Author: scott@aries711.com

Let’s be honest, most ‘sales training’ feels like being handed an umbrella in a hurricane—it’s helpful, sure, but you’re still getting drenched. Years ago, after totally botching a Monday morning service call because someone cut me off in traffic, I realized fixing my own mood was more important than memorizing the perfect pitch. If you’ve…

I’ll never forget my first week on the job as a rookie HVAC tech: sweaty, nervous, and thinking more about which wrench to grab than the weight of the decisions I’d face. Then, boom—on day three, my manager asked me to “push a lead” even if I wasn’t sure the customer needed it. Suddenly, my…

A few years ago, I nearly bought a washing machine I didn’t need—simply because the salesperson’s nervous energy made me feel awkward enough to almost say yes, just to escape. If that’s never happened to you, consider yourself lucky (or very good at spotting the warning signs). In HVAC sales, this sort of high-pressure encounter…

Not long ago, I found myself fumbling through a sales pitch so badly I wish I could’ve hit rewind like on an old VHS tape. Truth is, you (and most HVAC sales pros) have more in common with movie stars and athletes than you’d think. Both live in the spotlight, whether under stage lights or…

Let me take you back to my rookie days in HVAC sales—nervous, sweaty palms and all. I remember confidently declaring an elderly furnace as ‘doomed’ based on its crusty exterior alone. Turns out, my first boss—let’s call him Dave—had that thing running smoother than my coffee maker. Lesson learned: looks deceive, assumptions burn, and the…

Let me tell you about the time I tried to sell my neighbor a backyard pizza oven in the blazing Sacramento summer. Trust me—when folks have doubts, it’s less about price and more about the conversation. Whether you’re selling air conditioners or solar panels, you know objections can sneak up out of nowhere, turning what…

Picture this: You’re in someone’s living room—repair toolkit at your feet, contract in your bag, and suddenly the conversation drifts into a spaghetti versus tacos debate. Sound familiar? Many HVAC professionals get stuck here, confusing relationship-building for productive selling. But what if sticking too long in this comfort zone is actually hurting your chances to…

Have you ever set out to smash a personal sales record or grow your HVAC business, only to find the universe hurling obstacles your way like a rogue HVAC unit? I still remember the day I landed my first ‘big fish’ commercial install—right after my car battery died, my phone kept buzzing with family drama,…

One day, I found myself in a sweltering attic in Sacramento, sweat soldering copper while silently negotiating the price of cold air. That’s when I realized—the real secret to HVAC sales isn’t what’s in the toolbox, but what’s in your head and heart. This post isn’t your standard ‘smile and sell’ spiel; instead, I’m sharing…

Years ago, I found myself waiting in the back of a cluttered HVAC van, the kind with just enough seat space for a toolbox and an over-ambitious lunch. My phone buzzed: yet another job offer. But this one posed a real question—do you pick the tight-knit culture of a small HVAC company, or the tempting…