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Solar Sales Uncensored
Solar Sales Uncensored
Unlock the Secret to the Best Quality Solar Leads Now
Brace yourselves as we unravel the relentless solar odyssey of R. Craig Blume, a sales titan who switched gears from selling windows and doors to dominating the solar arena! In this electrifying episode of Solar Sales Uncensored, we're tearing down the curtain to reveal the no-holds-barred narrative of how Craig catapulted into the solar sector, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Immerse yourself in the vibrant realm of referral groups with Craig, who unveils the collaborative dynamics of being a trailblazer representing your industry in such circles. It's a challenging yet rewarding arena, and Craig’s got the insider scoop on how to navigate the terrain and emerge victorious.
The stakes get higher as we venture into the goldmine of live event prospecting. Craig's battle-hardened insights from the frontlines of various shows are nothing short of a treasure trove for anyone hungry to ink lucrative deals in the solar sector.
We're not stopping there! Hold onto your seats as Craig breaks down his arsenal of lead-generation and sales-boosting strategies. This is a masterclass on networking, maximizing vendor relationships, and crafting an elevator pitch that’s nothing short of a home run.
As we blaze through the episode, Craig throws open his playbook on leveraging LinkedIn and Facebook for brand building, dishing out a goldmine of tactics to connect with prospects and skyrocket your solar brand.
We're wrapping up with Craig’s audacious vision of giving back to the solar community, a call to arms for every listener to contribute to the solar saga. This isn’t just a podcast episode; it’s a clarion call for solar aficionados to seize the reins and propel the industry to stratospheric heights.
Hungry for solar success? Thirsty for actionable insights from a seasoned solar sage? This episode is your ticket to the big leagues. Hit subscribe on Solar Sales Uncensored, and get ready to rumble with industry juggernauts like R. Craig Blume!
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Hello, welcome to another episode of Solar Sales Uncensored. I am your host, aaron Browning, and I am excited for another super strong episode with my good friend, mr Craig Bloom. Before I bring him up onto the studio stage, I want to give his quick background. He also is a business partner of mine. He's absolutely killing it. Anytime I want to see him, I have to go to a networking event, because that is where he spends his days, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. He is the king of live events, whether that's recruiting events to build his team or, in my opinion, what he does at a really high level is selling solar through live events. We're going to take a deep dive on everything events, everything, networking with what I call the hardest working man in solar, without further ado, craig, how the heck are you my friend? Hi, aaron.
Speaker 2:Thanks, brother, I really appreciate you inviting me on.
Speaker 1:I'm excited, excited to do this 100%. I think it's going to be a lot of fun, man. It's going to be a lot of fun For our audience that hasn't had the privilege of meeting you yet. Do you mind giving your quick? I don't know two minute background and how you got introduced to solar yeah, sure, sure.
Speaker 2:Look, I've been in the sales game for a while. I joined Grant Cardone. I was focusing in the room that no, grant Cardone, the 10X right Was part of his accelerator program and I was on a breakout session and I met the fellow by the name of Bill Conley. Anybody know that name?
Speaker 2:I do Bill Conley is my mentor. He's based in California. Bill introduced this to me a little over two years ago and I was working a full daytime job then. I was selling windows and doors for Renau Bay Anderson. So basically what I did is I came to as of I guess November 1 is really when I started this full time. I had a little forgive me. A come to Jesus meeting is how I kind of refer to it that look, if I'm the Michael Jordan of selling windows and doors for Renau Bay Anderson, can I make a bigger impact? Can I make more money doing that, or am I better off in solar? I think everyone on this call now knows the answer to that. I am full time in solar and there is no greater industry than what we're in right now. Aaron Fully believe it.
Speaker 1:So I've heard you say that and I love that. Paint a better picture. If you don't mind, man, For someone who is and a lot of our audience isn't in solar yet what do you mean by that? Really, if you don't mind actually sharing details, Absolutely. If you were the best at that former company doing windows and doors, what are you making?
Speaker 2:So the best of that company. You're probably cracking at minimally. Six figures, three to 500,000 is what the average person makes there. Could you make upwards to seven figures? Yeah, there's a couple of what in the company doing that and there are plenty of folks doing that here in our particular company in power. Right, so there's really no, it's a no brainer. I said to myself look the trifecta. Am I getting at this at the right time? Yes, absolutely. Am I in the right industry? Yes, absolutely. This industry is just getting started. We're in the cusp of going viral. This thing is, it's just wild. And so, right industry, right time, right company, absolutely out of the right company.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I love it. We talk on many episodes about the timing For my real estate days. I've impished a lot of opportunities and unfortunately, the timing on almost all of them is off, meaning it's already passed. I have to be honest, I think we're at that tipping point. I think the solar speak is they're saying you know between three and 4% market share. I'll speak for you and I, because we actually are in the same area in Virginia and Maryland. I think we're below 2%. So timing, I just I couldn't echo that enough. Okay, so he hit you up. You respected him from the Grant Cardone. The Ted Exeter community is strong. I've been a part of that as well, which I didn't know about you. That's awesome. What did that conversation look like? Was it? Did it leverage a video? Would you have to explain everything? So did you instantly get?
Speaker 2:it. Yeah, I know, I mean, look, I dabbled many years ago in solar with a local firm when I was selling copying machines. That was my. I did that for three decades. I retired out of the copying industry in December of 2019 and then went into a couple of different things and then renelled by Anderson.
Speaker 2:So when Bill and I were on that breakout session, he pitched the solar and I was interested in it. Right, I know it's, it's coming, it's been. People have been talking about this thing. I wasn't able to give it my all, but so we need to plug in. You needed to be part of the meetings and be in a B&I referral group or do the exhibits and the things that I like to do, get myself.
Speaker 2:After. I wasn't able to do it. My hands were tied. So a lot of folks will come into this particular industry and they'll come in part time and and I get it and that's okay. Right, if that's your MO, that's what works for you, do it. But for me, I couldn't plug in, so it was frustrating for me. Bill was like Craig, you're jumping on a meeting. Then he bill, I can't. I mean, I'm meeting, I've got, I got appointments all day. I I'm working seven days a week selling windows. I when do I plug into this? Didn't have time. When I made the the, I furthered it the oh gosh, yeah. What's the fella does to talk? Show the gosh hate this. He jumps off the cliff. Right, you jump off the cliff. I did so. I literally jumped off the clip and I've never looked back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's some really good point too. A whole episode on that is is the part-time warriors? Um, 13 years in real estate, believe me, we are just filled to the brim of part timers. It's really hard. I started part-time too, so I totally get it. There's no judgment if that's what your schedule allows, but you got to be really purposeful with the part-time hours you're giving any industry, especially solar real estate, where you're trying to service a client at a high level man, and I love that. You too realized that that by leaning in, by getting around that campfire that's what I call it. Um, hearing the stories, learning, honing your skills on the craft, even though you had a vast sales experience, it changes everything, of course, changes everything for you. Okay, so fast forward to now. Were you always successful in the other sales jobs by doing live events and that sort of thing, or was it brand new for you here?
Speaker 2:Yes, A little bit of that. Look, I also had a medical company. My mother invented an OBGYN gown and I traveled around the country for about 10 years actually going to.
Speaker 1:What have you done.
Speaker 2:I'm telling you, bro, been doing a couple of things, and so I had experience doing trade shows, and so that was part of that. And so when I sold that for the copying machines for advanced business systems, we would, we would have the shows at the office in product center. In fact, that's how I got the job. I went to the convention center downtown Baltimore before the internet was going on and I passed out resumes and you couldn't look up a company. You could go to the library and maybe try to find out who the company was. But so I joined 40 years ago in that industry. So fast forward to today, it's a whole different ballgame. So, yeah, I have done some of these things, being successful in sales. I was the top guy at advanced, the copier company, for a couple of decades and so was was doing well, and they kept saying, craig, the industry is going to change, you need to look at something else. Now I'm fine, I'm doing fine. It happened overnight.
Speaker 1:And people say yeah.
Speaker 2:So look, aaron, what I would like to say is we're lucky. We're lucky as people if we're able to find one opportunity in life like this one life-changing opportunity, and if you're really lucky you'll get two. But the reality is, the universe is tapping you on the shoulder. Here it is, here's an opportunity. This is going to change our lives. It's going to change a lot of people's lives on this industry. Right, and you either accept it, you recognize it, you understand it, you're prepared, you're in the right place at the right time. Is that luck? No, you're just prepared. You see it, you go for action, action, right, action. Walk through the door, open it up, let's go.
Speaker 1:It's funny on the action piece man. I do a lot of team building. I love recruiting, I love blessing people with this amazing opportunity that is solar, especially with our company. Most people when they see it, they take action, they get it and they jump all in. Oh my gosh, I saw enough. Like how do I start? You'll run into a few and I want to call it 25, 30%, perhaps maybe as high as 35, who are like I got to review it. I need more information. Guys and gals, the opportunities in front of you, you freaking jump all in. The best people that I've been in business with, whether it's solar, real estate, whatever else I was doing, they took massive action, to Craig's point, massive, freaking action.
Speaker 1:You don't need to have all the answers You're going to figure it out later but for those of you sitting on the sideline who have been listening to the podcast for several months, solar Sound's interesting. Do I do it? You're already missing, like you're already missing out, freaking. Jump in A couple of things. You said B&I. It amazes me how few solar professionals are actually a part of B&I. Can you give a bird's eye view of what B&I is and how it works?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I find that kind of strange because the B&I is something that I really enjoy. So B&I is an acronym for business network international. It is an international. I call it a leads group or referral group, and the interesting thing is you meet once a week, right, and so when you look at these groups and you look at who's in the groups, there's a realtor, there's a roofer, there's an insurance guy, there's a lawyer, there's all different verticals and you first come in and go wait a minute, that's really not the connection that I'm looking for when I'm trying to sell solar.
Speaker 2:But these people own homes and they know people that own homes and anyone who owns a home is a prospect. And guess what? There's 86 million homes yet to go untapped. It's untapped folks Untapped, hello, hello. So when I sit in front of a homeowner and I explain this presentation, they go Craig, that's amazing, that's amazing. Why isn't everyone doing this? And I say because I can't sit in front of 86 million people all at the same time. So that's what we're doing this podcast, aaron. We're going to help as many people as we can up front. Here's the cliff notes. It works, it makes sense.
Speaker 1:I love it. How long have you been in B&I for solar?
Speaker 2:So B&I look. So I've been in, for I joined for two years and so November will be like I said I started. November one really officially jumped off the ledge and came lock, stock and barrel. That's when I joined B&I. And then there's a fee for that right, and so what B&I does the philosophy is givers game, meaning that it's not hey me, give me leads. I'm providing leads to the other partners in the B&I and there's 25 people in the group, so I'm basically I've got 25 other salespeople that know my business almost as well as I do, because every week we give our 30 seconds.
Speaker 2:Here's what I'm doing, here's what's going on, here's the market trends. I'm educating my people. So when they walk in and they're doing their business, they're selling insurance. There's a roofer guy, this type of thing. When they're out doing their job, if any of these triggers happen, they instantly know to pass that to me and then it's a warm referral, it's not a hey, I know a guy. I know someone here Call Bob. Does Bob know you? I heard Bob saying he wanted to go solar. They know Bob and Bob's their friend and Bob just bought a house from them and so now they're saying you need to meet Craig and a lot of times it's an introduction. So they're layups and I'm saying that to be derogatory in any stretch. You still earn the business and you help the homeowner, but you have a much better relationship coming to the table through B&I. So I did that, I joined. Can I unpack that for a second? Please go ahead.
Speaker 1:It's important. Yeah, so I learned this in real estate. For those watching the video portion of this versus the traditional podcast almost view a triangle. And so you have the person in the B&I group that is facilitating the referral, you have Craig on the left and you have the lead on the right. It's a triangle of love, if you will, of service. So Craig does not want to let down the referral partner, so he's going to give 110% to that lead. Here's the magic part that people don't talk about. The lead doesn't want to let their friend down, so he's going to. He or she is going to be super polite, super receptive to what Craig is doing. So all three people are trying to serve each other at a really high level. That is what makes that warm handoff.
Speaker 1:I think it just fire versus chasing leads. Where you don't have that, You're not edified, you weren't lifted up. Another thing you mentioned too and I want to make sure we're clear on this two things. One is what is the fee in a second? The second one I want to make sure that people really get this there's only one person per field or per industry in that group. Yep, yeah, is that correct, Do you?
Speaker 2:want to touch on that. Yeah, so that is a requirement, right? So there's only one person per each vertical. So there can only be one solar sales person in the B&I group, right? One Rufa, one insurance guy. Now, insurance is different, there'll be life insurance, anyway. So you get the idea. It's a vertical, right? Yeah, so that's how that works. And so the fees. You asked about that. So if you join for and the fees are changing as we speak right now, but it's about 750 to join for one year I spent about 13, almost 1400 to join for two years, and it was actually it was 13 because it was a little bit of a discount to join for two years. And look, this is my industry, why one year? Look, I'll join for 15 because I'm in this game.
Speaker 1:And talk about money. Part of the reason we launched this podcast is to get solar pros and I use that word sometimes loosely. Unfortunately, it's to treat it like a business. Sometimes it takes money to make money. In fact, most of the time, my friends, $700, roundup to $800, average commission at our company is how much 7,000, per individual 7,000.
Speaker 1:If you would not spend $800 to make $7,000, and that's just if you closed one in a 12 month period. Go ahead and end the podcast. My friends, You're at the wrong place. You're not cut out to be a business owner. I'm sorry for the real talk, but it's real talk. Those, any best practices that you've learned along the way for B&I and any mistakes you made that you had to pivot.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's. I appreciate you asking that question too, aaron, because look, when we came on board as a company, we sell in 22 states around the country. We sell virtually, so you pick the states where you want to be in. So B&I is all over the country. So what I did initially, when I first came on board with the B&Is, I thought you know what? I want to be in Texas, I want to be in Phoenix, I want to be in Florida, I want to be in Massachusetts, I want to be in New Jersey, delaware, I want to be in all these states. So what I did was I then I went to the B&I network. I researched the chapters that meet in Delaware or there are chapters that meet in Florida and I searched through and found chapters that had her, had a realtor in the audience, folks that we really want to join HIPPS with, and then so I sat on their meetings virtually. And then what I did was I peeled out the realtor and I peeled out the mortgage person and I scheduled one-to-ones with them. So I would sit in a meeting with 35 people that didn't know me from Adam. I present who I am, what I'm doing, and then I peel off the ones that had the closest connection to what I'm doing, and I scheduled a one-to-one so I started doing that and doing it rather rapidly. Let's say I would do two or three a week, which took a lot of bandwidth, a lot of time.
Speaker 2:What I discovered, aaron, was going back to square one, that when you're in this B&I you're developing a relationship, right, and so if you're not in front of someone every week saying the same thing, you almost feel like you're just repeating the same thing. But it's crazy in the memory if you meet someone and the next day you forget their name. And so every week they just hit Craig Bloom. I'm Craig Bloom, this is what I'm doing, craig Bloom's. I'm leading the national expansion for the fastest growing residential solar company in the United States. That's my opening statement. Everyone in the room could say it, they could repeat it back to me. They probably hear it at night in their sleep because I say it every time. But so that's what we do and so that's that repetitive nature that puts us in the forefront of their mind when a trigger happens, and it's the relationship. And they want to help Craig Bloom and I want to help them.
Speaker 2:That's the B&I I did try, like I said, going into the other states. I still do some of that. I'm just not doing it at the level that I was, because I didn't get as much traction, to be perfectly honest, right. So it's when you're in person reinforcing those things, a lot of the relationships I have there, and it takes six months. The guy sees me for six months. He can find he's going. Okay, I'll agree to. I'll meet with you now, craig, you're real. You keep coming back. Yep, yep, I'm not going away.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can't force a relationship. It has to be organic to your point.
Speaker 1:That's right. The other thing you said, too, that I think is really important, and once again we did this in real estate. I tell people all the time this solar reminds me of real estate 20 years ago. We're just catching up, which I love. That's the timing that we kicked off with.
Speaker 1:If you're not top of mind and you're referral partner in your client's mind, you're out of mind, and that's a hard one for people to understand. So I like that. You said it takes you saying the same thing every single week and all of a sudden, six months later, someone's oh, you're solar, and you're just like are you kidding me, bro? I've been here every single day telling you you have to be top of mind and then, once you earn that mind share, you have to remain there. Yes, you have to remain there. You do not want to be number two or number three when someone client, referral partner, friend is thinking of a solar professional. And so it takes work, and I love that you referenced that. That it's not, I hate.
Speaker 1:You show up one day and all of a sudden you're going to receive four new proposals or whatever. Cool, it works like that, but that's typically not the rhythm. That's right. Let's transition over to live events. Not that me and I is not live, but that's more about you receiving because you're giving Giver's Gain, by the way, which I love, but live events, this is really what got me excited. I think you do this better than anyone I have met. Can you share some nuggets on why live events are important for your prospecting needs?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So look, aaron, the idea when you come into this platform, you're looking for leads, right? You want to sell solar, right? And how do you do that? There's a plethora of ways to do it and everyone chooses their own way. So I wanted to lead by example. So, as I'm building my team, I'm not going to ask anybody to do anything that I'm not willing to do myself, right? So I've tried, I've done it all. I've knocked on doors. I go to all multiple different leads groups. It was another one this morning. I love this little group I met this morning. But so big shows, right? The?
Speaker 1:Home and Garden.
Speaker 2:Show the big elephant in the room right. So Home and Garden, everyone's going to come. They're going to be looking for solar. So I put my flag up for the Timonium Farrag Rounds here in Maryland. It was a big show. It was over two weekends, it was five business days on the floor, eight hours a day. 40 hours really was on the showroom floor. Now I got over 50 leads by being there and so I've since discovered a lot. We'll talk about that in a minute.
Speaker 2:But so the Humminggarden show. I did that one first, just being there and working the show, and I felt like I was going back to selling my examination gowns because of what I was doing, that kind of thing. And then advanced business systems, gosh, lois, elkin folks she taught us Hulk him in Craig. So you don't sit in the booth, you don't sit down, man, you're out front, you're bringing them in, you're talking to them, you're getting eye contact, you're saying good morning, anything to get them to look at you and look at the booth and look at what you're doing. So if you just sit there remotely and you're half asleep in the booth, people want to walk by you. They're not going to pay any attention.
Speaker 1:So that's. I think a lot of people miss on that too. By the way, I go to a lot of shows, not on the end of working at, like you do I need to step up my game there but I go to a lot of shows to gather information and to also network. But you're right, most are just sitting there thinking that whatever they put up the flag, the giveaway is going to draw everyone in, and that's it. And for most of us, if I didn't go there to see solar, I'm not going to stop Yet. It could have been a future deal. I love that Are all, and this is uncensored man, so hopefully that's okay. Are all shows created equal?
Speaker 2:Not at all why? No, so just because they the different crowd, right, it's a different vibe. When folks are coming to the Home and Garden show, they're looking for things to update their home. Now there were several other solar companies in the mix, right, so you have competition there and had some folks go. Craig, there were six other companies there. That's why I would never do that Really. You don't trust yourself. You don't have enough confidence in yourself that you're not better than them. You can't.
Speaker 1:But it's about you at all. Hell, no.
Speaker 2:Excuse me for the French there, but no, it's a big world out there. This is an untapped market. If you go through the scarcity mindset, you're going to have a tough time with this business man. There's a lot out there that we can help each other. We help each other up. So the other folks I consider them cousins, brothers, right, lift them up. It's a real time industry and no, it doesn't concern me at all because I'm comfortable with my own skin there.
Speaker 1:I know what I am. Yeah, the other thing about competition, though man is and I know it's emerging market here where you and I live I believe competition pushes them back to us without saying our company name and going through like some of the reasons why Almost every time, if not every time, when I talk about the home warranty, the warranty we offer, I don't want to get too specific here, where someone's oh my gosh, the last company was a 20 year, you guys are 30. Like they just helped me sell that job. So I totally agree. And you also said one of my favorite phrases live in abundance, not scarcity. People listening. Adopt that mindset, your whole life will change. It's just a fact. So you mentioned the home and garden show several times. Is that your favorite right now?
Speaker 2:Quite. Honestly, the one that I've been doing probably the most frequently is the Bethesda excuse me, the Bethesda Farmers Market, right? So why Bethesda, maryland? If you Google the 10 richest counties in the country Montgomery County, potomac, maryland Bethesda comes up in the top four. So there's a reason why I put my flag in that area. Now, the Bethesda Farmers Market is an extraordinary one. It's at the Bethesda Elementary School, so I bought all my exhibit materials, my tent, my booth, the whole nine yards. I got a solar panel from our installer and I go pitch my tent right. So in January it was pretty cold. I remember March was pretty windy. My booth almost blew away. I had to put weights on the thing to keep it down. But you're out there and you're meeting people. So I have sold several deals being at the Bethesda Farmers Market. What did that setup cost you?
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I was going to explain that to you. Here's the math it cost me $1,000 to be out there 12 times a year $1,000, right Now we're talking to invest in your business. You have to make that decision. Are you going to do that? Yes, so I invested upfront. I invested December of last year or November, when it was right, and then I knew I was going to get started in January. So I'm at every month, and so what's happened recently is Emmett Summers and I have joined forces together as well on the East Coast the DMV areas, we commonly refer to it and Emmett will come over in the Bethesda Farmers Market and we're working them together. I'm learning from him as well, he's learning from me and we're growing.
Speaker 1:Let's unpack that for a second too. I love the team aspect for live events for two reasons, and there's probably hundreds. One is there are let's just be honest right Uncensored. There are days we're off, Days. I had too much fun the night before, the weather is not great. I'm missing a ball game, missing my kid's thing. My wife is mad at me. Whatever we're at Mojo, my energy is off. Yet all of a sudden I show up and Craig's freaking, bringing it Guess what. I'm not going to let him out. Shine me Like. Energy is contagious. I got to step up and vice versa, I might be that smart plug that Craig needs that day.
Speaker 1:The other one, especially for the newer solar people. Listening is sharing of cost. I know some people and it blows my mind. I'm sorry for being passionate about this. A thousand bucks I don't have a thought. Go figure that piece out. Go sell something you haven't used in your basement in a year. Go fund your startup money. A thousand dollars I can only speak for our company to make an average $7,000. Take home commission Once again. I would do that all day, every day, and that is one sale. They have bigger goals where they're doing multiple sales and event. I don't even want to go through those numbers, but I would just challenge everybody to think bigger. If you got to start with a partner, I can't stress it enough. Thoughts on that.
Speaker 2:No, it's perfect and that's ideal. So you need to invest, spend money to make money. I think that's a common phrase.
Speaker 1:Farmers market, the home of garden show. Any other shows that you've done that you want to do.
Speaker 2:I'm exhibiting this Sunday at a show. It'll be the third time I've done this show. They're called Pathways, the natural living expo. It's going to be in Silver Spring at the Marriott Convention Center, so I'll be there this coming Sunday. What's at the 8th? I believe, yeah, the 8th, from 10 in the morning to 6 pm that night, but I'll post about it. If you're following me on Facebook or LinkedIn, you'll see some stuff about it. But yes, you will.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, yes, you will, we're going to talk about that in a second to save it.
Speaker 2:Absolutely yeah. So this show I like because it's about home remedies, it's about home healing, that's spiritualist, and folks that are typically dialed in more to the earth right, they're green, they're that type of thing. So that's a really nice fit for the solar, and so that's why I'm there. I put my flag there as well, and so I have sold several deals from being at these as well and just doing multiple things, and so I was looking forward to this Sunday, because you're not just there for the audience, you're there for the exhibitors too, because, guess what, they have houses too, hello, so if you're not working the room, you're not doing your job.
Speaker 1:So Craig, craig, you already know this, but I'm going to go and give it an insider tip. That's why I love podcasts. Right, I didn't know we were going to go here. I like live events. He's going to get utility bills he's going to use, going to close deals. He's going to make a ton of freaking money. He's also using the vendors around him to sell to the other big one. And this only works if your company model is like ours, and I know there's a few others that do, thank God. We want to introduce our platform to as many people as possible.
Speaker 1:So I do very well in the recruiting front at these events because you'll meet people just like Craig who are hustlers, and as you get to know them over three days, 12, 15 hour days, you can really get to learn a lot. You can find out whatever they're selling, how much they make, and when they tell you $50, $150, craig, you're never going to believe it. I make $300 a sale, but, craig, what do you make? And he turns around and says seven grand, like they're doing the same amount of work. They're just going to switch over to solar.
Speaker 1:So there are so many fronts of why live events are so good. I think the last one too, that no one talks about, makes you become an expert at your craft the more you're talking to homeowners about solar, your value proposition, your elevator pitch, all of that stuff. You got to clean it up and the only real way to do it is obviously practice. But it's time on task and, craig, you have. I feel like you've been in the game for 10, 12 years because of your time at these live events, if that makes sense 11 months.
Speaker 1:It's crazy, but you've talked to more homeowners than most solar pros do in 10 years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's huge man, let's. I want to transition over, before we end, to your social media presence, specifically on LinkedIn. I know a lot of solar professionals are missing this. You and I were at a live event in Maryland a week ago crazy out, time flies and I gave you a compliment and I met it. I really did. Craig is all over LinkedIn, as am I. Craig crushes me on LinkedIn.
Speaker 1:I have no problem being a man and admitting that Something he's doing and hopefully it might be sharing it. I don't even know if it's intentional, it doesn't even matter, but something I picked up on his account. I'm always studying. I'm a student. That's part of the reason I have success. I want to speed it up If someone's doing something better than me. I got to figure out what they're doing and either copy it word for word or tweak it a little bit. If I think there's an improvement.
Speaker 1:What Craig does and this is just my opinion of it, of what I've seen on your LinkedIn profile and your posts he's running it more personal. It's all business minded, but it's more personal with a selfie of him with his video in it Almost like it's like a combination, a blend of Facebook and LinkedIn, versus everyone else I see on LinkedIn is just straight business and it's freaking boring. Like it is boring, I might be somewhat interested in solar, but that's all I'm saying. I see real estate agents doing this. Stop at my open house. So boring, stop doing it. Craig puts a personal spin on it. If that's something intentional, anything you want to touch on with what your LinkedIn strategy is?
Speaker 2:So I appreciate that. I think, quite honestly, it's interesting to hear that perspective. That's just me. Look, I'm doing Craig, and so a lot of folks are afraid to get into social media. I remember working at Advanced Business Systems way back in the day and they said, craig, you need a LinkedIn account. I'm like no, I'm a private guy, I'm not doing this, I'm not putting myself out there, I have it Facebook. Never I've since changed all that. Look, this is who I am. I put it out there and I mix some business and pleasure and do that type of thing. You just live in life and I think people can relate to you that way.
Speaker 2:So I do it consistently, aaron, and that's really the key. Right, you've got to do it consistently. I try to do it almost every day. Sometimes it feels like a chore going. What am I going to say about today? You don't need to make it that robotic. Let's say, right, it doesn't have to be that, just speak from the heart when. That's what I try to do. And so I just let folks know look, I'm creating a brand and that's really what I'm doing. I'm in the industry. I want folks to know that I'm in this business.
Speaker 2:I've got folks that have been tracking me for months, going Craig, I don't need it now, but when I do, I'm coming to you, and so that's why we do these things right. And so my wife would go Craig, do we have money in the bank yet? I'm like no, honey, we don't have money in the bank yet, but we're building an empire, honey. We are doing the right things. Trust me on this. Yes, honey, we're good, we're good. So that's what we do with that. But yeah, so again, I try to do each, and I live in both worlds. I do LinkedIn and Facebook. Others will go off into different platforms and that type of thing. That's really my two go-tos.
Speaker 1:Yeah, linkedin has slept on man, it really is. I did a session at our convention three or four weeks ago. I know you were there talking about LinkedIn and I don't get why more solo professionals aren't on it. The status seal of the deal for me several years ago I think it was three now was that the average user on LinkedIn, the average account holder, whatever you want to call it, makes six figures a year. Think about this. Success leaves clues.
Speaker 1:Craig talked about why he chose the farmers market in Bethesda. It's the income bracket that people are in. If you tell me where I can spend time, a majority of the time is going to be hanging around with six figure or plus earners. They can afford solar, they can afford batteries, they own houses most of the time and they sure as heck can be recruited over to my business. Like it is a trifecta, it is a win and that's why I love it. I think a lot of people are afraid of it because they don't know how to do it. Did you just jump in? Did you take classes? Like, how did you learn it? Was it trial by fire? What does that look like?
Speaker 2:Aaron, I just jumped in, brother, that's it. Man, put myself in front of the camera. What folks don't see Is I put a video out there and I'll use my zoom at the home or using it in the phone, but they don't see. It's the three or four takes before that, the ones where I found up, didn't know the date. Where, excuse me, where am I again? Okay, cool, cool, yeah.
Speaker 2:But which good I got you, let's do this and then you're live and it and it's, but no, you do it enough, you just it'll start to come naturally and that's just all it is. It's all this stuff, right, we do enough of it and it just becomes natural for us. But again, the whole focus of what I'm trying to do, aaron, is to build that brand, and you're doing the same, and so I still appreciate what you're doing, man. I appreciate that man.
Speaker 1:I tell people a lot too. I, one of my mentors, said this a couple months ago although we sell solar, that's our main product. We all own marketing agencies. We are a brand, we are a marketing company, and so if you're not leveraging social media, I agree with Craig. I used to be a little baby about that and say we don't want to be on Facebook, we'll figure out another way. I don't anymore. I'll tell business part. What are you thinking? It's free? People 15, 20 years ago would have killed for the amount of exposure we can get on this. I checked my LinkedIn stats the other day and I should have pulled it up for this. I think it was yesterday. I want to say I had 40,000 impressions over the last seven days on LinkedIn some number.
Speaker 1:I don't know that's good or bad for me that's like mind-blowing man that would have cost me tens of thousands of dollars and people aren't even doing it.
Speaker 1:It's free. Go get uncomfortable, go lean in, go push record, go freakin, do it. The other thing you said too is and it's funny I remember starting a video years ago where you would I would do 15 outtakes and although it was a 30-second video, it took me an hour. I got, honestly, I got to the point where I stopped caring. I stopped caring about being a perfectionist. I. I stutter, I get excited, I drool, I do whatever. I don't even care. I've posted.
Speaker 1:Those people aren't going to deter me for what I'm trying to do and the brand I'm trying to put out there. The other thing, too, is in Gary V. I'll credit this man with this. People want what they want people to be authentic. Yep, like my best videos are not with the podcast camera that looks great. It's with my phone, it's with my kids in the background, it's me moving around, like I get the best of results from those not being polished, making the mistakes. So if anyone's sitting on the sideline, just go freakin do it. Just go hit record to watch your life change. Yeah, I appreciate it, man. And closing when do you see solar going?
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, solar is. Here's the crazy part, brother. As busy as you are every day and as busy as I am every day, it's hard to imagine. But Jonathan bud tells us guys, you're just in training, it hasn't really been begin yet. I'm like excuse me, really we're making this kind of money or is in and hasn't even started yet. Oh Cool, I am definitely in the right place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in fact it's funny man. I got in trouble for this the other day and I'll get in trouble again. I don't really care, I comes from love and contribution. Just know that John Jonathan bud I'm an echo he just said he always says we're in the top of the first inning. I actually think that's a flat lie. I really do and I love this man. I think we're batting practice Like here in Virginia, merrill, we're less than 2% market.
Speaker 1:She went something funny. I got a game with my kids. I'm all about mindset and awareness. I think it is so freakin important we have a game of my kids, or 8 and 11. My wife even plays the game.
Speaker 1:If we're in the car, we're out and about in the area, it's primarily Virginia, maryland, dc. If they see a house with solar and they yell at first, they get a dollar they're. I'm teaching them, teaching them to be aware, and so we're looking, we're hunting. Here's the funny part why I bring this up. There are times we might go a week Without saying it where that dollar wasn't even paid and yet we were out and about for several hours running errands, doing things. And that just reminds me. It reminds them. They'll say it. How come more houses don't have solar, and I said we got more, we got work to do. I can't talk to all 86 million yet.
Speaker 1:So for the once again those sitting on the sidelines, this opportunity is right, freakin in front of you. You just got to lean in, jump in. Stop worrying about all the what-ifs Five years from now if, for those of you still sitting on the sideline, you're gonna be missing the greatest transfer of wealth. In my humble opinion, that's coming from a person that's owned several million dollar businesses. I've never seen anything like this in my entire life. The other big. I've never seen people do it so quickly. We had a gentleman. I won't say his name. He's been with me eight months, brand new to solar, like me, comes from real estate Craig, $125,000 you made last month.
Speaker 1:That's amazing hundred and forty five thousand. I had a team doing 40 million in real estate. We had six figure earners for the year. I never had someone do it in any month, much less do it inside of eight months. Mind blowing, with zero experience. Man Like it's just, it's red hot. You got me fired up. We gotta get to work. Man, I know we didn't talk about this. Are you cool if I give your LinkedIn profile in the description?
Speaker 2:Oh I.
Speaker 1:Would challenge everybody go look him up right now. For those of you that are impatient, don't want to wait for the link Are Craig bloom. You will see him. He is the one and only give him a follow, give him a shout, you can even ask questions. He's an amazing mentor on our platform, all around, great guy, he comes from contribution, as you can see. Craig, I can't thank you enough. I speak for our audience. This is the first topic We've had about live events and, like I said, there's no one that does it better, man. So keep leading from the front, keep doing what you expect others to do. I love that mindset, that mantra that you adopt and just thank you, man. I can't say it enough.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you, man. Thank you. I so appreciate what you're doing, aaron, and I learned. I'm learned from experts like you every day, man, so, thank you, I love it. I love it and I appreciate the option, the, the opportunity to be here. Man, this was big.
Speaker 1:Of course, man appreciate you making time for us, for the those in the audience. Craig and I do this for free. We do it for love. We do it for contribution to make this solar industry better. If you received any value and I know you did the best thing you can do to repay us is to like share this podcast, this episode whether traditional podcast or on YouTube, with someone you care about, someone else in the game, someone else who's thinking about a career change. Just pay it forward. That's all we ask. Hope everyone has a great day, be safe and God bless, we'll talk soon. Yep, love it. Cheers you.