[RE-wrenches] Professional conduct

[Joel Davidson]

This is how I deal with full disclosure. Several years ago, I took the Dale Carnegie Sales Course. (To be a sales professional, you need training and the DCSC has my highest recommendation.) Step 3 in the 5-step DCSC selling process states, "Give your prospects enough facts, and no more, about your product and how it will benefit them, to convince them they are justified in buying." This doesn't mean withholding information that could hurt your prospect. It simply means be brief. Don't tell prospects about how your price your products, or how solar cells are manufactured, etc. It won't help you close the sale. You may think that you are showing how much PV knowledge you have, but what really counts is your knowledge of your prospect's needs.

When prospects ask me for a parts list, I tell them that their PV system will have x number of brand y modules on an engineered mounting structure feeding into a brand z inverter plus all the required wiring, conduit, and safety switches needed to meet state rebate requirements, the National Electrical Code, and the building inspector's needs. If they ask for a written parts list, I ask them, "Why? Are you going to use the list to shop around?" Then I usually end up telling them politely, "I'm sorry, but I do not design PV systems for free. If you want parts lists and wiring diagrams, then buy my book."

Dealing with competition. In California, State agencies repeatedly recommend getting at least 3 quotations from licensed solar contractors. Elsewhere prospects are getting the same advice so it's highly likely your prospects have talked to other contractors, searched the internet, and read about PV. You can use their learning and shopping around to your advantage. Ask them questions like "Have your gotten any other quotations?" "Do you mind me asking from whom?" "What did they have that you liked or did not like?" In other words, show interest in their needs.

Dealing with price. If your prospect says they saw lower prices on the internet, ask if he or she is going to install their system themselves. That's what plumbers ask when prospects say they can buy a hot water heater at Home Depot for $275. In other words, qualify your prospects. Do they want an installed system or just parts.

The last DCSC sales process step ends by stating, "Then ask for the order." Name your price and shut up. The silence may seem to last forever, but say nothing after you ask for the order. Finally, your prospect start talking. Listen carefully for buying motives. Smoke out hidden objections. Close the deal. Get the deposit.

I was taught how to sell PV by William Lamb, a very successful car salesman who became the world's first PV distributor. Bill said "Sell the product not the price." In fact, he told me not to tell prospects the price until they asked for it at least 3 times. It was weird deflecting their direct question, "How much does it cost, already?" but I did what the Master told me and it worked, but it wasn't my style.

Now I prefer to use price to pre-qualify prospects. I ask up-front what is their PV system budget. Usually, they don't know, or have a vague $/watt idea from what they heard or read, or don't want to reveal their budget. But I need to know their budget so I can design something they can afford. So I ask my prospect if they have read anything about PV. If they read my book, I ask them how their PV system compares to some specific system in the book. The systems in my book have retail prices, so if they say, "This system is what I want" or "Something like that system but about half the size," then I know their budget and can design a PV system that will suit their needs. You can use your own sample systems and prices to focus the discussion on price and benefits, not cost.

Here's another tip. If I have a prospect who asks a lot of questions, I sell them my book. Doing so accomplishes at least 3 goals. First, it makes them responsible for learning about PV (or they can pay me a consultant fee to teach them). Second, it gets them started and comfortable giving me money (this is a business). Third, when they ask questions, I can refer them to the book that they bought. For example, just recently a prospect asked how much venting batteries need, I referred him to page 224. I know other professional salespeople who use their own books or literature or other author's books as sales tools.

Joel Davidson
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