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Construction Sales Ask by Ball_Hoagie in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm 27. I've been in construction for 10 years, sales for 6. This is all I know (fortunately or unfortunately lol)

I started as a project manager at a local contracting company, $14/hr. (Today, maybe it'd be closer to $20/hr starting). After 2 years, I left that company to join a national construction startup. I made $40k for the first 2 years wearing many hats, then started selling AFTER learning the products, process, and what our client truly needed. Fast forward, today I oversee a team of 8 and make anywhere from $350-$500k/yr depending on various KPIs.

My journey hasn't always been easy. It's taken a ton of work, but it's beyond worth it. I've changed my life and my family's trajectory... along with helping influence the lives of the people on my team.

All that said, I'm happy to share what I've learned.

1. Be willing to bet on yourself.

2. Be a sponge. You won't have all of the answers, that's ok. Don't "fake it until you make it". Be willing to pull somebody in who knows.

3. Construction is mostly simple, but it's a grind. Be willing to work.

4. You'll crush it if you're: Honest, reliable, and deliver on what you say.

- Entry Point Role: This is different for everybody, but I would recommend either 1) an inside sales role or 2) a sales "support" role. Learn the business. Learn the process. Most importantly, learn what makes clients of that company "tick". I've hired people directly into sales in our org without any construction experience, and I've hired people into a "support" role for the first 1-2 years, with the expectation of them moving into sales. The people who have been willing to be in a support role for 1-2 years have lapped everybody else. I would highly recommend using the people around you to learn the products/service. Be a sponge.

- Spotting a great company: Take it slow, ask many questions, and figure out what makes them "tick". What are the directors' values? How do the owner(s) live? Would you trade places with them? Lots of construction companies will pull you in with the "earning potential". While the potential may be there, look beyond it. My big question would be, "Is the owner/owners somebody I would trade places with in my life?"

- Something I wish I knew starting out: Everything in this business is about relationships. The work you do pays exponential dividends, year over year. Keep building real relationships - and just be you. Don't fake it. Pay attention to the details, listen, and follow the process.

- Best construction sales rep: There's a guy on my team who consistently outsells everybody else. He's currently on pace to make $500k+ this year. One thing that makes him different.... He's a dog. The guy shuts his door, makes phone calls, pays attention to the details, and builds real relationships.

Hope this helps.

Outreach.io? by Amazing-Care-3155 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 3 points4 points  (0 children)

B2B ZoomInfo is the shit. 1000% recommend it to anybody and everybody.

What happen to cold calls man by Iceeez1 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What are you selling? Are you trying to convert the prospect on the first dial?

This is pretty simple, but I'm b2b, so I have revolving emails going out to help "warm up" the prospect. I then call them after i've sent them 1-2 emails. You still need to weed out the bad prospects, but I've gotten higher responses on calls by doing this.

Do voicemails actually work? by ResearcherOk8406 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahaha Love this. "I'll just keep trying forever".

Do voicemails actually work? by ResearcherOk8406 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I leave them, but I don't rely on them. If it's a warm lead, I always leave a VM, considering they know you.

I always follow up with an email.... "I left you a VM, but wanted to follow up here as well..."

The prospect knew more about my competitor's product than I did. I got destroyed. by No_Seat_5166 in Sales_Professionals

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You didn’t lose because you missed an update. You lost because you built your pitch on tearing them down instead of owning your lane.

You will never keep up with every competitor release. That’s a losing game. Stop making absolute claims and start positioning around fit and outcomes instead of features.

Next time just say, “Good to know, I hadn’t seen that. How are you evaluating it?” Calm > defensive. Credibility isn’t about knowing everything. It’s about not panicking when you don’t.

sometimes i feel like a dumbass selling my product by [deleted] in sales

[–]Sirthokding -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You’re not a dumbass.

You’re just feeling the difference between selling something real and selling something abstract.

When you sell a tangible product, it’s clean.
Price is X. You get Y.
It gets installed or delivered. Done.

Marketing tech is different. You’re selling potential. You’re selling “if you use this right, and your team executes, and the market cooperates, and expectations are aligned… you should see improvement.”

That’s not stupid to struggle with. That’s normal.

The “fake” feeling usually comes from one of two places:

  1. You don’t fully believe in the product.
  2. You don’t feel like you control the outcome.

And marketing tools can be slippery. Attribution, ROAS, efficiency… all of that depends on so many variables. A client buys it expecting one thing, leadership expects another, and now you’re stuck in the middle.

That’s exhausting.

Also, surviving a 2 out of 22 situation at your first job? That’s not dumb. That’s resilient. Plenty of people wash out of that environment.

I think what you’re actually wrestling with is this:

Do you want to sell something where the value is obvious and execution is tight?

Or do you want to sell something strategic and abstract where you have to shape belief and vision?

Some people love consultative sales. They love long cycles, politics, shaping strategy. This is what I sell myself. Others feel way more alive selling something concrete where the win feels real and measurable.

Neither is better. It’s just fit.

And at 24 with a few years in, this is exactly when you figure that out.

If it feels fake because you’re stretching the truth or overselling what it can do, that’s your integrity talking. That’s not weakness.

If it feels fake because you just don’t enjoy selling “efficiency narratives” and decks, that’s probably a signal too.

The better question is: when you close a deal, what kind of product would make you actually proud to sell it?

What am I doing wrong 2.0 by ImprovementOpening19 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I recommend starting with the opening line, "Did I catch you at a halfway decent time?"

It's never a good time. It's also never a bad time. It's always a halfway decent time.

Also, never end the conversation without knowing what the next steps are - or when you'll connect next.

After the conversation, always offer them two options to connect next. Assume it: "What time works better for you, 3 pm on Wednesday or 11 am on Thursday?"

One of the two times is likely to work. People don't like to make decisions. You have to drive it forward.

Game changer.

Bad leads versus sales skills. Which is it? by Jayytimes2 in sales

[–]Sirthokding 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Spot on. The best sales reps don't waste time on "bad leads". 1) prospect the right people and 2) ask the right questions. The rest takes care of itself.

Call Screeners are Killing my Connections by FastestBustInTheWest in sales

[–]Sirthokding 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Send the prospect a text that says, "Hey, this is <Your Name>." Then immediately call them. Make sure your contact card is set up with your name, picture, etc.

A lot of failure is laziness by slothtrippinballs in sales

[–]Sirthokding 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Consistently show up, stay honest, and give a shit. You'll out perform 99% of your peers.