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How to Make Multiple 7 Figures Yearly in Solar - Ben Grossman
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Ben Grossman is on today's podcast to share his story and technique to a massive turnover from closing deals to getting installs to push through. Being in a state that's much more unforgiving to solar, this episode highlights how he puts customers first and keeps a sense of long-term trust from presentations all the way through the moment he gets glass on the roof.
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Transcript
Introduction to Taylor and Ben
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome 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 the year and cracking the code on why sales reps fell.
00:00:19
Speaker
I teach you 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, falling up like a pro, and closing more deals.
00:00:31
Speaker
What is a solopreneur you might ask? solopreneur is a new breed of solopro that is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve mastery and you are about to become one. all Alright, what's going on everybody? We have got someone that's ripping just an insane amount of deals, setting records in the industry. He's been on a few ah different podcasts. I'm like, we got to get this guy on.
00:00:53
Speaker
So we got Ben and Grossman coming on the show today. Thanks for joining us, Ben. Yeah, I've been hearing about you for a while. You've been, I think, setting some industry records from from what I've heard. You've been on podcasts with like Taylor McCarthy,
00:01:06
Speaker
Will Allermitts, Snapper Academy stuff. And um we'll so yeah, do you want to, before we get into it, do you want to tell us some of ah maybe like your top deals in a month?
Secrets Behind Ben's Record Success
00:01:17
Speaker
uh how much you made in a year so people kind of know ah some of your accomplishments yeah um so my last i think it was august uh i think i did 50 it was either 54 or 55 or something and i think 52 of them installed and all all self-gents and then yeah my first full year in solar made seven figures too so Insane numbers. and What's the craziest part to me is it's all self-chance. Your pull-through rate is insane. because ah yeah i knew I've had a lot of guys on where you know you hear big numbers.
00:01:55
Speaker
A few podcasts I've done in in the past, not to name any names, but a few people, they've done insane deals. but Then I found out like six months later, only...
00:02:07
Speaker
10% of those actually went to install. So I'm like, god okay, well. Yeah, so for me, it means like numbers don't mean anything. Like glass on roof is how we get paid. So otherwise you're just wasting your time and your company's money.
00:02:20
Speaker
Just slam it through nonsense. Yeah, I mean, you get you get that. And I think it's kind of a problem in solar. There's so many companies that just like celebrate the sell so much. People get this dopamine rush when they're getting a sell. They post on the team group cap. Yeah, on the chat. Yeah, like, oh, just ripped four spot today, got four deals.
00:02:40
Speaker
Yeah, it's like so many guys. You just hear their pull through rate later that's, and you know, like super low. So, yeah, i want to hear what you're doing and and we'll get into all that stuff.
Ben's Journey into Solar Sales
00:02:52
Speaker
But, ah yeah, for those that haven't heard you on other podcasts, you want to give us just a little bit of your background, how you got into solar and stuff.
00:02:59
Speaker
Yeah, how you got going in the first place? Yeah, sure. um So now I'm about, I think I started, i like I'm about two full years in now. So I was in college and I had friends, like one of my friends was ripping in college, but I was like,
00:03:15
Speaker
Building, I was like super entrepreneurial and like always building different businesses and stuff in the past. I was like keeping my head down. um But he like was always showing me crazy paychecks and I just like was putting it in the back of my mind and like not doing anything to it or with it.
00:03:30
Speaker
And then i was after college, then I went back to, had to go back to Jersey for something. ah building a business and putting like 70, 80 hours in a week of it and like to help build it.
00:03:44
Speaker
I wasn't taking any pay or anything, just building for, you know, obviously equity, but you know, not getting financially compensated yet at the time. And then I saw one of my friendsza friends paychecks. I'll pull it up. think it was $47,000.
00:04:01
Speaker
i One of my like real good friends. oh sorry Oh, sorry. $60,000. It was $59,655 in a single week. And then I was like, all right, like what what am I doing? Because we were like good friends in college and had like similar mindsets. So i was like, all right, if he's making... And he just started a few months back. He was probably like four months in and worked $60,000 for a week.
00:04:25
Speaker
And I was like, what what am I doing? I was like doing the math for me to be paid. Obviously that was a super good week, but for me to be able to make $60,000 in a week at the time in the business I was building, it it would have been like three, four years out.
00:04:41
Speaker
And I have a risk. So yeah I saw him do that with no risk, no upfront investment or anything, then piqued my interest and got into it. yeah Crazy. And so you didn't have any sales experience really going coming into solar, nothing like that?
00:04:58
Speaker
No, so never any like, ah I was always like selling items like ah high-end clothes or shoes and stuff like back when I was younger, but never any, not like a sales job or no direct experience or anything like that. No, first sales gig. Yeah, that's that's ah even great because, you know, i've heard guys coming in and ripping, but typically nine times out of ten, it's guys that came from, you know, other door-to-door industries, like alarms, pest control, and then they come into solar and They already have that background.
00:05:27
Speaker
So to me, it's like a super impressive. He came in, you know, like sounds like no door to door experience, not really too much sales experience. And you're like, boom, boom, boom.
00:05:38
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, my first couple, my first few months were were not i not the best. But then like once it clicked, like then it was just ah up from there.
00:05:49
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Definitely a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. Absolutely. Yeah. So for you, like, cause, cause you know, there's levels to it. So not the best. Did it take you like a couple of weeks to get your first deal or like what did those first couple months look like for you? So I think I got, uh, my first deal, like my first weekend, I knocked it and i had, had, had someone else close it.
00:06:09
Speaker
But then I was like, you know, ego, like, I just want to close my own deals, whatever. So then i was I was going inside the house and self-genning my own deals and just like couldn't close.
00:06:21
Speaker
So after that, there was like a month where i didn't sell anything. One day i sold one, then brought the momentum and then got another same day right after. And then like after that, I was something clicked on how to actually get the sale and than I was ripping. Incredible. Yeah, because ah you know like that's good to hear because um you know there's a lot of guys that come in.
00:06:42
Speaker
We bring guys in all the time where it's like a couple weeks in, they haven't gotten a sale and they just get like so down, so discouraged. They're like, I'm not making any money. And this job is like, I don't know if I'm ever going to get over that hump.
00:06:55
Speaker
And then we tell them, it's like, hey, there's guys, some of the best in the industry. ah it still took them a lot of times a couple months to build that momentum to get going. So it's like, you can't expect that you're going to have instant success right right off the bat.
00:07:09
Speaker
Yeah. Also, I know it's like cliche, but like the doctor thing that everybody says, like we, you know, you absolutely have the opportunity to make hundreds of thousands of dollars and they're going to school for $12.
00:07:20
Speaker
you know, 12 years and you can literally make multiple six figures your very first year learning the skill. You know, first few months appear, you know, just getting getting smoked, learning and getting those skills that then you're going to be able to keep rocking. Yeah, 100%.
00:07:37
Speaker
kind of percent So for you, was there ever any ah like discouragement that came in? You're like, I've been at this in a month, haven't really gotten many deals. Or were you like, did you understand that from the beginning? Like, oh, this might take a little bit and I'm totally cool with that.
00:07:51
Speaker
I don't think I was like pretty discouraged. I was just trying to get better because I saw with my own eyes like what is possible. I knew it was possible and I just needed to figure it out. but so Yeah.
00:08:02
Speaker
I wouldn't say, like I went in into it knowing that I'm going to have to like learn these skills and in the beginning it's going to be rough. And then I like, I knew that it was going to pay off like in my mind. I didn't get that discouraged now.
00:08:16
Speaker
Yeah. And it helps, ah you know, you mentioned you saw your buddies, big check and all that. Something we try to highlight at our company too, guys. Like, hey, this money is real. a Guys are making big checks on a weekly basis. And I think so much of this is just like belief.
00:08:29
Speaker
and If guys have the belief and it's just like so much easier to for them to get out there and work. But the second they're like, oh, don't know if that people are people actually making money in this. Is this legit?
00:08:39
Speaker
It's like, i don't know. It's just like so hard for them. Yeah. but I mean, also comes down to being with the right company and like making sure you see actual paychecks. Cause like a lot of people will be saying they make all this money and then like you ask them to show it, like someone will ask to see the paycheck last week and they can't send anything. So yeah.
00:08:59
Speaker
i up to there yeah But yeah, if your people are absolutely killing it. yes So was your buddy, you said your buddy was at Sunrun, right? So he wasn't even with the company you you joined?
00:09:12
Speaker
No, no. so He's at Sunrun. He's still there crushing. Yeah. Okay. Wow. He didn't try to bring you to Sunrun, huh? So it's sort of fun. So I actually was going to Sunrun. And then back in the day, i used to sell some weed way back.
00:09:27
Speaker
I failed Sunrun's background check and they wouldn't take me. And it was like the best thing that, ah you know, one of the best things that's happened because ended up working out so well.
00:09:38
Speaker
But yeah, that's why I couldn't like I couldn't ah work with them. I was ready to like go head out to Cali with my buddy and go like test it for like a month because I had like two really good friends out there killing it.
00:09:49
Speaker
So I was going to go head out there and then i like did their onboarding and then couldn't get couldn't get onboarded. So then I just found found a company here in Jersey. so what's that and of for sure yeah we're gonna send this to sunrun ceo and they're like uh we should we should have changed i send it to my i send it to my friends sometimes uh yeah they're they're sort of sick about it that's cool and so uh yeah well so was there other top producers the company you're with now um you've been with the whole company at the same time right
00:10:22
Speaker
No, so I switched. I switched a company one time, like last May, around then I switched. And now I'm just sticking with what I got for sure.
00:10:32
Speaker
Yeah, love love my current company for sure. And then your biggest month you said was what, 52 deals or 52 installs? Yeah. And then how many sales did you get that month?
00:10:43
Speaker
I think it was 54
Mastering Sales Techniques
00:10:45
Speaker
or 55 or something, one of them. So yeah, let's get into, um I guess, first of all, then we can get into maybe some more specific on setting and all that. What do you think it is that you're doing that's yeah having these people get to install so consistently? Because ah you know you've seen it's a big problem. I think industry-wide, we're at someone post a stat, but probably less than like 40%, I would say, industry-wide that actually get to install yeah So what do you think you're doing that like separates yourself to actually get these things in the roof? So one of the things is making sure everything is done on the one touch. like Anything that they need to be signed, whether it's power of attorney or anything, making sure welcome call, everything's done one touch.
00:11:27
Speaker
Because I do not want to have to... like Every time you go back to the house, like one of my mentors was saying, ah cut your commission in half. You're then taking away a time when you could go get another deal and work on an income producing activity.
00:11:42
Speaker
So it's making sure everything's done. i don't want to have to have them sign you know sign anything again after that. And then I'm like, I have a very good relationship with, I work with one ah project coordinator, ah like one PC.
00:11:59
Speaker
I'm like a hawk on if anything, and if anything needs to be done, I'm doing it immediately. I don't let anything sit. And then also just follow up because Jersey, like install timeline isn't like places in Texas or Florida where it's, you can get glass on a roof in two weeks. Like depending on permit times, it's 30 to 30 to 60 days or so.
00:12:22
Speaker
Yeah. but So weekly, yeah. weekly follow-up and making sure everything's done one touch and like giving all the homeowners updates and actually communicating with them throughout the process. Super big. Yeah.
00:12:34
Speaker
Yeah. And I think I see guys that they'll do that when they have you know maybe five, 10 deals in the pipeline. They're super good at this stuff and they're on it like a hawk. But especially if they're closing a lot of deals and all that, then, yeah, I struggle with with them myself where, you know, I'm at like 30 deals in the pipeline right now that I'm waiting to get installed. And it pick can it can be a lot to like manage. and Yeah. stand So I have an assistant that does like my Google Sheets and like we've run through all my projects.
00:13:03
Speaker
She gives me updates on at every single project. ah If it needs anything, where it's at. And then, you know, does all the follow up necessary. So. Helps out a ton.
00:13:15
Speaker
But yeah, the Google Sheet is massive, you know, color-coded for the different sections, interconnection, permit, um got whatever, yeah. um Okay, nice. So sounds like she's just taking care of everything she can, but if there's something she can't do, then that's when she's hitting you up and you're just on it, like, right away.
00:13:32
Speaker
Yeah, and also, like, I never let ah never let anything sit. Like, if something... Let's say, it's rare I get any change orders, but let's say if I get a change order, like immediately if I see that I need one, I'm calling up the homeowner and like getting them on the phone or you know just swinging by immediately to get that done. Yeah, another thing,
00:13:54
Speaker
I don't know how it is out there, but in California, we get a lot of like holds because of HOAs, like where we're just waiting on HOAs. And then um we were having to follow up, follow up, follow up.
00:14:04
Speaker
And sometimes extra docs need to be done for that. After the fact, do you guys have a lot of HOAs out there? thats So in Jersey, no, in Florida, the HOAs can be a little bit like nitpicky, but in Jersey, like HOAs can't, it's a state law. They can't deny solar.
00:14:20
Speaker
They can have a rule that, There's no solar allowed on the front of the house, but like I know what hoods those are. I'm avoiding them. So I pretty much knock non-HOA neighborhoods, so I don't deal with any. And if they are HOAs in Jersey, they're pretty simple.
00:14:37
Speaker
and don't know, because the way it works in California, there's some HOA deals where maybe they're easier to get because other reps, I've noticed, sometimes steer away from those areas because they don't want to deal with at all. all yeah They're like, that's going to take forever.
00:14:49
Speaker
So the way it is in California, is sometimes you can get easier deals, but then it's a lot harder on the back end because some of them are, you know, and a nightmare, especially we we have like condos, townhomes, stuff like that.
Streamlining Sales Processes
00:15:00
Speaker
Yeah. like share a brew space and these things can be a nightmare. They each other can take like months and months to review it. Yeah. So on stuff like, like I knock, uh, pretty much, all single families.
00:15:12
Speaker
like The only time I'm really in those townhome neighborhoods, like referrals pretty much. so yeah I'm primarily like not never dealing with HOAs really.
00:15:23
Speaker
Cool. and so um yeah i mean I want to talk a little bit more about that here in a minute, but let's get into for the people setting. um you know It's super impressive that you're mostly self-gen. Is that still the case that you're basically all self-gen?
00:15:37
Speaker
So now I'll take like this summer, I would say maybe 25% of my deals are setters now. 75% self-gen because now I have like, I've been having a bunch of people coming up to Jersey and they like want to see my in-home process or something.
00:15:55
Speaker
So for a new rep, I'll like close one deal for them. So I will get the occasional setter deal now. Like if someone wants to see me in home, but I prefer self-gen. Because also then my commission gets cut in half.
00:16:08
Speaker
So yeah, because before and i remember, I think you're saying it on and on another podcast that you would just turn setter down like, nope, sorry. Yeah. So now like i have people flying in and they want to see my in home process. So I'll do I'll sell like, I'll tell them like, sell one deal for you. But like, I don't ah want your leads.
00:16:26
Speaker
Yeah, maybe you need to start like a bidding process. Be like, hey, I'll take your deal. But hey, can I get 10% of the commission if I take you to go to the highest bidder? I feel bad. I can't.
00:16:38
Speaker
Yeah. No, you got it. I'm too nice, unfortunately. So that's that's impressive. So you just you just love Nakamadora, you know, making the full commission.
00:16:49
Speaker
you guys Yeah. I also like prefer because then like I'll go to a, like if I'm driving to a setter appointment, like if it doesn't sit, I'm going to be annoyed because then I could have just went and got my own deal.
00:17:02
Speaker
Cause like if I go out, I'm going to grab something. So if I'm going elsewhere and I don't know what they necessarily said or what expectations were set, it's just like can waste my time. Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:14
Speaker
Yeah, it can be frustrating for sure. And then I remember you on a few other podcasts, sounded like you're mostly all same day appointments. You don't really get a bill.
00:17:25
Speaker
that still ah pretty much the case? Just same days? you're not Yeah, so same days. Usually my only, like most of my next days or something's a referral, but pretty much all my deals are same days. Yeah.
00:17:37
Speaker
And yeah, still no bill. Funny, I just did a podcast with, them her name's Amanda Berry. She's like one of the top setters over in Texas. And she was saying the same thing. She'll like never get a bill like 90% of the time.
00:17:51
Speaker
She was like, yeah, I mean, mean yeah, what she was she was finding. She told me she was finding more people like canceling just because... they had to deal with like getting a bill and all that where she could just set it and start little plan going.
00:18:04
Speaker
I like was like was tracking like, oh ah I saw no difference from the amount of people that sat like the sit rate from whether I got the bill or not. And also same days and it like does not because our proposals will take like 30 minutes. on I do swing backs rather than just walk ins with how proposals are currently set up.
00:18:22
Speaker
And I saw like there's no difference in my sit rate, whether I got the bill or not. And it doesn't like slow down my in-home process once I have the bill either. So it doesn't, I didn't see like any benefit of grabbing the bill for myself. That's cool. But for a setter, I mean, it makes sense though, because then like they could just be throwing you some random, you know, junk.
00:18:42
Speaker
So it it it at least keeps them ah accountable grabbing the bill. But yeah, all my own deals, I prefer no bill. I never go for it. So do you do any like, ah I know Taylor McCarthy does the thing where it's like, I'm going to text you the time, send me your favorite emoji. He kind of like confirms it that way. Do you do anything like that? Like text him, hey, come back.
00:19:02
Speaker
So if it's a next day or something, I will text and confirm just because like, I don't, I really don't even like to go to them or or anything. So if it's not, but if it's the same day, no, because then it can give them the chance of sending like, no, don't come.
00:19:18
Speaker
So I grabbed their number like prior to leaving. Gotcha. What's your number? And then I tell them like, okay, so I'm going to shoot you a text. You know, if it, if it, if I can't do it, if I can't, you know, drop your bill X, you know, I'll shoot you a text. So you're not waiting around for me.
00:19:32
Speaker
um But otherwise I'll see you in like 30, 45 minutes. But I grab their number just in case like they're not, if if they went out or something, then I'm calling them. um But no, I don't give them, ah for any same days, I don't give them my number prior.
00:19:47
Speaker
Because then it gives them an out. It's a lot harder to tell me no once I'm there. Yeah, what about if you chalk the numbers on like pull-through rate on same day versus next day deals? Is it pretty much all the same for you? or like All the same. name I know I hear like a lot of people say like, oh, like the same day realization rates are like just bad or something.
00:20:06
Speaker
Like no difference for for me. I don't see any anything for that for myself. Yeah, okay. That's good. Because yeah, no, some people are like, oh, we're slamming a decision down their throat so quick if it's a same day deal.
00:20:20
Speaker
Yeah, but they're like, because I feel like if you close it properly, and they're the one like they're, you know, coming to the conclusion that they want it themselves, and you're not put like ramming it down their throats. And, you know, they came to that decision themselves.
00:20:34
Speaker
Also, like, if you know, it's a little bit softer of a deal, calm the day of site survey, like, hey, great, you know, was it as easy as you thought? Okay, perfect. Like, I'll have the results for you tomorrow.
00:20:45
Speaker
But also like double touching it because that's like ah if they have any objection, you know, or concern then, then I can handle it rather than again, letting it sit for ah couple more days.
00:20:56
Speaker
Cause we get it yeah like most of my site surveys are like next day or two days out as well. So, okay. And are you going back second touching them at all or only if you feel like they're maybe a little bit softer?
00:21:08
Speaker
if i So I really try not to if I absolutely have to. If I have to, yes, I'll to touch it. But I really try not to and just do it over the phone if I can.
00:21:20
Speaker
Yeah, well, because I'm thinking and if you're doing that many deals, it's probably... I mean, I don't think you'd have time to be going back to... Yeah. yeah So if I'm like in the turf or something, then I will like if a change order didn't get signed that was sent or something, you know, then I'll swing by when I'm in the turf that week. Because I typically, there's like a couple areas that I i don't stay in one section.
00:21:40
Speaker
I have like a few different areas that I hit, so i will be in it sometime soon. Yeah. so um you know, besides same days and some of the other things you're talking about, is there anything, you know, when you're a new setter, anything you did that if we have people that are like haven't figured out the setting, anything you feel like you're doing that's like a key to your success? Because it seems like you're not like a...
00:22:02
Speaker
You're not like a sound like super excited. How do you seem just like a super chill dude? And you're just like, Hey, what's going on? Yeah. So I sort of try and like try and not be, try and not be salesy.
00:22:14
Speaker
Yeah. Main thing is try and not be salesy and like slow down, like how fast you're talking. Cause most likely everybody else that came to their door, like um for newer reps are just like spewing.
00:22:27
Speaker
ah And also I'll try and like, get to the point a little bit faster rather than... um like Sometimes I'll shadow someone and they're like you know it's like they're three minutes in talking about all these different like news articles and stuff, and then three minutes in, um you know we'll drop that it's solar or like what you're even there for to lower their bill or battery or something in California.
00:22:52
Speaker
and Then like if they're absolutely opposed and are just never doing it and hate solar, like you sort of just wasted your own time doing that. right but I'll try and like give them how I'm going to provide value, like what I can do, whether it's battery and account like in the California market or dropping you know what I could potentially drop their bill and give a story or something like in the first 90 seconds or so um is what I try and do.
00:23:18
Speaker
like Getting to the point a little bit. Quicker. so some of you already know that i run my own door-to-door sales team here in san diego and as we are gearing up for the summer i realized if we do the same thing we always did we're going to get the same results but if i want to increase my da flow i need to do something different to get an advantage then we discovered an app called solar scout but it's not a doork knocking app it's a data platform that shows us who is likely to go solar in our market it shows us who has previously applied for solar but later canceled the deal
00:23:50
Speaker
who has moved in recently, and even how much electricity the homes are using in a given neighborhood. It's been working for a lot of teams across the country, and now I'm on board too. I'm going to be one of the first to use SolarScout in San Diego, so I decided to partner up.
00:24:04
Speaker
But I told them, hey, I'm going to talk about SolarScout on my show, you need to give my listeners a great deal. And they did. So go to solarscout.app forward slash Taylor and book a demo with them and you'll get 10% off your first month when you sign up.
00:24:20
Speaker
That's solarscout.app forward slash Taylor. Okay, back to the show. Yeah, okay. Yeah, it's good. Yeah, I see that all the time with newer reps where they're just like dragging it out so long and then people are just getting like you know, get to the point, get to the point. And then they just get frustrated eventually. And and then you're like lowering your like ah trust with them too. Because like, what do you even, you know, I guess for a setter, it might be a little bit different, but if you're like just beating around the bush for three to five minutes or something, like I I'd be sort of annoyed if someone walks up to my door and was just like, just talking nonsense. Like, tell me what you're here for.
00:24:57
Speaker
Yeah. Or what you can do for me. Yeah. ah Do you train a lot of setters or, uh, you, do you have a team right now or you still, I am a team, but as far as my training, I, um, I like to do like one-on-one training more than like in front of a, like in front of a big room or anything.
00:25:14
Speaker
Um, like the other managers will mainly like give those trainings. My main things like if I like someone, I'll do like one-on-one with them for, for like a day. Um, and that's like where I see myself being able to like provide the most value for him.
00:25:30
Speaker
But I don't like to, I'm not like in front of, um, I need to get better at that for sure. a skill I need to work on but like being in front of the room and like giving, uh, training stuff.
00:25:41
Speaker
ah Currently i don't really do that. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, you're too big you're closing too many deals, man. but Yeah, I prefer to just, because also like I do like teaching people and like helping them to make a lot of money. and And like, I love, that brings me so much joy, like seeing someone go from, you know, struggling to pay their bills, now like killing it.
00:26:03
Speaker
But also, at the same time, like if I'm training those people, like no matter what the overrides or me splitting the deals, it'll just never, like me self-jenning is just gonna make myself so much more money.
00:26:16
Speaker
So it'll never, like if my goal is to, I guess like the time in my life, like if my goal is to maximize my income, ah doing that is not going to at this current time.
00:26:29
Speaker
But yeah, I do have a team. um I'm more so like so phone help and like one-on-one like phone calls or taking them out rather than in front of the room. Yeah. And what about, us so your schedule?
Balancing Work and Personal Life
00:26:43
Speaker
Cause you know, I see a lot of guys, it's like, they want to make the money that other guys are making, but it's, you ask them how many doors they're hitting, how many conversations they're having. And it just like, doesn't match up at all with their goals.
00:26:53
Speaker
yeah So some people are like, man, I want to be like Ben. i want to do, know, 2 million a year. But then ah it just like, Like, hey, how much are actually working? How much are you out there? Like, oh, you know, I'm out two hours during primetime. It's like, okay, well, feel you of yeah i do think you're going to be a seven-figure rep if you're only knocking couple hours during primetime?
00:27:16
Speaker
Yeah. What does the schedule look like? I don't know. Do you change it like summer? you kind of do an off-season? What does it look like? This summer, it's been like, so it's been, this has been like such a hot summer in New Jersey. It's not, it's like the hottest summer I can remember.
00:27:31
Speaker
But so I've been doing like trying to get to the field around like 10 to, or if I have like a, if I have like a next day at like 9am, I'll probably just stay out like the full day. because I love like early getting in a deal early in the morning and like carrying the momentum.
00:27:46
Speaker
But if I'm just knocking, don't have anything, to the field 10 to 1, 1 to 3 or 1 4 chill, then go from 4 8 or 4 to 9 or whenever the last appointment is that I'm running. four to eight or four to nine or until whenever that last like whenever the last appointment is that i'm running Yeah, that I get.
00:28:02
Speaker
Are you trying to... And then are you working... Do you take a day off or is pretty much just like seven days a week? So I've been taking Fridays off a lot. So I take Fridays.
00:28:15
Speaker
Fridays I've been taking off like almost every week unless I have... ah unless I have an appointment and i'm ah that I'm running. So I take off Fridays, then um some Mondays, but I don't have like a set.
00:28:31
Speaker
My one-day week I'm for sure off is pretty much Fridays, unless I have a deal or something. But I like working Sunday. I love Sundays. Sundays are fire. Sunday, like afternoons, I kill it.
00:28:41
Speaker
but it And then is that like... and Do you have like a winter schedule? Is it pretty much year round you're working? work year round. Winter I'll probably get out like 11 to 6, 7, 12 to 6, 7. um winner i'll probably get out like eleven to six seven twelve to six seven Yeah.
00:28:58
Speaker
Or some days. Yeah. Probably like 12 12 to six or seven. Well, that's cool. And I think ah it just goes to show that it's not like you're working. sounds like you're not you're not working like 15 hour days or anything. No. So so some when I'm like, ah no, I try not to. My girl wouldn't. She says I work too much already.
00:29:20
Speaker
ah last Last summer, and my hours were a little bit more strict, but as far as this year, they're a little bit more lenient. um Last summer, though, I was probably ripping from like 10 a.m. m till like 8 or 9 p.m. every day or six days a week.
00:29:37
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, that's no, that's a solid schedule. But um it's not like I think sometimes guys think too, it's like, oh, it's they're working from 9am to 9pm. And really, it's just like, you're picking your hours, you're consistent. it sounds like you're showing up when you said you're going to show up pretty much it. I mean, are you just a pretty like self accountable person?
00:29:56
Speaker
you have like guys you're meeting out in hood or anything? Or you feel like you're always just someone that you i said, I'm getting out of this time, and I'm going out? Yeah, no, self-accountable. I actually prefer to work like, I prefer to work solo and just like rip by myself unless I'm like, I'll give, usually I'll give like one person like one day a week that I'll like go out with them and then I prefer to work solo.
00:30:18
Speaker
the other days one of my really good friends if we feel like going out and like messing around it's more so just like knocking and having fun at that point it's like fucking around but like when i'm actually working i'm solo yeah that's good because some guys you know just like um as you as you do it for a long time they're like oh i need someone to like get out there i remember i don't know if you've heard like michael donald train But he'll literally like, he'll literally, he said he would pay someone just to meet him in an area just so he couldn't not show up.
00:30:50
Speaker
Yeah. He's like, Hey, if I'm paying someone to meet me at the Starbucks at one o'clock, then like I have to get out there because like they're going to be waiting on me. Yeah. So sometimes maybe guys needed need to do that. But ah for you, what what motivates you? Because people see that and they're like, man, how could I have that self-motivation? And even even me, I'm like, like yeah, I'm i'm pretty self-motivated. But ah if I'm looking at myself, um I definitely haven't.
00:31:16
Speaker
I definitely couldn't. I would struggle to like be that self-accountable and get out there. you feel like there's anything that motivates your how do you? How do you have that ah motivation? Just get out there without you know meeting guys in the hood and Just be self-accountable like that.
00:31:31
Speaker
i don't ah I don't really have the answer to that. I think I've always just been like, so like would but besides schoolwork, I've always hated schoolwork. But as far as like working like on my own business and like making making money, I've just always sort of been self-accountable with it. So I can't even, I don't have the answer for you there.
00:31:51
Speaker
guess just and so instilled and grew up with it genes, I guess, or parenting. I'm not sure. Yeah, well, no, I love it, man. I'm jealous, I'm jealous.
00:32:01
Speaker
But, ah yeah, I think not everyone's going to be, like, deeply self-motivated like that. I think... You know, like there's other strategies and all that, but that's awesome that you just go out there and get it. And like I said, I'm going to do this, going to get out there. And that's that. And for me, I don't know about you, but when I, ah you know, I'm married, I got three kids now.
00:32:23
Speaker
And so I've noticed that when I was like single, um I struggled a lot more with like, I would mess around a lot more, just kind of go with buddies, maybe chill in my car and stuff. Yeah.
00:32:33
Speaker
But now that like I'm married, I got people counting on on Yeah. why like yeah But like when I'm out in the hood, like um i I could be spending time with life, kids and all that. So if I'm out in the hood, I better not just be like chilling in my car the whole day. I better be actually out there because, yeah you know, i like I'd rather be hanging out with the fam if I could. Do you feel like ah that was a fact because you got, ah you're you're engaged, right?
00:32:55
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, definitely. Because if I'm like, yeah, if I'm working, like that is what I'm like, what I'm there to do. I'm not trying to like mess around because similar thing she would, yeah, she would probably prefer if I'm, if I'm home. So if I'm out in the field doing what, you know, trying to work and and provide and build and like grow stuff by that's what I need to be out there doing in my head.
00:33:20
Speaker
Absolutely. That does play a factor. Yeah. I mean, it sounds like you were like that when you weren't engaged too, but maybe for baby for the mortal people listening to this, they don't have endless motivation.
00:33:31
Speaker
Yeah. maybe a Maybe that's the secret. Yeah. yeah Figure out the why. Yeah. do yeah yeah Well, cool, man. So I know we've been ripping for a little bit here. Before we run out of time, I want to just hit on kind of your closing process too.
00:33:45
Speaker
um So same day deals. um So what are you doing to... um we're talking about clothing what are you doing to build urgency what's like your secrets when it comes to clothing getting them getting them to sign up that day anything as far as building urgency or stuff that's helping them to close so for urgency so in this specific utility um so i've also since big beautiful bill stuff came out i've been you know you know harping on that there's this deadline uh december 31st uh of uh of this year so i'm
00:34:18
Speaker
Harping on that, and then prior to Big Beautiful Bill, we have this like ah interconnection map that shows you who can get solar and who can't. and It's like a real thing in Jersey. There's literally sections in this utility I work in that they can't get solar. um So I'm bringing that up and doing, you know, it's it's super nice to have that in my market, but it's, you know, doing like a big takeaway, like, and I'll give them a story with facts and like showing them of like text messages I have with homeowners that can't get solar. And like, like they went through the process and can't get it.
00:34:55
Speaker
So I'm bringing the up that in home and like showing them like, yeah, like it really does happen. Um, So harping on on that like interconnection um application super heavily and big, beautiful bill now.
00:35:10
Speaker
Yeah. yeah Okay, that's fire. you have a, when you're out there and in, neighborhoods knocking at everything, and do you have like a preferred demographic or getting like lower income, middle income or Yeah. So I like lower, like lower middle class. um That's also, you know, I'm getting less lawyer, lawyer objections, you know, less cash deals, but yeah, lower lower middle class.
00:35:36
Speaker
I mean, they're a little bit quicker to be able to make a decision. So I'm, That's also too big for me. like I'm trying to set myself up for best chance of success once I'm in home. and Most likely, that demographic is you know going to be... you know If I'm saving them money, savings mean a little bit more to them ah rather than someone you know making a million bucks a year or something. It it can just... you know but That monthly amount that they're keeping in their pocket can mean a little bit.
00:36:03
Speaker
Because I'm not selling um ownership. I pretty much just exclusively sell PPAs. So that ah that definitely helps. yeah Lower middle class is my demographic though, for sure.
00:36:15
Speaker
yeah Okay. That's what I figured. Cause I don't know out out here, I definitely say it's harder to like same day. and Yeah. So the higher, higher income people, they don't like, um, I still same day them when I'm, or try to, when I'm in that demographic, but I just usually am am not.
00:36:32
Speaker
So yeah, they're, you know, they do like next days or, you know, two, two days out or or something. So yeah, I, I do lower middle class. Yeah, and ah so I know you've been in, I know you're in Taylor McCarthy's Knox Start program, one of the top guys in there and everything.
00:36:49
Speaker
Would you say your closing process is pretty similar to kind of like what Taylor McCarthy does? Is there some stuff stuff you're doing different, maybe as far as like framing the deal or anything else that's helping you in close?
00:37:01
Speaker
And that's what I always tell people to like, mit learn what all the top people in your office are doing or other top people in the industry. And then take, you know, bits of their closing process or setting process and make it your own.
00:37:14
Speaker
So I have stuff from his, I'll use some like Jeremy Miner stuff, Chase Hughes, stuff like that. But yeah, I have some slicks from him that I'll use in every single clothes. Like one of his slicks that I use, I literally use in every single clothes and love it.
00:37:31
Speaker
It's like reasons why you wouldn't do this. ah you know you know If I was coming here, just telling you you gotta take a 50, $60,000 loan out, you'd you'd probably tell me to leave, right? And it's like reasons why you wouldn't do this and going over like the ownership route as long as, like in discovery, I find out, unless they specifically tell me that they want the ownership or loan or cash or something, which I rarely rarely get, I'm just doing the PPA and selling.
00:37:57
Speaker
I like sell on the reasons that you would never do this if I was telling you you have to take out a loan. So that's one of the big things. And also, in Jersey, like this market's very mature, similar to California. like Pretty much everybody, unless they're a new move-in, first-time home buyer, they've sat with someone, like they've seen a solar proposal before.
00:38:21
Speaker
So I'm trying to, what the reason they didn't do it in the past, and then I'm, you know, selling on what how this is different. And like that's, I tailored the closing process on the reason why they didn't didn't do it in the past and how we're, you know, how this would then solve their problem.
00:38:41
Speaker
Gotcha. What you out there? What do you find the reasons? What's the typical reasons that they didn't do it in the past Loans, roofs, yeah, different insurance, roofing objections, ah different friends with bad experiences, like with roof leaks or not fully offset. um pretty Pretty standard ones.
00:39:05
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's good. one My favorite's when they said that they wanted them to take a loan out or money out of your pocket. Yeah. like Yeah. You know, it's easy. I love those.
00:39:18
Speaker
Oh, we didn't qualify. you know Yeah. Like they wanted to do it, but they didn't qualify for whatever. Yeah. Like, Okay, it's sweet. So it sounds like if you would have qualified, you guys would have done it back then? yeah they oh Yeah, those are my favorite.
00:39:29
Speaker
Yeah, and and that's good. And so what about as you're trying to set up the deal, framing it, what's like your... So I assume, you know, it's like you're going through discovery and all that, and then you're telling them what the next steps in the process...
00:39:46
Speaker
Is it just kind like, oh, we're going submit the application after this? Or how do you set up the deal? So in the beginning, I'm like very passive. Like, you know, you know if it even makes, like, I don't even know if it'll make sense for you or if it makes sense for you, you know, then we authorize a few forms, you know, at at the end there.
00:40:09
Speaker
But then at the end, I'm like ah assuming the sale and very assumptive. Like, okay, like once I get them, you know, to say yes, or, you know, what the next steps are immediately sending docs.
00:40:20
Speaker
And, um you know, telling them like, okay, open up your email. Now, this will be like, you know, we're just going to go over exactly, you know, what we just what we just talked about there. um So yeah, at the end, very assumptive with the clothes, but in the beginning, and like discovering stuff, super passive, like, i I don't, I don't even know if this will work for you, if it makes sense.
00:40:41
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. So like, yeah, in beginning trying to like build their trust and end, once I have their trust and, you know, buying questions or signs that they're good, and get getting that rocking.
00:40:52
Speaker
a And then I've heard you say in other podcasts, Ben, that you get quite a few referrals, um which
Referral Strategies in Solar Sales
00:40:58
Speaker
is awesome. That's something that i don't I don't think most guys get very many referrals. So what are you doing?
00:41:03
Speaker
any Any tips you have? Any advice on getting referrals? Yeah, I love referrals. um I go through phases. like phase it like ah this yeah This week so far, I got six referrals, which is money. But I was just in a like Last week, I got one. They go through like they big spurts.
00:41:25
Speaker
yeah But also, so I have someone following up... ah you know which is, I'm making sure that what I'm telling them is accurate so they're not hating me after they're installed, like I'm being being absolutely truthful in the presentation.
00:41:42
Speaker
and then, so after install, I'm having people um someone follow up with them. um and asking i I have the assistant asking for referrals every single week for me.
00:41:55
Speaker
um And also phrasing it, rather than saying that you'd get $1,000, I've using, you get
00:42:04
Speaker
i've been using um you get to you would get three months of free electricity and then the person that signs up would also get three months of free electricity. I basically just pay the solar payments for three months for both of them.
00:42:18
Speaker
and They're both getting something. and Also, if they're um not... like Because the $1,000 is only going to incentivize like a certain group of people um like that need need money or if they're trying to help out their friend.
00:42:34
Speaker
Otherwise, it's sort of like going to go over their head. Once I switched up to the gifting, the three months of electricity and like the word gift, ah the referral percentage like skyrocketed. Oh, wow.
00:42:45
Speaker
Okay. Yeah, I have heard that. And it kind of makes sense, right? Because you're just giving them money, then um i don't know. I feel like there can be kind of this weird dynamic where they're having to reach out and they know they're going to get something and maybe their friend knows it too.
00:43:01
Speaker
that can be like if you think about it's like uh he's getting some out something out of it so that's the only reason he's he's talking to me um so i have heard that just and i don't know think there's guys that have like done stats on it and stuff that it's definitely better um percentage if you're giving something if the person is getting something that's being yeah so they're both getting something and then Yeah. Also, I make sure like while I'm in home too, I'm telling them exactly how they need to give me the referral too, which is big because you've probably heard like, oh, I gave your number to someone. They're going to be reaching out.
00:43:38
Speaker
So in the closing process, like three times I harp on it in every close, like um I tell them I work so heavily on referrals like because everybody gives some type of story how happy everyone is.
00:43:51
Speaker
um And I'm telling them, like and no you know the best way to do it is you just put me in a group chat with you know your friend or whatever, and then I can take it from there. Because then once you're in the group chat with them, you you have their number and like it's just so much easier.
00:44:08
Speaker
So I say that say that like three times in every single close to like really hammering it in their mind that this is what you do. Because I never want them to say, oh, I gave your number to X and i'm they're never contacting me.
00:44:21
Speaker
Or the percentage of them contact are like 25% to 50%. Rather than if you're in that group chat, it's like 90% chance that they're probably going to sit. Yeah, it's so good. Yeah, I would get that all the time. And even now, I'll like tell people that, but they'll still forget.
00:44:35
Speaker
Some people need to repeat them more times. Yeah, and also like in the in in the follow-up text too, sometimes when you're asking for referrals, you ah there's also like, yes, you just put us in a group chat, like saying in the text asking for the referral.
00:44:50
Speaker
I'm telling them again. So are you getting most of your referrals like in home after the close or is it most? now most are most are not. I was working with a ah with a life coach and it was telling them to like I was asking for referrals post sale a lot and that was working. But for some reason I stopped.
00:45:09
Speaker
I don't know. So they're they're pretty much all post post sale. But I was like asking for it in home there for a little bit. And like, it'd be like, Kathy, who who are two friends you think could benefit from this, you know, as well, or whatever.
00:45:23
Speaker
But I stopped doing that. So but it was it was working, but I stopped for some reason. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, guess, guess you got a reminder. He'll go do it today on your deals. Yeah, exactly.
00:45:35
Speaker
ah but That's good. And so, um, okay. So mostly just on the follow-up text that your assistant is sending out yeah every single one, every like weekly update, it just kind of the bottom, like PSO, you have, yeah don't forget about three months yeah of energy and gift.
00:45:50
Speaker
Okay. Yeah, exactly. and but cool, man. Um, so yeah, we've hit on a lot of stuff today and, um, it's been awesome to hear your process and really, um you know I think every time I do a podcast with someone that's ripping deals, it seems like it's it's nothing like crazy different than doing it. It's just like a few smaller things and then just a little bit more consistency than most people are willing to do and most people are doing.
00:46:13
Speaker
So I think that's the main things I i take away from ah the podcast today. But another thing that's been ah really cool with you, Ben, is even ah making seven figures. and doing all these deals um you still invest in yourself you're still doing like you know the knock star um i saw you at solar con and uh you were there the last day we we're we're sitting in sam taggart's thing and uh i remember it's funny sam yeah he forgot your name or something and oh yes like i yeah and remember that yes sir it's like i think he knew you're like you know
00:46:45
Speaker
the the top guy, seven figure guy, but he's like, Oh, he called you up. Um, but even even through all that, you're still like investing yourself. So how, how much a role do you think that plays? do You feel like that's been a big factor in your success? Like, you know, going to events, investing in other training, or why do you still continue to do that? Even though you're making all this money already?
00:47:05
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, because, I mean, if you can, let's say putting 10 grand into investing in some type of training, if you put that 10 grand, let's say, into the S&P 500 and you get 10% return this one year, so you made an extra $1,000, if you get one thing out of $10,000 training something, that $10,000 can your money in $10,000.
00:47:28
Speaker
that ten thousand dollars can tenax your money and five months. So, I mean, it's just on a return aspect, investing in that business is going to give a higher return than elsewhere. Yeah. but That's my take on it. But yeah, that's why I'm always still trying to get better and, you know, always tweaking, tweaking things.
00:47:49
Speaker
So, yeah, i think, ah you know, Ben's still trying to learn, still tweaking things, then should be no excuse. um That's what's cool about solar is there's really no, I don't think there's ever a time, even even you, Ben, you're making seven figure. What'd you do? Like 2 million? Yeah, a little bit over, yeah.
00:48:06
Speaker
Yeah, yes sir so $2 million, and it's like he's still investing in himself. He's still learning things. So it's like there's always something to improve, and that's what's so cool about solar is it's just like there's never – that's for me what keeps it exciting is because even I've been in solar since 2016, and I still learn new stuff doing these podcasts. and Even just going to like routine correlations, I hear different things people are doing.
00:48:32
Speaker
Like man, 10 years, almost 10 years in solo learn, it's still cool to be able to. Yeah, you always gotta be constantly learning. Even if something a newer guy that's doing that just randomly came in and started to crush, you can probably take something from him that you didn't think about before, a certain word track or question or something he's asking, and take it and run with it. So always can learn, always be rocking him.
00:49:00
Speaker
Yeah, I remember hearing that. you know to When I was doing Noxar too, Taylor McCarthy talked about it. You're either either like growing or getting worse. There's not really thing the same.
00:49:12
Speaker
and i think that's true. You've constantly got to be ah improving your skill set. If not, then I think it's you know it's not really it' really tough to just stay like the same um unless you continue to grow.
00:49:27
Speaker
You've got to keep on improving your craft. so um Well, cool, brother. So thanks for coming on the show with us today, man. And before we wrap up, if people want to follow you maybe connect with you more, what's the best way to... I don't you're... I know you're on Instagram and all that. Is that the best way to connect with you?
00:49:45
Speaker
On Instagram, put you can just follow me at PushingPanels. I'm not the best at answering my DMs, but you can hit me up. I feel you. yeah and I feel you. Once you get busy, I'm like, man, it's tough to keep up.
00:50:00
Speaker
But that's good problem to have. If a top producer responds instantly on Instagram all the time, then to me, that'd be like, okay, this guy really doing as many deals as he said, he always can respond right away. Good thing to have.
00:50:14
Speaker
been have um Well, cool, bro. So thanks for coming on the show. And we'll definitely, ah you know, link your Instagram and all that so guys can reach out to you more. And then, yeah, just as we wrap up, what are you looking forward to anything? else You know, we got this big, beautiful bill thing passing.
00:50:32
Speaker
So what's your predictions on like solar? and don't know, maybe some things that you think will be different. I mean, so realistically, I think, ah so hopeful hopefully PPAs are chilling for the next couple years and we see who gets in in office next. But I mean, the industry probably, you know, due for some type of change regardless, because you see if someone's putting one deal in a month and, you know, can make 150 grand a year or something doing one deal, sort of... ah
00:51:05
Speaker
like something needs Something needs to change there regardless. um but yeah hopefully i mean I only sell PPAs, so I'm chilling for for a little bit.
00:51:16
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but we'll ah we'll see. Hopefully, changes in 2027 and we can extend the ITC again. changes in a twenty twenty seven and we can extend extend that itc again Yeah.
00:51:30
Speaker
Yeah. We'll see and any, uh, any personal goals for yourself, you know, in the next year or so, anything you're trying to, as far as the, I don't know, growing your team or anything or. Yeah, I mean, I guess just mainly, uh, mate, getting other people paid up and making, having them change, uh, change, change their lives. I love seeing, I love seeing big paychecks from new reps.
00:51:53
Speaker
That that's actually what brings me the most joy. It's seeing other people with big paychecks. It's my favorite. Yeah. Yeah. yeah it building Building that up and just keep ripping while doing that.
00:52:05
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. That's what I've seen too. you Once you've been in solar for a while, you've seen the big paychecks yourself and and it gets to a point where it doesn't excite you as much. Seem like a massive paycheck for yourself, but then it's really cool.
00:52:17
Speaker
I feel like like same excitement that I used to get, get the big paychecks. Yeah. When I see someone that I'm like training or whatever, get a big paycheck. I'm like, ah this is awesome. you know You know, building someone up. So,
00:52:29
Speaker
um awesome man well hey thanks again for coming on and um yeah man we'll uh shoot this out to everyone we can and we'll have to do you another another one in the future see if we can get a three million good luck on good luck on the blitz okay ah thanks man appreciate coming on yeah sir have good one What's up, solopreneurs? Hope you enjoyed the episode.
00:52:50
Speaker
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00:53:00
Speaker
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00:53:15
Speaker
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00:53:28
Speaker
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00:53:54
Speaker
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