The central theme of this podcast episode revolves around the concept of "earning your way into the car," a metaphor for gaining access to valuable insights and mentorship within the HVAC sales industry. We delve into the critical importance of not merely acquiring knowledge but, more significantly, implementing that knowledge to foster personal and professional growth. Throughout our discussion, we emphasize that success is predicated on one's ability to apply learned strategies effectively, thereby earning the trust and respect of more seasoned professionals. Additionally, we explore the pivotal role of networking and relationship-building in enhancing one's influence and capabilities in the industry. Ultimately, this episode serves as a clarion call for listeners to actively engage in their development by prioritizing implementation and cultivating meaningful connections within their professional spheres.

Progressing one's ability or talents is a life-long commitment. There shouldn’t be any end-of-the-road to your mission to get better. It will have its highs and lows but you shouldn't see it as a burden. Sam Wakefield imparts his proven strategies to up your game, not only for personal aspects but also for business advancement. He has his fair share of rejections and failures, so he understands the psyche and knows when to implement.

The discourse presented in this installment of Close It Now delves into the imperative of personal and professional development within the HVAC sales industry. We, as participants in this podcast, articulate the vital philosophy of 'earning your way into the car.' This metaphor, which encapsulates the essence of establishing credibility and respect within one’s field, serves as a cornerstone for the discussions that unfold. We elaborate on the necessity of continuous education and the practice of implementing new knowledge as a means of solidifying one’s status as an expert influencer in the HVAC market. The episode also emphasizes the importance of nurturing relationships with industry veterans and peers, which can catalyze significant professional growth and opportunity. By committing to lifelong learning and proactive engagement, listeners are encouraged to transcend traditional sales paradigms, thereby enhancing their overall effectiveness and efficiency in their careers.

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 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.

Sa.

Foreign.

Yo, what's up Sam Wakefield here.

Got another podcast coming your way.

Today we are going to talk about earnings your way into the car.

What does that mean?

It means earning your way into the car.

Earn the right.

How do we earn the right to learn?

So stay tuned.

It's gonna be a good one.

Also I want to throw this out there right now.

We had, let's see the last podcast I put out we had 20 spots left in the coaching program.

So just 20 spots left.

Some of those are gone now.

So I want to make sure that you are aware the coaching program is filling up fast.

Spring is the season to start because by the time we really heats up and we get cranking, you will be prepared to be a rock star.

How great would it be to double your average ticket, double your close rate?

And I've seen it happen.

People do it all the time that go through the coaching program even if it's not doubled.

What if you just increased your close rate by 10%?

What would that do to your paycheck at the end of the year or every month or every week, however often you get paid.

So the coaching program is going to be fan freaking tastic.

This year I've developed a lot of new material.

There's some special sauce that is going on that will absolutely.

When you see it, it will.

Yeah.

It's a competition crusher.

There's no reason you can't write your own check this year.

We had two years ago we had 30% decrease in installation sales because of a nice cool summer.

Last year there was a huge decline in obviously availability of equipment for one.

But also the numbers still weren't there for a lot of companies.

So there's pent up replacement for the last two years that did not get replaced.

That means this year is going to be off the charts.

Be prepared You've got to be prepared to crush the competition.

So reach out to me to find out more about the company coaching program.

Like I said, last podcast we had just 20 spots left and they definitely are going fast.

We're running out of places.

So reach out, grab your spot.

You can reach me at sam close it now.net or you can join the Facebook group and send me a message.

So anyway, let's get on to the content.

Today we're talking about earning the right.

How do we earn the right?

You know, one of the things that is so important when you are training, when you're growing, when you're learning things, when you're using this drive time university like we've got going on right now, you know, I'm driving all over the map running my appointments.

You're driving all over the map running your appointments.

This is a number.

In fact, I was talking to a client just the other day about.

In a 15 year career, the average service technician or outside salesperson, if you use your windchill time, the time that you're driving around appointment to appointment as education time, that translates to the equivalent of three PhDs if you use it for learning.

Audiobooks, podcasts, and obviously you are because you're listening to this.

So congratulations, you're making that step to better yourself.

Because if you're not growing, you're dying.

And we've always got to constantly be growing and constantly getting better for things to change.

We have to change for things to get better.

We have to get better, become that person worth buying from.

But what does that mean?

It doesn't mean just learning.

You can also be a lifelong learner and get stuck.

What's called knowledge on ice.

Do not become the person who only learns, but doesn't change, doesn't implement.

A good friend of mine several years ago, Josh Fair, he's not even in the H Vac industry, but I met him at a big event.

He said something that has stuck with me for years.

Success happens at the speed of Success happens at the speed implementation.

So when you are, say, listening to an audiobook, do you take notes?

Do you like pause the audiobook and actually implement what they're saying to implement?

When you're listening to a podcast, do you do the same thing?

Do you go back and re listen to it and then implement and practice what you're learning in the podcast or from wherever you're at, Wherever you learn things from, are you implementing, are you actually applying what you're learning?

Because here's the deal, you can go to a sales boot camp or you can have somebody come to your facility or however you learn, it doesn't matter.

But yes, we get super crazy excited for those few days and then our numbers just skyrocket.

But what happens over time?

One, we're only implementing a handful of things because it's hard to remember it all.

There's nothing wrong with that.

But over time, what happens is we start, the numbers start to drop back off and drop back off.

Because why?

Because we get into our old habits.

We have it implemented to the degree that it became part of who you are, part of your system, part of your.

Just everything you do.

So implementation is so important.

Doesn't matter how high we jump, it's how straight you walk when you land right.

So earn the right.

What does that mean if you are a new or newer consultant, Project manager.

My latest favorite is system design specialist.

If you're a new system design specialist or even if you're a veteran, when you come across people who are more experienced than you, who you are learning from, I mean, and always find people you can learn from.

And this goes just not necessarily exclusively for H vac sales or in home sales.

This applies to everything you know.

When you're wanting to learn about investments or wealth or you meet.

So you meet that millionaire that you want to become friends with because they're where you want to be.

What do we do?

How do we earn the right to ask them questions?

Earn your way into the car if you want to ride along with the top salesperson.

How do we earn their time?

Because they're not going to just necessarily give their time away to anyone who will listen.

They'll give their time away to the people who actually implement the things that they say.

When I've had this experience before, when I've got a couple people in my life right now, one of them, they come and ask me questions and sure fire, every single time they do the opposite of the advice I gave them, even though it's clear they're moving in the wrong direction.

Well, do you think I'm going to make time in my day so they can absorb my time, absorb my production when I could be doing something else?

If they have a proven track record of literally doing the opposite of what they were asking about, no way.

I'm not going to give up my time for that.

I'll get around to them.

When I get around to them, however, there's another person in my life constantly asking questions.

But I don't mind because every single thing we talk about, they Immediately implement and put into practice.

And their numbers showing as a result of that.

That is how to earn the right into the car if you want to do ride alongs.

Prove you're somebody who implements what you're learning if you want to.

And I'll tell you, there's an expression of it's lonely at the top is true.

Because the better you get in anything, and this is with any profession, in any hobby, anything, the better that you get.

As soon as you get to that upper intermediate, expert level, I guarantee you that peer group that you have is tiny.

At this point in my career, I could pick up the phone and know a handful of people across the country are all the top producers.

You can do the same thing, doesn't matter the industry or whatever's going on.

I play guitar on the level of a handful of friends that they play in all of these famous people's bands.

Because we were peers growing up, I decided to do sales instead of being a professional musician.

But that doesn't mean that I don't have that peer group.

So it's the same thing with anything that you do.

The better that you get at something, the less and less people are up there.

But the beautiful thing is when you come across anyone who is at the top of whatever you're wanting to learn, whatever you want to do, when you reach out and you implement, because they're welcoming everyone at the top, you know, other than a few, will gladly make time to help somebody else up, help somebody else achieve, help somebody else get to where they've gotten.

Because it's such a cool thing to see people succeed.

That is what gives me.

That's what gives all of the top people that I talk to, trainers and just people who are out there crushing it.

They love to help everybody else accomplish and be able to do things in their life they've never done before by accomplishing things that they've never been able to accomplish before.

But how you do that, you have to implement the advice that's given, you have to implement the direction and that's how you earn your right, earn your way into the car.

It's wild when somebody just does it.

It clears the nose on their face and you're having a conversation, they ask for all this advice and then they go out and they don't do it, or they do the opposite.

Or an example too is every now and then I get a coaching client and we'll work on something and we'll go to three weeks and we go to review and they haven't implemented anything.

You know, we've reviewed this, we've review, review, review.

You know, I get it.

Yes, life is busy.

But here's the deal.

When I start to hear the excuses of, well, I'm busy right now, so I don't have time to work on myself, or I don't have time to practice this, or I don't have time.

That is a horrible excuse.

That's one of the worst excuses you can possibly have.

Because here's the deal.

Life will make time.

It will control your schedule.

Until you decide to control your schedule yourself, your business, you will always be too busy.

Unless and until you decide to take control of your time, your schedule, you have just as many hours in the day as Warren Buffett does as any, as Richard Branson, as Elon Musk.

Give just as many hours in the day as every billionaire on the planet.

What are you doing with it?

Are you being productive?

Are you being efficient?

Are you constantly figuring out ways to do things better, to do things smarter, to do things wiser?

That's why, you know, when you listen to this podcast, I am not a fan of going out there and constantly working your face off.

You know, six days a week, 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

That type of life is not sustainable.

I am such a fan of working smarter.

You don't have to work harder.

You can work less and make more because we increase our close rate, we increase your average ticket, all of those things.

I mean, I know people who literally have given themselves, you know, 30, 50, $100,000 a year pay raises just by learning to sell smarter and better, not by seeing more people.

Because it is absolutely possible to do that just by getting more efficient, having the conversation better, becoming a better closer.

And remember that, you know, you don't have to become the ultimate handling objections if your sales process is in place.

And it's a rock star presentation.

Because here's the deal.

The logical conclusion to a well executed sales process is a sell if you answer the questions ahead of time.

You know, the thing is, there's so many.

See, I've got a quote here I want to read you.

That is from Phil M. Jones, and it's a really powerful one.

It's one of those that the second I heard was like, man, you know what?

That is fantastic.

Almost every objection you face can be handled by a question that you ask ahead of time.

We have to get better at asking questions.

When we ask enough questions and the right questions, get all of the objections out of the way ahead of time and Even with clients, we have to earn the right with them.

Selling is earning the right to make a recommendation.

You know, those are those.

Oh, because you said you were interested in this and this and this.

I would recommend this product as the solution for what you said.

Because you said you don't like experiencing this, I would recommend this system is going to be the one to solve that problem.

Is this making sense to everybody?

Raise your hand if it's making sense to you.

Because it's so important.

We have to implement what's going on.

We've got to implement, implement, implement.

And the second you start doing that, that is when I say work to become someone worth buying from, that is someone who is constantly growing and becoming a bigger person.

Constantly increase your sphere of influence.

If you're not going out to networking events and meeting people, influential people in your community, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Don't fall into the trap and the excuse of well, you know, it seems like a waste of time because I don't ever get all those people I'm meeting aren't buying from me.

That's not the point.

The point of networking is not to sell to the people you network with.

The point of networking is to build trusted relationships with influential leaders in the community and business owners.

The goal is never to sell your product or service to them.

However, on average, every person you meet knows 300 people.

When you are in a networking group of a group of people who are influential leaders who purposely focus on growing their network, that number jumps up to close to a thousand.

So every single person you meet in a networking group represents somewhere between 500 and 1,000 people within their network you just met.

So the goal is to set up referral partnerships.

How fantastic would it be if you had a dozen people who sent you a maybe one referral a month?

Now we're talking about numbers of self generated leads.

Self generated, that's a word.

That is awesome.

If you're an owner, you understand the value of that because that's a lead you don't have to pay for.

Did you know the average the cost of a marketed lead in H Vac right now is around $600?

So every single time the phone rings with a new client, that's around $600 value, did you throw it away and squander the lead or did you capitalize on it?

Now if you have a bunch of referrals that start coming to you because you've built relationships, you become trusted.

People see your integrity, they see your honesty, they see the way you treat your clients and they start sending you referrals that don't cost you anything other than other than building a friendship and sending referrals their way.

When you come across your clients who need some of the products and services they offer, that is powerful.

So a dozen people each sending you maybe one a month, oh, that's what, 12amonth?

That's 144 a year of no cost leads coming to you.

But warm referrals have a much higher close rate.

We know that.

That's why I'm such a fan of networking.

Get out there and meet people.

So many ways to earn the right to grow yourself.

You know, Tony Robbins says that you're the average of the five people you hang around.

And Jim Rohn used to say the same thing.

When you're the average, your five closest friends, your five people you hang around, the closest.

What does that mean?

That means intellectually.

That means look at your fitness level and look at your closest friend's fitness level.

And do you look like them?

Chances are you do.

I can almost guarantee it.

If you want to get in better fitness, better shape, eat better nutrition, you're going to have to change the people you're hanging around.

Here's the big one, here's the kicker.

If you take the average of your five closest friends, bank accounts, you average those out, I would be willing to put money down that your bank account looks just like theirs.

So what do we need to do to change that?

We need to find a better group of people to hang around.

If you want to up.

And there's nothing wrong with having those friends as well.

But up.

Level yourself.

Make dedicated, specific, intentional relationships with people who are where you are, want to be.

And as you start spending time with people who have achieved people who are earn what you want to earn, people who are the fitness level you want to be.

Whatever it is you want to get better at, you start hanging around with those people, it will rub off on you.

It's just purely proven.

It happens.

So earn that right by hanging out with rock stars, you become a rock star.

Hang out with the eagles, you become an eagle, you hang out with the chickens.

Sorry, you're going to be scratching in the hen house, just pecking the ground with all the rest of the chickens.

So you've got to better your surroundings.

So this podcast today was brought to you by, motivated to do better.

Use your drive time, all these things.

If you have questions about.

In fact, let's do a reading list.

I'm going to start a reading list in the Facebook group.

I've got book recommendations.

I'll start a post in there.

If you have book recommendations, jump in and add to it.

That's just how we achieve in life.

So anyway, that is the episode for today.

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

I will talk to you again soon.

Thanks for listening to Close it now with Sam Wakefield.

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