Swift Sales Academy

Course 1

Escaping the Clutches of Simple Payback Period to Get More Energy Projects Approved™

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: The most commonly cited financial yardstick in energy-efficiency proposals these days is simple payback period. Why? Because far too many prospects are preoccupied with how fast they'll recoup their initial investment. Fact is, there are six financial metrics that are commonly used to judge the merits of an expense-reducing capital project. Three are popular but can be very misleading: simple payback, return on investment, and internal rate of return. The other three are both proper and reliable: net present value, modified internal rate of return (that corrects for the shortcomings of internal rate of return), and savings-to-investment ratio. Learn how a simple financial analysis template can calculate each of these six metrics and how to migrate the discussion from the "popular" to the "proper" metrics so that you can portray your proposed solution in its best light. 

Objective(s):  

1) Understand six key financial metrics often used to evaluate the merits of expense-reducing capital projects.

2) Learn to migrate your prospect's attention to the proper metrics, which will help win more approvals for worthwhile efficiency and electrification projects.

3) Learn how to quantify and monetize non-utility-cost financial benefits (often much more valuable than utility-cost-financial savings) so you can incorporate them into your cost/benefit analysis.

4) BONUS: Receive Selling Energy's proprietary one-page financial analysis in Excel, already used by countless Selling Energy graduates worldwide to get more energy solutions approved.

Course 2

Selling All 3 Buckets of Benefits™

October 9, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: While most energy professionals focus on utility-cost financial savings, the truth is that non-utility-cost financial savings and non-financial savings are almost always more valuable to your customers. You need to know where your customer will see savings in places other than the "Utilities" line item on their profit and loss statement and which non-financial benefits may be even more important to them. The second and third buckets of benefits can be much more compelling than the first. And once you understand those additional buckets at a segment-specific and customer-specific level, you can make a much stronger case for project approval.

Objective(s):  

1) Understand each of the 3 buckets of benefits generated by energy solutions.

2) Discover where to find each market segment's jargon and yardsticks, which is the first step to reframing your proposal's benefits to resonate with each prospect.

3) Receive a complimentary 60-day license to Selling Energy's Segment Guides database ($98 value) so that you can approach your prospects as peers and build credibility and rapport more quickly. Segment Guides is the product of more than 400 hours of research into each of 24 market segments. It provides jargon, yardsticks, trade organizations, trade publications, profit margins, and more for each segment.

Course 3

Secrets of Selling Energy Solutions to Non-Residential Landlords and Tenants™ 

October 10, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved by owners and/or managers of income-producing non-residential property.

Description: Selling energy solutions in non-residential landlord/tenant settings requires an understanding of how an energy project's costs and savings would be shared between the parties and how the landlord's share of savings would impact a property's net operating income and appraised value. A well-drafted energy-saving proposal would mention the impact that improved efficiency could have on rent per square foot, occupancy percentage, tenant renewal probability, and other factors. Given that roughly 40% of US commercial buildings are non-owner-occupied, it's vital that sellers of energy solutions know how to overcome "split incentives" and other myths that can delay or even prevent worthwhile energy projects.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn about dominant lease types and how each one allocates the savings between landlord and tenants.

2) Discover innovative leasing practices like Cap Ex Cost Recovery that allow landlords to claw back savings that tenants enjoy so the landlord can recoup its investment over time (with interest in some cases).

3) Receive Selling Energy's proprietary Excel worksheets that model the incremental net present value per square foot that the landlord would enjoy from its share of energy savings, increased renewal probability, and other beneficial outcomes. 

Course 4

Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch, LinkedIn Connection Request, and 3-Sentence Solicitation to Open More Doors and Sell More Energy Solutions™ 

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Can you tell me in 15 seconds or less how you will create value for me? And can you make it memorable enough to be worth repeating to others? They say that in companies with 100 to 500 employees, an average of 7 people have to say "Yes!" in order to get a project approved. A finely tuned elevator pitch and its close cousin, the 3-sentence solicitation, are your ticket to capturing the attention of your internal champion. Moreover, it makes it easier for that internal champion to marshal the attention of all the other decision-makers and influencers who also need to see the merits of what you're proposing before you win approval and funding. And when it comes to LinkedIn, your success at starting a new relationship will depend on the quality and appeal of your initial request to connect. Bottom line, your ability to attract and retain your prospect's attention will depend on how concise and compelling your initial communication is.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn how to capture your prospect's attention in 15 seconds by stating how you will create value for your listener (and making it memorable enough to be worth repeating to others).

2) Learn the secrets of communicating an enticing value proposition in three sentences.

3) Learn how to send LinkedIn connection requests that not only get accepted, but also start productive conversations that lead to more energy projects being approved.

Course 5

Selling More by Saying Less: The One-Page Proposal™

November 14, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Several decades ago, an ambitious entrepreneur boldly mailed a 50-page document proposing a joint venture with the world's wealthiest man. Several days later he received the recipient's reply stating that a man of his stature doesn’t read a 50-page proposal and suggesting that if the sender would be willing to meet on his yacht in the Mediterranean, he could learn in a single hour what he should have written the billionaire in a single page. The entrepreneur immediately flew to Monaco, where he quickly learned the secret of the "one-page proposal," a concept that he says allowed him to earn countless millions of dollars in other ventures. A one-page proposal forces you to focus your value proposition... and it can be read in four minutes or less, which is the attention span of most high-level decision-makers. The one-page proposal also makes it easier for your internal champion to secure the approval of other colleagues to move forward. This session will cover the why, what, and how of drafting a compelling one-page proposal for an energy project.

Objective(s):  

1) Understand the tremendous value of reducing any value proposition to a compelling, single-page narrative primarily focused on the "why" (with the "what," "how," "how much," and "when" relegated to a Technical Appendix). 

2) Learn the 6 essential sections of a well-written one-page narrative proposal. 

3) Review sample one-page proposals used to sell various energy solutions more successfully.

Course 6

Selling More with Fewer Numbers: The One-Page Financial Analysis™

November 1, 2024 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get expense-reducing efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Most decisions are made emotionally and then justified financially. Smart sellers of energy solutions realize that the financial decision-maker may not be as emotionally motivated to approve the proposal as the internal champion is, at least not initially. With that in mind, smart sellers always prepare a concise and compelling financial analysis that the internal champion can forward to the capital budgeting folks. That single page analysis clearly maps all cash inflows and outflows throughout the analysis term, discloses all assumptions (discount rate, inflation rate, etc.), clearly depicts the six key metrics that financial decision-makers use to evaluate the merits of any expense-reducing capital project, and facilitates sensitivity analysis (i.e., changing various variables to see their relative impact on returns).

Objective(s):  

1) Compose and present a concise and compelling single-page cost/benefit analysis when seeking funding approval for an energy project.

2) Recognize how certain metrics that prospects use to evaluate expense-reducing capital projects (e.g., simple payback period, return on investment, and internal rate of return) are flawed and which more effective metrics to use instead.

3) Highlight, calculate, and explain net present value, modified internal rate of return, and savings-to-investment ratio to prospects.

4) Communicate the benefits of paying with all cash, phasing implementation over multiple years, financing, and using an “…as-a-service” option (and emphasizing other important funding opportunities, such as rebates/incentives, tax deductions/credits, PACE, etc.) to help address your prospect’s affordability concerns.

5) Employ creative ways to express the “cost of waiting” more powerfully, any of which could help you capture a decision-maker’s attention and motivate faster project approval.

6) BONUS: Receive Selling Energy's proprietary one-page financial analysis in Excel, already used by countless Selling Energy graduates worldwide to get more energy solutions approved.

Course 7

16 Secrets to Having More Effective Video Sales Calls™ 

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Given how pervasive video sales calls like Teams and Zoom are these days, smart sellers have had to adapt their sales approach to make the most of them. STEP #1 is becoming genuinely camera-ready with proper lighting, camera angle, sound, background, etc. STEP #2 is knowing how to capture and retain the attention of the everyone on the video call, many of whom may keep their cameras off and perhaps even multitask rather instead of paying attention. This session will cover 16 secrets that energy sales professionals know lead to more effective video sales calls.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn the 16 secrets for having more effective video sales calls when selling your energy solutions.

Course 8

18 Questions to Ask on Your Next Sales Call™ 

Who: Sellers seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Asking questions. Asking follow-up questions. Having the discipline to listen actively. Inserting enough silence to allow your prospect to answer thoughtfully. Taking careful notes. These are the tactics that smart energy sales professionals use to ensure their conversations with prospects are genuinely effective. This session will cover 18 questions you should be asking the next time you have an initial conversation witih a prospect for your efficiency or electrification solution.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn to ask 18 key questions that belong in any initial conversation with a prospect for your energy solution.

Course 9

Escaping the Price-Driven Sale and 3-Bids Syndrome When Selling Energy Solutions™ 

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Energy sales professionals migrate the discussion away from “features” and beyond “benefits,” putting all the focus on their prospect’s values. They also reframe benefits so they can be measured with their prospect’s yardsticks. This is especially key in situations where an energy efficiency or electrification measure will generate segment-specific non-utility-cost financial or non-financial benefits. Once you understand what your prospect truly values, you’re in a much better position to help that prospect make a better evaluation that transcends “lowest first cost."

Learn why proposals that you thought you lost on price were likely lost on value and how to prevent that from happening in the future. And as a special bonus, discover some questions to ask your prospect to help you overcome “three-bids syndrome.”

Objective(s):  

1) Recognize the difference between “features and benefits” and “values."

2) Apply business acumen to craft more compelling value propositions for your prospects.

3) Communicate the benefits of your proposed energy solution so that it better resonates with what each prospect values.

4) Incorporate insight and discovery (and minimize the time and effort of purchasing) to improve the value your prospect perceives as they evaluate your proposed solution.

5) Know the questions you should be asking your prospect to avoid succumbing to "3-bids syndrome."

Course 10

20+ Places to Insert Video in Your Sales Process to Drive Faster Energy Project Approvals™ 

October 16, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Working from home, customer preference for video conference calls over in-person visits, and other trends have transformed the way we sell energy solutions. The need to master virtual selling techniques is more urgent than ever. Unfortunately, most salespeople have never really been trained to be camera-ready. Sales pros today know the importance of improving not only their synchronous virtual selling (e.g., Teams, Zoom calls), but also their asynchronous virtual selling (e.g., short selfie videos in outbound emails and LinkedIn posts). This session will cover more than 20 places where inserting video elements would likely accelerate the sales cycle and/or improve your closing ratio.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn the simple steps you can take to become "camera-ready."

2) Discover 20+ places you can insert a video selfie to accelerate the sales process and/or improve your closing ratio.

3) Learn how unsolicited video selfies embedded in outbound emails and LinkedIn posts can be very effective at opening conversations with new prospects.

Course 11

7 Reasons Your Current Customers Hold the Key to Selling More Energy Solutions…and More Customers™

Who: Sellers seeking to get more efficiency or electrification projects approved.

Description: Your success as a seller of energy solutions lies at the intersection of the cost of customer acquisition and the lifetime value of each customer. Smart sellers of energy solutions know that cross-selling and upserving create a win-win relationship-- the customer enjoys deeper energy savings while the seller sees higher revenues and margins. Moreover, satisfied customers often have affiliates, supply chain partners, and others who would be likely candidates for your offerings. They also hold the key to referrals and testimonials, opening the door to warm leads that are typically easier to close. And finally, categorizing your best customers to identify their common needs and the solutions you provided to meet those needs is the first step to building your business by "cloning" those best customers.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn effective ways to cross-sell and up-serve each customer so they enjoy deeper energy savings.

2) Discover 7 ideal times to ask your customer for a referral.

3) Consider 5 places to look for customers similar to your current ones.

4) Understand the steps you would take to "clone" the best customers you have today.

Course 12

Secrets of Selling Energy Solutions to Condos and Coops™

October 23, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers seeking to sell efficiency or electrification solutions to condos or coops.

Description: Condos and coops represent a challenging environment for sellers of energy solutions due to a decision-making process that involves several stakeholders and frequent churn among elected members, competing priorities, financial constraints, and other factors. Project approvals are typically influenced by the condo/coop board, the property manager, the building engineering staff, selected residents who may be vocal opinion-leaders even though they are not currently serving on the board, and others. Moreover, it's not uncommon to see wide variations in skill sets and sophistication among many of these players -- few are really experts at specifying and financing energy solutions. Successfully selling energy solutions in this setting requires exceptionally concise and compelling communication. It must be carefully tuned to resonate with each of these diverse parties and be straightforward enough to shorten the due diligence process. The good news is that efficiency and electrification solutions can improve comfort and convenience, reduce operating expenses, proactively address future maintenance issues, improve the value of the property, and in some cases, help the building meet new regulatory mandates.

Objective(s):  

1) Determine the decision-making process at work in any condo/coop building you approach to sell energy solutions.

2) Carefully prepare your proposal and supporting exhibits to make it easy to stakeholders of varying skill sets and sophistication levels to understand why your proposed energy solution is necessary, how it could be funded (ideally without special assessments), etc.

3) Assemble speaker's notes that support your proposal should you be invited to present it in front of the board prior to their approval.

4) Draft a weighted-average one-page proposal that summarizes the costs/benefits experienced by other condos/coops who have adopted similar solutions in the past (if such data are available).

Course 13

Secrets of Getting Homeowners Excited About Energy Solutions™

Who: Sellers seeking to sell efficiency or electrification solutions to homeowners.

Description: It would be easy to assume that "saving energy" and "improving comfort" are the two most important reasons homeowners become interested in efficiency upgrades. Those two drivers explain why a lot of homeowners start thinking about upgrades. However, the key to getting more upgrades approved lies in asking the right questions, understanding the homeowner's values, and reframing the solution so that it resonates with something more vital than just reducing the utility bill or fixing a drafty room. Understanding the homeowner at least as well as you understand their home is especially important when selling upgrades these days given the backdrop of slower home sales, higher interest rates, new tax credits and deductions, and more.

Objective(s):  

1) Explore the wide variety of reasons that your prospect might be motivated to pursue efficiency or electrification upgrades in their homes.

2) Ask questions -- and follow-up questions -- so that you understand the homeowner at least as well as you understand the home.

3) Learn how to propose multiple-measure upgrades as a path to enjoying greater savings, comfort, and convenience.

4) Include knowledge of new IRA2022 provisions and other financial incentives for implementing upgrades.

Course 14

12 Keys to Successful In-Home Selling™ 

November 7, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers seeking to sell efficiency or electrification solutions to homeowners.

Description: Want to learn how to improve your closing ratio selling energy efficiency and electrification solutions to homeowners? Study the success strategies and tactics of other in-home sellers, from landscaping to carpet cleaning to decking.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn 12 field-proven sales tips gleaned from sales pros who have mastered how to make a great first impression, engage the prospect in their assessment, communicate a compelling reason to proceed, and more.

Course 15

6 Ways to Make a Financial Case for Residential Efficiency Upgrades™

Who: Sellers seeking to sell efficiency solutions to homeowners.

Description: When you actually do the math, home energy upgrades can provide a better risk-adjusted return than most other investment alternatives. Think about it. Even a five-year-payback improvement equates to a 20% return per year. That's in addition to the improved comfort and convenience that many energy upgrades provide the homeowner, which other investment alternatives don't provide. And while today's interest rates have raised the cost of doing upgrades, there are still plenty of ways to demonstrate to a homeowner that a whole-home energy upgrade is one of the smartest investments out there. This session will explore a half-dozen ways to prove the financial merits of residential energy upgrades.

Objective(s):  

1) Learn 6 ways to express the financial benefits of applying energy-saving improvements in residential settings.

Course 16

Secrets of Selling Energy Solutions to Residential Landlords and Tenants™

October 10, 2024 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM PDT

Who: Sellers and/or internal champions seeking to get efficiency or electrification projects approved in residential income propertes (apartments, single-family rentals, and more).

Description: Selling energy solutions in residential landlord/tenant settings requires an understanding of how an energy project's costs and savings would be shared and how the landlord's share of savings would impact the property's net operating income and appraised value. A well-drafted energy-saving proposal would also mention the positive impacts that enhanced efficiency (and associated improvements in tenant comfort and convenience) could have on rent per unit, occupancy percentage, tenant renewal probability, and/or appraised value. Adding on-site EV charging has become another amenity that helps attract and retain tenants.

Objective(s):  

1) Understand the main decision-making drivers of residential landlords.

2) Appreciate how efficiency and electrification upgrades can boost the competitiveness, profitability, and value of an income-producing residential property.

3) Learn how to equate projected energy savings to increased rental rates, enhanced occupancy and renewal rates, and higher appraised value per rental unit.