Solar, Wind, Bio, Energy News And Commentary By_Green Earl, 30 year Pioneer In Conservation & Solar Energy
This is the Commentary Part of The Blog.
Coming from and growing up in the contracting trades (One
Grandfather a Roofer and the other a Painter, Father and
Step Father in each profession) I don't understand the
contractors of today, or their thinking on pay issues
regarding sales and marketing. Must be a left-brain,
right-brain thing, or perhaps just a no-brain thing..I
cannot figure it out.
Now it makes perfect sense to the contractor that he needs
the installer, a truck, the right tools for the job, gas,
insurance etc. And that contractor knows, if he does not
pay a prevailing wages, somewhere within guidelines that
are accepted in the industry, he will lose his good installer
or install team to his competition. So he is forced, even
if it makes him unhappy about it, he is forced to take care
of that part of his company.
Why does this same contractor then think, that the sales
force, and I add marketing, (as in lead development) why
does he think the sales force does not have exactly the
same needs and investment, at least, that the contracting
portion of his business has. Can't they see the needs for
tools of this career field too?
Only one reason...they don't want to do the labor part of
their businesses, themselves, but like people that have to
cook at home, to eat, they figure since they do it, they
are cooks, or maybe they have what it takes to run a
restaurant, so they have sold before, so they think that
makes them sales people. Bull Shit.
That is the reason, I bet the number one business failure
in the country is the restaurant, not the contracting
business, though they go out of business too...sometimes
even after long periods of success.
Because the contractor has been around sales people, watched
them and taken phone calls and even closed deals, they now
think they are qualified and have 30 years of sales experience
behind them. (Actually the word close, in your case is not
the right word,(Ordet-taking? Maybe,) big difference between
just selling something and actually having to close a transaction,
huh?)
Selling a job now in then, or out right stealing and creaming
the easy, lay down appointments from your sales crew does
not make you a salesman, anymore than shooting a gun would
qualify you to be an FBI agent.
So my suggestion to all you Sacramento based cheap ass
contractors, is get real or do something else for a living.
One more thing, if you insist to pay me a commission, I'm
real cool with that, just increase it if I make my own
lead and do not decrease it when a sale becomes larger, if
I made the larger sale, I deserve the same percentage and
the large income that comes with it. The market will
determine my value in the transaction, stop micro-managing,
just do your job and let me do mine, we will all be better
off for it.
Because, first you have to find a professional sales force,
then if you'll just get outta the way, and support them
like you know you have to support the construction side
of your company , you'll be amazed. A good salesman or
women should have little or no trouble carrying their own
weight, as well as yours and the companies too. If they
cannot, (all things being fair) meaning your respecting
them and not trying to steal their sweat and blood, but
are willing to invest in them, like the real estate your
businesses are housed in. You'll be amazed at what happens
and you'll be a lot happier and not feel like everyone's
trying to screw you. Because if your your doing bad
business, expect bad press and bad times and people that
will actually try to screw you, and you deserve everything
you get.
If you've gotten away with your BS in the past, don't expect
it to always work in the future, especially this one.
Your sales force has not figured out a way to make their car
run without gas, yet, we're working on it. You would not
want us driving around covering your leads without car
insurance and we sleep better at night in a safe home-like
environment, just like your install crew.
And don't tell me I cannot sell it for that price, when
I sold it for the same price thirty years ago...Just
admit, YOU cannot build enough value for the customer
to purchase it at that price, from you, because frankly
you just don't have the experience to..Do You?
Come on, be honest, if you did, you would not be operating
at 50% capacity today, now would you?
And that Sacramento contractors is why you are doomed to
fail and will continue to see your markets erode, your
direct competitor, knows these things all too well...how
do you control the sales force time, energy and production?
Sierra-Pacific home improvement knows, they pay their sales
force salaries, imagine that, just like their crews...This
business model will bury you, sooner than later._Green Earl
Thanks For The Visit!
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