As a salesperson, how many times have you been told no? Probably more than you’d like to admit; unfortunately, that’s just the name of the game. Now, imagine this scenario: a client doesn’t just tell you no, they tell you they’re not interested and won’t be for at least two years.
You could stay in touch, but two years is longer than you’d like to wait for a deal.
This success story is the perfect example of why you can’t give up on a prospect, no matter how hard of a no they give you. So many things could happen to shorten a sales cycle.
How We Turned a Two Year Sales Cycle Into a Two Month Sales Cycle For An HVAC Company
This success story about one of our HVAC clients shows the power of lead nurturing, and that tenacity, resilience, and teamwork can change a no to a yes quicker than you’d think. Let’s take a closer look at the client’s history working with Abstrakt and what the timeline looked like for closing this incredible deal.
Beginning of the Partnership
In May of 2017, we began working with an HVAC company based in a small town in Ohio. While they provided an array of HVAC and building maintenance services, they primarily wanted HVAC leads who were looking for plumbing and building automation system services.
Fast Forward—April/May 2020
We began calling on a school district in April of 2020. This prospect wasn’t on our original list of targets (we add new targets to the pipeline every month so that we’re nurturing existing prospects and also adding new ones to the mix). We attempted to call the prospect two times:
- 4/23/20—first call attempt, the prospect did not answer.
- 5/5/20—second call attempt the prospect did not answer.
On the third attempt, we finally had a conversation. Continue reading to learn more about our first conversation with the decision-maker at this school district.
First Time Speaking With the Prospect
On May 13, 2020 (mind you, this was at the peak of the pandemic), we spoke with the Maintenance Manager at the school district. He said he had a two-year preventative maintenance agreement in place that he was happy with. However, this didn’t scare our sales representative off; instead, he continued asking discovery questions.
Through a series of questions, our sales representative discovered that the client had some older rooftop units he was concerned about. The Maintenance Manager expressed concern that their current preventative maintenance partner wouldn’t be able to maintain these units for much longer. So, he was looking for replacement quotes for several rooftop units in the school district, but the elementary school was the top priority as far as the budget was concerned.
Appointment Set
While it wasn’t an immediate sale, our sales representative knew that this was still an opportunity. Yes, they were looking at replacement quotes from other providers, but our HVAC partner definitely deserved to be in the running. So, we scheduled an appointment on May 27, 2020, for our partner to meet with the Maintenance Manager at the school district.
What can we learn from this?
- Discovery questions are important. A great salesperson knows that the conversation doesn’t stop after being told “no.” When you continue to ask discovery questions with the goal of learning more about the client and their needs, it may result in an opportunity.
- Communication skills are a must-have. In sales, communication skills are critical. If you aren’t good at carrying on a conversation with a prospect on a phone, via email, etc., you won’t see much success. Also, in B2B appointment setting, solid communication is important between the client (HVAC company )and the B2B appointment setting company (Abstrakt). A great working relationship results in more deals closed.
- You must be an expert on what you’re selling. In this success story (and in many others), you can see why it’s so important for a sales rep to know what they’re selling. This HVAC client was primarily looking to pitch to HVAC leads who were looking for plumbing work or building automation system services. However, when we heard about an opportunity to replace rooftop units, we knew our client offered that and pursued the opportunity. Make sure you’re 100% familiar with a client before you start selling their products or services.
There is a lot to be learned from this success story. Because we did so many things right, it paid off for us and for our HVAC client. Read on to learn more about the end result.
The Result
Speer Mechanical, working alongside their sales team at Abstrakt, closed $50,000 in projects for the school district during the month of July after being told in May that they were “good” for the next two years. Knowing that the school district needed to replace several rooftop units, we kept encouraging our HVAC partner to work the lead until it closed. It worked.
Ready to Start An HVAC Lead Generation Program?
Never take a no at face value. Ask discovery questions, see what value you can provide, and close a sale. This success story shows the importance of working with a lead and building a relationship until you’re able to close a deal. Are you looking for exclusive HVAC leads in your market? Our B2B lead generation and growth strategies for HVAC are designed to grow your business.
No matter what sector your business falls into, if you’re interested in B2B appointment setting services, contact Abstrakt for more information.
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