Tales from the Sales-Dojo #3 - Vincent Van Gouge

Tales from the sales Dojo #3- Vincent Van Gouge

Folks!

Welcome to the third installment of Tales from the sales dojo…

Today we have-

Vincent Van Gouge.

So there I was scrolling through the group postings minding my own business when I noticed a new post popped up. I wasn’t prepared for the storm it would trigger…

Honestly, I am not sure I’ve seen so many responses to a single post come in so quickly in that particular group- ever.

The post (paraphrased)-

I try to be as open about everything as I can. I share all of the details, costs, etc. But when I do, I get asked about my commission…

For background, this was a $36,000 sale and my commission was $20,000.

How do I answer the ‘what is your commission’ question?

OMG…

The responses were fast and furious and came in two basic varieties- those from the Sales Bros and the other kind from the Sales Pros.

The Sales Bros did not deviate from what you and I have come to expect from them. Their answers were all word ninja and sales samurai type bah-oh-ney. And they certainly demanded that no sales bro ever share what their commission is, ever.

The Sales Pros? They did not disappoint. There is honesty and integrity in the Solar Sales Industry and it was good to see.

Despite the best protests from the Sales Bros, the Sales Pros collectively tore apart every stuttering, feet stamping, and stammering outcry…

To the point that the original poster eventually was revealed to be a troll who was intentionally throwing the question out there to get a response.

Honestly, the commission suggested in the original post was obviously a bait post, and it got what the OP intended- a huge flare up.

While we are on the subject of ‘commission’, let’s explore that just a little…

For a company to survive, they have to (at minimum) cover their costs. Unless they are independently wealthy and are donating to the cause of taking Tucson solar- they must make some sort of profit…

Or they’d be out of business when they ran out of money, the banks stopped lending them money, or when the pain got too high.

That said, to get a solar company up and running there’s a lot that goes into it, such as (but not limited to):

- Licensing

- Insurance/bonds

- Cost of goods/equipment

- Cost of shipping/transport of goods

- Cost of design (engineering)

- Cost of materials (sealants, fasteners, etc.)

- Cost of labor (install, commissioning, inspections)

- Cost of finance

And much more…

Then, if we want the company to be in business for the long haul, there needs to be enough profit involved to keep the business running so that it can stay open even when ‘times are slow’…

So, yes- there is a ‘markup’ above and beyond just what the component prices are for the solar power system…

Just like in every other business out there.

The real trick here is learning as much as we can about the solar power systems as we can before we talk to the Solar Sales companies so we are ready to deal with a Sales Bro if one shows up.

If you’re at that stage where you are interested in checking out solar for your home, click here to get notified when I release Tucson Solar Insider Desk Guide for Buying Solar, you’ll be glad you did I think…

Be Good!

Curtis