Transcript
Speaker: to the solarpreneur podcast where we teach you to take your solar business to the next level my name is taylor armstrong i went from 50 in my bank account and struggling for groceries to closing 150 deals in a year and cracking the code on why sales reps fell i teach you to avoid the mistakes i made and bring in the top solar dogs of the industry to let you in on the secrets of generating more leads and
Speaker: falling up like a pro and closing more deals.
Speaker: What is a solopreneur, you might ask?
Speaker: A solopreneur is a new breed of solopreneur that is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve mastery, and you are about to become one.
Speaker: Hey, what's going on, solarpreneurs?
Speaker: Taylor Armstrong here.
Speaker: We are back with another episode.
Speaker: Today we're going to be talking about how you can set up rock solid referral partnerships.
Speaker: If you are wanting more referrals in your business, in your solar sales game, it is essential to set up referral partnerships.
Speaker: So we're going to be talking about that and a whole lot more.
Speaker: Welcome to the podcast.
Speaker: If you are new, if you have been here for a while now, welcome back.
Speaker: We're here to help you close more deals, generate more leads and referrals, and have a much better time in the solar industry.
Speaker: Hopefully you don't get me saying that.
Speaker: Okay, but just got to remind people what we're doing.
Speaker: And just, you know, a little update.
Speaker: Last week, we did a replay of a few podcasts.
Speaker: And just being transparent, you know, we're in a competition, and
Speaker: And I'm like, you know what?
Speaker: I'm going to focus my time on the competition this week.
Speaker: So I thought I'd just replay some of the old episodes that I thought were really valuable rather than just leaving guys hanging.
Speaker: So let me know what you thought of that.
Speaker: I'm curious to know, would you rather have...
Speaker: a break in the podcast, not publish for a week, or would you rather repost some older content?
Speaker: I just thought there's so much older content that we've done that probably people either forgot what we talked about,
Speaker: They haven't heard it.
Speaker: So why not repost some older episodes?
Speaker: But if that annoyed you, let me know.
Speaker: Maybe we'll just have a break in the podcast on weeks like that.
Speaker: Because I know some weeks it's not always going to be possible doing two episodes a week.
Speaker: But for the most part, we're coming at you every Tuesday and Friday, bringing fresh new content.
Speaker: And the other thing that happened last week, we actually were supposed to publish an interview that I did.
Speaker: However, we had some technical technical difficulties and went to open the folder.
Speaker: The recording was nowhere to be found.
Speaker: So I actually redid the podcast.
Speaker: I think it came out even better.
Speaker: You guys are going to hear it on the next episode.
Speaker: It's with Solar Mike, Mike Winter.
Speaker: If you don't follow this guy on Instagram, go give him a follow.
Speaker: He is absolutely crushing.
Speaker: And he is actually a little bit what inspired this current episode right now on the referral partnerships.
Speaker: because he does basically all his business through referral partnerships.
Speaker: He doesn't really knock anymore.
Speaker: And that's the dream for a lot of people.
Speaker: Like, how can we increase referrals?
Speaker: How can we set up solid partnerships?
Speaker: So I'm going to be given a few of my thoughts on that today.
Speaker: And then next episode, you're going to hear even more from a master.
Speaker: And just a disclaimer,
Speaker: I am doing most of my leads, most of my business through door knocking, which is why you hear me talk about it so much.
Speaker: But I am constantly trying to improve my referral process.
Speaker: I do have a few referral partners right now, so I am not claiming to be a master at this.
Speaker: But Mike, Solar Mike, that you're going to hear on the next podcast has been doing this for a long time.
Speaker: And I think he's really mastered or close to master the referral partnerships.
Speaker: So that's why I bring in guests, because guess what?
Speaker: I'm not a master of everything in solar.
Speaker: But hey, we're all learning together.
Speaker: So I'm going to share some of my thoughts on it.
Speaker: And then next episode, you're going to hear even more.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: But a referral partnership is someone that you have a relationship set up with where they give you leads, they give you referrals and maybe you split commission with them.
Speaker: Uh, however you're paying them out, but typically it's someone that's not necessarily a customer.
Speaker: It can be a current customer, but when I think of referral partnerships, um, it's more like maybe you have a buddy that's in real estate that's sending you leads.
Speaker: Maybe you got someone that has like an HVAC company that sends you leads, um,
Speaker: So that's more of what I would think is a typical referral partnership.
Speaker: Okay, so let's talk a little bit.
Speaker: How do you set these things up?
Speaker: How do you go about finding them?
Speaker: What are some things you can do to make them more effective?
Speaker: So we're going to be talking about today.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: So first things first.
Speaker: we need to identify who is also servicing your ideal customers.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: And there's the obvious ones like roofers, they're on roofs.
Speaker: They're probably dealing with your ideal customers.
Speaker: Uh, people that do HVAC real estate agents, uh,
Speaker: So those are probably ones that people think of more often than not.
Speaker: But also, I want you to think outside the box here.
Speaker: Maybe it's house cleaning businesses, people that are going into homes with that.
Speaker: Maybe it's your Amazon delivery guy.
Speaker: That would be creative.
Speaker: Never heard of that.
Speaker: Maybe it's your pizza.
Speaker: Maybe it's your Domino's delivery driver.
Speaker: And people that are crushing it in this, they're thinking outside the box like that.
Speaker: They are looking everywhere for who has my money, who has my clients, who is going to potential customers.
Speaker: And I recently was out with a buddy of mine, a buddy of mine.
Speaker: We're knocking on some doors.
Speaker: We see someone.
Speaker: He's like a handyman guy.
Speaker: He's parked in his truck.
Speaker: And we're driving to area and I would have thought nothing, nothing of this.
Speaker: But my buddy that I'm with, he stops his truck, rolls down the window.
Speaker: He's like, hey, what are you doing here?
Speaker: The guy's a handyman.
Speaker: He's fixing something.
Speaker: And immediately my buddy starts pitching him on.
Speaker: Like, hey, well, here's what we do.
Speaker: You can make a lot of money doing this and not necessarily recruiting him, but he recognized that this handyman was going to a lot of potential solar customers and he capitalized.
Speaker: And I don't know if he's gotten referrals from it, but he gave him a card and
Speaker: He got his number.
Speaker: He told him about what we're doing.
Speaker: He probably should have set up like a meeting with him, make it even more effective, got it even more legit.
Speaker: But I once he did this,
Speaker: I'm like, okay, I'm probably missing out on a huge opportunity here.
Speaker: How many times have we driven past someone that's servicing a home?
Speaker: Maybe there's a roofer.
Speaker: Maybe there's some house cleaner parked out front.
Speaker: Those people could be our potential referral partners.
Speaker: And you're going to hear next episode with Solar Mike.
Speaker: He talks about this and some of the aha moments he had at how instead of just knocking nonstop, why not look for these relationships?
Speaker: Why not look for these referral partnerships?
Speaker: So I think that's step one.
Speaker: Recognize who has who is also visiting my potential clients and
Speaker: And start to open your minds, expand your mindset.
Speaker: Don't be like me.
Speaker: Start to think, okay, all these people that I'm around, could they be referral partners?
Speaker: Most of us aren't thinking like this, but if we did, we probably...
Speaker: probably a lot of a lot of people that could be our referral partners.
Speaker: OK, so that's what I would say.
Speaker: Step one, just start to have that mindset shift.
Speaker: Think like that.
Speaker: Think who can be my referral partner.
Speaker: OK, and then another thing, it's good to have a little presentation, have some printed materials.
Speaker: Cards are good.
Speaker: You can give these people.
Speaker: But really, I think he wants to identify a
Speaker: how you're going to really present to them on what the opportunity is.
Speaker: A story I thought of with this, my previous company I was with, we had someone, he was our VP of sales at the time, but he was really good at selling people on the opportunity.
Speaker: We had a really dialed in setter program.
Speaker: And it wasn't because he did set expectations with them.
Speaker: But the main reason he was able to recruit so many setters and the main reason we had a dialed-in setters team, this is actually the year I got Golden Door in 2019.
Speaker: We had a lot of really dialed-in setters.
Speaker: I think the differentiating factor...
Speaker: for these setters was they were so bought in to the opportunity of solar.
Speaker: They were sold on that.
Speaker: It's like Grant Cardone says, sell or be sold.
Speaker: Most people, they need to be sold on the opportunity and then the rest is going to take care of itself.
Speaker: If someone is so sold that we are doing a great thing for homeowners, that we are saving people tons of money,
Speaker: that the opportunity is absolutely insane, bonkers, then they're probably going to work really hard.
Speaker: So as you're out there trying to set up these potential referral partnerships, how good of a job are you doing at presenting the solar opportunity, at selling them on the vision?
Speaker: Do they really believe in the product?
Speaker: Do you believe in the product?
Speaker: If you don't, it's going to be really tough to get these people to give you referrals.
Speaker: And that goes for getting new set of recruiting setters, recruiting people in your organization.
Speaker: The master recruiters that I see and the masters at setting up referral partnerships, they are doing a great job at selling the vision, at getting people to think how great of an opportunity is.
Speaker: And it is a great opportunity.
Speaker: So make sure you're sold on that.
Speaker: And then just some side notes.
Speaker: Be clear on what you will pay.
Speaker: And I think we talk a little bit about this in the coming podcast, but are you splitting commission with these people?
Speaker: I've noticed in myself and my own recruitment of referral partners, I think something that I have not done a great job on is getting clear on what am I paying these people?
Speaker: Because everyone, there's levels to this, right?
Speaker: Maybe some referral partners are just giving you a list of leads that they service and like, hey, call them.
Speaker: And if you get any, let me know.
Speaker: Give me the commission if you get them.
Speaker: OK, but maybe some they're actually in a home.
Speaker: They're talking to a homeowner.
Speaker: They're getting someone's electric bill, sending you that and actually setting an appointment.
Speaker: Is that more valuable than someone that's just giving you a whole list of leads and saying, hey, call my old customers and let me know if you get any from them?
Speaker: Yeah, it's probably a lot more valuable if they're giving you an actual set appointment with a bill.
Speaker: And at that point, you're probably going to treat them like, you know, a setter from your company.
Speaker: So just keep in mind there's different levels and then figure out what you're going to pay.
Speaker: Because the mistake I've made is I've had potential referral partners say, OK, Taylor, what's the deal?
Speaker: What do you pay?
Speaker: What type of partnership we talk in?
Speaker: And I haven't been clear on what I'm paying.
Speaker: I'm like, oh, yeah, well, we'll make sure you get a good portion of it.
Speaker: So I would write out what your plan is.
Speaker: Maybe if they only give you a lead, maybe you're giving them like 20% of the commission.
Speaker: If they're giving you an actual set appointment, maybe you're splitting that.
Speaker: Maybe you're giving 30, 40%.
Speaker: But make sure you pay him well, have a good partnership worked out, and then get clear on what you're actually going to pay him.
Speaker: Because if you're not clear, then it doesn't look the greatest.
Speaker: I think I've probably caused some hesitancy with people wanting to partner up because I didn't give them a clear answer.
Speaker: So you want to be confident.
Speaker: You want to act like you've been doing this for a while.
Speaker: You want to act like you have lots of referral partners, even if you don't.
Speaker: People want that.
Speaker: People want that confidence.
Speaker: Hey, and then, yeah, I mean, just get in front of the decision makers.
Speaker: Maybe you see an HVAC truck in your neighborhood.
Speaker: You talk to them.
Speaker: Maybe you follow that truck back to the headquarters and, you know, you got to get in front of the right people to set up these partnerships.
Speaker: OK, you can message them, maybe social media.
Speaker: Just like, hey, do you guys already have a solar company that you work with?
Speaker: Hey, and don't sound spammy, right?
Speaker: But talk to the right person.
Speaker: Make sure you have a good presentation for them.
Speaker: And some of the stuff I haven't tried, but I'm planning on trying.
Speaker: But it's like you probably want to have maybe a little slide deck created.
Speaker: Really just a clear vision on what you're doing and what that partnership is going to look like.
Speaker: Hey, and then besides that, another good resource I've mentioned before in the podcast, I have not gone to these, but I know several people that go to the business, the BNI business, business networking events.
Speaker: I probably should try those out and be good.
Speaker: A good good test.
Speaker: See how well that goes.
Speaker: But I know there's B&A groups in pretty much every city.
Speaker: You can go and set up partnerships like this and get referral partners.
Speaker: And then make sure you have regular communication.
Speaker: Nothing drives people more crazy than when they give you a lead and there's not communication.
Speaker: So I would treat these referral partnerships like you're given customer updates.
Speaker: In other words, every time you give you should be giving your customers an update every week.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: So if you're giving your customers an update every week, why are you not giving your referral partner?
Speaker: an update.
Speaker: And that goes for your setters too.
Speaker: If you are part of a team that has setters, speaking from experience, I get texts all the time from setters at my current company saying, oh, I have no idea what's going on with my deal.
Speaker: Or also people in our coaching group right now that are setting appointments, they get ahold of their closers.
Speaker: They have no idea
Speaker: or they hear like they think they're going to have an install.
Speaker: And then six weeks later, they find out that that deal had canceled like the week after.
Speaker: Nothing could be more discouraging than that.
Speaker: So make sure you are given your referral partners and also your setters, whoever's giving you these leads updates.
Speaker: Regular communication is key with all your people.
Speaker: Okay, so just a few notes.
Speaker: Hopefully that helps.
Speaker: And I'll be sharing my experience as I attempt to set up more of these referral partnerships.
Speaker: As you can probably tell, I don't have all the answers right now, but I'm going to be doing it real time, sharing my experience with it.
Speaker: And hopefully this inspires you to go and try to set up your own referral partnerships, especially we're coming on the holiday season.
Speaker: If you're in a freezing cold market, wouldn't it be nice to have some referrals coming in?
Speaker: instead of knocking in the snow.
Speaker: We're going to be knocking as always, but nice to have some referrals coming in.
Speaker: So tune into the next episode.
Speaker: We're going to be hearing from Solar Mike or Mike Winter.
Speaker: This guy is doing incredible things.
Speaker: We're going to be jamming on social media on more on how to set up these referral partnerships.
Speaker: So make sure you don't miss out on that one.
Speaker: And we will see you on the next episode.
Speaker: Peace.
Speaker: Hey, solopreneurs, quick question.
Speaker: What if you could surround yourself with the industry's top performing sales pros, marketers, and CEOs and learn from their experience and wisdom in less than 20 minutes a day.
Speaker: For the last three years, I've been placed in the fortunate position to interview dozens of elite level solar professionals and learn exactly what they do behind closed doors to build their solar careers to an all-star level.
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Speaker: to learn, compete, and win with top performers in the industry.
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Speaker: This learning community was designed from the ground up to level the playing field and give Solar Pros access to proven mentors who want to give back to this community and help you or your team to be held accountable by the industry's brightest minds for, are you ready for it, less than $3.45 a day.
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Speaker: This is exclusively for solopreneur listeners, so be sure to go to SoulCity.co and join.
Speaker: We'll see you on the inside.
