Episode Description:
Selling to owners is different and more powerful.
In episode 526 of the Smart Buildings Academy Podcast, we dive deep into the owner-direct BAS sales process, from targeting your ideal accounts to closing deals and supporting long-term relationships. This episode is for sales professionals ready to move beyond quoting and toward real consultative selling.
If you’re ready to increase margins, influence scope, and create lasting customer impact, this is your blueprint.
Topics Covered
Master the process. Win more than just the project.
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Owner-direct BAS sales offer higher margins, deeper relationships, and greater control over outcomes, but they require a structured and consultative approach. This guide walks through the full sales cycle, focusing on targeting the right accounts, equipping internal champions, and securing long-term success.
Bid work focuses on price and speed. Owner-direct sales emphasize outcomes, risk reduction, and trust. Sales professionals must shape scope, budget, and timeline directly with stakeholders, often without the buffer of a general contractor.
Before contacting potential customers, identify your target. Look for:
Focus on verticals your team can execute. Start where operational experience aligns with customer needs.
Initial contacts should include:
Avoid capital planners until you've established a strong operational need. Use smaller retrofit projects to build trust and prove capability.
Use permission-based questions and active listening to understand the customer’s world. Avoid rushing into solutions. Guide the conversation around their problems and needs.
Use the Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline (BANT) framework to qualify deals. Instead of asking directly for a number, uncover how past purchases were funded and approved. Identify all decision-makers and understand internal processes.
Every stakeholder values different outcomes:
Frame your solution to align with each stakeholder’s goals.
Your champion will present internally without you present. Provide:
Coach them through anticipated objections and questions.
Post-sale follow-up is critical. Attend kickoff meetings, significant milestones, and project closeout. Support ensures satisfaction, reduces issues, and creates referral opportunities.
Schedule follow-ups after implementation to review outcomes and identify areas for improvement.
Avoid these pitfalls:
Owner-direct BAS sales require patience and strategy. Focus on enabling your customer to sell internally. Build trust through consistent engagement. The best BAS salespeople aren't closers, they’re coaches.
Review your deals. Where do they stall? Are you equipping your champions? Use this framework to uncover and resolve weaknesses.
Long-term success comes from enabling others to win.
For a deeper discussion and insights from the field, listen to this episode on the Smart Buildings Academy podcast.