IM Landscape Growth Podcast

Mastering Green Industry Sales with Neal Glatt

Episode Summary

In this 'IM Landscape Growth' episode, host Robert Murray and guest Neil Glatt discuss overcoming sales challenges in the green industry. The podcast outlines a field-tested structured sales process, including customer identification, engagement, qualification, estimation, proposal presentation, deal closure, and referral acquisition. focuses on sales as a key growth challenge in the green industry. He emphasizes the importance of proper pricing and targeted marketing to attract customers willing to pay for quality. Neil advocates for consistent sales efforts, like making 100 calls per week, and highlights the need for multiple interactions to secure sales. He advises on understanding customer preferences and tailoring sales pitches accordingly. The podcast discusses a structured sales process involving customer identification, engagement, qualification, and closing deals, emphasizing proactive handling of common customer hesitations.

Episode Notes

Neil Glatt's Background: Glatt discusses his entry into the green industry during a difficult job market in 2009. His experience spans from working with a small landscape and snow removal company to growing a business significantly in snow revenue.
Online Education and Consulting: He highlights his current roles, including running an online education platform (Growthebench.com) offering short, digestible videos on various green industry topics, hosting two-day events under Snowfighters Institute, and consulting for companies in sales and operations.
Primary Growth Constraint in Green Industry: Glatt identifies the ability to sell services at the right price as a primary growth constraint. He emphasizes that selling at the correct margin is crucial for maintaining healthy business operations.
Challenges in Pricing and Sales: Glatt talks about common problems businesses face, like being compared to competitors' prices and the inability to estimate correctly, leading to underpricing services.
Target Marketing and Identifying Customers: He stresses the importance of target marketing and engaging with the right type of customers who value what the company offers.
Sales Behaviors and Processes: Glatt compares sales to running marathons, emphasizing consistency and discipline in making sales calls and following up with potential customers.
Understanding Customer Needs: He advises on understanding what customers value by asking existing clients and seeking referrals, as well as tailoring sales pitches to specific customer needs.
Importance of a Sales Process: Glatt outlines the necessity of a structured sales process, including identifying prospects, engaging, qualifying, estimating, and closing deals.
Handling Common Sales Responses: He discusses techniques for handling common objections and responses from potential customers, advocating for proactive and respectful sales approaches.
Self-Limiting Beliefs in Sales: The episode delves into the topic of self-limiting beliefs that can hinder sales performance, and the importance of overcoming these through coaching and self-awareness.
Contact Information and Recommendations: Glatt provides his contact details for further engagement and recommends resources for sales improvement, including John Maxwell's work and the book "Giftology" by John Ruhlin.