Quick Sales vs. Big Projects: Understanding the Difference

There are some Nigerian business people or some sales people who have sold or done business in one particular sector in the past and they're currently trying to transition to a new field presently. And because they were successful at selling in the old thing, they just assume that they're going to be successful in selling in the new thing. And that is what we are going to be examining today. In particular, what we're going to be looking at is selling jeans versus selling solar.

Are they the same? Is there any difference? The fact that you have been successful selling in fashion, does that mean you're going to be successful selling when it comes to solar and inverter, electrical fittings, you know, circuit boards, all those kinds of things? So excuse me, I'm still recovering from a sore throat. Now, some of you might wonder, where is this coming from? The reason why we're talking about this today is because one of my clients is currently trying to put together a sales team for his business.

He's in the solar space and we're interviewing a lot of candidates and we've gotten some promising people and some interesting applications. And one of them was from a lady who had sold in fashion. She had done a good job. In fact, the example that we were using when I wanted to role play with her just so that I can, By the way, when we're talking about sales, you know, role play means something entirely different. You know, just in case there's some of you who know the adult connotations of role play.

But then when we talk about role-playing in business, we just mean, you know, we act a drama. One of us pretends to be the buyer, another person pretends to be the seller. And then the sales coach, the consultant, the trainer gets to assess, you know, how well the other person is is doing. So there's a tool of training that we sales professionals use. So just in case you heard role play and you know, you raised your eyebrows and you're wondering what's going on here.

No be business podcast again. So don't worry, it is a business podcast. role-playing just means something different over here. So we did a role play where we're going to sell jeans and she handled it quite well. But then at the end of the session, towards the end of the interview, you know, she seemed quite sure of herself that because she has been able to sell in fashion successfully, she's going to be able to transition into a career in selling solar as well.

And it's something I've come across again and again. You know, somebody starts a business in fashion and they sell well, Then because of that, they're moving into a new field. Maybe now they want to start a real estate firm and they assume that, OK, I was good at selling fashion, therefore I'm going to be good at selling real estate. Or somebody was a real estate professional maybe for the last decade and they turned out to be very good at it.

But then now they meet somebody who's a tech Co founder and they're going to come in and use their sales expertise and help this thing blue. So the fact that you've been good at selling real estate, does it mean that you're going to be a good Co founder to handle sales for a startup? OK, so those are some of the things that we're going to be looking at today. So can you sell jeans? Can you sell fashion the same way that you can sell solar?

Now, the straightforward answer is that, well, there are some similarities and there are some differences, but the differences have huge implications of how it is that we're going to sell. So First off, yes, there are some similarities in selling jeans or selling fashion and the way you sell solar. First of all, no matter what it is that you sell, you're going to have to do some need analysis. Need analysis is the part of the business relationship, the part of the conversation, the part of the selling relationship where you're trying to figure out who is this person and what exactly do they want?

What exactly do they need and do they have the inventory or the skill set to match that need. The reason why we have to go through all this is because if you're selling jeans and, and the person that you're selling to has a much more American rustic mindset when it comes to fashion, but then all you have is, you know, Uber trendy Nigerian cosmopolitan style choices. You need to find out very quickly who it is that you're talking to.

Because if somebody has a very rustic American sensibility when it comes to genes, then you are not going to. And then what you have is very trendy cosmopolitan stuff in Niger. It doesn't matter the amount of toasting you do. You just don't have what this guy needs or what this lady needs. So you are not going to be able to close the sail there. So you have to be able to do need analysis very quickly. You have to be able to do need analysis very early.

So it's the same thing in solar when you're talking to somebody and the person needs a solar installation. You have to be able to narrow down quickly what exactly does this person want? Do they want solar because, you know, for residential purposes they don't want it because, you know, official purposes, you know, what kind of setup do they need? You know, things like that. Because there are going to be some projects that will be beyond your scope.

Like for instance, also Rock has been in the news recently because of course, you know, now NEPA has been misbehaving, power has been terrible. The generation companies have not been, is it the generation companies that be the gas companies? Any which ratio never they misbehave anyhow. Anyhow, anyhow, and I think the presidency just concluded earlier on in the year a 10 billion naira project, at least according to what I saw in Vanguard newspaper, a 10 billion naira project, you know, just to have a mini mini solar grid in also rock.

So if you do solar, but you don't provide those kinds of things, you know, mini grids capable of powering also rock, you know, a 10 billion naira project and somebody you're talking to somebody you need to be able to figure out exactly who is this person? What do they want? Do I have the inventory? Do I have the skill set? Can I satisfy this client? So we need to do need analysis early. So yes, in that sense, if you have sold jeans before or if you've sold fashion before, OK,

you do have some skills that are going to come in handy when it comes to selling solar. Then also some similarities because the lady figured out, and I'm glad she did because there are lots of you business owners and sales people who are listening right now who have not figured this thing out. The lady figured out that it's a good idea when you're talking to somebody to have two or three options on hand, two or three options on ground.

Because when you have two or three options, you can stay in the game, you can stay in the conversation. If you only show somebody one pair of jeans, the answer is either yes or no. And the person says yes, good, you've made some money. If the person says no, so she figured it out. You're talking to somebody. You figure out what it is that they like. You present them with two or three options. You stay in the pocket, you stay in the game, you continue the conversation.

Good, Very good. Oh, sorry, my alarm just went off. OK, sorry about that. I have an appointment in about 10 minutes. So let me just wrap this up. So yes, there are those similarities. The same thing if you're selling solar, You talk to someone, you figure out what their needs are, you can come up with three options. Good, better, best now look for this your office for this your factory for this year whatever. Yes, ideally you should be looking at this kind of setup.

It will cost you maybe this amount just in case money is an issue then at all at all. This is the lowest option should be taken. But Olga, if you have serious bar and you want the ultimate you want the best and then this world should be considering. So if you're talking to somebody in solar sales and as you as you the yarn back and forth, you give her three options. Olga, this one is ideal. If money day, then this is how you go excess.

But you know, if things are rough, then this is the lowest option that should be considering. So yes, whether you sold, if you sold jeans before or fashion before, that kind of mindset of keeping giving people multiple options, yes, it will equip you well for selling in solar. So yeah, those are some of the differences. I'm sure if I think about it a bit, I should be able to come up with even more differences. So I say differences,

similarities. OK, all right, so now let me go to the differences. Now, these are the differences. Unfortunately, selling jeans is a simple sale scenario while selling solar is a complex sale scenario. For those of you who've been listening to the podcast for a while, you already know. But for those of you who are just discovering the podcast for the first time, let me break it down for y'all. So simple sales are items that are affordable.

When something is affordable, the level of risk is low. When the level of risk is low, people know to the contemplate time. Anyhow. So at the end of the day, not just jeans, simple jeans so people can do quick math. I can afford it. I can't afford it. OK, I'm feeling lucky. I want to splurge, you know just simple calculation No, they know what income too much you understand on the other hand, solar it's pricey because it's pricey is risky.

People are thinking or more if I drop 30 M on this project now and anything comfortable, the power requirement is not enough or if this person turns out to be shady or you know, there's a problem here. There's a problem here as all kind of factors that evolve. So when it comes to solar now people good the reason I'm the good they think I'm well. You understand the good deal or hire that not the same way if you sell jeans if his jeans is just a matter of oh, is this in sweet I be you know, sweet.

Do the children like it? I be they don't like it or does my wife like it? My wife doesn't like it. You know simple consideration 123 before you know it, if money did the guy don't buy But for solar, even if the money day you know the goody hesitant small because they're trying to figure out exactly what is going on. So genes simple solar complex then the decision making matrix is different for genes. Now it's a very simple something I am here.

I don't like these genes or I'm not OK, My wife is here. She either likes it or she's not. We can talk quickly and we can buy for solar because of the risk where they involved and the serious bar where they involved, the man who is standing there who wants to buy solar, You go on check with Madam first, who knows, maybe even check with the accountant first. Can we afford this kind of expenditure right now? You know, or the woman who is there, you know, should go on check with her husband or check with her own accountant if it's a business expense.

You see, the decision making matrix is a lot different, more people to consider and different considerations. Now, because of the decision making matrix, relationship building is not necessary when it comes to genes. They either have the money or they don't. If they have the money, they'll just buy and then they will leave you who are sending the genes. If you are smart, you try and put them into a relationship. If you are smart, but then on the other hand, for solar,

because it's a complicated something, relationship building is a necessity. They were the one flow which you talk to you not because they're looking for friends, but they're trying to fill you out. Is this person a good person? Is this person a bad person? Is this person, you know, they're trying to fill you out. It's a necessity also because risk mitigation and agile we do, if anything happened and there's any single fumble, any single air fob anywhere, they want to know that, OK, this is the guy,

this is where he is. So that when they will call police or they will call soldier, you know, they'll concentrate your house or concentrate your office. So relationship building is a necessity, is a way of doing risk mitigation. So there are differences for genes, simple. For solar, it is complex. So for genes, you don't have too many things to consider. For solar, you have a lot of things to consider. Now, what are the implications?

The implications are very simple when you're in a simple sales scenario now, like for genes, you can have the attitude of take it or leave it. And I've told you guys on the podcast, the Shop that my wife and I entered. So let me check the time. OK, So I'm not late. So the shop that me and my wife entered and then the lady was like please, if you're not buying, go. And I was I was like what the hell is wrong with this lady?

My wife was laughing. I said let's go, let's go, let's leave. And I predicted that the shop will close down that the girl ruined the business for Olga and officer for our dam and she did. But The thing is in that kind of thing, you know, yeah, you can actually sell like that. Look, are you buying or you're not buying? You can't have that kind of tissue in solar. Then also begging when you're in a simple sale, you can beg someone to buy from you.

So I see * I beg now follow me, come by. See these jeans. Now it is sweet, it's nice, you know, blah, blah, blah. Low court Lowrider this dot dot dot dot. So begging can work when it comes to soda. You can say, Olga, follow me, come by, or Madam, follow me, come by. You can, you can use that. You can use that kind of scope at all. So when you're in a complex hill, you have to be consultative. Now all that means is you guys to be a consultant, pretend you're a doctor, and then you have to stretch out the hills,

process, choreograph it over different steps, and then be prepared for a long cycle, a long sales cycle. A sales cycle is just the difference between when somebody says what's up, when somebody says how far, how much does this thing cost? And then the time that the person transfer you the money. So for jeans, the sales cycle is quick, quick, quick, you know, minutes, maybe even days. Somebody will hit you up on your DM today.

Do you have these jeans? How much you know, before you know, it's 2-3 days they don't pay, that's it. Or 2-3 days they've ghosted you. The whole thing is over. Solar is a different thing entirely. You can start testing with somebody in January. Maybe the person buys the solar machine in February, or maybe they buy much longer sale cycle. So prepare for a longer sale cycle. So for those of you who are started off in a simple sales scenario, you're about to transition to a complex sale scenario.

Just know that there's some differences and be prepared. So if you are considering a carrier transition or you're transitioning, you know, from one business to another, you need to reason this thing out with somebody. Give me a call, call me, text me, send me a WhatsApp message on 08064662140. Let's have a chat. Let's see how you can transition from selling simple sales scenarios into complex sales scenarios. So thanks for your time and attention.

I've got to run so I don't get late for my meeting. I'll catch you all some other time.