For sales reps, the age-old question is “How do you create demand out of thin air?” It’s a puzzle, because many potential clients don’t even realize they have a problem, let alone that you offer the solution. But before you can sway them to make a purchase, you must first spark an inherent craving for your products or services.
We sat down with Gene Slade, CEO of Lead Ninja System and a trailblazer in the world of HVAC, Plumbing and Electrical sales training, to discuss his blueprint for success, a transformative, step-by-step process for how to generate demand out of thin air — one that has helped countless sales reps break personal revenue records.
Slade’s Proven Sales Method: Engender a Need From Within
Slade is no ordinary sales coach. As a former HVAC technician with the experience of building his own HVAC and water treatment business into one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies, he’s not just teaching theories — he has lived and learned difficult sales lessons firsthand.
“How to interact with homeowners and turn them into life-long clients comes quite organically to me, but that wasn’t always the case,” said Slade. “For years, I tried all sorts of different methods until I finally developed my Lead Ninja System, which can persuade homeowners with all sorts of initial objections to sign on the dotted line time and again.”
Slade’s biggest breakthrough came after he realized that the shift from a client expressing objections to a client eager to make a purchase is driven by emotions, not by logic. This means that the art of creating a demand seemingly out of thin air hinges on guiding the client toward a particular negative emotion associated with a given problem or need. In his line of work, this is usually a feeling of uncomfortability with their current situation, but the ‘emotive genius’ of his approach expands to all types of sales, such as feelings of superiority, success, and grandeur for luxury car sales, for example.
Slade’s training recommends employing two emotional triggers, typically in sequence: Begin by offering a word of caution and then provide a reassuring solution. For instance, when selling air purifiers, one may first discuss the recent surge in smog levels before introducing practical products to allay client concerns, thus creating that emotional comfort in the potential customer.
Guiding Rather Than Forcing: The Key to Closing Sales
According to Slade, the approach he takes with clients is to actively engage them with strategically placed questions not only to engender a need from within but to prevent their minds from wandering.
“You want to avoid rattling off a list of product features. Instead, ask questions, because when you ask questions, they can’t tune you out. When you ask questions, you’re controlling what they think about,” said Slade. “This is also how I teach my students. It’s by asking questions that I let them become enlightened on their own as opposed to preaching or lecturing. On the first day of my Lead Ninja Mastermind course, I probably ask over 500 questions.”
Slade’s blueprint for success, known as EGSPA, is a five-step approach for effectively closing sales that hinges on strategic questions. He elaborated, “Sales reps should memorize the six ways to turn a statement into a thought-provoking question. For example, ‘Did you know…? Were you aware…? Do you suppose…? Would you believe…? So you didn’t know…?’ Or, ‘So, you weren’t aware…?’”
Per Slade, these prompts help clients arrive at their own conclusions that ‘something’ needs to be done and thus creates a need for the product seemingly out of nowhere.
Share The Benefits, Paint The Picture of Their New Life
The third letter in EGSPA stands for ‘Share the benefits, paint the picture of their new life,’ and it’s another way that Slade creates need out of thin air.
This step entails understanding what motivates people to make a purchase, which includes the human need to belong and not be left behind by those in the same peer group.
“Keeping up with the Joneses is a cliche for a reason,” said Slade. “You want to tap into the imaginations of your clients, really paint a picture of how your product will dramatically improve their lives or save them a big headache down the road, because that’s what gets their emotions going and compels them to make a purchase.”
Along those lines, Slade encourages sales reps to take their time and not rush to close the sale. “I often start with a complimentary inspection,” said Slade. “I lead the client around the house, take them to different areas, and point out what’s good and what’s deficient. I physically engage them on the journey of discovering what could be improved upon, and that makes them far more likely to make a purchase.”
To learn more about Slade’s strategies, consider joining his bi-weekly live coaching sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 AM EST. Tailored to individual needs, participants receive real-time guidance from Slade, allowing them to overcome challenges and celebrate victories in a group setting. The company also hosts quarterly retreats or in-person masterclasses. The next Ultimate Sales Ninja Mastermind is taking place in Orlando, Florida at the Grandhalla mansion from January 24-28th, and it’s nearly booked to capacity at the time of this writing.
About Gene Slade
Gene Slade, CEO of Lead Ninja System, is a pioneering force in the realm of sales training and business development. With a steadfast commitment to empowering professionals in the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades, Gene offers transformative coaching experiences that revolutionize the way business owners approach sales and growth through personalized guidance, community support, and access to exclusive resources. For more information, please visit https://leadninjasystem.com/
