What is the best way to get solar leads for your new or existing solar installation business?
Is it cold calling? Referrals? Buying Leads? Advertising on the internet or social media?
You could use all of these and they would probably work to a certain degree. But finding a way for potential clients to come looking for you is a much easier way to build a consistent pipeline of clients.
As the world becomes more energy hungry and energy conscious it has created huge growth for solar companies around the world. The companies with the biggest advertising budgets are likely to win the race to getting in front of customers
But what about the smaller solar companies with little or no budget for advertising?
Does it mean they are doomed to failure and cannot compete?
Most certainly not. In fact using the strategy in this post will produce far better results than the big budget companies, because in most cases…..their marketing method sucks 🙂
So, what is the best way to get solar leads for both small and large solar companies?
Here’s a simple process to get targeted leads and customers for your business…..
Best Way To Get Solar Leads: 5 Step Process
Step 1: Who Is Your Ideal Customer
A common marketing saying, is that if you market to EVERYONE you market to NO ONE
Trying to sell solar products and services to the mass market is highly competitive and expensive.
Instead, decide WHO your customer avatar is.
An avatar is simply a very specific person/company that you understand very well and know how to solve their problems
Is your ideal customer cryptocurrency miners who use enormous amounts of electricity to power their mining rigs and require a more affordable and stable energy source?
Or is it medical facilities located within a certain geographic area?
Narrowing down down a specific market will make you a specialist supplier to that industry and the prospects in that market will then likely see you as the go-to EXPERT who understands their needs better than everyone else
Making this decision about your ideal customer is probably the single most important decision you can make in your business and is they KEY to finding solar leads.
Step 2: What Are the Problems Of Your Ideal Customer
Once you’ve identified and decided who your ideal customer is. It’s time to sit down and have an imaginary cup of coffee with them and just….LISTEN
What are the problems they have? Back to out example. A crypto miner might have a completely different set of problems compared to a medical facility. Yes. They both require a solar solution but the reasons they require it are not the same at all.
Your job is to understand EXACTLY what those problems are. You can do this by “snooping” online and reading message boards, forums, Facebook groups, the comments on LinkdIN posts or Youtube comments
This brings up an important consideration within this step of the process….knowing where these people hang out online and offline is critical if you want to become an expert on their needs and wants.
Step: 3 Build An Audience (With Your Message)
If you want to ATTRACT BEES you should probably speak to them about honey. Once you know who your customer is, what their problems are and where they hang out, the next step is crafting a message that will get them interested in listening to what you have to say
You do this by creating valuable content and free resources that speaks about their problems and offers them solutions to those problems.
This could include starting a blog, podcast or YouTube channel where you deliver free content and resources SPECIFICALLY about what your ideal customer is going through and offering free advice on how to get certain results
Think about the various reality shows on television. Some are about cooking. Others about baking or business. The important thing is creating a brand for your business that is seen as a helpful resource for everything about solar for a specific industry or customer.
That’s your goal, to create your own “reality show” for your solar brand
Step 4: Build a Customer Lead List (that you own)
While platforms like Youtube and Facebook are a great place to build your brand through valuable content creation for your market, you do not own this traffic.
Even Google is known to release updates that kill website traffic overnight. The only real asset you can ever build online is an email list
And the best way to build your email list is by creating a free offer, like an ebook or webinar that you offer to your ideal customer. This freebie is known as a lead magnet
A lead magnet is an enticing piece of information that your ideal customer will find valuable because it helps them solve a specific problem
This lead magnet can be offered on your blog or in a link placed below your Youtube videos and once your ideal customers click to take it, they have to provide their email address to receive it
Step 5: Create An Offer
Once you’ve built a relationship with your prospective client through the free content and lead magnet, it’s time to make them an offer
An offer is not necessarily just an offer to buy a product but rather a solution that makes you stand out to the client over and above your competition.
For example, besides the actual solar equipment and installation, could you assist the client with the fund raising process should they not have all the funds available from their own cash resources?
Could you include a free roof inspection as part of your offer?
Basically, what value added service could you throw into your offer that would make you stand head and shoulders above the rest of your competition, making it a “no brainer” decision for the client to select your company.
That is the secret here. That you create an irresistible offer for your client as part of your solution to their problem
Conclusion: The Best Way To Get Solar Leads
The best way to get solar leads depends on great marketing. And great marketing begins with communicating the RIGHT MESSAGE to the RIGHT CUSTOMER using the RIGHT MEDIA
Unfortunately most business owners start their marketing process by choosing the media, ie the newspaper, television or social media and then preparing a message that tries to appeal to Everyone
Successful marketing however relies on understanding WHO your customer is first and then preparing a message that is made just for them.
This will ensure that your prospective customer will feel as if you are speaking Directly to them and as such they will have no choice but to pay attention to you.
So do the work upfront to understand who your customer is…..and your bank manager will thank you later.
Sincerely
Aslam
