BSCAI offers countless educational opportunities for building service contractors (BSCs) and those in the commercial cleaning space, from in-person conferences to online seminars. Our most recent event, the Virtual Sales Summit, offered four in-depth sessions from industry experts, focused on advanced sales strategies to equip attendees with fresh ideas to implement in their businesses.
“The Virtual Sales Summit was an incredibly valuable experience for my team and me, offering key insights that will shape our approach moving forward,” Kristina Thayer, director of business development for MSNW LLC, says. “One standout moment was when Blake Dozier emphasized the importance of establishing credibility by asking thoughtful and relevant questions, a strategy that helps sales professionals connect with customers and demonstrate their expertise.”
Thayer continues: “Another crucial takeaway was understanding the three major factors driving customer decision-making: a company’s strong reputation, the ability to offer solutions that reduce hassle, and maintaining clear, open communication to keep customers engaged. Lastly, the idea of ‘serve, don’t sell’ truly resonated. With 97% of people disliking the feeling of being sold to, it reinforces that the focus should always be on providing value rather than pushing a sale. Striking that balance — being ‘hungry but not desperate’ — is key to creating a customer-first experience.”
‘Hope Is Not a Sales Strategy’
The Virtual Sales Summit pushed attendees to go beyond surface-level ideas and provided strategies to implement right away. Josh Richards, COO, Puritan, spoke to the knowledge he gained from these hands-on lessons. “One of my key takeaways was the stark reminder that ‘hope is not a sales strategy.’ Instead, sales professionals need a proactive, systematic approach that is clearly defined with measurements for success at each stage of the process,” he says. “Speakers went deeper than just sharing high-level concepts. They dove into practical and directly implementable strategies, such as the right approach to cold calling, the correct template for writing an effective email pitch and the right cadence for effective follow-up.”
Richards also shared how the experience helped him reflect on the ways salespeople can become experts in their field. “Effective salespeople require a deep understanding of client needs and the ability to present tailored solutions that resonate with those needs,” he says. “This approach not only enhances the prospect’s experience but also solidifies the salesperson’s credibility and fosters stronger client relationships.”
Setting Standards vs. Expectations
The Summit also offered attendees an opportunity to share their voice and lead sessions. Ricardo Regalado, CVO and owner of Rozaldo Services, expressed his satisfaction speaking on a panel. “It was an honor to share a panel with my fellow BSC colleagues and hear everyone speak on the different facets involved in optimizing your sales team and your company’s metrics,” he says. “I found it fascinating how everyone brought a certain angle to the questions and topics we discussed.”
For Regalado, he’ll be thinking about a change in language as he continues to develop his sales team. “A key takeaway for me was the advice to replace the word ‘expectations’ with the word ‘standard.’ When building or optimizing your sales team, shift toward creating a standard of what you expect, and hold the sales team accountable to that standard versus holding them to just plain expectations.”
For nuanced knowledge and education within this unique industry, BSCs turn to the conferences and summits BSCAI offers year-round. Check out our upcoming events — including the Virtual Finance Summit and Contracting Success — to discover connections, networking opportunities and more.