We're between seasons and it's getting difficult to keep your installers working, so I'm going to let you in on one of my biggest secrets. I stopped running company-provided leads my last year of selling residential HVAC equipment, and it was my biggest year. Interestingly, it's also the year I worked the fewest hours.
Here's What I Did:
I sold "add-on" air conditioning door-to-door. They were the easiest sales I ever made. After I left my full-time job at home, I traveled the country and did this just about everywhere I went for several years. I have witnesses.
I stopped running company-provided leads my last year of selling residential HVAC equipment, and it was my biggest year.
I'd go to a city or town and look for what I called "upper lower-class" neighborhoods. Once I found the right neighborhood, I walked the streets. I'd approach any home that had two things:
- At least one window air conditioner
- A newer car (which told me they probably had a credit rating).
I'd carry a clipboard and a tape measure. I'd have a flashlight on my belt. I wore a company shirt. I had my own little badge made up.
Here's What I Said:
I'd knock on the door, and when someone answered, I'd hold the badge up and say, "I hope I'm not bothering you. I'm with an air conditioning company.
"I'm just letting people know that I've arranged for financing for anyone in this neighborhood who wants to add central air conditioning with no down payment and just about any size payment you want.
"It takes me about five minutes to measure your home from the outside. Then I can at least give you a rough idea of what your payment would be. If it sounds like something you'd like to pursue, I'll step inside, and work out the details with you.
"Would you like me to take the five minutes to measure your home and at least let you know what it would take to get rid of those old window shakers, that anyone could just rip out and climb right in, and get you some nice high-efficiency air conditioning?"
How well Did it Work?
If I didn't make a sale on the first door on knocked, I knew it was going to be a difficult morning. But that was a rare occurrence.
There's no point in adding high-efficiency air conditioning and heating in a poorly insulated home, so I also partnered with insulation companies and subcontracted that out, and of course, made money on that as well.
The first day I did it, I sold $30,000. That was a Sunday. I turned in the paperwork on Monday. While I was out soliciting more business, every one of those sales was rejected due to poor credit. However, I wrote $29,000 on Monday, and every bit of that was accepted. I'll take $29,000 every two days.
In order for a goal to be valid, it must be time-specific, and it must be mandatory. I didn't broadcast this to anyone, but I made up my mind that I would not eat on any given day until I made a sale, and I love big breakfasts. I had breakfast by 10:00 am every morning.
There Can Be Add-on Services
You usually had to replace the furnace to make the air conditioning run properly.
Air conditioning requires a lot more duct work than heating, so I usually replaced the entire duct system. On the bright side, all of my installations are about the only ones in the country with adequate air return.
Most of the homes required an upgraded electrical service to at least 100 amps. I partnered with electrical service contractors to subcontract that out, and made additional money on that.
There's no point in adding high-efficiency air conditioning and heating in a poorly insulated home, so I also partnered with insulation companies and subcontracted that out, and of course, made money on that as well.
When loans are approved, credit providers will frequently tell you what additional credit is available. That left room for indoor air quality products, which they usually bought.
Sometimes there was enough money available to replace doors and windows, which I also subcontracted out.
Do you realize that when you subcontract work, you make money with nearly no additional effort or work on your part?
Why Does it Work?
People who don't have central air conditioning don't know they can get it with zero money down and an affordable monthly payment. These were absolutely the easiest sales I ever made.
After they installed the last one I ever did here locally, the customer called me at home and asked me to stop by the next day to make sure they were clear on how to operate it.
I went and saw them, and as I was walking out the door, they said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Charlie. You're a god-send."
CHARLIE GREER covers this self-generated sales process, and a lot more self-generated sales techniques in his audio series, "Slacker's Guide to HVAC Sales." Visit Charlie on the web at www.hvacprofitboosters.com. You can call Charlie at 1-800-963-HVAC (4822). Send your sales questions to [email protected].