Cedric Pascal
I took Eric’s course because I needed to improve my sales technique.
Prior to taking it, I was too eager to make the sale. I would tell the client whatever he wanted to hear in order to close. Also, I let the clients beat me down on scope and price. That’s not happening any more. When the course started it made me realize how wrong I’ve been looking at the way that I sell. Already with the information that have learned its helped make my situation better in day to day contact with current clients, and I’m more confident.
The classes were great. They kept me locked in and interested.
The material was presented in a way that made sense and was super helpful. The first portion of the course was a good way to get into the sales zone. It helped me to realize things about myself that I didn’t know. Also, how important mindset is for sales, confidents in knowing what your selling and who your selling: “Kings talk to Kings”
It was great to interact with the other participants. They had some good stories that I could relate to. Talking with the other participants definitely helped me to relate better to the material in some of the examples.
Learning about the buying influence chart helped me to close on a $250,000 Condo remodel
Using it, I was able to identify and work through red flags which I would have otherwise missed. There is a 2nd and 3rd phase that are coming up next. If we take care of these guys which I know we will there could be up to $1.2 million in work to come.
This course has helped me to be a better closer
I know better understand what good fit for my company is and I’ve gained confidence for future sales. I will continue to use the material in all of my sales pitches.
I personally got a lot out of the training. Eric is very clear, animated, articulate speaker. He is a tremendous positive influence.
The course is unique in the way that its taught with action and excitement for sales. I would recommend this class to anyone that wants to improve on sales strategies. It was definitely worth the time spent.
Cedric Pascal
Project Manager/GM
SR Freeman Construction
David Zapata
The primary reason I took the course was to develop my sales strategy in construction and to improve my sales success.
Before taking the course, my sales approach was to be submit a bid and just follow up later. Now I feel more confident in my approach to sales. It is a significant change from what I was doing and as I get more reps, I am certain confidence will increase.
Personally, I had never experienced a virtual/online course so if felt unusual but after you do it once it’s a great way to learn. During the course I learned from the other participants that we all share similar difficulties. The scenario may be different but the formula to success covers a variety of situations.
The way the information is given to the user allows for better retention and usage in the real world.
The classes feel like they are well structured to cover the key point of each class with the ability to expand on an aspect if needed.
Identifying the buying influences became a moment of clarity for me. This moment was a milestone in the sense that It gives you a direction on where to focus effort for maximum effectiveness.
If you are looking to improve your business development skill, I recommend Eric’s program.
Eric is a good instructor, and he’s encouraging. Use him as a resource, he will always respond. The course uses “Interactive/Participative” teaching method. There were times where I felt that I wasn’t grasping the information right away. However, the course material is made available post class which allows me to go back, pause and review at my own pace.
If you decide to take the course come with an open mind and check your ego at the door. Eric is here to help, but the information is no good if you don’t use it so you have to put it to work!
David Zapata, Senior Estimator
SR Freeman, Inc.
Francisco Hinojosa
I don’t like being sold on things and really hate pushy people.
I took the course because I want to strengthen my sales abilities and add some skills to my tool box. Prior to this course, my approach was more of showing a customer what we could offer through a detailed proposal meeting and hoping to meet all of their needs and expectations through what I thought everyone wanted.
This course opened up a way to outline a project and set it up in way to ask the right question to the right person. The 3rd and 4th weeks of the course were excellent and did a great job of tying the information together.
This was my first webinar-class training, and I thought it was great.
I thought the course was taught well, no heavy pressure, you get great results if you apply yourself. Eric is a great teacher and has good communication skills and explains things very clearly, so that even a carpenter can understand them.
Eric’s approach is awesome and his personality keeps people engaged. I liked starting off with the basics and then progressing as the weeks went on. He also has great follow through, gets back quickly to emails and gives good feedback.
If you are looking to grow in a sales/biz dev position, but hate “selling”, this course is for you.
Take this course and you’ll gain the tools to help you prepare for a sales meeting or proposal submittal, and not blindly sending stuff to someone that you have never made contact with. This definitely increases your chances of winning a project and forming a long-term relationship.
I’m now definitely more confident in the sales approach.
Francisco Hinojosa
Director of Operations
SR Freeman, Inc.
James Brett
I’ve recently taken on a new role in my company that include responsibility for business development.
I lack experience in this area and I thought Eric’s sales training course would help me to learn new skills. I have got so much value from Eric’s podcast Construction Genius, and I really like his approach to all things construction.
I felt I was one of the least experienced in the group that took the course, but it was nice to hear we all have the same pain points. The course is very structured and warms up nicely starting with selfevaluation and progressing through the sales strategy roadmap and finally an evaluation to review if everybody (me, my company, and the client) is getting a win from the sale. Taking the course online didn’t affect the amount I took away from it. It is the same value as person to person.
The strategic analyses Eric taught us will completely change my approach to sales.
It will help me to approach high pressure sales situations with confidence. It also gave me confidence to stand my ground with my business partner (my dad), when making decisions.
I’m currently bidding a £3mil project and the course has made me up my game for my submissions. Without the course I would have approached the project differently and probably lost it.
Eric is a very knowledgeable, energetic and enthusiastic teacher.
I liked the fact that he set out to break down some common barriers early on and worked on making everyone open and feel comfortable and ready to participate – set the mindset needed. At times I felt a little out of my depth, and didn’t have the answer to questions, but that’s always the way when learning something new. When I had a question, Eric was very supportive with direct email responses, that was helpful
After completing the course, I feel a lot more confident.
I learnt so much being a complete beginner, learnt more about myself and also business development. My strategy to approaching sales situations is more clear and calculated, which is how I like to work. I recommend this course if you need to learn more about yourself your mindset and improve strategic approach to sales.
I have not had any sales training previously, but I definitely got what I wanted from the course which was a fresh strategic approach to sales rather than just hoping for the best.
Drop the mask, be willing to participate and kill the bear!!!
James Brett
Managing Director
Edgeley Construction
Jay Blatchford
I took this course to improve my sales skills.
I used a lot of owner direct and economic selling strategies when in my last sales position selling owner direct work. Now I am in more of a plan/spec/bid sales space and am learning I need to know more about the process. Eric’s course can help with that.
I felt challenged because I was learning something new.
During the strategic selling part of the course and I had to work hard at understanding and developing the process. I feel I have extra tools in the bag to be successful, and I know that I will need to make an honest effort to make those tools work for me, but it is possible.
I liked that webinars were early in the morning.
I had plenty of energy and could focus. I wasn’t already worn out from a lot of tasks during the day and there weren’t a lot of other distractions of getting something during the time on the webinar.
It was great to have other participants from different construction companies in the course.
Lots of people in different positions can struggle in the same ways. I like to hear how people viewed a problem they were having and the approach they took to solve it. I feel that helps me build experience without having to go through the same things they did. I liked the real-world examples from Eric or others in the class to bring the concepts into real scenarios.
Eric is a vibrant speaker with high energy and clear direction.
These attributes make listening and understanding him very easy. He is very supportive and always willing to offer personal assistance and guide you through the process.
If you don’t know how to create a sales strategy for the projects you are going after, this course will change that.
When you take the course try to use an existing or current project when you get into the sales strategy part of the course, as Eric suggests. But if there isn’t the perfect scenario, then try to piggyback and do a second example with a project or sale that you have completed in the past to help understand how you could have done things differently.
The course made me realize I have to mentally make the choice to trust the process and do what is required of the process. The more honestly open and willing you are to take in what is presented and work hard at implementing the strategies, the more you will get from the course.
I recommend this course because Eric is a good leader and the information and strategy he presents are sound and worthy of implementing.
If you are ever stuck during the course, reach out and ask Eric for help! I really appreciate Eric’s open invitation to contact him any time with questions or requests for assistance, interpretation, or opinions. He responds to email quickly. And it’s nice when you have a neutral 3rd party in your corner.
Jay Blatchford
Control Systems Sales
L&H Airco
Rick Rebholz
What was your primary reason for taking this course?
To have a greater understanding of what it takes to be a better salesperson and to place more tools in my library for use when a new account is approached.
Describe how you used to approach sales and business development before this course began
I would approach new sales in so many words the same way without knowing that there was a method to the cause. This program allows you to analytically assemble your thoughts and address your concerns while working through your delivery and execution.
Describe how you felt during the course?
Some intimidation knowing that I will be working and learning with my peers.
Describe how you feel now, towards the end of this course
I have more tools and a great reference to be able to reach into and continue my technical growth.
Can you tell us about your experience during the webinars, and the difference it made?
Generally, I felt comfortable and the materials aligned with the delivery of the course. My take-away is that 100% of the instruction can be utilized in most aspects of the sales.
What did you learn from other participants, during the webinars?
It was good to hear from others (peers) who are in the same position and encounter the same obstacles. Knowing that when you are in a team setting it adds more value to your understanding when you hear their delivery and response to the questions.
Can you describe to a newcomer how this course is taught?
This course and technology delivery leaves no chances for failures. It is up to the participant on how they take this away and use it in the future.
Describe Eric as a teacher.
Patient, understanding, highly motivated to help you learn and understand. Delivery follow through and execution exceeds the norm. If I had Eric as an instructor earlier on in this career I would not have struggled as much. Enjoyed and appreciate the opportunity to learn and excel in my future endeavors knowing that I can reach out to Eric when there are roadblocks or future growth opportunities. During the course you can email Eric for any question. Eric will respond within 24 hrs.
Describe any “a-ha” moments
The use of the Buying Influence Chart from the Strategic Selling Workshop program brings the exercise and effort to a level where you can understand the sales and delivery process when going to meet or sell to a new client or prospect. The tool can also be used to gather your thoughts when preparing for an estimate on a project when the participants may have changed.
Describe some unusual elements of teaching used in this course (and how it helped).
The use of the virtual program, making it interactive with the class and the chance to hear it on several levels before taking away the exercise for the homework.
What would you say are the big benefits of this course?
The delivery of the course, reference materials and the availability of the open library once the seminar was completed. Knowledge of the presenter.
What is the uniqueness of this course?
Knowing the instructor has walked the walk and is interactive in the construction field by staying involved with the newest technologies.
Why would you recommend this course?
You get out of it what you put into it. This course exemplifies the quality of the materials with the instructor’s delivery giving you the best possible results in your investment.
What advice would you give to future participants?
Stay the course. Participate and be proactive in the class. Give it your best so you can experience and get the greatest results.
Anything else you'd like to add?
The best value for the experience!
You went through great length and work to provide the best delivery process for this workshop.
Keep rolling out these programs and workshops! I see them as a library and key to unblocking the resources needed for continual knowledge and a refresher to what was delivered.
Thanks for allowing me to attend the first workshop on “Strategic Selling”!
It will always be on the desktop as a reference and driver to be consistent on my approach and delivery when selling our product.
Rick Rebholz
Account Manager – Mission Critical
T&W Corporation
Shone Freeman
I took this course as a refresher for myself, and to gain a common language and framework with some of the others in my organization. There was a lot of great information, and the content was very relevant and on the mark. Prior to the course we used many of the same concepts and principles, but with less structure.
The course is designed on a principle by principle approach. It’s not a step by step. It’s great if you grasp the principles because it lets you enter any sales situation and be able to contribute.
Eric did a great job with high-energy and showed passion with his pace and delivery. The course is intimate, and casual. I feel that makes it accessible to most of us in construction.
The Buying Influence chart was good, because for me there is a lot of value in getting the thoughts out of your head and onto a screen/paper. Another great takeaway was the conversation about leveraging your strengths to overcome the red flags.
If you decide to take Eric’s course, jump in and do the work he asks. Be open minded, and forget what you thought you knew. Reach out for help when you get stuck. That’s how you’ll get the most out of it.
I felt everyone from my company got value from the course. It was helpful for me as well, as there were some refinements I picked up. I feel that my entire team is now on the same page and we have a set of tools to work a sales situation.
I would recommend Eric’s course it to anyone that is open to learning more and improving their sales game.
Shone Freeman, President
SR Freeman Construction
Aaron Mayer
Getting to know Eric
After being introduced to Eric from an associate and listening to his Construction Genius podcast for a couple months, I realized that there was a connection in his style and his message. It was always very relevant to our business and what we were going through at the time.
A great opportunity
When I heard that there was a business development (BD) program available to be a part of, it was a no brainer. Prior to the course I didn’t really approach BD with a lot of pre-planning per opportunity. I had a little bit more of a reckless approach to how I went about selling.
During the course I felt like a great part of a like-minded group.
I wasn’t at all concerned about communicating during the course, and really never felt like there was a dumb question to ask. Although there was definitely a teacher and students, Eric doesn’t at all portray an authoritarian mentality like some teachers I have had in the past. I loved the interaction! Without it the course would feel like a lecture, but with the interaction it really felt like a group course.
I heard a lot of different examples from others through their interaction that helped remind me that I wasn’t at all behind my peers, and that we all have similar areas we are trying to get better. We were all in learning mode and you could tell that each participant was equally as eager to learn as the next.
Eric is a fantastic teacher
The course is taught by Eric through a webinar format. There is a great amount of teaching from Eric directed at the group, but with his teaching style Eric really relies on participation and communication from the group which makes it feel less like your being spoken to, rather speaking with.
Eric has excellent communication skills. He knows how to teach on a peer to peer level extremely well and that makes you feel like you belong, and that he wants you there with him and the rest of the group. He speaks very relevantly and in a fun manner.
His energy is unique when compared to other courses/webinars I have been in.
To hear words like “DUDE!” and “AWESOME…YES!” with fist pumps keeps the group alive during the session, and also show you his passion and excitement for what he is teaching. I looked forward to Tuesday mornings and afterwards I felt like the energy carried me through my day differently than other days.
A challenging, but helpful lesson
The Buying Influence Chart was a new concept to me, and when we first started discussing it, I couldn’t see the extreme importance of its concept. As we worked through it and I was able to focus and apply it to a specific project I was going after, and then at that point it clicked as something that was very important. I used it on a bid opportunity I was pursuing, and it helped me prepare myself for the opportunity much more than I would have been if I had not been introduced to the tool.
We have not won any projects so far that we used course specific strategy, but I am confident that because of the pre bid legwork that I learned, we positioned ourselves better on some recent projects than we would have without the course.
The lasting benefit of taking this course
I now have to a fantastic resource in Eric and the things I’ve learned are relevant to everyday BD. It’s also a great benefit to have all of the resources from each week available to recount when needed.
The course helped me have more of a plan in how to attack BD in general. It also gave me a toolbox to move forward with.
Advice to new participants
Come to each week open to what is being taught, regardless of your BD experience. I could tell there were different levels of BD professionals in our course, but it was never an issue as everyone wanted to get something out of each week. Be ready to take notes and learn. The way the course is set up, the best way to do that is interact and participate as much as you can. Be prepared each week and don’t try to just cram in the 60-75 minutes.
Eric is a great teacher that makes us feel comfortable communicating with any time. He wants to hear from you!! Just email him and you’ll hear back.
The course was well worth the time and money invested.
I learned a good amount of new skills and strategies, but also that it is up to me now moving forward to review as often as I am able to in order to get the tools to sink in. I also know now there is a great friend, but also a resource in Eric as I work towards utilizing as much from this course as possible.
Aaron Mayer
Director of Business Development
The Onsite Group
Bill Keogh
I took this course to improve my selling abilities, and it is mission accomplished.
I had some blind spots, Eric helped me see the light of things I was not doing well. I feel after taking this course I have increased awareness of all the factors involved with client decisions.
The overall mission statement of the course is:
“The objective of a good sales strategy is to get yourself in the right place with the right people at the right time so that you can make the right tactical presentation.”
I find this very informative, and if we focus on this end result, we will become better at our jobs.
I would recommend this course to others because it ties solid selling concepts with the nuances of the construction industry.
Eric does a great job pulling issues like change orders, bidding, purchasing together that affect our sales lives daily. Tying the selling concepts to the construction industry makes this course invaluable to the business development professional.
If you are willing to invest in yourself, Eric will help you along the way.
Be prepared to learn via the Zoom platform, rather than live presentations. Stay focused, listen closely, and do not allow distractions. Having a real situation and apply it to the rules and concepts Eric teaches can be very enlightening. Make sure you devote enough time with the homework.
You will find Eric a high energy, cordial instructor.
He is very positive and upbeat while providing good feedback both orally and in writing. His knowledge of the subject and enthusiasm for teaching it make the course a pleasant experience, and you gain additional selling skills in the process.
Approach this course as an avenue to help you improve your selling skills.
Don’t come in thinking you’ve already had enough experience and/or training. One can always improve, and Eric will find ways to coach you to be more effective which will end up making more money for you and your family.
Bill Keogh
Business Development
Schultz Construction
Brandon Davidson
I've been pretty successful in sales for the last four or five years of my career.
I've really had some clients that I've really been able to kind of get in good with and have great relationships with. Anything I can do to improve those relationships I'm always a big fan of, and that’s why I took this course.
I’ve always been really good calling on clients, taking them out, developing relationships. One thing I’m going to change now is working through the strategic worksheet to identify red flags associated with a job. I did stuff like that in my head, but it’s nice to have a written format for identifying red flags that might keep me from winning a project, and figuring out if I need to change my number or something like that. That’s definitely something I’m going to use moving forward.
This course showed me the benefit of planning a sales strategy in advance.
One of the aha moments for me is really focusing in on finding out who the decision makers are. You can have a great relationship with a person in a company, but if the boss is making the decisions and he has a buddy who is a subcontractor, you may not really have a good shot at the project as you think. So, it’s a good reminder to chase the decision makers, and know who they are before you put a lot of work into a bid. In addition, I was reminded how important it is to combine the sales strategy with a commitment to being someone who people trust and like, and want to do business with.
How this course differs from other sales training
It's more involved than some of the other sales training I've been to. The class materials really separate Eric’s class from other ones. You have something to work through and see physically. The tool for rating clients and project types was much more in-depth than the typical “rate your client from 1-10”. The tool Eric taught to analyze who the decision makers are and the red flags with winning an opportunity was also very helpful. It was really great having the class is laid out in a step by step manner, starting with getting deeper understanding of your sales traits and then relating that to how we go after specific projects.
I've been to those FMI courses, which were really good, but it was really geared more towards general contractors. There were some GCs in Eric’s course, but he also has a real understanding of the subcontractor world, which was great. Another difference between the FMI course and Eric’s is that the FMI one had three intense 10-hour days where it’s kind of like you’re cramming for a test in school. Eric’s course had a series of weekly webinars each lasting 60-90 minutes. I feel like you retain more information over a longer term by having shorter sessions with some homework in between.
As an instructor, Eric brings a lot of great energy to the class.
He has a strong background in construction. He has a great passion for subcontractors and for the trade in general. He has knowledge not just in sales, but management and leadership in general, which is great. He’s not just focused on one area but he sees the bigger picture, and that comes through in the teaching.
I really enjoyed the sessions. It’s easy in online classes to get distracted by email and stuff, but Eric was always engaging the class through the chat function of the webinars and giving people an opportunity to talk and interact. There was never a time I was sitting there saying “this is boring”.
To get the most out of the sessions set aside time, and focus.
You learn a lot during the trainings, it’s structured in a step by step manner, and the workbook materials are excellent. Think of it like you were going to do an estimate for a couple of hours. Turn off your email, text the field and tell them not to bug you unless it’s an emergency. Then take time later in the week to finalize the homework and get ready for the next one. Don't be afraid to get involved during the sessions, participate in the chats, and raise your hand to contribute. If you get stuck, shoot Eric and email, he is very quick response on everything.
It’s a great course, and you’ll be able to take things from it for the rest of your career.
One final thought, when you take the course think about how to apply it to your day to day as far as sales goes and how you can use the information to maintain a relationship when you are managing a project and change orders come up. A lot of sales courses miss that, but Eric’s didn’t. Change orders can be very contentious. How do you work that out and still go grab a beer after? That’s really important to people and any sales course.
Brandon Davidson
Senior Estimator/PM
Daley’s Drywall & Taping
Carlos Hernandez
My main priority was to be a sponge.
This was my first official business development course, and I was feeling very open minded about taking part and learning directly from the course or from other participant’s experiences. Before the course my approach to sales was typically to talk to the client and see if they are suitable for your product your business, find out their pain points, understand how I can be of assistance to alleviate some of those pain points and negotiate a deal.
After taking the course, I feel more confident.
I know how to set myself up for a higher rate of success. Feeling confident is not always knowing everything, but also knowing how to get solutions to problems that come up. I am able to understand my selling position and how to focus on single sales objectives to make my sale.
It was great to learn from more experienced people in the industry dealing with their own challenges.
I feel like I’ve received a head-start being part of this course, to better prepare myself as I climb the ladder. What I’ve learned from other participants, knowing they hold different titles and responsibilities, is that we are all constantly selling ourselves, our work, or our product. We must have a full understanding of proper business development to continue being successful no matter your position.
One good example for me was the story of Francisco, he realized that a competitor was involved in a project they were going after, however Francisco was able to point out the reasons why he was better than the competitor, what his company had to offer to offset the possible benefits from the competitor. This was a great learning moment for me.
One of the biggest benefits of the course was having people from different positions in their companies sharing real live examples of the type of ‘sales’ that happen at each level of a construction company.
Eric is a very knowledgeable instructor that truly cares about the success of each participant.
This course is a live seminar. The instructor, Eric Anderton, will go over the day’s lesson/course using power point. He explains the slides and provides real life examples on each topic. He engages with the class by using some of the homework examples as they apply to the topic. This was a unique part of the course that I liked because it allowed people to share the problems they were facing and talk through how they could improve their position and get the sale.
You can be someone fresh into sales or a senior sales executive, Eric will teach you things.
People are allowed to ask questions at any moment and Eric does a really good job on making sure the question is answered and understood. He is always attentive to questions and his way of explaining things is complete, simple, and easy to understand without leaving any important information out.
One of the big benefits of the course is the amount of knowledge Eric has and how easy it is for him to teach the class and have us fully understand each concept presented.
During the course I was dealing with $50,000 in open change orders.
This particular job turned out worse than anticipated due to the original PM leaving the company, making the Assistant PM acting PM for the second half of the project. This course taught me to focus on the buying influencer, to understand who the true economic buyer was. After going over my game plan with my manager and knowing I had about $2,000 in “free” work to be used as leverage, I picked up the phone and personally addressed the issue. After going over all of our scope and addressing the times our crews had gone above and beyond, we came to an agreement and was paid in full. I was ready to negotiate up to a 30% discount to at least cover all our expenses and overhead. This is a great client of ours and I know there’s more work in the future with them. Our priority is making sure they continue to be happy with the work we do for them.
This course has taught me how to better set myself up for success.
Eric was always willing to answer any questions and helped me direct my focus on how to make the best out of my current situation, to continue improving on my sales development for when I reach my promotion. The literature, to me, will become vital for my future success. I am a visual person and like to see my plan on paper.
My advice to future participants.
Be open minded and truly immerse yourself into this course. Participate because your personal experience can be a live lesson for someone else. This is a great sharing platform and everyone learns from each other. Ask all the questions that come up to you and do your weekly assignments.
You get what you put in. You are provided with all the essential tools to grow and successfully develop yourself. Each course will focus and teach you a unique selling approach to reach your ultimate sales objective and upon utilizing these techniques, you will reach that sales objective.
If you are every stuck, Eric is just an email away and always willing to put things in a clear perspective that will allow you to get back on getting that sale.
I recommend this course for anyone in sales or starting in sales.
It will help you have a full understanding of how to set yourself up for success with any sale. This course will teach you how to properly define your sales objective and properly position yourself to make the sale, gain relationships and repeat business.
Carlos Hernandez
Project Engineer
Daley’s Drywall