Ideas Don't Work Until You Take Action!

Before I answer the question about cold calling in the solar industry let me answer another important question first, Is cold-calling dead? The quick answer is no, it's not. Here’s why I believe it’s still the most effective sales tool and why you should too.

For the past 11 years, I’ve coached, trained, and mentored sales leaders and sales teams in both the residential and commercial sectors. Selling solar technology involves a complex sales process and requires a human, authentic connection. That connection starts with a voice from an initial call – a cold call.

All cold-calls start out the same way. You’re calling on someone you’ve never met. State your name, tell them why you are calling and tell them why it’s important for THEM to meet you. Lead with a value of solar for THEM, insights and why now may be the right time to go solar. Your end-game is to meet in person. I can’t stress how important this is for you to understand. You need to sit in front of the buyer, shake their hand, look at them in the eye and have a value based, connected, authentic and transparent conversation about their investment in solar and WHY you are the one who will deliver over anyone else. Your goal is to become a trusted advisor. This doesn’t happen over a smartphone, social media, keyboard or even a webcam.

Cold-Calling isn’t the only tool to connect with the buyer, it’s just one of several. For high-ticket items like solar, it’s the one that is most effective (next to referrals).

So why does cold calling work so well in the Solar industry? The answer is very simple, the human touch. As of this writing, no one I am aware of has written a check for a solar system over social media, text or Facebook messenger message. I’m not saying it’s not going to happen. I just haven’t seen it yet. NOTE: If you know of anyone who has – please message me I would love to get the backstory.

Solar is a high-ticket investment for small and medium sized companies and a strategic one for corporate buyers. Investing in a solar energy system is fundamentally a financial decision. According to EnergySage, “solar is a very low-risk high-reward investment” with healthy tax credits, and other financial incentives to lower the cost of a system. Solar has “returns from 10%-30%, depending on whether you own the system outright” and It saves tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars on electricity costs over the 25+ year lifespan of the system.

Let me tell you a quick story about Joe.

 In 2009 I began working with an energetic spirited sales executive who first started out as a customer I was selling to. (I got him through a cold-call). After we completed the sale and installed the system, “Joe” (not his real name) quickly fell in love with the idea of solar and saw the investment opportunity. He said, “I want in”.

Joe was right out of the Wolf of Wall Street. In fact, he was trained by Jordan Belfort s’ team. He was a successful wall street broker and successfully raised $50,000,000. All from his phone. So, after some coaching and training on solar, the technology, incentives, etc. in 2012 I hired him as an inside sales rep to set appointments for my sales team. In 30 days, he scheduled appointments for every salesperson in the company covering 5 states. Again, all from his house, a mobile phone, and a list, he called “blistering cold”. To say he crushed it would be an understatement.

How was he able to accomplish this? In his words

“I have a mission when I cold call someone, I let them know who I am right away, why I’m calling and quickly tell them, how I can help them and why it’s critical that they meet me."

In my opinion, he was successful, because he had the ability to lead with value and insights, and ask the right questions to create a connection, instantly.

If I asked Joe today is cold calling is worth it, he would say YES, if your goal is to set an appointment with the buyer. Today Joe is a thriving and super successful sales and business development professional still making cold calls himself, he is a top producer and loves what he does. Why, because he knows how to conduct a successful cold call –lead with value, insights, ask lots of questions and then set an appointment to meet with them in person.

So really to ask the question “is cold calling still worth it” is just a stupid question. If cold calling is not currently on your list of prospecting tasks than I challenge you to rethink your prospecting activities and add some human touch points into your plan. Need help creating a successful prospecting campaign? Take advantage of my free assessment and let's setup a time to talk. 

 What are some of your cold calling experiences? I'd love to hear about them.

Live with Passion

Anthony