The Solar Setter/Closer Model: What it Means and Why it Matters

Danny Pessy

One thing that I started to notice more in the last few years is the mass adoption of a setter/closer model in Solar. When door to door first started, it was an eat what you kill kinda operation. College kids would flock to different parts of the country for a summer sales program in hopes to make as much money as they could in a short amount of time selling low value contract products to clients.

But now that solar has been taking huge market share in the door to door space, what we’re finding is that the industry is starting to innovate. More people are flooding into the solar industry because of the financial sense it makes for the client, the company, and the planet—so the model has changed.

What is the Setter/Closer Model?

When one rep (the setter) focuses entirely on setting appointments for the other sales rep, known as the closer, will follow up with set appointments to make the sale.

When I first started doing solar in 2016, I was part of the Vivint GM program. We would sell an alarm and a Vivint solar rep would come behind us and close the lead you generated, with solar.

Although that particular program didn’t pan out, the model did. Focus on one thing and do it great (i.e., have one person for setting up appointments and one for closing them). Since then, companies have transitioned their entire business model from self-generated leads to a setter/closer program. 

Setters vs. Closers

The Role of a Setter

Setters have to focus on just one thing in a setter/closer program. That’s getting a customer interested and setting a solid appointment or what I like to refer to as a “pop on by” approach. When trying to scale out a team, it’s much easier to break your program into two sections, and let them master those departments. 

With a setter, only focusing on setting good appointments and not learning the intricacies of solar and how to close deals, it allows them to shorten their learning curve and generate more deals for your company. Rather than trying to figure out how to deal with the emotional rejection that door to door has and figure out how to sell solar in a short time. It’s a perfect way for any organization to scale quickly and efficiently. 

That’s why I’m a firm believer that the seller/closer program is going to dominate the solar industry in years to come.

The Role of a Closer

After an appointment is set, the closer’s role is to come in and finalize the sale. The biggest reason that this new adopted model has become much more effective, is because the top-tier closer now spends less time sifting through uninterested people. They’re finding more customers that are already interested and want more information because of the setter role. If you’re running a business you want your best closers sitting down with as many potential clients as possible. This will give your closers higher closing percentages and in turn get more closed deals on the books. 

Get More Involved in the Future of Solar with me

Because of the success the solar industry has seen with this new model, i will be traveling to select markets and doing a 2 day workshop braking down how to run a setter closer model and closer more solar deals. 8 hours a day breaking down the vision, mindset, and techniques you need to thrive in the saturated solar market.

In addition, I’ll be featuring the top setters and closers in each market and you will get a chance to hear from the best in your locations. 

Are Setters the Future of the Solar Industry?

If you’re in solar you do not want to miss this training. Never before has there been a more detailed breakdown on how to be a successful solar-preneur. If your deals come from; self-generation, setter closer, virtual, or from leads, you don’t want to miss this. Find a city near you, and book your tickets now for the biggest setter/closer workshop ever!

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What is Outsides Sales? Definition + 2 Steps to be Successful

Sean Huckstep

Imagine this: it’s 11 AM. Your appointment with a prospect that is a 40-minute drive from your home office has canceled. They sent you a text when you were about 20 minutes away, telling you that they’ll have to reschedule for next week.

You’re only about ¼ of the way to quota and you need to hit your numbers this month. Otherwise, you have been warned that you will be put on a plan.

Historically this area hasn’t been worked very well by people in your office because of the long commute. You don’t have another appointment lined up until later in the afternoon because you knew how long of a drive this would be. You are now presented with a choice. Do you stay in that area that you are currently heading to, or do you turn around and spend more time in the car driving back to the office?

If you’re in field sales, you’re probably faced with choices like this on an almost daily basis. But in this line of work, “Time is Money” so you need to spend your time wisely in order to generate as much business as possible. Here’s how to avoid situations like this using great sales tech, but first we have to define it.

What is outside sales?

The difference between inside sales and outside sales is clear: Inside sales reps typically sell right from their office or home desk. Outside sales reps, on the other hand, travel and broker face-to-face deals. While outside sales reps likely have an employer with physical office space, these salespeople are meeting with prospects at trade shows, conferences, and industry events.

 

2 Tips to be a success in outside sales

  1. Invest in the right sales tech
  2. Stay optimistic

#1 Invest in the right sales tech

Of course, there’s a lot you can do without technology, but the quickest and most efficient way to manage your outside sales efforts is with the right tech. 

If you’re going to invest in working in this field, then fully work it. With the right technology you should be able to:

  • Map your territories. Plot 20-30 contacts in the surrounding area and take the quickest routes to them or contact those that are near current/new leads.
  • Help you clover leaf. After you approach your mapped territories, take the time to meet the neighboring businesses and the decision makers in those businesses. Create these leads in your CRM and plot them on a map. Take note of the interesting and important conversations that you have with the gatekeepers. Figure out how you could get business to progress with those companies.
  • Set appointments and plan days ahead of time.

There is really no excuse to take an off-day just because things aren’t going the way that you planned them to go. Sales tech provides you with options to adapt and thrive in any situation. You should always have a Plan B and C, or at least an optimistic attitude that’s willing to adapt on the fly. Not to brag about ourselves, but SalesRabbit is built to make that adaption easy and make sure reps and managers always have smart options in the field. 

#2 Stay optimistic

Outside sales can be an extremely challenging job. That’s no question. So staying optimistic has to be a choice you make. 

As Alexander Graham Bell said: “When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”

Sometimes your appointments won’t out the way that you’d hoped, but there are still opportunities to get stuff done, as long as you’re determined enough to look for them. Often all it takes is a willingness to adapt, and that’s the first major step towards a successful day.

Are you in outside sales? Tell us about it!

If you’re in outside sales chances are this all resonated with you. If so, do you have any advice for other reps trying to make it in the outside sales world? Drop them down below! We’re always looking to adapt and learn as much as we can about the sales world. And even if you aren’t familiar with outside sales, were these tips helpful to you? We want to hear from you.

5 Key Steps for Selling Solar Panels

Sean Huckstep

Solar panels have become an increasingly popular solution to homeowners’ increasing energy bills. In 2020 alone, the U.S. installed enough solar panels to power 16.4 million homes. The demand for this renewable energy solution will only continue to grow so now’s the time to learn how to sell solar panels to become incredibly successful in the future of solar sales. 

Why sell solar panels?

“About 2.8% of the electricity generated in the U.S. is powered by solar energy. Solar accounted for 13.5% of electricity generated by renewable sources in 2021. Americans installed enough solar panels in 2022 to power 22 million homes.”

5 Steps to selling solar panels:

  1. Know the stages of the Buyer’s Journey
  2. Target customers with your information
  3. Focus on the customers pain points
  4. Get customer referrals
  5. Refine your sales process

#1 Know the stages of the Buyer’s Journey

Before we talk about what that looks like, we first need to think more about the way that people buy things. First, a problem arises that starts the stages a modern buyer goes through when considering a purchase:

  • Awareness Stage: The awareness stage is where you recognize a problem and assess it. Is the car worth getting repaired or is it time to get it replaced? Is it a priority? What will you miss out on if you don’t act now? 
  • Consideration Stage: Which model best meets your needs? Is it better to buy new or used? Which is a more reliable product? Is it time to get a hybrid or electric car? 
  • Decision Stage: You’ve decided on a car, but you want to evaluate your options and make the best purchase possible. In this stage, you’re essentially implementing your decision.

Nowadays there is so much information available to buyers that they feel they can learn everything they need to without having to rely on a rep and without having to experience a lot of pressure. This means it’s going to be difficult to conduct an accelerated buyer’s journey when the modern consumer is used to having time and resources to make a well-researched decision. But there are still ways that your approach can acknowledge that and even use it to your benefit.

#2 Target customers with your information

In order to take advantage of the new buyer’s journey, you’ll need to find a way to tell people about your service and get them interested in your offering early on. Everybody’s heard of solar. The problem is whether or not they’ve actually considered it a viable option for their situation. Some solar companies are getting their name and solution in people’s minds by either creating leads through digital marketing or buying lead lists full of people who have already done their research and expressed interest.

#3 Focus on the customers pain points

Remember, the first step in the buyer’s journey is recognizing a problem. Nobody is immune from the problems that lead most people to investing in solar panels in the first place, whether they’re rising energy costs, environmental concerns, or desires for self-sustainability. You’re selling a product with nearly universal appeal, so focus on those reasons. The more you can help a prospect recognize and resonate with the problems that your product solves, the more effective you’ll be.

It’s also important to address the benefits of investing in solar panels now. Remember, a big part of the awareness stage is deciding whether or not a problem is a priority or not. Solar acts a lot like a compounding investment—the longer you have it, the more power it has to save you money (no pun intended). Even if they don’t see themselves staying in a house long, solar will help them save money on energy bills in the short run and increase the value of the home should they choose to sell.

#4 Get customer referrals

What “referral” means is: when you as a sales rep or rep for your company asks a current customer if they know of any friends, family, or neighbors that would be interested in talking to you or wanting to know more about your service. This lead generation method is overlooked sometimes because reps either don’t think to ask customers for referrals or they’re scared to ask.

Customer referrals are incredibly important because they are warm leads based on customer experience. If you give the customer a great experience and their friend is also looking for solar panels, you’ll be the first person they think of. There are a ton of ways to get started with customer referrals, but if you need a script we’ve got you covered.

#5 Refine your sales process

As you know, the solar sales cycle is a long buyer’s journey. In our example, buying a car can reasonably be accomplished in one afternoon, once the decision has been made. With solar, chances are it’ll take at least a few weeks or months before install.

This leaves a lot of time for losing customers and making mistakes, so here’s what you should focus on doing:

  • Demonstrate professionalism throughout the process, but especially in the way you manage the deal. Digital forms and contracts, e-signing, and on-the-spot credit checks are all great ways to do this.
  • Eliminate errors as much as possible. Digital forms and contracts are a great way to ensure you’re collecting the right information and prevent any chance of it being lost.
  • Be unified in all your interactions with the customer. Nothing is more frustrating than having a rep say something that contradicts something that was said by another employee or project manager. If you’re all taking notes on a client in the same platform, this will eliminate a lot of embarrassment.
  • Be quick to resolve concerns and questions that may arise. It would be smart to develop a resource for those who have decided on a plan but are waiting for estimates or installation. This resource should resolve FAQs, build confidence in the company, and increase excitement for the product/service.

Start selling more solar panels now

The main message here is that solar panels are here to stay and will only increase in popularity. If you’re really paying attention, collecting data on customer behavior, and creatively finding ways to get their attention, you’ll manage to stay ahead of the game no matter what changes come along and dominate your corner of the market.

For more info on implementing these strategies and other best practice tips for your company, schedule a demo with us and we can help you out! 

D2DCon 6: Biggest Sales Event of 2023

Zac Kerr

Have you registered for D2DCon yet?! The biggest door to door conference of the year is coming up this weekend, Jan 19-21st in Salt Lake City, and you won’t want to miss it. The biggest names in sales will be there along with top software platforms like us. This is the best networking event of this year—check out the keynote speakers, schedule, and everything d2dcon-related here.

Speakers, Workshops & More

There is an especially exciting line-up of the main stage speakers this year. From door to door pros, to social media stars and world-renowned psychologists to teach us about maximizing sales techniques and leadership skills in the industry, d2dcon is stacked this year.  

Keynote Speakers:

Panel Topics:

All of these panels have several leaders from that industry to give information, golden tips, and thought-provoking questions to the sales community.

  • Solar CEO
  • Women’s Sales
  • Recruiting
  • Marketing
  • Pest CEO
  • Roofing CEO
  • Golden Door
  • Solar Sales
  • Alarm CEO
  • Alarm Sales

Along with these awesome speakers, you also attend incredibly informative workshops like: “How to sell your customer within 10 seconds”,  “Get More from Every Door: 5 Commonly Missed Strategies you can Implement Today”, and our personal workshop “Game on!—Level up your Field Sales with SalesRabbit” that are all on Friday and Saturday. 

What you missed last year:

Check out this quick snapshot from D2DCon 5!

Buy your tickets now

If you haven’t bought your tickets already, now is the time because prices start going up in less than 24 hours! As a gift, we have a promo for 10% off your ticket purchase when you enter code: SalesRabbit10 at checkout. We want to see you there! Be sure to stop by our booth, race RC cars with (and against) us, and chat about all things sales. 

6 Proven Methods for Closing a Sale

Sean Huckstep

There’s nothing more frustrating than working a lead all the way to the point of closing the deal, and having it not go through. Every salesperson has been there and has developed fool-proof closing techniques because of it. If you have experienced this and don’t know how to save the deal, we have 6 actual closing techniques that we know work below—check them out.

6 Unique closing techniques proven to work:

  1. The Assumptive Close
  2. Offering an alternative option
  3. Creating a sense of urgency
  4. Giving a professional suggestion
  5. Selling ownership of my solution
  6. Using testimonials and case studies

#1 The Assumptive Close

The Assumptive Close is a sales technique focused on a salesperson making the assumption that the customer has already agreed to the product so they proceed to write up the order, wrap the merchandise, or close the deal. This is the perfect technique for customers that are eager for the service you’re offering but slow to move through the pipeline. Sometimes all a customer needs is a stern push to the end of the deal.

#2 Offering an alternative option

While you may want to sell your customer on a more expensive (or better) package/service, it’s helpful to have an alternative game plan prepared for them when the time comes to discuss price and budget because they might get cold feet. 

Price is the biggest reason a customer is not ready to sign is because of price or their budget so put their mind at ease with a cheaper back-up option that shows you’re sensitive to their financial situation and still want them to have their problems solved. 

#3 Creating a sense of urgency

Have you dealt with a customer that’s dragging their feet to close a deal? They like your service, want to sign the contract, but keep finding reasons not to? Yeah, we have too. That’s why you have to learn to create a sense of urgency in the customer that pushes them to sign. Some examples of this would be:

  • Offer a discount on closing costs if they sign within 24-48 hours
  • Give them a free gift or bonus trial of a product if they sign today
  • Be proactive with follow-up meetings and schedule them while on the call
  • Remind customers the price won’t always stay the same
  • Get to the bottom line and ask for their business

#4 Giving a professional suggestion

If you’ve done your job as a rep, you’ve become a trusted advisor for your customer, when you’re in that position they will trust you to give them a suggestion on their situation. This is where you have to maintain your professional credibility and tell them honestly what package, deal, or service will solve their pain points best. 

#5 Selling ownership of my solution

The best rep is confident in what they’re selling. If you don’t believe in your solution, why should they? Customers want authenticity and if you aren’t real with them then you’ll just be another slimy, pushy salesman that didn’t leave them alone. To step away from the negative image that door to door sales can have, you need to know that your solution works and believe that it actually is the answer to their problem instead of hoping to earn a good commission by getting them to sign. It’s time to take ownership!

#6 Using testimonials and case studies

You may say all the right things about your company but prospects want to see it for themselves. This is where testimonials and case studies of proven results come in. Within your website you need to have customer reviews, videos of testimonials, and examples of real-people that are believers of your brand. Have these positive customer experiences ready to share or easy to find for new customers considering your service. 

Start improving your skills now

If you feel like your closing skills need some refinement but you don’t know where to start, here are some basic tips that we give to any salesperson hoping to boost their closing numbers:

  • Be a student of the game
  • Play The Sales Game
  • Study and learn from the best in your industry
  • Remember that closing starts with the first touch
  • If you don’t “ASK” you will never “GET”

Which closing techniques do you use?

These are some of our best closing techniques, but we want to know what you use and what has worked for you that might help others facing the same situation. Leave a comment below and help another rep out!

10 Mind-Blowing Sales Stats to Know for 2023

Diana May-Jennings

With the opportunity of the new year upon us, there are a lot of important statistics that can make your life as a sales rep easier and more productive. While these are not the only sales statistics out there and some may be more important to you than others, they will all help inspire or direct you to improve in some way. Check out these 10 stats now to sell smarter this year.

The 10 sales stats to remember:

  1. The best time to email prospects is between 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. 
  2. 75% of online buyers want to receive between 2-4 phone calls before a company gives up.
  3. 12% of prospects would like a company to try as many times as it takes to get a hold of them.
  4. Gong.io analyzed over 100,000 connected outreach calls and found successful salespeople talk for 54% of the call, while unsuccessful salespeople spent only 42% of their time speaking.
  5. 63% of sales leaders believe that virtual meetings are just as or more effective than in-person meetings.
  6. If you call a lead in the first 5 minutes after they’ve submitted a web form, they’re 100x more likely to get on the phone. 
  7. 74% of buyers chose the company that was the first to add value.
  8. About 47% of top performers ask for referrals consistently, versus only 26% of non-top performers.
  9. 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know.
  10. Top ways to create a positive sales experience, according to buyers: listen to their needs (69%), don’t be pushy (61%), provide relevant information (61%), and respond in a timely manner (51%).

Mind-blowing sales stats explained

#1 The best time to email prospects is between 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. 

Prospecting is hard enough without having to guess what time you should reach out. According to SlideShare, the majority of prospects prefer that you reach out to them via email between 8:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M otherwise you likely won’t get ahold of them. Keep this in mind as you start reaching out to customers after the holidays.

#2 75% of online buyers want to receive between 2-4 phone calls before a company gives up

With the constant presence of the internet, so many prospects are searching for services before talking to a rep but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to hear from you at some point. 2-4 phone calls is the perfect middle-ground between not enough contact and too much for the modern buyer.

#3 12% of prospects would like a company to try as many times as it takes to get a hold of them

Contradictory to the last stat, Invesp found that a smaller 12% of prospects prefer to be reached out to a lot more often than the majority. While this may not always be true for your prospects, it’s important to find out what your customer prefers as you get to know them and contact accordingly.

#4 Gong.io analyzed over 100,000 connected outreach calls and found successful salespeople talk for 54% of the call, while unsuccessful salespeople spent only 42% of their time speaking

Outreach calls can be intimidating especially when you don’t know if you should dominate the call or not. But this stat from Gong.io, a notable sales software, analyzed over 100,000 phone calls that proved when sales reps own the conversation (roughly 54%), but allow their prospect to talk where more successful in their pitch. Has this been your experience? We want to know!

#5 63% of sales leaders believe that virtual meetings are just as or more effective than in-person meetings

This stat is perfect for reps that don’t want to spend their day driving from prospect-to-prospect, because 63% of leaders found that virtual meetings can end up being more effective. This is especially convenient since Covid limited in-person interaction, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be successful this year. So start scheduling your zoom meetings and your prospects will thank you.

#6 If you call a lead in the first 5 minutes after they’ve submitted a web form, they’re 100x more likely to get on the phone 

There’s no surprise that time is money in sales and if you’re the first rep to reach out to a prospect the chances of you closing that deal go up exponentially. That doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed the sale, but if you get call a lead within the first 5 minutes of them submitting a form on your site, InsideSales has found that you are almost guaranteed to get them on the phone opening the opportunity for the sale.

#7 74% of buyers chose the company that was the first to add value

Even if you don’t end up being the first rep to reach out to the customer, that doesn’t mean you’re automatically out of the running. 74% of customers will say no to any company until they actually add value to their life or solve their pain point. This is a good reminder that customers want to know what you can solve for them instead of how great your company is.

#8 About 47% of top performers ask for referrals consistently, versus only 26% of non-top performers

It’s no secret that referrals are a golden way to get in with new customers that you might not have had the chance to meet otherwise. That’s why every sales rep should always be asking and following up on referrals—this stat speaks for itself. If you’re nervous about where to start or don’t know how to ask for a referral, we have a guide for you.

#9 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know

Again, it’s no secret that referrals are a great and simple way to ensure that you have enough high quality prospects to contact. When you tell a customer that someone they know (and trust) referred you to contact them, they’re instantly a warmer lead and you have a real-life connection with them.

#10 Top ways to create a positive sales experience, according to buyers:

According to prospects: 69% want you to listen to their needs, 61% prefer that you aren’t be pushy with your pitch, another 61% want you to provide relevant information, and finally 51% want you to respond in a timely manner via phone/email/meetings. 

Which sales stats will you use this year?

We’re excited about the possibilities going into this new year. With these sales stats as inspiration, what do you and your team plan to focus on? If you haven’t already started making goals for 2023, start looking into the best new years resolutions for sales teams to make sure that you get the success you deserve!

Become a Rebel and Overcome Sales Rejection with 5 Steps

Chris Pierce

You’re reading this because you’ve chosen a career in a very competitive and very difficult field. Sales takes physical and mental strength that few possess. For that you should be proud because you are not just anyone—you’re a beast! Because the field is paved with rejection, it is natural and easy to experience doubt, fear, embarrassment, resentment and regret.

Emotions & Sales

If you allow negative thoughts and emotions to dictate your actions, you’ll get frustrated, burned out and seek safety in the arms of another career. People start to think, I’m just not cut out for this. It’s not for me. It doesn’t fit my personality. These are just excuses of people who failed to build mental toughness and maintain control when things got hard.

It doesn’t have to be this way! You don’t have to listen to that voice in your head. You can turn it off. You can rebel against it. You will still experience doubts, fears and frustrations, but when you have a plan, you have the ability to respond differently. Great days are not determined by how smoothly everything goes. Great days are determined by how you respond to the difficulties life throws at you. 

What does R.E.B.E.L mean?

Build mental toughness by rebelling against the voice that’s telling you to seek comfort. Do not take the path of least resistance. Rebel.

R.E.B.E.L

R- Remember

E- Envision

B- Believe

E- Energy

L- Live

Becoming a R.E.B.E.L in sales

Here’s a real life example to prove this practice: one of my clients called after a particularly stressful and difficult day. People had been short and rude with him all day. No one wanted what he was offering. It was hot and he was tired. He easily could have said I’m just off today and called it quits. But he didn’t do that. He rebelled against his thoughts and emotions. He maintained control and treated each door like it was his first, ending the day with only a single sale—he didn’t give in. He didn’t quit. He maintained control and he conquered. The next day he went out and sold 9! Would he have sold 9 had he called it quits the day before? Who knows? The lesson is that pride comes not from easy selling, but from overcoming difficulties.

The 5 Steps to becoming a R.E.B.E.L

My system for this rebellion is called The Rebel Response. The Rebel Response helps you take control of your thoughts, emotions and actions when your brain seeks comfort and safety. This ensures that you effectively utilize your sales skills to get the results you desire. It works by intentionally keeping your motivation, attention, confidence and energy in check.

The Rebel Response takes place before your first step on the driveway, to the door, and back to the road. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Remember the reasons why you are selling. This works best if you’ve taken the time to identify those reasons and have a preplanned, simple and effective strategy for remembering why you are out there. This should take 3-5 seconds.
  2. Envision the actions you are going to take on the door. Simply tell yourself what you are going to do. List the actions you will take, the strategies you are working on. Keep it simple and to the point. This should take 5-10 seconds.
  3. Believe that you can complete the actions you just listed by  stating a mantra or affirmation that confirms your belief in your ability. Make the mantra about your actions, not the homeowner’s actions. This should take 3-5 seconds.
  4. Dial your Energy by taking 1-3 slow deep breaths into your diaphragm. This will help regulate your energy so that you can think clearly and respond accurately. 
  5. Live. Be present with the person you are speaking to. Remember that you chose this adventure, so enjoy it. Have fun and connect with the homeowner you’re speaking with.

The Rebel Response is short, sweet and effective for maintaining control over your situation. Maintain control over yourself, and you’ll maintain control of your skillset. Remember that this process should be done repeatedly. If what you are working for is worth it, then it is worth overcoming your mind and taking control. 

Are you ready to R.E.B.E.L?

Mental toughness does not come from reading books and listening to podcasts. Mental toughness comes by practicing specific skills to maintain control. You cannot expect to effectively maintain control in difficult situations if you haven’t practiced maintaining control in easy situations first. So how do you practice mental toughness? The simple answer, you practice maintaining control of yourself. Control of your thoughts, emotions and actions. The hard part is that your mind seeks after safety and comfort. If you rebel against your mind you’ll overcome and conquer great things in sales and life.

Sales Process Automation: Definition and 4 Steps to Get Started

Diana May-Jennings

In sales we all know what a sales process is and have created a system for your team or company to be successful. Typically, these companies have previously identified the steps of their sales process and like what they’re doing, but what if there was an even better way to do it? Sales process automation isn’t a new concept but it’s underutilized. I’m going to show you what sales process automation is for those that aren’t familiar, why it matters, and 4 steps to start taking advantage of it now.

What does sales process automation mean?

Sales process automation is a method of taking recurring or repetitive tasks and using a digital software platform to perform those tasks for you. Platforms like CRM’s, lead management or generation apps, and scheduling forms are all examples of automation.

This is a practice that most, if not all, sales professionals should already be doing. Sales process automation is designed to save you time, remove mindless tasks from your plate, and free you up to focus on more high-level strategy.

4 steps to automate your sales process

  1. Identify your current process and what software you’re using
  2. Talk to your reps and managers about what tasks take up the most time 
  3. Eliminate unnecessary softwares or steps in the sales process
  4. Start using a platform for identified tasks

“61% of businesses leveraging automation reported exceeding revenue targets in 2020.”

#1 Identify your current process and what software you’re using

The first step in any process improvement is to identify what you’re currently doing. You can’t improve a process unless you’re aware of all the tasks, steps, and roadblocks you’re already facing. Identifying what you’re doing, good or bad, will help guide your automation. Here are some basic steps to start with:

  • What softwares platforms are your reps and managers using?
  • Which software is the most used?
  • What tasks are these softwares performing?

If you aren’t currently using any software to manage your sales process, skip this step.

#2 Talk to your reps and managers about what tasks take up the most time

After you’ve identified the steps in your sales process and what software you already have (whether it’s working or not), the next step before automation is knowing the routine of your reps or managers that could be automated and isn’t. I suggest that you simply ask your team how their time is spent. Here are some questions to ask:

  • What does your daily routine look like?
  • What tasks do you have that take up the most time each week?
  • Are there any tasks you don’t like doing? Or procrastinate because they seem tedious?
  • If you could change one thing about the tasks you’re expected to do, what would it be?

Asking preliminary questions like this is the best way to get a good sense of what your reps or managers are experiencing without having to guess. After this step you’ll know what software you have and what your team does daily plus some insight into what they would like to change. 

“More than 30% of sales-related activities can be automated.”

#3 Eliminate unnecessary softwares or steps in the sales process

Now that you’re aware of what your current process looks like, you’ve identified repetitive tasks, and you know what isn’t working, it’s time to cut out the unnecessary stuff. Whether it’s steps you’ve uncovered in your sales process, or a software that you thought was helping more than it was, eliminating what isn’t working for you will already free up so much of your wasted time and effort. This will also help before you get to the last step of implementing a software solution that has what you actually need. 

#4 Start using a platform for identified tasks

Depending on the tasks you want to automate like emails, lead generation, or rep tracking, there is a different platform to use. Since you’ve identified what tasks can be automated, it’s time to choose your solution. If you want to automate scheduling meetings, something like Calendly will help, or if you want to automate personalized email sends then platforms like ZOHO or MailChimp will work best for you. 

But if the kink in your sales process is field sales related, SalesRabbit is going to be your best option. Our software is designed to help contractors and field sales reps with their lead generation, lead and area management, and so many other things to simplify your sales process with one solution. If you want to hear about us in action, check out our feature on the Roofing Show with our VP of Sales, Sean Huckstep and Dave Sullivan where he explains everything we do to help you automate your sales process. 

*Bonus Tip: Integrations are your friend!

A great way to sync your software if you have to use more than one platform, is with integrations. A lot of companies offer integrations that are helpful to sales teams and SalesRabbit is no exception, we have dozens of integrations plus a specific one with tray.io that helps you automate your sales process. Always check out your integration options! 

Are you automating yet?

With this quick guide to sales process automation, I hope you’re looking into automating some of your tedious tasks if you haven’t already. This is a great way to take an already successful sales team, trim off wasted time, and have a better sales process than any of your competitors. If you’re still not sure where to start, talk to us! We’ve been where you are, we know how to fix it, and make your team even better!

Leverage AI Data to Generate Better Sales Leads

Renee Goodenough

Lead generation is one of the most important factors for any sales company. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the most complicated and costly sales efforts and many businesses struggle with the level of uncertainty that comes with typical canvassing methods. That’s where intelligent data comes in. 

By utilizing AI data from Cognitive Contractor and SalesRabbit, you can confidently target every lead that fits your ideal buyer persona saving your team hours of misguided prospecting. Find out more about AI, why it matters, and how your business can leverage solutions in the space to keep ahead of competitors.

What is Artificial Intelligence?

“Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.”

Why does Artificial Intelligence matter in sales?

Advancements in technology have created the ability to fill any sales pipeline with the right opportunities and engage in conversations with ideal customers at the right time. Since the rise of artificial intelligence, data has painted a very clear picture that not all leads are the same. Some areas, ages, incomes, etc. will prove to be the right customer for you and others will not. But you don’t have to knock endlessly anymore, AI takes the guesswork out of it.

According to Crunchbase’s Essential Guide to Cold Calling, “Top sellers spend an average of 6 hours every week researching their prospects.” This may not seem like a lot of time at first glance, but using AI data will automatically give you everything you need to know about current and potential prospects, eliminating the need for reps to spend time doing anything but selling.

Eliminate wasted time with Cognitive Contractor + SalesRabbit data tools

When your business is ready to generate leads with game-changing science, Cognitive Contractor and SalesRabbit have the expertise in acquiring and analyzing targeted datasets to confidently deliver results. 

The Cognitive Contractor Approach:

Utilizing a series of algorithms with targeted marketing models to generate an overall quality score for every household in a given geographic market is the fastest way to close more deals. Cognitive Contractor specializes in acquiring household level attributes and parcel data to extrapolate trends. Once those priority leads are identified, Cognitive Contractor implements an adaptive, personalized approach to reach these leads through engaging multi-channel campaigns. 

The SalesRabbit Approach:

SalesRabbit provides the industry-leading solution to enable your team to maximize the potential of these leads. With machine learning and thousands of data points to identify your industry’s ideal customer, SalesRabbit analyzes homeowner information and assigns a Buyer Score to homes, neighborhoods, counties, cities, and states. That means you can instantly identify homes and areas where your ideal customers live and focus your canvassing efforts where they’re going to be most productive. Plus, with additional tools such as team management, presentation and proposal tools, forms & contracts, your sales reps will be empowered to track progress and close more sales than ever.

The combination of artificial intelligence and machine learning that our combined software provides allows sales professionals to:

  • Process historical customer data to identify patterns of success 
  • Conduct granular data comparisons of customer households and non-customer households
  • Determine the quality of a lead before knocking the door
  • Gain demographic knowledge of age, marital status, income, etc. of any given US ZIP code
  • Use customer support chat features to never miss a sale
  • Save you time and money with smarter prospecting techniques in sales and marketing

Stay ahead of the competition

Your business growth is directly related to the effectiveness of your lead generating efforts. Effective sales start with efforts being focused on the right target audience. In an industry where competition is inherent, equipping your team with the right tools will make sure you stay a step ahead of any competition. 

If you’re tired of disappointing results, get in touch today to see how Cognitive Contractor and SalesRabbit will ignite your marketing efforts and empower your team. 

Are you Mentally Tough? Take our 20 Question Quiz to find out

Chris Pierce

By now you’ve already heard a little bit about mental toughness and what it means for sales reps. But do you know how mentally tough you are? The best path to improvement is to know where you’re starting, so we’ve made a foolproof 20 question quiz to help you find out your current level of mental toughness, what it means, and ways to change it.

What is mental toughness?

As a quick recap, mental toughness is the ability to control yourself, your skillset, and your success even under difficult and stressful circumstances. For a more complete guide to mental toughness, check out our overview blog on it now.

How do mental toughness and sales work together?

Your skillset is limited to your ability to control yourself. People don’t rise to the occasion, they fall to their level of training. This is why it is so common to see professional athletes perform at surprisingly low levels when they’re capable of more. It’s not because they don’t have the skillset, it’s simply because they have lost control of themselves for a moment. The same is true in sales. Reps learn the steps. They practice and train for a wide variety of situations, but lose control of their thoughts, emotions and ultimately their skillset, when things don’t go exactly to plan thus defaulting them to their lowest level of training. 

Why mental toughness matters for you

It’s important to understand, mental toughness isn’t a personality type. Mental toughness is a set of skills used strategically to enhance your ability to consistently perform. This means that wherever your mental toughness is currently at, you can enhance it. Just like your biceps, the more you exercise them, the stronger they get. 

Before you dive right in to building your mental toughness, you’ve got to know where you’re starting from. Mental toughness consists of 4 major categories that we’re going to assess. And we’ll use the acronym MACE to help you remember them.

  • Motivation
  • Attention
  • Confidence
  • Energy

Understanding your level of control and alignment in each of these areas will help you to know where to start. 

Here’s how it’s going to work, answer each one of our 20 questions and then add your answers and compare them to the categories listed below. If there is a certain area that you are lacking, you will know where to begin. 

Answer each question by rating yourself, 1-5. 

1 = Not at all. 3 = Sometimes. 5 = Always. 



Total your score:

  • 20-40 = Not mentally tough. Needs immediate help.
  • 41-60 = Low Mental Toughness. Needs improvement.
  • 61-80 = Average Mental Toughness. Do you really want to be average?
  • 80-100 = High Mental Toughness. Keep it up.

At the end of the day, if you are not reaching your potential, then you need to build your mental toughness. If you are currently executing all that you need to in order to reach your goals, then don’t fix what’s not broken. Keep on keeping on. But if you’re not doing all that you can to reach your potential, then reach out and let’s start building your mental toughness.

If you scored low in a certain category, here are some simple strategies for improvement:

#1 Motivation:

If your motivation or discipline is low or driven in the wrong direction, you need to first get crystal clear on what you want, why you want it and what you must do to get it. Then set up your environment to ensure that you do those things. Motivation without discipline and a supporting environment will soon be dead.

#2 Attention:

If you struggle to focus on what is most important or struggle to maintain your attention and get distracted easily, you have 2 options, and I suggest you do both: Eliminate distractions when you need to focus (if you have an iphone, use the focus tools) and develop a system/practice for shifting your focus back to where it needs to be. It’s ok to drift so long as you have an effective strategy for bringing your attention back.

#3 Confidence:

The belief in your ability to complete a task. Most people over complicate confidence and heavily connect it to the outcomes they are working toward. Bad outcomes, low confidence. Good outcomes, high confidence. It doesn’t have to be this way! Confidence should be connected to your efforts and identity, not your outcomes.

#4 Energy:

There are 2 ways to think of your energy: 1. Like a battery or 2. Style. Both have the power to destroy or enhance your effectiveness and consistency. You have the power to control both the amount of and style of energy that you have, but many people allow their energy to dictate their mood, actions and efforts. Which is backwards. Learning to channel and control your energy is a key indicator of mental toughness.

If you want to build real and lasting mental toughness you’ve got to start with knowing where you’re at right now.

Let’s keep in touch

After taking that quiz and reading my tips about ways to improve, hopefully you’ve already thought of some new goals to start building up your mental toughness. But if you still feel like you’re looking for more answers or would like additional help, don’t hesitate to reach out. Shoot me a DM on Instagram @chris_pierce and look out for the next exciting blog we’re releasing about mental toughness in sales.