Your door knocker throws the lead up; your closer needs to slam it down. If there is a delay, you miss. I use automations to ensure the “ball” (the lead) never touches the floor between the door knock and the phone call.
The Playbook Summary
The Fumble (The Problem)
In manual workflows, a Setter knocks a door, gets a “Yes,” and writes it down or logs it in an app (SalesRabbit/Spotio). The Closer doesn’t see it for 2-4 hours. In that gap, the homeowner cools off or talks to a spouse who says “No.”
The Assist (The Solution)
We use Middleware Automation (n8n) to instantly bridge the gap. When the Setter clicks “Lead” on the porch, the Closer’s phone rings within 10 seconds with the appointment details, driving directions, and credit profile.
Why “Lead Rot” Happens on the Drive Home
Solar sales is a momentum sport. The emotional buy-in from a homeowner is at its peak when the Setter is standing on the porch. Every minute that passes after the Setter leaves, that emotion decays.
The Manual Handoff (Slow)
- Setter pins location in SalesRabbit.
- Setter finishes shift at 7 PM.
- Setter syncs iPad at 8 PM.
- Manager assigns lead next morning at 9 AM.
- Closer calls homeowner at 10 AM (14 hours later).
- Result: “We changed our minds.”
The Alley-Oop (Instant)
- Setter pins location in SalesRabbit.
- Webhook fires instantly (0.5s).
- n8n checks Closer availability & location.
- Closer receives text: “New Sit. 5 mins away.”
- Homeowner receives text: “Mike is the manager, he’ll be calling you in 2 mins.”
- Result: Appointment locked in while emotion is high.
To achieve this, we need to stop treating our CRM like a storage locker and start treating it like a high-speed dispatch system.
The “Assist” Architecture
This requires three specific components working in unison. We do not rely on standard “native integrations” because they are too slow. We build direct API pipes.
| Position | Tool | The Function |
|---|---|---|
| Point Guard (Input) | SalesRabbit / Spotio | The interface on the iPad. Triggers the play via Webhook when status = “Lead”. |
| Coach (Logic) | n8n (Geo-Spatial Logic) | Calculates: Which closer is geographically closest to this lead right now? |
| Forward (Execution) | GoHighLevel (GHL) | Manages the calendar booking, SMS confirmations, and “Sit” tracking. |
Executing the Play: Step-by-Step
This isn’t theory. This is the exact logic code we deploy for high-volume teams. Click below to see the workflow.
We configure SalesRabbit to fire a JSON payload immediately when a pin status changes to “Lead.”
Critical Data Extracted:
- Address: 123 Sun St.
- Coordinates: 28.5383, -81.3792
- Utility Bill Amount: $250
- Setter ID: “John D.”
This data hits our n8n server instantly. No syncing required.
This is where we beat standard tools. We don’t just assign round-robin. We calculate Drive Time.
The Logic:
- Query GHL Calendar: Who is free right now?
- Query Google Maps API: For every free closer, calculate drive time from their last known location to the new lead.
- Winner: Closer B is 10 minutes away. Closer A is 40 minutes away.
The system selects Closer B automatically to minimize travel time and maximize urgency.
We create a “Triple-Threat” notification sequence:
- To Closer: “GO GO GO. New Lead at 123 Sun St. John D set it. Utility $250. Navigate: [Google Maps Link]”
- To Setter: “Nice set! Passed to Closer B. He is 10 mins out.”
- To Homeowner: “Hi [Name], great meeting John. My Senior Energy Consultant, Mike, is just finishing up down the street and will stop by in 15 mins to verify the roof shade.”
This locks the homeowner into waiting for the Closer, drastically reducing “No-Sits.”
If the lead closes, we push the contract value back to GHL.
We then auto-update a Sales Leaderboard that ranks Setters not just by “Leads Set,” but by “Revenue Generated.” This aligns incentives across the team.
The Championship Season
Why implement the Alley-Oop? Because speed scales.
If you have 10 setters and 3 closers:
- Manual Handoff: Closers waste 30% of their day driving to far-away leads or waiting for assignments. Sit rate is ~50%.
- Automated Handoff: Closers are routed efficiently. Sit rate jumps to ~75% because the lead is fresh.
An extra 25% sit rate on a solar team is worth millions in annual revenue. This efficiency is how you afford to scale your enterprise without hiring double the staff.
Pro Tip: If you use paid ads to supplement door knocking, ensure you read our guide on Ad Spend Management to keep your CAC aligned across channels.
Draft Your Architect
Stop fumbling the ball on the handoff. I engineer the “Sales Alley-Oop” systems that let your team score effortlessly.
Need the funnel to match the speed? Check out the Solar Funnel Guide.