Solar panel marketing – Six top tips

If you are responsible for solar panel marketing for your business then I hope you will find these 6 top tips invaluable.

The first step to winning more solar panels installation jobs is to think like a potential householder who is looking for solar panels. Put yourself in their shoes.

What thought processes will they go through? Which websites do people visit when they are looking to learn about solar panels options? How can you engineer so they “see you” online when they are searching for a solution?

TOP TIP 1

Initially, potential customers will be searching online for information on renewable energy options. This is your ideal opportunity to become their trusted advisor. Have information on your website to educate them to the different solar panel options that are available. It may seem counter-intuitive to give free advice but this really does build you as the trusted solar panels advisor even though some people will go elsewhere. So this can be blog posts, PDF guides or videos. I recommend this book to my clients on how to create content that draws clients to you. They Ask, You Answer by Marcus Sheridan.  And this becomes even more powerful when it can be linked to a marketing automation system, see point 4 below.

TOP TIP 2

Be visible online. These days the first port of call, when someone is interested to learn about solar panel instalation will be the internet and primarily using Google. It is imperative that your solar panel business is visible on Google.

So do a check – how do you appear on Google right now in your local area. Because most of the time people will be looking first for a local solar panel installer.

Step 1 – Go to Google, enter the name of your local area followed by the word “solar panels”  into the Google search bar.

Example: London solar panels, London solar panel installers

Step 2 – Make a note of the websites that come up on Page 1. Study them and get inspiration for your own ideas. Is your solar panels business on the list? If not…

TOP TIP 3

You need to get your website listed.

Google Adwords are the ads top and bottom of the search results page. Advertising is a quick win. But can be expensive and you need to know what you are doing. I would recommend hiring a Google Adwords Expert as it can be complex to set up Adwords and expensive if you get it wrong. (I would definitely recommend using Google Remarketing, this enables you to display ads to your website visitors AFTER they leave your site – the ads follow them all over the internet. These work great and cost next to nothing).

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). This is the process to optimise your website so that Google lists it in the rankings. You need to be on page one of Google. The good news is that this is free, the bad news is that it can take many months of work to achieve a result. But once you do you will reap the rewards for a long time. SEO is a huge subject so you can either hire an expert or if you have the time and inclination you can teach yourself, check out the book I mention in TOP TIP 1.

TOP TIP 4

Have a solar panel marketing and sales follow up system.

This is what the majority of solar panel businesses do not have or understand. In points 1 to 3 above we are looking at ways to generate interest in your solar panels and services, which is essential. But what you have to realise is that of those who visit your website only one or two in every 100 are ready to buy today. So if they do not buy today then that means 98% leave your website and the chances are they will never come back. That 98% is where the gold is for your business. So you have to have a system in place that enables you to consistently follow up with EVERYONE who expresses an interest in solar panels. This can be really simple – paper based or Excel, it is possible but it is a definite chore that requires dedication and time to manage. And that leads me nicely on to what I do. I specialise in helping clients set up a marketing automation system called Keap / Infusionsoft and this is the leading marketing automation system for small businesses. Check out my blog post – Do you really need more solar panel sales leads.

TOP TIP 5

Referrals. Even in this online world, word of mouth advertising is still the best. How can you encourage previous clients to talk about your solar panels? Can you offer them an incentive if one of their friends buys solar panels from you? Can you reach out to all your previous customers and remind them about your products and service, this is really easy if you have a marketing system in place, see Top Tip 4 and an efficient Solar Panel Installation System, see Top Tip 6.

On this note. Are you listed with the likes of Trusted Trader and / or any other review sites? Social proof these days is so important. How many times have you decided between one or other hotel or restaurant based on the reviews from previous customers. This social proof is key these days and you should be actively asking your customers for a review on each job you do.

TOP TIP 6

Solar Panel Installation Systemisation

OK, so you have been busy marketing and you now have solar panel enquiries and orders. But the job is still not finished. Now we have to ensure we look and act professional and do a top notch installation job so that we WOW and retain those hard-won clients. How do you manage you and your team’s on-site installation and maintenance jobs currently? As the business grows you will need a system to make this as professional as possible so that clients not only return to us later on for maintenance, but they refer us to their friends and family contacts. One very impressive software I have recommended to installation / service clients for the past 4 years is ServiceM8, I have been so impressed with ServiceM8 that in the summer of 2019 I became a ServiceM8 Certified Partner.

If you are interested to learn more about how to build your own solar panel marketing and sales system then please schedule a free 1-hour Discovery call.