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Sam Taggart 00:47
Hi everybody this is Sam Taggart with the D2D podcast and I am doing for all your solar people out there roofing people out there we’re gonna be talking today a lot about area strategy and just being more effective in your area. But before we dive in, and I introduce our guests, we have the dd dd tour coming up so may 17. We’ll be in LA and we go to Phoenix and we go to Dallas and we go to Atlanta, Orlando, Charlotte, New Jersey, order Chicago, Denver and then we back home. So if you are in any of those markets are closed, this is like a hype. Bring your sales guys awesome sales training, no recruiting, you know, neutralness swag. It’s only 40 bucks a ticket. If you want the VIP lunch, it’s 120 bucks, go get your ticket to DDD tour dot the DDD experts calm, and I’d love to see you guys there. It’s gonna be an epic event, Taylor is excited to come to the LM a panel or something and I’m Come Come shed some knowledge. So we got Taylor Armstrong in the house. You want a golden door in 2019 has been an awesome influencer in the solar space with a podcast, solar printer. So go check that out if you’re in solar, he’s just kind of helped all the solar entrepreneurs and sales reps and stuff like that. So you know, I’ve been doing solar since 2015. And we kind of got in the solar industry around the same time ended up working for the same company. And anyway, so it’s been cool to see Taylor grow and really expand through his business over the years. And anyways, super excited to have you on the show, man.
Taylor Armstrong 02:24
Yeah, excited to be here. And appreciate all the value add. Getting all back on my end fits better. But yeah, excited to be here and learned a ton from you, Sam, and definitely looking forward to checking out your events. just appreciate for you all you’ve done from the industry. We’re trying to do spread value. So let’s make it happen. Stay with the podcast.
Sam Taggart 02:44
Love it. So how did so I guess I’ll just kind of jump to it like you’ve sold a lot. You’ve obviously a golden door status in a saturated market. And you know, I get hit up all the time. I mean, a pest control guy and alarm guy, you’re the seventh dude that’s come by this area. Well, I tell people I’m like, Oh, yeah, really go to California and sell solar. That’s come by this week or today. 3d fad neighborhoods like that to where, you know, I guess storm so they put things if you’re a roofer, you probably have felt that in like a high storm market. I mean, hail hits. It’s like roofers, don’t aren’t even roofers come out of the woodwork. And like I’m worried for today. That’s like the only other saturated that I would say is equivalent to what you dealt with. So talk to me about some of the strategies and best practices on dealing with saturated high knocked neighborhoods.
Taylor Armstrong 03:41
Yeah, so yeah, we’re talking just off the camera. That’s the big thing here in San Diego. I think we have the second highest utility electric rates in the country. Think second to Hawaii, maybe New York. So it’s super high. Everyone in their dog has heard of solar out here. So yeah, it’s a constant thing. We’re getting near the seventh guy here that’s coming to the neighborhood. And yeah, it’s just something we have to deal with. But it’s kind of the high risk, high reward situations, because since the rates are so high, we can sell the systems way higher and make, you know, insane commissions, like I just had to do to come out here on these on the team. Now he came from North Carolina. And there’s they’re selling their systems for like, you know, like a little over $3 a watt. We’re selling water systems above like $5 a watt and getting like more savings than he is selling the people for over, you know, the $3 a watt. So people are surprised to hear that. But yeah, that’s kind of the nature of the beast. That’s why everyone wants to come here because it’s always sunny and snoc and weather’s great. But um, yeah, so as far as how we deal with the saturated areas, we can kind of get in a few of the strategies that have been helping our team a lot, but I think it really just comes down to Knowing what you’re good at, and especially out here, figuring out the areas that haven’t been knocked the hit up as much as we do, we do a lot of that out here is just researching the areas researching where we’re going. And then using it to our advantage, I think it’s kind of combining just the marketing side of it gathering, you know, kind of what your customer avatar is, who is your ideal customer, and then targeting those areas. And I think you’ve talked about it too, Sam, I, if I remember, right, that’s what took you to the next level on alarms, you’re just figuring out what customer you were good with, or what homeowners you worked best with? And then targeting those areas. From what I remember. Right? Is that to get an excellent alarm, right? Yeah. Yeah. So
Sam Taggart 05:44
it’s like, how do you how do you what research are you looking for? Like, you know, I’m, I’m trying to figure out what I don’t even know what I’m good at yet. Because I’m still just getting my face kicked in? How do I what kind of research can I do to put myself in the highest chance for success? Yeah.
Taylor Armstrong 06:03
So I think it’s important for any like new reps listening, you’ve got to put in the reps first. Because that’s a good point is you can’t really know what your ideal customer is, if you’ve if your first day you’re not going to know who it is you sell best to. For all the new guys listen, you got to put in the reps to it’s like you’re going to the gym, you got to start with the smaller weights build up, just hit the doors, because really, it’s about figuring out the objections, overcoming those things. And, you know, hitting a ton of doors in the beginning. But then what will happen is you start to see these groups of customers that maybe you’re better with, like, for example, in our company, we work with a lot of a lot of Mexican guys in San Diego, whether a ton of Mexicans down here, we’re so close to the border. So all our Mexicans reps, once they start to figure out, Oh, I know Spanish and I know Mexican culture, they go target those neighborhoods, because they know that’s who they’re good with, they’re gonna go all these Mexican neighborhoods, like we have a few reps that that’s, that’s all they knock. It’s just pure Mexican neighborhoods. And that’s the area’s they target. So yeah, and then number one, it’s putting in the reps. And then number two, figuring out where those pockets of people are. And knowing the city. So you can look up any city, you can look up neighborhoods, and you can kind of start to see what’s the culture. Some areas is more Filipinos, some areas, it’s more Mexicans, and it’s not being racist, but it’s just about figuring out what groups of people can you sell best to? And then how are you going to talk to them differently. Because I mean, it’s a big thing and marketing to you’re going to talk to a nine year old lady a lot different than you would talk to, you know, a mom of two, or a business guy that came to the door that has 30 seconds. So you got to know what the differences are. And you got to know how to talk to these people. And then yeah, we can kind of get into as far as like finding less saturated areas. But that’s I think that’s an important concept, though, is just starting to figure out what what your ideal customer looks like and have that image in your heads. If you’re new, just hit a lot of doors, I mean, go hard for three, four months, then you’re going to start to figure out a clear picture of who most of your sales are coming from.
Sam Taggart 08:14
Yeah. And I think like some people I’ve noticed as they come in new, they already have a preconceived notion of what their ideal client looks like, how many times you hear a new hire, come in, and like why don’t we go to the rich big homes? Like why are we in this like hood. You know, they’re like, bigger systems, right? Like, will make more money. And they, in their head, they have this preconception of they’re in a bad area, and certain areas are going to be the right neighborhoods for them, versus having super an open perspective of saying, I’m neutral. All neighborhoods are good neighborhoods. And I’m going to figure out what I’m really landing and what I’m resonating with. And I noticed that I evolved, I started in the hoods the first two years, if Black ghettos I love the Mexicans, like I, you know, I mean, like I was, like, lower middle, and then later on, I love the upper upper, like if the bigger the better in my life. And some people are like, I can’t knock that stuff is everywhere. I like that stuff. So it’s like, just you have to put in the reps but also not be so attached to this is how it should look based on the other reps in your area, or the other reps in your team, because you are resonating profile or personality is going to resonate with other personalities. And another thing I like that you said is now it’s kind of like how do we how do we put that time in because most people don’t put three, four months, you know, some people are gonna say three, four days, three, four months. You know what I mean? Like, most people, they don’t have three, four months of patience before they start to make some assessments. You know what I mean?
Taylor Armstrong 09:52
Yeah, on that, yeah. On the flip side to you got to I mean, you can’t get attached like you’re saying to you can only Knock x area. Remember when I first started in pest control, we had guys that every two days, they said, Oh, I need a new area, this area is trash. So it’s like, that’s the danger of it too. You can’t, you got to give Aries a chance, and you got to put in those reps. And then you can start to do like the targeting stuff, but you can’t let it get your head because some guys like you’re saying they think they only knock hoods, or they think, you know, they only have success with one type of customer. So that’s another danger of it is you gotta like, you know, get it out of your head, because some people just playing mind games out there. They’re saying, Oh, I’m it’s not gonna work. I’m not going to be successful in this rich neighborhood. So yeah, it’s kind of give and take. But I think you if you can combine that and not play the mind games, then you can start to push towards your ideal customer. And and then also areas that have been hit less, which we’ve talked about some strategy with that. But
Sam Taggart 10:55
yeah, so let’s move. Let’s move that direction. So we’re How do I strategize areas that have been hit less? Like, how do I know? Because obviously, they’re not dropping pins in my app? Yeah. I’ve already been here, like, how do you figure that out? Yeah.
11:14
It’s funny you say that? I think there’s a door knocking app now you probably know. But Canvas, I think it’s called or something. But I didn’t even know this. But a kid came in my area the other day. And he’s like, hey, my app didn’t show that you were out here working my hood. I’m like, What are you talking about? Dude? He’s like, my app. Canvas shows me all the reps that use the app. And it didn’t show the Euro here. I’m like, Oh, well, I guess I don’t use that up. That is kind of a cool feature. So apparently, they have a feature that shows everyone that uses that up from like, all different companies. I guess you can see where they’re knocking. So you know, what’s the stuff on each other’s toes?
Sam Taggart 11:49
That’s interesting.
Taylor Armstrong 11:52
Yeah, but side note, but anyways, as to what you’re saying. So yeah, what what we’re doing a ton that’s helping in this actually for new reps. This is a strategy for everyone is just figuring out who is new in the areas you work in, is what I mean by that is new movements. And I’m sure people have heard of this, but new movements, they haven’t been hit as much. They’re in the buying mindset. They just bought their house, a lot of them are buying home improvements. They want to make their home more efficient. This is probably been one of the biggest strategies for us is even if you’re a new rep, let’s say you’re assigned an area, go on, there’s you know, these sites you can go on and see who just moved in. You can go on Redfin, you on Zillow, you don’t have to have some fancy real estate app, you literally just go onto one of these websites, it’s going to show you all the homes, just pins of all the new movements and you can filter it is there I who just moved in in the last month, it’s considered john, he’s been here a month. And then you can filter to who just moved in a year ago, which is nice, because in solar, we kind of like to have a year’s worth of, you know, energy usage to be able to give them like accurate proposals. So yeah, you can do those two filters. And so for all the new reps, even if you’re assigned an area, I would say this is awesome strategy. Just go in your set area and pull up Zillow before you start knocking just pull up Zillow, and it’s going to show you all the pins and I would knock those homes first. That’s something reps can do today. Just figure out who those new moons are. And then you can pitch them differently. So it’s not just as buying pitch, you’d say, Hey, hey, john, you’re john. Right? Great. Yeah, we’re just actually helping out all the new people that moved in the area today, you guys just moved in? It was last month, right? And then I found that when you approach it that way, people are like, Whoa, this guy knows a ton. And they think you’re literally just dropping a program just for them. It’s like the new move in program. So that’s, yeah, that’s a great strategy that has been helping out on time. And I would say one of the big things that helped in the golden door to people will start using today.
Sam Taggart 13:58
That’s huge. That’s huge. And I’ve I’ve helped consult some companies that literally their whole 100 and something reps only go to new movements. And all they do now they’re great clients, new movements are a great target. Are there any other like other ones that you’re like, Oh, I target you know, homes with Tesla’s or, you know, like other targeted kind of strategies?
Taylor Armstrong 14:29
Yeah. This are the other big one that I find out well, we started targeting recently is actually homes with solar. And a lot of guys are surprised by this. Like why would you not go home with solar they’re already customer. And so the reason for that is because most of these homes, especially in San Diego, solar has been going for a while now. All of these homes have old solar panels, solar panels that aren’t producing what they need. I mean, sometimes they’re not even producing anything. Sometimes. They’re broken up there. So what we’ve been doing is just specially home areas that are like hilly, the homes are really spread apart, you go on new look just on Google Maps or whatever sells rabbit, whatever app you use, you can a lot of times see if these panels are maybe older, they’re like brown or something, they’re probably crap panels. And then especially if they have pools, things like that, we just been going and knocking these homes again, you’re changing your pitch, I think your your presentation, whatever you want to call it, to really go with these target audiences, to me, not always. But for new movements, you have the new moving approach, right? For people that already have solar yet the energy audit approach a, we’re just here, we’re doing an audit of the people who already have solar, what’s been producing. And then you’re doing add on systems. So we’re getting lots of cells just from people that have systems already, they’re not producing, then even if they are produced, even if let’s say they’re good to go, then it’s just straight into referrals. We’re getting referrals from these people, hey, who do your neighbors have solar yet? Who do you guys know your friends family, and then we’re giving them we’re getting referrals from there. So those I think are the two big groups that have been helping us a lot is just targeting the new movements, and then targeting people that already have solar, obviously, you’re not going to hit up every door that has solar in, you know, in just your cookie cutter neighborhood, but especially if you’re going out to hilly areas, big homes, homes with pools, I think it’s good to knock it out at least least I don’t know, 510 homes a day, just see what their experiences because if anything, it’s given you possibly a referral, and then just a name the job if they liked your say and say, Hey, can I recommend you? Can I use you as just a reference on someone that has been enjoying their solar, then you got a name as you’re going to the rest of the neighborhood? Say say those are the two biggest groups
Sam Taggart 16:51
love that? I think a lot of people they have Yeah, they skipped the homes that already have their product. These guys already just got a new roof for these guys already have solar these guys, you know, just like you just never know, like those referrals, those upgrades. You know, maybe it’s a new move in and then in return I you know, I mean, like, there’s just so much opportunity there. And I always say they already caught into the vision that they already have solar. So it’s not like you’re selling them on the idea of solar is just selling them on a bigger and more of it. You know, I mean, so cool. So you’ve done some stuff in marketing. Tell us a little bit about kind of your experience, obviously, you’re in a saturated door market, and you’re also in a saturated adspend market. Tell us kind of like, what what’s been the pain points or the wins that you’ve seen on the ads and funnels and things like that?
Taylor Armstrong 17:46
Yeah, so at that, um, that’s kind of what we’re about in the podcast, Sam, we’re just trying to teach solo reps to be like entrepreneurs, because what I noticed, and I did pest control for two years before I got into solar, and for me, Pest Control was a little bit more like simple so obviously you’re just selling people right on the doors and signing the contract right then. But when I got into solar I got out here and at first I was just trying to do like Pest Control just you know, sign them up and never touch the cell again never you know do anything else with it. But then I started noticing I’m like freak man I gotta be like following up with these people I gotta be you know, asking for referrals I gotta be making sure they get to the install because I mean it’s not there’s still steps you got to do most of the time after you close the deal to get these people installed. You got to deal with Hoa documents so it was much more of a process so yeah, what we’re doing Sorry, I guess what was your question again with it.
Sam Taggart 18:45
So like what have been some of the pain points for marketing in in a saturated market and trying to be kind of a solopreneur you know, you’ve dabbled in the online element I get hit up a lot of times I got a guy in Texas hit me up he’s like been door to door for a long time. And he’s like, hey, should I go buy leads or should I go and start Facebook ads? Kind of what are the pros and cons because obviously do doors but you’ve done some marketing? Yeah. What what things what pain points have you seen in the marketing and what value Have you seen in the marketing?
Taylor Armstrong 19:18
Yeah, okay. Yeah, so I think where it’s going with that is just the pain points I’ve seen people that get into the marketing a lot of these guys they never want to knock a door again. So marketing is kind of like the easy way out I’m just gonna go buy some leads and never have to hit doors again. And that’s that so what I’m suggesting for guys that want to do just the whole online need things the marketing just master the doors first okay master getting referrals master going out there. And then do the online marketing thing is just kind of a side thing. Okay. But the reason we created solar printer is there’s so many steps to the cell. There’s so many things you need to do that really we want solo reps to become entrepreneurs, can you think of an entrepreneur and I know you, Sam, you got a whole team of people doing things. I mean, it’s not you organizing every single step of your events. It’s not you. I mean, you’re getting leads and all that, I know, it’s not you setting appointments all the time doing those little things. So I think that’s what the solar industry is missing. People just need to number one, get help. And then, you know, just master what you are good at, double down on that. And then, you know, get guys to help you out with the things you weren’t good at, I have a virtual assistant right now, she helps me do lead follow up on my leads, she helps me send gifts to customers, she helps me get referrals, she helped me organize the CRM. So I think that’s a big thing that solo reps are missing. double down on what you’re good at, get help with what you’re not good at. And I always suggest guys, try out the online marketing, you mean go try. I’ve, I’ve gotten like three or four courses on building out like, you know, the funnels, the Facebook ads to get leads. So try that. But I think a lot of guys get so focused in on that, that they don’t want to sell anymore, they just want to go do the marketing. And then they’re wasting all this time, they’re spending money. So for me, I knew how to I learned how to do all that by just found, Okay, I’m gonna get guys that that’s all they do. I’m gonna get marketers, they think Go get me leads, and I’m going to master what I’m good at. And that’s on, you know, selling these leads, getting more referrals worth following up with them. Cuz I didn’t want to spend all my time just like the marketing, you had to go and eat. As you know, you have to go adjust the ads, you can’t just put one out out there. And it’s good forever, you got to be adjusting it, you got to be making tweaks to it. I think that’s a big mistake, guys think it’s some secret that they can just launch one ad and it’ll be good, but got to be constantly tweaking it. And so I was like, freak, this isn’t gonna work forever. I gotta be tweaking this I thought I just put put out one ad and leads are flowing in forever made money. But I do it for a month. And then after a month that the lead stopped coming in. I’m like, What is going on? So that’s what it looks like for me now is I have the system figured out where I’m following up and everything. But right now I have a guy that does my ads. And he kind of gets me those things as a supplemental thing. Get bread and butters door to door and that’s where the money’s at. But yeah, I’m closing online leads. I think guys should be doing both. But don’t get distracted by it and don’t make it you know, 100% your main focus. I’m sure you’ve seen guys here.
Sam Taggart 22:38
That takes the hunter out of the out of the hunter like you just did. And people think like, Oh, I’m so much more comfortable just getting fed. I’m like, yep, you’re gonna get fed fat and die on your couch, dude. Like, seriously, though, watch, I’ve watched good reps turn bad reps, because they just haven’t. they they they get so obsessed with becoming this one trick marketer guy. And there’s value in it, there wouldn’t it wouldn’t exist. If there was a value in it. Just you hit it right on the head. And I would give the same advice. So anyway. Yeah. So like, what other Do you have any other advice for your I mean, obviously interviewed and trained and worked with a lot of solar people. Any other advice that you’d give the solar up out there that’s trying to make his way on and like if like, let’s say, I’m a brand new solar wrap. I’m just getting into the industry. What advice would you give me?
Taylor Armstrong 23:32
Yeah, I would say biggest thing. And I know you talk about this all the time is just figure out a way to be consistent. I think that’s what guys I see it in our new reps all the time. They just we cannot get guys consistent half the time. So just be super consistent. I guess. I just got done doing this 75 hard a program, which sure you heard of that. But thank you. Thank you not quite as impressive as the Iron Man. Did you end up doing your Iron Man yet?
Sam Taggart 23:59
Sammy made 12 and made right now so I gotta go. I might go swim again. I guess I don’t. I was gonna go right. And I was like, Oh, dang. Yeah.
Taylor Armstrong 24:10
So yeah, but just be consistent. Um, obviously, you’re training for an Iron Man, you got to be super consistent for the training, but for me is the 7500 thing just got done doing that. For 75 days, you got to read your 10 pages. You got to do your 245 minute workouts, you got to follow your specific diet and then take your progress picture. So I think that’s a good good thing guys can do just to practice that consistency. But just being out on the doors consistently your for your five hours a day. I mean, solar, we get lazy. So I mean, it’s I hear all the podcasts you do with the pest control reps. They’re out there like 10 hours a day. Like I don’t know what it is. Why is it so hard to get?
Sam Taggart 24:54
It is the same job like it’s my job to go 10 hours. days, it’s like, unbelievable. I included like I would speak for myself, I remember nine to nine on alarms. I never had a nine to nine day and so we’re not once been on it. And it’s like why why job changed.
Taylor Armstrong 25:19
So guys get lady lazy. But yeah, so just being consistent just you know tracking, measuring, adjusting, doing those little things. I think that’s the number one thing that guys need to do is just start to be consistent. Then other than that, I guess another side tip that I didn’t mention is along with looking for areas for the new movements, look for areas that’s, for example, like condos, townhomes, things like that in California, they passed a law that no, like no Hoa can deny someone from having solar. So that’s another suggestion I would have wherever you are figure out where you can actually install because a lot of people are surprised. I mean, I’ve knocked in, in basically apartment homes like they’re their apartments, but people own them. They don’t even know they had solar and they’ve never never even had their door knocked on. So I just do some research figure out maybe contact the HOA, see if you can do solar, if you can, you’re in business, because guess what, you’re going to be the first guy that’s ever presented them solar, and they’re going to be like, Oh, I didn’t even know we could do this. So that’s another huge thing that’s helped me is Yeah, figure out where you can do your solar and use that to your advantage. Go hit those people up because you might be the first first guy they ever talked to you about it. That’s huge. That’s huge. Well, thanks
Sam Taggart 26:36
so much for being on the show. Tim has been awesome. And I will see out there in Cali soon. And and I mean, it’s been fun every year door to Oregon hanging out and taking pigs thinking around. So yeah, dude, it’s been a long time coming
Taylor Armstrong 26:48
back. Yeah, man. And yeah, tickets are cheap. I can’t wait. You’re selling up for too cheap, man. I know. People are gonna be like, Man, this is too cheap. I don’t know if I should come.
Sam Taggart 26:58
I had never done an event for guys. It’s like, bring your whole effing team. My charge. Why your whole team it cost for one ticket? Yeah, no, for sure, man. I’ll be excited to hang out there. I’m just doing it because I wanted to go do something random and I wanted to go do some fun. And I was like, this is a bit on my vision board. So
Taylor Armstrong 27:20
I was like, No, it’ll be fun, man. Yeah, I look forward to hanging out with you there. We’ll get the team there and yeah, anyone that’s listening. Get your team there. It’s hanging out. We’re getting the best. Alright dude, just man. We’ll talk.
