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92: The Power of Networking in Solar
37 Plays6 years ago
Emotional Quotient is as important as IQ. Learn the importance of building valuable connections and why we need people. How do you build a solid network to elevate your solar sales? Find out how in this episode.
Timestamps:
00:39 - Introduction
01:41 - Starting a Network on Facebook
07:54 - The Customer Service Approach
13:22 - People Relations
31:17 - Step Lightly
37:20 - Life isn't perfect
42:03 - Conclusion
Where you can find Sonny:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/sonnyrock5
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonny-j-rock-79975268
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sonnyrock5/
Solar Pros Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/sellmoresolar/
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Solopreneurs
00:00:00
Speaker
What do you call an underground group of solar professionals on a mission to create a more sustainable world?
00:00:05
Speaker
We call ourselves solopreneurs.
00:00:08
Speaker
And while some might call us crazy, foolish, and dissatisfied with the status quo, we're the ones taking action to create a better future for ourselves and the world.
00:00:17
Speaker
Solopreneur is dedicated to give you, the solar professional, the tools, skills, technology, and mentorship to take the industry by storm and sell more solar with less effort.
00:00:30
Speaker
We are solopreneurs and this is our story.
Meet Sonny Rock
00:00:39
Speaker
What's going on, solopreneurs?
00:00:41
Speaker
We are back from a short break.
00:00:44
Speaker
As some of you know, I'm dealing with having a new baby in the house, so I had a little hiatus because of that.
00:00:50
Speaker
But I'm stoked to be back because today we have someone that is no stranger to the solar industry.
00:00:57
Speaker
And if you have been in the solar industry for any amount of time, you should know them.
00:01:01
Speaker
We've got the one, the only, Sonny Rock in the house.
00:01:04
Speaker
Thanks for coming on the show, Sonny.
00:01:07
Speaker
Hey, thanks a lot, Taylor.
00:01:08
Speaker
I appreciate you having me on.
00:01:10
Speaker
It's quite an introduction, and I hope I live up to it.
00:01:15
Speaker
Yeah, well, I think most people know you.
00:01:17
Speaker
I mean, we're just talking off the recording here, and he's got, I think, the largest solar group on Facebook right now.
00:01:27
Speaker
And he's pretty much a master networker.
00:01:30
Speaker
And that's what we're going to be talking about today.
00:01:32
Speaker
So, Sonny, how many people do you say your Facebook group have?
00:01:36
Speaker
It's the Solar Pros Facebook group.
Exploring the Solar Pros Facebook Group
00:01:41
Speaker
Yeah, we're just about 2,000.
00:01:42
Speaker
And...
00:01:45
Speaker
And we could have more.
00:01:46
Speaker
And like I was telling you when we weren't recording is, you know, we get real selective about who's allowed in the group.
00:01:54
Speaker
We, you know, if it's not obvious in the description of their profile that they own a sales organization or a consultant or even an installer, if they're just not letting the world know that they are in the solar industry, we dig a little and if we can't find anything,
00:02:14
Speaker
I usually don't let them in or I'll hit them up and say, hey, send me a website.
00:02:18
Speaker
Because we don't want it to become anything more than what it is, solar pros.
00:02:25
Speaker
So people who are trying to learn, trying to help others and, you know, contribute.
00:02:31
Speaker
Yeah.
00:02:32
Speaker
And I think that's awesome.
00:02:33
Speaker
And it's definitely been very valuable group to be a part of.
00:02:36
Speaker
And that's the reason in my opinion, because you're being selective about who's coming in and you're looking to add value.
00:02:41
Speaker
I mean, Sonny, he's not, he hasn't tried to make a bunch of money from this.
00:02:45
Speaker
He's just trying to add value, trying to help other people where he can.
00:02:50
Speaker
So why did you speak into that?
00:02:51
Speaker
Why did you decide to start like a Facebook group?
00:02:54
Speaker
And, and I guess how long ago was that?
00:02:56
Speaker
And he started it.
00:02:57
Speaker
Yeah, I,
00:03:01
Speaker
Little over two years ago, I started the group.
00:03:03
Speaker
Okay.
00:03:05
Speaker
Really, it just, you know, much of a place like as, um, you know, being in solar, I started in 2011.
00:03:16
Speaker
I had people here.
00:03:17
Speaker
I'll get a better connection.
00:03:19
Speaker
Okay.
00:03:20
Speaker
Get a little closer.
00:03:20
Speaker
I get, it bumps my wifi from cellular network.
00:03:26
Speaker
Um, can you hear me okay?
00:03:30
Speaker
Yeah, I think.
00:03:31
Speaker
Hey, what's up, Solarpreneurs?
00:03:33
Speaker
Taylor here.
00:03:34
Speaker
I got to thinking the other day, wouldn't it be nice to be that compilation of all the greatest tips from the people we've had on the show?
00:03:41
Speaker
So my team and I, we took the liberty of preparing a little closing guide because it's all about closing more deals.
00:03:48
Speaker
That's how the money is made.
00:03:50
Speaker
We prepared a closing guide from some of the greatest closers in the industry and people we've had on the show here.
00:03:57
Speaker
So I wanted to give that guide to you for free.
00:04:01
Speaker
So if you want to check out the guide, head on over to closer.solarpreneurs.com and we will give you a copy.
00:04:09
Speaker
A hundred percent free.
00:04:10
Speaker
They'll go straight to your email.
00:04:12
Speaker
See you on the other side.
00:04:14
Speaker
Now I can.
00:04:14
Speaker
How's that?
00:04:14
Speaker
Yeah, now I can hear
Sonny's Journey into the Solar Industry
00:04:16
Speaker
you.
00:04:16
Speaker
Okay.
00:04:16
Speaker
Um,
00:04:29
Speaker
But as far as creating the group is I wanted a place where a resource where I could get good information about product, sales techniques, marketing ideas, not only just to help grow my business, but become a better solar consultant and just all of the above.
00:04:50
Speaker
Check every box because I knew I wasn't the only one struggling in random obscure areas and it's ending on the day.
00:04:58
Speaker
So it just has grown from there and encouraged good people to encourage good people to join the group.
00:05:06
Speaker
And, and the success has been because so many people post and contribute valuable content.
00:05:15
Speaker
You know, I might question, but it's right in line with what other people bring, like just even a new person's novice question.
00:05:29
Speaker
no one, you know, laughs at that guy or, oh, that's so elementary.
00:05:34
Speaker
No, it's like it's an opportunity to teach, giving the teacher a chance to get better.
00:05:40
Speaker
Other people might see that person's perspective and like that perspective better than the one they had before.
00:05:47
Speaker
So it's just worked out awesome.
00:05:48
Speaker
So really, I owe it to people like you, Taylor, like you, your contribution has made the group better.
00:05:55
Speaker
And it wouldn't be there without
00:05:57
Speaker
people like you so thank you yeah well no it's awesome and you've definitely helped us a lot and growing the podcast because you've had I know people respect what you what you post a lot and you post a couple times about the podcast and guaranteed we've gotten listeners from it because guys like you are trying to just uh share the value and help other people grow so yeah I love it I mean I've seen you post a couple times too about um just always trying to keep the positivity going training you know
00:06:27
Speaker
yeah man they're awesome yeah so it's definitely a good group to be a part of so hopefully if you're not on that group i would definitely suggest going to hop in sonny's group like you said you got to prove that you're serious that you're serious about solar and can add value but uh you can show that then you're definitely in so sonny we'll talk more about the the group there at the end and
00:06:51
Speaker
where people can find you and all that.
00:06:53
Speaker
But give us a little background.
00:06:54
Speaker
How did you get in the solar industry and how long you've been in it?
00:06:59
Speaker
Give us your story of how you got in the industry.
00:07:03
Speaker
Well, I, I own my own mortgage business for a long time.
00:07:09
Speaker
I rode the whole way 2001 through 2009.
00:07:12
Speaker
Like it just grew, grew, grew, then capitulated and then just bam crashed.
00:07:19
Speaker
Like,
00:07:20
Speaker
Overnight, like literally overnight, I went from making, you know, a buck 50 a year to zero.
00:07:26
Speaker
Like there wasn't even like a buck 50 down to three, like to 30.
00:07:30
Speaker
No, it was to zero.
00:07:33
Speaker
I mean, yeah, but people, yeah, people with a paper worked at Intel for 12 years, putting 20% down.
00:07:42
Speaker
You can't get them a mortgage.
00:07:44
Speaker
I mean, it was insane.
00:07:46
Speaker
for about a week or yeah, it was crazy.
00:07:48
Speaker
So about a year and a half, I really didn't really work for anybody or do anything professionally, but day trade stocks.
00:07:57
Speaker
And I decided that, man, where's the future?
00:08:00
Speaker
Like what, what, you know, where's the next huge growth opportunity?
00:08:06
Speaker
And I just thought solar would be awesome.
00:08:08
Speaker
And there was a, there's a, there at the time, the largest,
00:08:14
Speaker
installer in Southern California was Varango Solar.
00:08:17
Speaker
And they had a call center in Chandler.
00:08:20
Speaker
Okay.
00:08:21
Speaker
Where they did lead gen and inside sales.
00:08:24
Speaker
Well, I started on their inside sales team and I was okay at that.
00:08:28
Speaker
You know, just selling solar all day long on the phone is tough because you hang up and then there's another call and you got to be fresh.
00:08:37
Speaker
Like consultation after consultation after consultation is back to back.
00:08:41
Speaker
It's tough.
00:08:42
Speaker
I bet.
00:08:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:08:43
Speaker
but they started this group called pipeline where we were me and my team, we would call the customers who were visited the day before with an in-home consultation.
00:08:57
Speaker
And we would approach it like customer service, like, Hey, was he dressed professional?
00:09:02
Speaker
Was she on time or whatever?
00:09:04
Speaker
But really we're trying to find out why they didn't move forward and what's it going to take for them to move forward today.
00:09:10
Speaker
Cause as everybody knows,
00:09:12
Speaker
the longer that time period is between consultation and enrollment, the longer that gets, the less likely they're going to move forward.
00:09:22
Speaker
For sure.
00:09:23
Speaker
A hundred percent.
00:09:24
Speaker
Yeah.
00:09:25
Speaker
And so, so I was really good at that and I was running a team and things were going awesome.
00:09:32
Speaker
Back to making money, doing so great.
00:09:35
Speaker
Varenga wanted to move the position to Southern California and it was kind of a lateral move.
00:09:40
Speaker
And I was like,
00:09:41
Speaker
I'm not moving to Southern California.
00:09:43
Speaker
So they wanted me to go back to inside sales.
00:09:46
Speaker
And then I was lucky enough to start with solar city and, um, did that for a few years and was top performer there year after year president's club winner.
00:09:58
Speaker
Um, yeah, I mean, I think they had 4,000 consultants in year 2014.
00:10:02
Speaker
I was ranked 11.
00:10:02
Speaker
Dang.
00:10:03
Speaker
Yeah.
00:10:03
Speaker
And so you,
00:10:10
Speaker
met people that I still, you know, stay in touch with today.
00:10:16
Speaker
You know, a lot of the executive team, you know, they all went to begin LonePal.
00:10:20
Speaker
I'm still in contact with them.
00:10:21
Speaker
And a lot of the guys, you know, have worked for other solar companies.
00:10:25
Speaker
And then in the spring of 2016, I decided to go out on my own.
00:10:30
Speaker
I separated from SolarCity, then Tesla, and they were in that transition.
00:10:36
Speaker
And I've been self-employed.
00:10:38
Speaker
since May 2016.
00:10:39
Speaker
Okay, wow, that's awesome.
00:10:44
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, you definitely got the connections.
Networking and Mindset in Solar
00:10:46
Speaker
And that's one thing that we want to talk about with you is just how you've been able to develop all these connections and relationships.
00:10:51
Speaker
And I mean, you know about everyone in the industry, it seems.
00:10:55
Speaker
So what, but first I want to hear, like, did you have any struggles coming into solar?
00:11:00
Speaker
Like sometimes, as you know, it's not all smooth selling coming into solar and people have their ups and downs and it takes them a while to get going.
00:11:08
Speaker
Did you have any of that or was it pretty much smooth selling when you got in the industry?
00:11:13
Speaker
Well, you know, solar is one of those industries where I don't know if I'll ever feel like, okay, I got it.
00:11:26
Speaker
Now I know everything.
00:11:28
Speaker
Because at Verango, I was trained, you know, to in a certain way.
00:11:33
Speaker
And you only spoke about, you know, we concentrated a lot on price per watt.
00:11:43
Speaker
And then, then at solar city, you know, we would get the customer to focus on price per kilowatt hour.
00:11:50
Speaker
And so you, you get, and neither, and in neither one of those places, because you know, you're primarily being taught and instructed to offer the lease or in California, it's power purchase agreement.
00:12:07
Speaker
You know, you're, you're not really selling equipment and getting really into the,
00:12:12
Speaker
specifications and, you know, engine, the technicals of the system.
00:12:18
Speaker
And so when I came out on my own, you know, I was, I was kind of unprepared for that and it was a transition and it, and, you know, but luckily I've had some really, really good patient people with me that I know I've asked them that would appear to be really stupid questions.
00:12:39
Speaker
Like, dude, you've been a solar president.
00:12:41
Speaker
three years, you don't even, but they never have treated me like I'm an idiot, and so that's why, that was a big part of why I started The Room, is if people don't know, they, you want a place where you feel safe enough that you can ask maybe a question that you are like, I should know this, but I don't, but I know these guys won't, you know, ridicule me if I ask it, you know what I mean, and you just get the information you get, and you get a person that you respect,
00:13:12
Speaker
perspective, their opinion, and they sell.
00:13:16
Speaker
So you can copy the way they present it or work it into their consultation or work it back with the customer exactly the way they do and have the same success that they do.
00:13:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:13:30
Speaker
Okay.
00:13:30
Speaker
Love it.
00:13:32
Speaker
Yeah, that's huge.
00:13:33
Speaker
And I think for those that are listening, if you're not in an environment like that or not with a company that is helping you learn those things, then it's definitely something you should talk to Sonny about.
00:13:46
Speaker
Or there's lots of people that are out there to help.
00:13:48
Speaker
And I know some companies don't have the greatest training, but I think that's key getting with a company or some organization that has great training and can connect you with the right resources.
00:13:58
Speaker
So for you, Sonny, you're the master networker.
00:14:02
Speaker
So what's been like the importance of networking with you?
00:14:04
Speaker
And how do you think you've been able to just develop all these skills and have all these connections?
00:14:12
Speaker
It might sound cliche or trite, but really I've just tried to be, you know, super cool to people if they need help.
00:14:23
Speaker
And if they've selected me to help them, they need an answer.
00:14:28
Speaker
you know, I'm going to, I'm going to get them that answer.
00:14:30
Speaker
Or if they want an introduction to a certain person, they know that, that I know, you know, I'm going to make that happen for them.
00:14:38
Speaker
And, you know, I guess it's just the way I kind of believe.
00:14:44
Speaker
I mean, I'm a real, real big subscriber to, you know, karma and like the law of abundance, the law of attraction.
00:14:53
Speaker
And so I just kind of, and I think everything has meaning to it.
00:14:57
Speaker
Like, I don't think there's, there, there is no any such thing as coincidences or accidents.
00:15:04
Speaker
And so, you know, when I, if I can help somebody, I'm going to help them.
00:15:10
Speaker
And, and then I kind of know that maybe someday if I need their help, you know, hopefully they remember that I helped them.
00:15:17
Speaker
And, you know, within the group, you know, I've received so many little golden nuggets that have led to sales.
00:15:26
Speaker
Like I,
00:15:27
Speaker
I mean, I could tell you a number like, oh, I've made an extra 18 installs over the last year because of being a member of the group.
00:15:36
Speaker
But it's really probably more than that because it saves money and saves time just on getting who you know.
00:15:43
Speaker
Yeah.
00:15:44
Speaker
Yeah.
00:15:45
Speaker
It's true.
00:15:46
Speaker
When you know a lot of people, then everyone's going to turn to you as kind of that connector.
00:15:51
Speaker
I mean, you don't have to know everything, but if you know the person that knows the specific question, or I see all the time, like tagging people or saying, I mean, even a couple of times I've seen you, people posted like, where can I learn about this?
00:16:04
Speaker
And you posted like a podcast, like that Sam Tagger podcast.
00:16:08
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:16:09
Speaker
A couple of times.
00:16:09
Speaker
So, I mean, that's awesome.
00:16:11
Speaker
Don't need to know it, but if you know where, how to help people find where they can,
00:16:15
Speaker
get the resource, then definitely people are going to turn to you.
00:16:18
Speaker
I think that's what you've been able to do.
00:16:20
Speaker
Well, and I appreciate you saying that.
00:16:22
Speaker
And that's one thing that's blown me, kind of blown me away is the amount of awesome free content that is available to you, to me, to anybody out there that maybe they're having a tough day and they want to, you know, get a little bit better about approaching the door like that Sam Taggart
00:16:44
Speaker
podcast like if you were to watch that and you were totally or to listen to that and you were totally cold you'd have a good idea of what you're what you could do yeah and you've created that conversation surrounding you know what to say during consultations with some of your other guests um you know how you know marketing i mean there's just a wealth of information from exactly what we're doing your podcast just just from even within that yeah um
00:17:13
Speaker
and it's all available and just, and, and people really sometimes don't even know.
00:17:18
Speaker
And so we need a place like the group saying, Hey, check this out.
00:17:23
Speaker
It's definitely worth your time.
00:17:24
Speaker
Cause that's, that's where we're all together is we all have a limited amount of time and we can't listen to every single podcast out there in the world or watch every series or every movie, or you just can't do it all.
00:17:37
Speaker
You only have limited time, but when somebody that you trust and you,
00:17:44
Speaker
kind of like maybe the way they do things or some of the things that they do.
00:17:48
Speaker
And they tell you like, Hey, it's well worth your time to read this book or join this group or, or buy this course or listen to this podcast, whatever it is.
00:17:56
Speaker
It, it has some gravity to it and it's something.
00:18:01
Speaker
Yeah, for sure.
00:18:03
Speaker
Hopefully save people time too because not all free content, I mean.
00:18:08
Speaker
Yeah.
00:18:09
Speaker
Not all free content is necessarily best use of time, but it's good to know where the good stuff is.
00:18:16
Speaker
Yeah, it's been
Referral-Based Business Strategies
00:18:17
Speaker
awesome.
00:18:17
Speaker
And so, Sonny, you've been, so you have your own dealer now, is that right?
00:18:22
Speaker
Yeah, I do.
00:18:25
Speaker
I do a couple of things.
00:18:27
Speaker
Primarily, you know, I own my own
00:18:29
Speaker
sales organization and I have a small team, but they're, you know, they are, um, referral generated.
00:18:39
Speaker
I, you know, I don't have a model where I create a bunch of leads and then distribute them to a sales manager and they manage those leads through a team.
00:18:47
Speaker
Um, and I know people have been tremendously successful in a lot of, in a lot of different directions within solar, but for me, you know, I,
00:18:58
Speaker
I'm small.
00:18:59
Speaker
And, you know, if you get a consultation with me, it's because a friend or a neighbor or a previous customer has referred you to me.
00:19:13
Speaker
Like, that's the only way that I sit with you.
00:19:18
Speaker
And that isn't a rule.
00:19:19
Speaker
It's just kind of the way it's been, you know, really starting at the end of, while I was at SolarCity, I just knew how to,
00:19:28
Speaker
self-gen.
00:19:30
Speaker
And, and, and really that just, because I know how to, you know, I figured out how to leverage it.
00:19:36
Speaker
And for me, this has been my experience that the two days that are monumental, if you're going to, if you're going to build a referral based solar business, the two days in that experience that are the most exciting to that customer is the day they sign up.
00:19:55
Speaker
So that's, that's an awesome day.
00:19:57
Speaker
to get referrals like, or, or listen to them when they go, Oh, I think my neighbor might want to do this or I should talk to my brother about that.
00:20:05
Speaker
They might just say that like in passing, but remember that because that they just gave you a tell, like a total heads up and the day they install.
00:20:17
Speaker
So sometimes customers will say, Oh, I'll wait till, you know, after I've had it for a while or you, I'll even hear consultants say that.
00:20:24
Speaker
Like, I don't like to ask for referrals until they,
00:20:27
Speaker
had it powered up for a few months like I'm thinking you're you're missing the boat yeah you know it's when they sign up and when you turn it on or um or you know when you uh install yeah that those are the two most exciting days and of course like the day you do turn it on or other touch points are good but the two best ones are the day they sign up and the day they install they're just they're totally dialed into solar that day the rest of the time they're
00:20:54
Speaker
thinking about their other home improvement project or soccer games or, you know, employment, their wife.
00:21:00
Speaker
I mean, they're not thinking about solar.
00:21:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:03
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:03
Speaker
Well, that, I love it.
00:21:04
Speaker
And that makes a ton of sense.
00:21:05
Speaker
Cause I mean, I've been in this industry three years now and I'm just thinking back on all my referrals I've gotten.
00:21:12
Speaker
And now that, now that you say that it's definitely true.
00:21:15
Speaker
I think 90% of my referrals have come on like those two days pretty much.
00:21:19
Speaker
And then, you know, here and there you'll get one besides that, but yeah, it's a ton of sense.
00:21:24
Speaker
Yeah.
00:21:25
Speaker
So, and you know, you don't ever let the, the referral come in the way of creating the project, but it's just timing, you know, and when you're done, finished with the initial paperwork and you're, they're excited, you're excited.
00:21:39
Speaker
It's just a great time to, you know, reiterate what you've been offering and who else do they know?
00:21:46
Speaker
And you offer a promotion and it doesn't have to be a lot.
00:21:49
Speaker
I mean, I know there's guys in the group that make a lot of money.
00:21:55
Speaker
30, 40, 50 grand a month and company owners, of course they make significantly more.
00:22:00
Speaker
Not everybody has that kind of an opportunity.
00:22:02
Speaker
You know, sometimes when you offer, I mean, how many, I mean, I remember I had a customer one time we were going to save her like 10 bucks a month.
00:22:10
Speaker
She was on a fixed income senior citizen, $10 a month.
00:22:14
Speaker
She was excited.
00:22:16
Speaker
So when they can refer somebody and get $200 or $250, it doesn't have to be a lot.
00:22:24
Speaker
it excites some people like more than you would think.
00:22:28
Speaker
Yeah.
00:22:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:22:29
Speaker
And I think it's key building that excitement for him.
00:22:32
Speaker
So Sonny, do you, I think that's every rep's dream is to only work like referral based because we got lots of guys knocking on doors and I know that's, that's the dream is to only work with referrals because you know how it is.
00:22:44
Speaker
They're way more solid, way more likely to sign up when they've been referred.
00:22:49
Speaker
So what are you like saying to people?
00:22:51
Speaker
Are you just hitting them up on those two specific days?
00:22:54
Speaker
Or I guess, what are you saying?
00:22:55
Speaker
Like after the sell to be able to get referrals like that?
00:22:58
Speaker
Well, um, the, those two days I really focus in on, I'll weave it through my consultation, you know, like even just right, right from the beginning, you know, I'll just make references like, Oh, we have an awesome referral program or, you know, we're,
00:23:16
Speaker
you know, just, just kind of touching on it throughout.
00:23:19
Speaker
So you're, they, they get the, without being annoying, you know, they know that it's important.
00:23:26
Speaker
It's an easy way for them to scoop up, you know, some extra money and help their friends and family.
00:23:34
Speaker
So that's what it's really about is you just really try to communicate that this is easy and you're helping them and help yourself too.
00:23:44
Speaker
Everybody wins.
00:23:44
Speaker
The only people that don't win here,
00:23:47
Speaker
is APS and SRP, the power companies, and they've got plenty to win about.
00:23:52
Speaker
Then I'll just go into my little narratives or anecdotes about APS or SRP, about how much money they make.
00:24:04
Speaker
So you're selling against that.
00:24:06
Speaker
Yeah.
00:24:07
Speaker
Okay.
00:24:08
Speaker
And I know some people like go back on the install and do like pictures and all that.
00:24:12
Speaker
What are you doing?
00:24:13
Speaker
Like the day of install to be able to take advantage of that excitement too?
00:24:18
Speaker
Well, I don't, the tough part is I don't do this every single install only because you do get tied up and other things, but it like, um, ideally what I like to do, which is Friday, I had a Friday morning, I had an install.
00:24:35
Speaker
I like to be there.
00:24:36
Speaker
At some point, I like to put in a yard sign, let them know, like, hey, if anybody mentions this sign driving by or your address, you'll get the referral bonus.
00:24:48
Speaker
HOAs usually let you keep it up for two or three weeks before they ask you to take it down because really the HOA doesn't want political signs or, you know, remodel your bathroom with XYZ.
00:24:59
Speaker
Like, so you just kind of prepare them and, like, let them know, like,
00:25:03
Speaker
when you get that letter, just toss the sign.
00:25:04
Speaker
You don't have to call me.
00:25:05
Speaker
I'm not going to pick it up or, I mean, I guess you could, but, you know, but really connecting with the install crew to, you know, you know, bringing Gatorades, just, you know, just as a friendly gesture, because really with, with the referral, I know that their referrals experience is going to reflect on them the same way that I know that
00:25:33
Speaker
or I like to work with people that like my installation partner, Titan Solar Power, or whoever you're working with, whatever your customer, the people, there's a lot of people involved in a solar project.
00:25:46
Speaker
Sometimes people have operations where you might just start the project and then they have like a concierge in between enrollment to install and then after they have a point of contact, things like that.
00:26:02
Speaker
if you're staying in contact with that customer, which I always do on some level, anybody else they touch within solar, it's still going to reflect on me, you know, like, and same thing.
00:26:14
Speaker
And that's what I really communicate with referral is that, look, I don't take the trust lightly.
00:26:19
Speaker
I don't, I, this is a relationship, you know, most people aren't going to just like, you know, throw away their, their brother's relationship over $200, 250 bucks.
00:26:28
Speaker
I mean, they want to know that you're taking good care of them.
00:26:31
Speaker
So,
00:26:32
Speaker
you get them excited.
00:26:34
Speaker
Yeah.
00:26:35
Speaker
I love it.
00:26:36
Speaker
And you mentioned like staying in touch with your customers for those people.
Client Management and Communication
00:26:42
Speaker
I mean, I'm, I'm pushing multiple deals a week.
00:26:45
Speaker
A lot of guys have a lot of customers, a lot of installs going in.
00:26:48
Speaker
So what's your suggestions to be like, stay in touch with these customers and not get overwhelmed with trying to keep in touch with everyone and continue to ask for referrals.
00:26:58
Speaker
You know what, that's an awesome question and that took me a little while to figure out because at SolarCity and at Varengo, it was called a concierge where I'd get the customer enrolled and then I'd never really have to speak to them again.
00:27:19
Speaker
I would, but I didn't have to.
00:27:22
Speaker
I wasn't required to let them know when inspection is, the site survey is, or
00:27:27
Speaker
Hey, here's your blueprints.
00:27:29
Speaker
Like somebody else was doing all that.
00:27:31
Speaker
Well, now, you know, owning your own business, you have to monitor, you have to, you know, you're the point of contact or you hire somebody to do that.
00:27:44
Speaker
Whatever the system is, your process, it doesn't change is that you set a clear expectation with that customer.
00:27:54
Speaker
So right from the start, I tell them, hey, like in a couple of days, expect me to call.
00:28:00
Speaker
I'll have a site survey date set within a week and a half, maybe up to two weeks.
00:28:07
Speaker
From there, we'll have blueprints.
00:28:08
Speaker
From there, it's a few weeks.
00:28:09
Speaker
We'll have HOA approval, permitting, utility approval.
00:28:14
Speaker
And then we're about nine days out from install.
00:28:17
Speaker
So then we'll install.
00:28:18
Speaker
And then after install, you have this glorious state-of-the-art killer solar system up on your roof doing nothing.
00:28:24
Speaker
because we got to get permitting back out.
00:28:26
Speaker
They go, oh yeah, they did exactly what you said they would do.
00:28:29
Speaker
And then utility comes back out.
00:28:31
Speaker
Oh yeah, you did exactly what you said they'd do.
00:28:34
Speaker
That's when you turn on 30 days from there is your first bill.
00:28:40
Speaker
And so they hear me say all that, but I email that clearly to them and I basically continue to repeat that.
00:28:51
Speaker
So I
00:28:52
Speaker
if a week or maybe up to two weeks goes by and they haven't heard from me, there's no part of them that are going, God, I wonder if, if Sonny remembers that I went solar or I wonder if anybody's working on our project.
00:29:04
Speaker
That's the last thing you want is somebody calling and going, what's going on with my solar project.
00:29:10
Speaker
That means that you have not done a good job because it should be very clear to them, like what we're waiting on.
00:29:17
Speaker
And even though they don't really know what it is, they know that,
00:29:21
Speaker
something's going on, even if it's waiting our turn.
00:29:24
Speaker
That's it.
00:29:25
Speaker
We're waiting.
00:29:26
Speaker
I have no idea how long we're going to wait, but we're waiting.
00:29:29
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:30
Speaker
Well, and I would add to that too.
00:29:32
Speaker
I don't know about you, but when I haven't done that in the past, that's when customers have canceled for me.
00:29:39
Speaker
If you're not setting the expectation, they start to wonder like, Oh, what's going on?
00:29:42
Speaker
And they forget about me.
00:29:43
Speaker
Is this even getting installed?
00:29:45
Speaker
And then sure enough, cancel start coming.
00:29:47
Speaker
Yeah.
00:29:48
Speaker
So whatever you're doing.
00:29:50
Speaker
Also, I mean, when you're signing people up, for me, if I don't lay out the process, say, okay, look, today we're going to submit an application.
00:29:59
Speaker
We're going to send in some documents.
00:30:01
Speaker
We're going to do a welcome call.
00:30:05
Speaker
Just setting that process reduces cancellations and they know for sure what to expect and where to go.
00:30:12
Speaker
And like you're saying, my company right now, we have a, uh, yeah, we have project manager managers that handle all that for us.
00:30:21
Speaker
Um, so that makes it nice, but just making, keeping tabs on what they're doing because it still happens sometimes where customers contact me and then project manager isn't maybe following up with them.
00:30:33
Speaker
Did you have, when you were with solar city or anything, did you have any issues with that?
00:30:36
Speaker
Where,
00:30:37
Speaker
the concierge service wasn't like doing a great job at keeping them in touch or anything?
00:30:43
Speaker
Always.
00:30:48
Speaker
It's not a unique experience for that position to get overwhelmed.
00:30:53
Speaker
And the bottom line is, and I don't care what if we're talking about you work for a big company and it's project manager, salesperson role, or if it's
00:31:06
Speaker
Like in my role, I own my own company and then I have an installation partner.
00:31:10
Speaker
No one cares about that job more than you.
00:31:14
Speaker
No one does.
00:31:16
Speaker
And so hopefully the people you're working with care a lot about it, but it just, it doesn't matter.
00:31:23
Speaker
No one cares about that job as much as you care about that job.
00:31:27
Speaker
And with that, if you are selling something,
00:31:36
Speaker
you're going to have to be involved even if it's just you set yourself a reminder that once a week you take an hour to go through your pipeline and see where things are at and just make sure that things don't get missed because at the end of the day this is construction and there's a lot of processes there's little you know it when you bake a cake there's certain steps that need to be done and it's the same thing with the solar installation and sometimes just
00:32:04
Speaker
stuff gets missed.
00:32:05
Speaker
It doesn't mean that that person's a terrible person or this is a terrible installation partner, anything like that, because we're just human beings.
00:32:13
Speaker
I mean, I'd, I'd love to tell you that I've never dropped the ball and done something dumb, but I have, I have, I have forgotten to do things.
00:32:24
Speaker
And so again, like with my installation partner, the people within that building, you know, the,
00:32:33
Speaker
you know, the permitting team and the post installation teams, like I, I really try to step lightly.
00:32:41
Speaker
I don't, I'm not demanding.
00:32:43
Speaker
I never swear.
00:32:45
Speaker
I never cuss at anybody, even though under my breath, I'd be going, I'm going to really try to be like patient and give them the benefit of the doubt because you need their help.
00:33:00
Speaker
You're selling them too.
00:33:02
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:03
Speaker
You know, and so if they like you, maybe when they get to a project of yours, maybe they do look at it a little more careful and slow down a little bit because they like you.
Professionalism and Personal Fulfillment
00:33:14
Speaker
You've been cool to them because that one time when you may have, you know, ripped their butt because you had every right to, I guess, because some people do that and you just didn't.
00:33:24
Speaker
You were just like, ah, you know, hey, I understand.
00:33:26
Speaker
Crap happens.
00:33:27
Speaker
I appreciate your sense of urgency now and getting us back on track.
00:33:30
Speaker
Yeah.
00:33:31
Speaker
I know when people have done like cut me some slack, Hey, like I said, that, that was a deposit in the karma bank.
00:33:38
Speaker
And I was going to try to go above and beyond for them.
00:33:42
Speaker
If I ever got the chance and you know, cause we're, it happens, you know, even you might have these perfect processes sometimes just once in a while crap happens.
00:33:54
Speaker
And what I, what I find exceptionally interesting is,
00:33:59
Speaker
When something goes wrong, which is very unusual, and then things continue to go wrong from different angles within that one project, it's just weird.
00:34:12
Speaker
You know what I mean?
00:34:13
Speaker
There's a ball dropped within that one project a couple of times, just more than it was.
00:34:21
Speaker
It's rare to happen anyway, and then for things just to go sideways
00:34:26
Speaker
But that's what happens is that when things go sideways at all, it's just, you're off course.
00:34:32
Speaker
It's hard to get back on.
00:34:33
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:34
Speaker
Well, I love what you said about no one cares more than you.
00:34:37
Speaker
Cause the truth is most of these project managers or whatever people in the company that are following up, I mean, they're not, they're not getting paid commissions on these deals.
00:34:46
Speaker
At least that I know of.
00:34:47
Speaker
They're just getting paid hourly.
00:34:48
Speaker
Yeah.
00:34:48
Speaker
Let's say they got 50 projects to, yeah.
00:34:54
Speaker
You know, your one is one of 50 where when you sold it, it's one of maybe 10 that month that you sold and it makes a difference.
00:35:05
Speaker
Oh, yeah.
00:35:05
Speaker
Yeah, it's a couple grand for most people on the line at least.
00:35:09
Speaker
At least.
00:35:10
Speaker
So, yeah, it's definitely true.
00:35:12
Speaker
And for me, what I've started to do is just put my number in the customer's phone right when they sign up.
00:35:18
Speaker
Because I don't know about you, but my worst nightmare is hearing from the project manager or something that the customer wants to cancel.
00:35:26
Speaker
And in my head, I'm thinking, why didn't they come to me first?
00:35:28
Speaker
Why is it going to the company and then...
00:35:32
Speaker
coming back to me.
00:35:33
Speaker
And then it's way harder at that point.
00:35:35
Speaker
So if you have, if you already built the relationship with them, their numbers and your, your numbers and their phone, then hopefully they're coming to you and, and you're able to reach out, reach out and save them.
00:35:49
Speaker
You're absolutely right.
00:35:50
Speaker
Yeah.
00:35:51
Speaker
But yeah, I think it's super important.
00:35:53
Speaker
And then as you know, Sonny, I mean, you're a business owner, so you got, you take care of all this now.
00:35:58
Speaker
I mean, you got no one really taking care of your deals.
00:36:00
Speaker
Have you hired some people to, do you have hires in your kind of dealer to help you with all this?
00:36:06
Speaker
Are you doing this yourself?
00:36:08
Speaker
Well, I'm right at that point.
00:36:10
Speaker
Like I'm, and it's probably a little bit of fear that's holding me back, like to,
00:36:16
Speaker
commit to paying somebody's salary and to commit to, you know, keeping them busy.
00:36:23
Speaker
And it's, it's a big jump.
00:36:26
Speaker
And I've been real cautious to, to make that jump just because I I'm at that, you know, at the referral based business, I it's, I'm at a,
00:36:43
Speaker
at a weird crossroads and I've been at it for a while is just like, what, what is it that you're trying to build?
00:36:50
Speaker
Like, is it just to make a lot of money?
00:36:54
Speaker
Because I know I could make a lot of money running a sales organization, building a solar company and getting crazy.
00:37:02
Speaker
But what, what is that really going to do for me personally, personally?
00:37:07
Speaker
Like I,
00:37:09
Speaker
I kind of get to do what I want now.
00:37:11
Speaker
I drive what I want now.
00:37:12
Speaker
I'm very fortunate that I can.
00:37:23
Speaker
It's a tough call.
00:37:24
Speaker
And so I've got to find, you know, so really what I'm, you know, the purpose that I'm leaning on now is that if I put my, if I just kind of,
00:37:36
Speaker
reposition my focus and my intention to build, then that gives others an opportunity to raise their families and to do what I do.
00:37:49
Speaker
Because a lot of times what I think what I'm doing is pretty awesome.
00:37:55
Speaker
I'm living my dreams, you know?
00:37:57
Speaker
And so I shouldn't just keep that all to myself.
00:38:00
Speaker
I should show other people and teach other people like within, you know, just,
00:38:06
Speaker
because they, they deserve to enjoy life too.
00:38:09
Speaker
I'm not saying my life's perfect.
00:38:10
Speaker
It's not, it's just, I'm, I just feel really, I feel really grateful a lot.
00:38:15
Speaker
I try to, I try to stay in that mindset because, um, that's where creativity, that that's where you create from is just a place of just genuine.
00:38:25
Speaker
Um, you know, just, you're just thankful and you don't, you don't, if anything more comes, you're just, you can't imagine it.
00:38:34
Speaker
And you're just thankful for what you've been given and just, um, just focusing in on that because otherwise the rest is scarcity.
00:38:42
Speaker
If you're like, oh, I don't have enough or I need this or I'll be happy when this happens.
00:38:47
Speaker
Like that's just a trap and that's like a daily mental game.
00:38:51
Speaker
Most people are struggling with.
00:38:53
Speaker
And on some days I can too.
00:38:55
Speaker
Yeah.
00:38:56
Speaker
Yeah.
00:38:57
Speaker
Well, that's awesome, man.
00:38:59
Speaker
Yeah, we look forward to hear how you're growing your company,
Community Engagement and Charity
00:39:02
Speaker
Sonny.
00:39:02
Speaker
And I mean, I know we hear from you in the Facebook group and everything.
00:39:06
Speaker
So just appreciate adding a ton of value.
00:39:08
Speaker
So we got to wrap up here pretty quick.
00:39:11
Speaker
I know, but Sonny, where can people, I know the Facebook group is Solar Pros, but how can people connect with you on there?
00:39:19
Speaker
And for those that maybe aren't in the group, can you tell them how they go about finding it and connecting with you and everything?
00:39:26
Speaker
Facebook, LinkedIn, you know, I'm on all the social media.
00:39:30
Speaker
Message me.
00:39:31
Speaker
You can set up a call.
00:39:33
Speaker
Because it does add up and people have been really responding to that.
00:39:37
Speaker
And so I really appreciate that.
00:39:39
Speaker
Oh yeah.
00:39:39
Speaker
Well tell us real quick.
00:39:40
Speaker
We'll give you a shout out on that.
00:39:41
Speaker
Sonny, what is give power and people want to donate?
00:39:44
Speaker
How do they do that?
00:39:46
Speaker
Give power is this super awesome charity.
00:39:51
Speaker
It's tax deductible donation.
00:39:53
Speaker
It was started by the,
00:39:56
Speaker
Then at the time, executive team, sales executive team at SolarCity, Hayes Bernard, Paul Steppen, Michelle McGee, just that whole team, Tongi, all those people.
00:40:09
Speaker
Anyway, the donations go to buying solar equipment that power the water filtration systems for a village or a small community in Africa, Central America, real, real
00:40:25
Speaker
you know, they, they don't have clean drinking water and they've got it quantified that a $20 donation will create clean drinking water.
00:40:39
Speaker
So it's just something that we take totally for granted, you know, drink, clean drinking water, bathing, just all the, just awesome things we have at our fingertips.
00:40:48
Speaker
Not everybody has that.
00:40:49
Speaker
And so, um,
00:40:51
Speaker
If people could donate through our fundraiser through the group, that'd be really cool.
00:40:55
Speaker
I I'm hoping to hit the $20,000 mark.
00:40:57
Speaker
It's going to be tough.
00:40:58
Speaker
We're about a quarter of the way there now, but I'm still pushing, pushing hard.
00:41:03
Speaker
That's awesome.
00:41:04
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:05
Speaker
So take the chance, go put in 20 bucks.
00:41:07
Speaker
I know that helped Sonny out.
00:41:08
Speaker
And then more importantly, the people who need clean drinking water and what's the link for that Sonny.
00:41:13
Speaker
And we can put it in the show notes for you.
00:41:16
Speaker
Well, it's, it's, it's a,
00:41:18
Speaker
It's a fundraising link that's specific to our group within Solar Pros.
00:41:23
Speaker
So again, it's listed throughout the Solar Pros Facebook group.
00:41:29
Speaker
But if you are listening and you're not a member of the group, message me.
00:41:32
Speaker
I'll send you the link and give you – and basically, again, if you've been listening to this conversation,
00:41:38
Speaker
I will owe you a favor and you'll get a favor from me.
00:41:41
Speaker
Yeah.
00:41:42
Speaker
Well, if you got anything out of our conversation with Sonny today, go, go donate 20 bucks.
00:41:47
Speaker
I know that helped him out a lot and help the organization.
00:41:50
Speaker
So Sonny, we appreciate you coming on the show.
00:41:52
Speaker
And, uh, before we let you go, do you have any final piece of advice for maybe a new rep just starting or anything you want to leave with our solopreneurs here?
00:42:03
Speaker
My, my advice would be that, um,
00:42:09
Speaker
You know, just realize how lucky you are to be a part of solar because this is an industry that you've probably heard of people, you know, making all this money or having all this success and whatever that means to you, whatever your dream is, wherever you want to go, wherever you want to live, whatever you want to do, all that can be accomplished.
00:42:33
Speaker
from working within solar and it's only gonna get better.
00:42:36
Speaker
That's the best thing is that the future is even better.
00:42:40
Speaker
Like the tax credit's gonna go away, who cares?
00:42:42
Speaker
We're gonna sell more solar.
00:42:46
Speaker
So you're just, surround yourself with people that are awesome and cool and nice because they'll help you.
00:42:57
Speaker
Awesome.
00:42:58
Speaker
Well, Sonny, thanks for coming on the show and thanks for the value add and continue to add in your group.
00:43:02
Speaker
So go on and join solar pros, donate to a good cause there with them too.
00:43:08
Speaker
And then hopefully we can have you on the show in the future, but thanks for all the value you shared with us today, Sonny.
00:43:13
Speaker
Hey, you're welcome, Taylor.
00:43:14
Speaker
Love the show.
00:43:15
Speaker
And if you're listening, listen to other episodes.
00:43:18
Speaker
This is just an incredible podcast.
00:43:20
Speaker
Learn a lot and Taylor, you have a great day.
00:43:22
Speaker
Awesome.
00:43:23
Speaker
Appreciate it.
00:43:24
Speaker
Take care.
00:43:29
Speaker
Wow, what another value-packed episode of The Solarpreneur.
00:43:33
Speaker
Guys, if you couldn't tell, we spend a lot of time and energy to put these episodes out to hopefully give you just one strategy, one golden nugget that's going to launch your solar career to the next level.
00:43:43
Speaker
And we do it all for free.
00:43:45
Speaker
And if you found any value in this episode or it's helped you in any way, all I ask in return is that you just take 30 seconds of your time and leave us a review on iTunes.
00:43:54
Speaker
so that we can help more solopreneurs like you to change the world.
00:43:58
Speaker
And as a gift for leaving us a review, we have a special training package exclusive for solopreneur listeners over at solopreneurs.com.
00:44:07
Speaker
Remember, you need to leave us a review on iTunes to qualify for the training package.
00:44:11
Speaker
So take care of that now, and we'll see you on the next episode.