A while back, I vividly recall a sweltering afternoon in Sacramento when a long-shot client slammed the door on my proposal—a classic gut-punch for any HVAC sales pro. Now, instead of moping or reaching for the comfort of cold pizza, I flipped the playbook. What if losing the deal held the secret to my next big win? That was the summer I stopped dreading the follow-up call and started using it as my secret weapon. This post is for anyone who’s ever walked away empty-handed and wondered, ‘Could I have done better?’
1. The Myth of Finality: Why ‘No’ Is Just the Start (Not the End)
In HVAC sales, it’s easy to view a lost deal as the end of the road. But the truth is, “no” is rarely final. In fact, the deal’s never really dead unless you stop asking smart questions. Every lost sale is an opportunity to refine your follow up strategies and gain insights that can unlock future growth. The concept of “closure” is often misleading—what feels like a closed door is actually a window into what your customers value most.
Rejection: A Hidden Source of Growth
Rather than seeing rejection as failure, treat it as a chance to gather genuine client feedback and learn about client decision drivers. Consistent and timely sales follow-up after a lost estimate is one of the most effective ways to maximize future HVAC sales opportunities. As Scott Bell puts it,
“If they’re willing to talk to you, this is a fact-finding mission. This is a sales process for you and it could be highly profitable.”
Anecdote: The Call That Changed Everything
Consider this: I once made an awkward follow-up call after losing a proposal. The customer had chosen a competitor, and I almost didn’t bother reaching out. But when I did, I discovered the competitor had offered a bundled maintenance plan I hadn’t mentioned. That single insight changed my pitch forever—and led to a new offering that closed deals for months to come. This is the hidden potential behind every lost sale.
Three Critical Questions to Ask (Besides Price)
It’s common to hear, “the other guy had a better price.” But price is rarely the only factor. You have about 90 seconds before most customers lose patience on a follow-up call, so keep it concise and focused. Limiting yourself to three questions increases the chance of a candid answer. Try these:
- What could I have done better?
- Did you believe what I shared?
- What would need to be true for us to work together in the future?
These questions dig deeper into customer feedback and reveal what truly drives their decisions. Listen carefully for rants or passion—customer emotion is market research gold, as long as you don’t get defensive.
Setting the Right Tone: Temperament Over Script
Your attitude during follow-up matters more than any script. Never go in defensive or frustrated. If you hear, “We already went with someone else,” resist the urge to argue or show disappointment. Instead, approach the call as a genuine conversation. This not only increases the likelihood of honest feedback, but also leaves the door open for future opportunities.
Remember, every “no” is the start of a new fact-finding mission. With the right follow up strategies and a focus on learning, you turn lost deals into stepping stones for real growth.
2. Getting Over Yourself: How Letting Go of Ego Leads to Sales Growth
One of the most difficult steps in sales improvement is recognizing that your own habits—especially the ones you don’t notice—can hold you back more than any competitor or price objection. For years, I didn’t realize that talking over customers was costing me more deals than high prices ever did. I thought my job was to be entertaining, to fill the silence, and to “sell” by telling. But the truth is, sales growth starts when you let go of your ego and listen—really listen—to what clients are saying, and what your own patterns reveal.
When Feedback Stings: The Power of Honest Reflection
It took direct, sometimes uncomfortable feedback for me to realize that I was consistently cutting people off. Multiple clients and even a sales coach pointed it out, but I resisted at first. After all, nobody likes to hear they’re the problem. But the reality is, if you hear the same feedback from several sources—whether it’s about over-talking, not explaining technical details clearly, or coming across as pushy—there’s probably truth to it. In fact, research suggests you should believe about 80% of what you hear from disgruntled clients, even if they’re having a bad day. That 80% ‘believability’ factor helps you separate valuable signals from the noise.
Why Recording Your Sales Presentations is a Game Changer
One of the most effective sales techniques for self-improvement is recording your sales presentations—with permission, of course. While it can feel awkward (and even a little cringe-worthy) to listen to yourself, this practice is becoming a best practice in sales coaching and training. When you review your own calls or meetings, you become hyper-aware of patterns that undermine trust—like talking over customers, using jargon, or failing to answer technical questions about things like compressors. This self-awareness is the first step to real sales growth.
- Tip: If you don’t have access to a sales coach, ask a trusted colleague to listen to your recordings or do a ride-along. Fresh ears catch what you miss.
- Pro Insight: Sales presentation recording is emerging as a must-have tool for sales improvement and coaching. It’s not just about catching mistakes—it’s about building new, better habits.
The Value of Sales Coaching, Ride-Alongs, and Client Feedback
Sales coaching and ride-alongs provide an outside perspective that’s hard to get on your own. A good coach will spot the commonalities in your approach—like personality mismatches or lack of trust in technical explanations—and help you address them. Even if you’re a “work in progress,” as I often remind myself, the willingness to accept and act on tough feedback is what separates top performers from the rest.
Sometimes it takes some effort, right? I’m a work in progress.
Mental Tricks to Stay Open
- Assume most negative feedback contains a useful clue—even if it’s hard to hear.
- Ask for specifics: “Can you point out exactly where I lost you in my explanation?”
- Remind yourself: Sales improvement is a journey, not a destination.
Letting go of ego and embracing feedback—especially the tough kind—will unlock more sales growth than any script or discount ever could. Use sales coaching, sales presentation recording, and client feedback as your roadmap to better results.
3. Fast, Focused, and Fearless: Rethinking Your HVAC Sales Follow-Up
When it comes to HVAC sales tips, few strategies are as powerful—or as underused—as the fast, focused follow-up after a lost deal. The moments right after a customer says “no” are your golden window. Research and industry sources show that proactively following up on every lost estimate can increase revenue recovery by 20-30% from unsold proposals. But the clock is ticking: you have about 90 seconds before the customer’s interest fades and your chance to learn vanishes.
Why Speed Matters: The 90-Second Window
Speed is your secret weapon. As soon as you know a deal is lost, pick up the phone. Start with a simple, direct approach: “Hey, I’ve got 90 seconds—besides price, what could we have done differently?” This quick, respectful opener signals that you value their time and feedback, not just their business. If price was the only issue, you’ll know immediately. If not, you’ve opened the door to real insight.
Develop a Go-To Sales Script: Three Questions, Zero Time Wasted
Successful sales follow-up isn’t about grilling the customer. It’s about asking the right questions—no more than three—to keep the conversation brisk and productive. Here’s a proven customer service phone script template:
- “Besides price, what could we have done differently?”
- “Did you believe what I shared with you?”
- “Would you mind sharing where I lost you?”
Three is the magic number: ask more, and most clients become impatient. This script helps you get to the heart of the matter fast, whether the answer is “the other proposal had clearer financing” or “you lost me on heat exchangers.”
Real-World Feedback: What You’ll Actually Hear
Be ready for honest, sometimes blunt feedback. You might hear:
- “You lost me on compressors.”
- “I didn’t understand the zoning explanation.”
- “The proposal timing didn’t work for me.”
Each answer is a clue you can use to improve your next pitch. Specific feedback like “better proposal timing” or “missed zoning explanation” can often be fixed next time.
Celebrate the Courage to Ask
Celebrate that you’re doing what other salespeople won’t—this is uncomfortable.
Most salespeople hang up and move on, missing out on valuable learning. By asking for feedback, you’re setting yourself apart. It takes courage to hear the truth, but every call is a step toward mastery.
Wild Card: Would You Pass the Mystery Shopper Test?
Imagine if every follow-up call were graded by a mystery shopper. Would you stay focused, ask the right questions, and take notes? Committing to consistent note-taking after each rejection uncovers long-term patterns you can actually use. Treat every lost sale as a fast-paced feedback sprint—you’re racing the clock but banking insights for the long game.
With these follow up strategies and sales scripts, you’ll transform lost deals into your most valuable learning opportunities—and unlock real growth in your HVAC business.
4. Lessons from the Trenches: Transform Rejections into Revenue
Rejection stings, but for HVAC sales professionals, it’s also a powerful catalyst for real growth. The difference between average and top-performing techs often comes down to what you do after a customer says “no.” If you’re willing to dig into lost deals, you’ll find the gold that most salespeople never touch—insights that can transform your sales process, boost your close rates, and turn setbacks into future wins.
Let’s start with a story from the field. Not long ago, I lost a deal because a customer was brutally honest about my contract templates. She told me, “Your paperwork is confusing, and I don’t feel comfortable signing.” At first, it stung. But instead of brushing it off, I asked for specifics, took detailed notes, and spent a weekend redesigning my contracts for clarity. The result? Three new deals closed the next quarter, all from clients who complimented the straightforward paperwork. That’s the power of listening to tough feedback and using it to fuel your sales improvement.
Most techs and salespeople shy away from these uncomfortable conversations. It’s human nature to avoid criticism, especially when it feels personal. But those moments of discomfort are where the real learning happens. When a client tells you why they chose a competitor, or why they didn’t trust your recommendation, they’re handing you the keys to a better sales script and a more persuasive pitch. Celebrate these moments—they’re rare, and most in the industry never get this kind of actionable feedback.
To turn rejection into revenue, you need a process. Start by taking notes after every lost deal. What did the client say? Where did the conversation go off track? Segment your sales list so you can track patterns—are certain objections coming up repeatedly? Use this information to tweak your follow-up scripts and proposals. Over time, you’ll see your conversion rates climb as your approach becomes more targeted and responsive to real-world objections.
Don’t go it alone. There are outstanding sales training resources available to help you sharpen your skills and stay ahead of the competition. Industry platforms like sellingtechnicians.com offer proven strategies and peer support, while the hvacse.com email publication delivers exclusive tips, private coaching opportunities, and deep dives you won’t find in public forums. These resources are designed to help you organize client feedback, refine your sales scripts, and continually improve your process.
In the end, every “no” is a chance to get better. By embracing feedback, tracking your results, and leveraging industry support, you’ll transform rejection into a powerful engine for growth. The best HVAC salespeople aren’t the ones who never hear “no”—they’re the ones who learn from it, adapt, and come back stronger. Make every lost deal count, and you’ll unlock real, lasting revenue growth.
TL;DR: When you lose a deal, don’t bury your head—dig for clues. Ask sharp questions, listen with humility, and treat every ‘no’ as the start of a smarter sales approach. Consistent, thoughtful follow-up can turn rejection into your most valuable sales training—if you let it.