting there in the middle of the summer and it was hot, and it was always hot in here.

You couldn't even eat in the dining room.

You said on the hottest of days because it was so hot.

Imagine what it's going to be like once we've done this and it's the 4th of July and you've got people over this next year, and you're sitting here and it's just as cool as the rest of the house.

That's going to be awesome.

Right, Right.

Great.

Let's go ahead and get you on the books.

Let's go ahead and get that taken care of right now.

While we're in the fall specials that are happening.

We've got some killer rebates going on.

Let's go ahead and get it knocked out.

That way you can also stay warm during the winter.

It's going to even out the temperatures in the house.

And then every single time you sit down here, it's going to be the same as the rest of the house.

Sound good?

Right.

Great.

Let's.

Why don't we go ahead and get you on the calendar?

That is tapping into the emotional side of the other side of the project.

The logic side was, okay, we're going to do this with the ductwork, and we're going to do this and this.

They don't really care about that.

You only have to explain that enough until they understand.

Check in with them.

Does that make sense?

Do you see how this is going to fix your problem?

Yes.

Then you turn the corner to the emotion side.

So you've steered the steering wheel with the logic.

You put them in the right place to the pack that they understand what is going to fix it.

Then you do the emotion side.

That's like, okay, remember when it was really uncomfortable in here?

We were just talking about how bad it was and how bad you hated that about this part of the house.

Right?

Right.

Okay.

Imagine what it's going to be like when you can sit here and it's just the same temperature.

It's exactly where you have it set.

And it's just as comfortable in here as it is in any other part of the house.

That's going to be awesome.

Right?

Right.

And nod and raise your eyebrows.

Do what you got to do to get that emotional connection.

Because really what you're doing is.

And you can even do some of this, too.

And this is not manipulation or anything like this.

But subconsciously what happens is people's brains, their subconscious connects to different things.

That's going to trigger their subconscious remembering what it's like.

So when you're describing this, even, like, give them the emotion of, do your face.

Wave at yourself.

Be like, remember when it was so hot?

And you make painful, hot expressions.

Right.

And then maybe a room's too cold.

It's like, gosh, it was too cold.

And you're bundled up and you're like, oh, my gosh, it was too cold.

But then when you say now, think about what it's going to be like when, ah, it's Just perfect.

Sitting here, can have a meal, the whole family's here, it's not going to be too hot and people aren't going to be complaining anymore.

Why don't we go ahead and get that taken care of for you or what would you like to do about that?

Let's go ahead and get you on the calendar and get this knocked out.

That's the tapping into the motion side.

Honestly, that's exactly why I have one of the biggest months of the year that I've had is right now I have this massive, massive month going on currently.

I'm hundreds of thousand dollars higher than my best year I've ever had.

And there's still a couple months left in the year.

And I'm not saying that to impress you, but to impress upon you that this is how once all of the logic is in place and you ask the right questions of can you see how this is causing your problem and can you see how the solutions I'm recommending are going to fix your problem?

And when you check in with them and they give you the nod that yes, that makes sense, yes, I absolutely see how that's the solution.

That's when you then you turn the corner to the emotional side of that and you draw them in to say, yes, now's the time to do it.

It's not just about making the decision, it's about making the decision now.

And once you've done that, that is when you're going to start.

That's how you're going to be able to start really making the sales in these off season months.

In these months where here in Austin, Texas the weather is like 85 today.

It's just beautiful.

It's gorgeous.

Everybody.

There's still people in the lake, paddle boarding.

I know in other parts of the country it's getting pretty cold but here it's not.

So that's how so many parts of the country we talk about shoulder months.

That's how to tie in all of the, the emotions that and capitalize on that to make those sales in those off times.

So if you got some value from this, share it with somebody.

I would love to love to love, to love to build this community to be enormous.

I know we are worldwide.

There's people from lots of countries in here.

It's growing every single day.

So thank you for listening today.

Thank you for paying attention.

Drop some comments, shoot me a message@samoseitnow.net and drop some comments and let us know what was your biggest takeaway?

What questions do you have.

Let me know if you're new, what your biggest struggles are Learning the sales process for heating and air.

What are you struggling with?

If you're a veteran, you know, intermediate, doesn't matter what level?

What friction points do you have?

What are you struggling with right now?

Is there something that you just haven't been able to wrap your head around?

Is there something different or out of the box that you got questions about?

Comment below or shoot me a message, let me know.

And as always, check out closeitnow.net I'm really excited.

I want to tell you guys, if you've been getting value from what I've done, I'm going to do this a lot more and value from the podcasts.

I am opening up my coaching program which is going to be really, really cool.

We're going to have a couple different levels so I'll be telling you more about that coming up.

Now that we really are gearing up to crush the winter in the Northern hemisphere and if you are in the Southern hemisphere, I know you guys are and ladies are gearing up to crush it in the summertime because I know we've got a lot of listeners in Australia, New Zealand and other Africa, some of the other parts of the world.

So let me know where you're at.

What season are you going into?

Otherwise, y' all have a fantastic weekend.

I will talk to you again soon.

Thanks for listening to Close it now with Sam Wakefield.

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