By: Victoria Kennedy
In a remarkable showcase of expertise and dedication to the HVAC industry, CEO and Founder of Lead Ninja System Gene Slade, a renowned figure in sales training and business growth in the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC industries, recently completed an intensive on-site training session with an heating and air-conditioning company in Louisiana. The company is part of one of the world’s largest franchises and the second-largest company inside of that franchise doing approximately $20 million in HVAC business per year.
Over four half-days, Slade imparted his wealth of knowledge and strategies, tailored specifically to the unique needs and dynamics of the HVAC sector. We sat down with him post-on-site to hear all about it.
Bigger Impact
“The mansion events that we do — the next one is scheduled for May 29th to June 2nd — the class or the content that we teach there is the same that we would teach at an on-site,” Slade said. “It was a straight heating and air-conditioning company this week, which is great! I was able to focus and make a bigger impact. It’s a bigger company inside of a huge franchise. I was there from Monday to Thursday, a half day each morning. Then, the folks I trained were released to implement the training!”
His commitment to delivering high-caliber training was evident as he told us how he engaged with the sales team, ensuring they were equipped with his tried-and-true techniques and insights to elevate their sales processes. Slade’s approach is deeply rooted in understanding the core values and goals of the businesses he works with, thereby crafting training sessions that resonate well with the team’s aspirations and market challenges.
“It was a great group of people, there were almost 70 people in the room, and the level of engagement was awesome,” Slade said of the on-site. “One thing that was really cool was that even though it usually takes two or three days for us to start seeing results, after the very first training session — on the second morning — I asked for success stories, and one of the guys stood up and shared that he had closed an $11,000 sale already. He said he never would have closed that amount had he not been through day one with me. So, that was an immediate success.
“Another success that was significant — there were a bunch of them — happened when we were on our follow-up mastermind call this morning. One of the guys who signed up for the continuing education training — the mastermind training, which he paid for himself — has more than quadrupled his average ticket. So, his average sale has increased by four, and his closing ratio has increased by 280%, so almost 300%. Those were two cool successes that happened from this on-site almost instantly, and there were quite a few others like that.”
Rick also told us that he has already sent eight more participants to Slade’s next Lead Ninja Mastermind Mansion Event, which happened at the end of March, just two weeks after the on-site. At the time of this writing, Lead Ninja has already acquired 29 five-star reviews on Google from Rick’s team. What’s more, Rick is speaking with Slade about a second on-site visit, which costs around six figures. If that wasn’t enough to impress, every single one of Rick’s team members are moving forward with Slade’s continuing education program!
“Last year my average maintenance ticket was 86 dollars, after going to gene Slade class last week, my average maintenance tickets for this week went to 5785.60, thank you gene for teaching me how to better myself,” JJ Matherne posted in the Lead Ninja Facebook group.
In response, Slade shared with us, “That was never gonna happen for JJ, it was a miracle. Mark my words, he’s gonna add tens of thousands in personal income. Old dogs that can still learn new tricks, it just took the right person and tools.”
This particular training session in Louisiana is part of Slade’s broader mission to enhance the sales capabilities of HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies, recognizing the pivotal role these businesses play in providing essential services to communities.
One Drop Makes a Ripple
By focusing on a company that is a significant player within a larger franchise this time around, Slade’s training promises not only to uplift the company’s performance but also set a benchmark within the industry for excellence in salesmanship.
We reached out to the owner of the company where the on-site was held, Matt Rick, for commentary. He has been in the HVAC industry for 30 years and has worked on everything from refrigeration, commercial, new construction, and residential service maintenance and replacements. For the past 16 years or so, he has been primarily in residential work.
“I have learned to be successful the hard way, through trial and error,” Rick shared. “I heard about Gene Slade and Sales Ninja on a podcast, and I felt that we had very similar views and opinions when it comes to client interactions. I ended up scheduling a Zoom call with Gene, and within a week, I decided to move forward with onsite training. This was not an easy decision due to the initial investment cost, especially being this was the slowest time of the year for us — February — with cash flow being at a yearly low.
“I decided to take the leap and invest in the training opportunity. I had all my guys listen to the podcast episode and buy into the opportunity to better themselves and our clients. The overwhelming feedback from my guys has been nothing short of great. I was able to meet with Gene and Britney Slade outside of the training classes and was able to build a very strong relationship that will last. Looking forward to continuing to see my guys’ success increase!”
The training covered a comprehensive range of topics, from customer engagement and retention strategies to exact scripts for sales efficiency. The choice of conducting the training on-site was strategic, allowing Slade to immerse himself in the company’s environment and tailor his training to their specific needs and challenges.
Weeks after the on-site, Rick let Slade know that he ordered $300k worth of supplies for his team to keep up with demand brought on by their new sales skills.
As the HVAC industry continues to evolve, the demand for skilled sales teams that can navigate the complexities of the market and connect effectively with clients is at an all-time high. Slade’s latest training endeavor in Louisiana is a testament to his commitment to meeting this demand, fostering growth, and instilling a culture of continuous improvement among sales teams in the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical sector.
As companies look to the future, the importance of robust sales training tailored to the unique demands of the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical industries cannot be overstated. Slade’s work in Louisiana is a shining example of how focused, on-site training can make a significant difference in a company’s trajectory. With Slade’s guidance, the team is now better positioned to tackle the challenges ahead and achieve new heights in customer satisfaction and sales performance. Plus, Slade keeps himself available to advise and troubleshoot after the on-site if needed.
Want to schedule Slade to personally overhaul your HVAC, plumbing, and/or electrical sales team? Start by attending a mansion event! Check out more info here: https://www.leadninjahvac.com/mastermind
About Gene Slade
Gene Slade, CEO of Lead Ninja System, is a pioneering force in the realm of AI outbound sales, sales training, and business development. With a steadfast commitment to empowering professionals in the HVAC, plumbing, and electrical trades, Lead Ninja AI offers transformative AI packages that revolutionize the way business owners approach sales and growth through personalized responses, unlimited memory and recall, and total versatility. For more information, please visit leadninjaai.com and https://leadninjasystem.com/
Published by: Martin De Juan
