How to Speak Confidently in Sales (Even If You Don’t Feel Confident Yet)

How can you speak even more confidently in sales?

This is a really HOT topic.

Whether you are a seasoned veteran with decades of roofing sales experience — or you haven’t even sold your first roof yet — you’re going to take away a few key action items to help you speak even more confidently on the very next sale that you run.

Thanks for joining me today, and welcome or welcome back. I am so glad to have you here. My name is Adam Bensman, The Roof Strategist. Everything I do here — and on my YouTube channel, on my podcast (on Apple and Spotify), and in my Roofing Sales Success Formula & Complete Sales Strategy program — is designed to help you and your team smash your income goals and give every customer an amazing experience.

Now, for one moment, I just want to focus on the last thing I just said, giving every customer an amazing experience. If you’ve been tuning in for a while, you’ll probably notice that that’s a newer addition to my mission. That’s because in sales:

• We can make A LOT of money.
• People can become greedy, and their moral or ethical compass can get skewed.
• Some folks decide to do certain things to make money at the expense of others. That’s how roofing companies get a bad rap.

So, with this topic, I just want to be crystal clear about my intention. This is NOT to help you learn how to be a con artist, a smooth-talking wiz, or a sly salesperson.

The goal is to give you the true skills to speak even more confidently in the home.

And if you haven’t yet done it, I would highly recommend you check my blog on How to Speak More Smoothly in Roofing Sales (the same context and disclaimer apply to that piece too).

Now, let’s get started.

Confidence in Roofing Sales Starts with Our Ears

Where do we first start to gain confidence in our speaking abilities when we’re in roofing sales? Where does all it begin?

It begins with our ears. We have two ears in one mouth for a reason. And no matter how confident you are, people can see right through empty confidence.

So, if you spit out all the right things, but you’re not actually listening to the customer:

• Your message isn’t going to land.
• You’re telling them things they don’t need to hear.

I’ve audited sales before, listening to salespeople and watching them do certain things that tell a homeowner, “I’m not listening to you.”

Example: When someone has an objection or a question, the salesperson tends to jump right in to start answering it. Why? Because they’re confident, they know the answer, and they’re excited to help. But what ends up happening is that the homeowner gets the sense that the salesperson isn’t listening. The homeowner feels like the salesperson is simply thinking, You listen to me. I know what I’m talking about.

That’s NOT good, and it doesn’t create a good experience. So, first, to become a confident speaker, we want to:

1. Listen.
2. Become active listeners.
3. Understand not only the words said by our customers but also what they actually

In fact, I teach that all objections only mean one of three things:

1. They don’t trust you.
2. They don’t think they need you.
3. It’s a money issue.

So, if someone says, “I’ve talked to my wife about it,” that doesn’t mean they’ve talked to their wife and they’re excited about it. It means they don’t trust you.

That’s why we have to listen more deeply — and it’s why listening is the foundation of speaking confidently.

When you listen, you can start speaking to the right things and send your prospect and soon-to-be customer the right message.

How to Build Confidence in Roofing Sales: Gain More Knowledge

The next piece is having the knowledge, the understanding, and the education. I recently did a video on What You Actually Need to Know to Sell Roofs, explaining the difference between process knowledge and product knowledge.

If you are new to roofing sales, learning that difference takes time and experience. And if you’re new, you’re probably concerned about the knowledge part, and you may be thinking:

I haven’t even sold a roof yet.

I don’t know much about roofing systems.

Where should I turn to see installs those kinds of things?

Well, I learned this next bit from, Brian Tracy’s book Goals! In that book, Brian Tracy explains the bottleneck to achieving goals, meaning the choke point or the weakest link.

For many in roofing sales, this bottleneck is product knowledge.

So, what you need to do is ask yourself, what do I need to learn in order to feel confident? That means you need to:

1. Find out what your weakness is
2. Pursue it by dedicating 20 to 30 minutes a day to brushing up on product knowledge, reading the shingle manufacturer installation guidelines or the install manual, or jumping on YouTube to watch roofing installation videos (many major manufacturers have their own channels and videos)

By the way, I’m a new sales training partner with Owens Corning. So, if you’re an Owens Corning contractor, Owens Corning University has a lot of this information readily available for you as well.

The point is to find out what that weakness is, so you CAN:

• Overcome and close that knowledge gap
• Be even more confident when you’re speaking to customers
• Sound like you know what you’re talking about because you will

Now, let’s break this down further.

I’m going to share the three key elements necessary to speaking confidently and coming across like you know what you’re doing.

Key #1 to Speaking Confidently in Roofing Sales: Certainty

Certainty means stating the facts or making statements confidently.

Example: “If you get this product, it can help you be happier.” That’s a loosey-goosey statement. What about this? “If you get this product, it will make you happier.” That’s an absolute statement (and, by the way, I realize there’s no product that’s going to make you happy. I just want you to see the difference here).

The difference between “could” and “will” above really changed the statement by:

• Making it more matter of fact and certain
• Showcasing confidence because we KNOW what we’re talking about

Example of Speaking of Certainty vs. Uncertainty

I want to tell you a story about how this lack of certainty made me not trust a doctor, a veterinarian specifically. Now, my old dog (rest in peace), Nellie, was a 90-pound Husky.

As she was nearing the end of her life, I was distraught. You know what that’s like when you lose a pet. It’s a member of the family. And that transition time is RAW. It’s emotional and painful.

So, I go to this vet, a woman who’s been practicing since the ’70s, and I ask her what I can do for Nellie.

She says, “Well, you could do this. And if you do, then that will happen. And, then, there’s another option, and that’ll happen.” She uses these loosey-goosey, airy terms, giving me about six different scenarios.

Do I have confidence in her?

NO. So, I try to reel her in and just tell her what I need, saying:

Doc, I’m sad. You know how I feel about the end-of-life care for Nellie.

You know my values and where I draw that line between euthanasia and just letting her live out her life because I want her to be there even if she’s suffering.

So, knowing that, what do you recommend I do?

Then, instead of these six options, she boiled it down to four. And I left that appointment even more sad, more confused, and more frustrated than when I showed up because:

• She gave me no certainty.
• She didn’t tell me what was going to happen.

Think of certainty like giving someone instructions or clear direction. It’s an absolute statement.

There’s no “can” in this statement. It’s “WILL” — we WILL do this for you. So, speaking with certainty or absolutism, giving matter-of-fact statements, is critically important to showcase your confidence in speaking.

Example: If you called me and asked, “Adam, which program’s best for me?” Would I say, “well, you’ve got this option and that one. And this will happen with this option”? NO. I’m going to ask you, “Are you an owner or a rep?” If you’re a sales rep, start with the Roofing Sales Success Formula. That’s your best path for everything. If you’re on a budget, the Battle Pack is a great option. As an owner, the only path for you is the best path and that’s the full training in the Roofing Sales Success Formula.

See that level of certainty? It’s not, “we can or could do this.” And I do offer other things, but I recommend everybody start in a certain place. I have certainty, and I’m making matter-of-fact statements.

Key #2 to Speaking Confidently in Roofing Sales: Authority

What do I mean by authority? Think of the tonality of a traffic cop. He speaks with authority. Or think of a doctor. You want to sell like a doctor. That means:

• Diagnosing what’s going on
• Prescribing the solution
• Telling a story

When we communicate with authority, it shows that we know what we’re talking about. And by the way, the best type of knowledge to have in order to speak with authority is process knowledge, meaning knowing how this whole thing works.

That’s the most important part to homeowners. They’re not as invested in the product side in my opinion.

So, again, speaking with authority means:

• Showcasing your knowledge
• Establishing that you know what you’re talking about
• Positioning yourself as the expert or the “doctor”

Now, here’s an example of what to say in roofing sales to blend authority and certainty.

Mr. Homeowner, as we go through the roof replacement process, this is what will happen.

There’s certainty. This is what WILL happen first. Follow that with:

We’re going to go through everything today, so you feel comfortable taking the next steps or making the decision on the next steps that are right for you.

Then, we’re going to choose colors.

And, after that, we’re going to show up and prep the house.

We’re going to make sure that your lawn, your garage doors, your windows, and everything else are safe. And we’re going to take care of the debris removal.

Then, we’re going to start installing the roof.

When we’re done, this is our cleanup process, and then we will do the final walkthrough.

I’m describing the process with certainty. The next steps are VERY clear. I’m speaking with authority — I know what’s going to happen. This is NOT my first rodeo.

And even if it is, by the way, you STILL speak with authority.

So, you are going to blend certainty and authority to position yourself as the leading expert.

Key #3 to Speaking Confidently in Roofing Sales: Direct Communication

What do I mean by “direct”? I mean saying something like:

Hey, if you want to move forward, you just let me know.

If you want to move forward, all we need is an autograph.

That’s being direct. It’s communicating in a way that:

• Blends authority and certainty
• Speaks directly to someone
• Gives directions

You dictate how this process goes, and you can communicate clearly in a way people understand. Loosey-goosey doesn’t have any place here. And by “loosey-goosey,” I mean a lack of certainty, showing people that you have no idea what you’re talking about and not being direct.

If you’ve been in roofing sales for more than an hour, you know that you need to be direct to:

• Ask for the business
• Tell someone the next steps and what to do
• Say, “When is a good time for me to come back and visit everything? When can I come back and speak to you and your husband together?”

I’m clearly communicating what will happen, blending certainty and authority. And there IS a lot of overlap between using certainty and authority and being direct.

These are the key themes — certainty, authority, and directness — that will help you speak with even more confidence.

So, next, I want you to think about your weaknesses and:

1. Grab a piece of paper.
2. Rate the certainty in your voice and communication on a scale of 1 to 10.
3. Rate the authority in your voice and communication on a scale of 1 to 10.

Once you score yourself, you can get a clear idea of what you don’t really know enough about and where you don’t have enough experience. Then, you can:

• Solve that problem.
• Do ride-alongs.
• Talk to people on your team.
• Sit on jobs.

Find that weakness and the cure. If you do, before you know it, you’re going to be a smooth-talking, confident salesperson who’s closing more deals and giving customers an absolutely amazing experience.

Bonus Tip for Speaking Confidently in Roofing Sales: Know What You’re Going to Say

One of the best ways to speak with confidence is to know what you’re going to say.

So, how do you know what you’re going to say?

Many salespeople go through my training program and learn my canvassing strategy, the full, in-depth version. By the way, I’m often asked what the difference is between my YouTube videos versus what’s in my roofing sales training program.

The short answer — A LOT.

My program is a full sales system, from knock to close, including training on every single thing you go through. It’s 9.5 hours, and then you’re out, rocking and rolling. Teams are using it to grow, train their new hires, and find new recruits, the whole kit and caboodle.

And some of the most valuable feedback I get is people saying they’re now more confident because:

• They know what to say.
• They show up at the door knowing how to start the conversation.
• They instantly feel confident because they know how to start overcoming objections.
• They know how the sales appointment is going to go.

So, having that foresight, that vision, and that clarity when you know what you’re going to say is going to help you feel even more confident.

Now, is this a plug for my training system? Yes, it 100% is.

Does it mean that you need to buy it? Absolutely not.

You might be just fine reading the blog, watching my videos, or even creating your own formula or approach.

So, whether you use mine, your own, or someone else’s approach, remember that your confidence level will rise when you know:

• How you’re going to start the conversation
• How you’re going to overcome objections
• How you’re going to run that sales appointment

It WILL be much easier to speak with certainty and be direct. So, there you have it, a simple framework to help you speak even more confidently.

Get More Roofing Sales Strategies, Scripts, Tips & Videos

If you want more on any topic in roofing sales, you’ll find it in my all-in-one sales training, sales strategy, and sales system, the Roofing Sales Success Formula & Complete Sales Strategy.

This exclusive program covers everything from knock to close, with packages for individual roofing sales reps and entire teams. Many roofing sales companies LOVE this program because it’s a consistent process to train everybody on a relatable sales system that WORKS and that’s a lightning-fast way to get results.

If you have questions, just call or text (303) 222-7133 for more info or a private demo.

You can also subscribe for the latest roofing sales training videos and/or get a copy of my Pitch Like a Pro roofing sales training video library. It includes every roofing sales video I’ve ever done, organized by category, along with a bunch of tips, tricks, and more. It’s great for new people and seasoned veterans, and it’s updated all the time to help you and your team smash your income goals and give every customer an amazing experience.

And don’t forget to check out my Marketing Battle Pack for instant access to 70+ pieces of my proven, turnkey roofing sales and marketing materials. It’s an entire suite, specially designed for sales teams, managers, and owners, providing:

It’s affordably priced and comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. There’s also a playlist of instructional videos in there, explaining every single thing. So, you can watch the videos, and you’ll know exactly what to do.

Thanks for joining me, and I look forward to sharing more with you in the next blog.