There’s an old expression in sales that manages to stay relevant no matter how much everything else changes:
“A customer doesn’t buy your products—they buy you.”
When it comes to selling solar energy, this phrase perfectly hits the mark.
Slick marketing, terrific products, and attractive pricing are all great things to have, but they will only get you so far. To succeed in the highly competitive solar market, you need to continually educate and enlighten your clients about the numerous benefits of solar power and create an incredible customer experience along the way.
In our own solar contractor network, we regularly discuss the methods that different companies use to increase their sales and create better customer relationships.
As salespeople in our industry know all too well, the process of selling solar energy requires answering numerous questions, dispelling common myths, and overcoming objections.
Solar power is a significant investment, so it’s no surprise that consumers need to feel comfortable, reassured, and confident to make a purchase.
In simple terms, they won’t buy from you if they don’t trust you.
“Establishing trust is better than any sales technique.” —Mike Puglia, Chief Marketing Officer, Kaseya
To make this vital connection, you need to educate and inform your customers throughout your entire sales process. As an expert in the field, they rely on your help to better understand how solar power works, how it will meet their needs, and how their purchase will benefit them for decades to come.
If you make education a fundamental aspect of your sales process—and combine it with a positive and helpful attitude—you’ll be more successful in clarifying misconceptions, establishing consumer trust, and improving your conversion rates.
Education not only creates more satisfied customers, but it’s also critical if you want to generate more online reviews and more direct referrals.
When speaking with one of our recent Solerus Energy clients, they said something that perfectly sums up our mission: “I want every single one of our customers to look back on their solar investment as the best money they ever spent.”
Customers who are well-educated during the sales process—such as in how to reduce their power consumption and maximize their free solar energy—will generally receive the greatest benefit from their purchase. Happy customers are more likely to recommend your business to their friends, family, and colleagues.
Education has the added benefit of reducing the number of phone calls and emails from previous customers seeking information. If your clients already have a clear understanding of how their system works, how to understand their energy bills, and how to read their solar inverter, they won’t need to keep coming back to you for more information.
In fact, if all goes well, you’ll only hear from them again when they have a new referral they’d like to send your way.
Ask yourself: Why would a customer choose your business over a large national company?
If you’re frequently coming up against the major installers—and you probably are—then you need to be offering at least one thing that the national companies aren’t or can’t.
Is it your service? Do you install unique brands? Are you available whenever your customers need you? Do you have years of experience designing and installing solar systems?
In short: if you can’t be bigger, then you need to be better.
If you’re a smaller business, you can offer expertise, service, and all-round customer care that the big companies can only dream about. Assuming you don’t have a large marketing budget, you need happy customers who can promote your business for you. The only way to achieve this is to offer a unique customer experience.
“Here is a powerful yet simple rule. Always give people more than they expect to get.” —Nelson Boswell, author
We suggest that you review your customer’s journey, from the initial contact to the final installation. What is it that you do really well? What could you be doing better? Perhaps most importantly, what can you offer that the national companies can’t?
One of the golden rules of business has always been to “under-promise and over-deliver.” Throughout your sales process, you have the perfect opportunity to set clear expectations and then exceed them.
By consistently delivering outstanding service, your clients will not only walk away completely satisfied, but they’ll also become ambassadors for your company.
We hope that this article has provided you with the inspiration you need to strengthen your sales process. As a company that works with solar contractors of all sizes, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that the solar industry presents and what solar companies can do to improve and grow.
If you would like more information about succeeding in the solar world, visit the information center for industry advice and expert tips. Or, if you would like to find out more about our selection of premium brands and solar design services, get in touch with us and speak with one of our expert staff.
Remember, informed customers are happy customers.
Solerus is a trusted solar energy equipment supplier, empowering contractors to develop agile solutions for commercial and residential clients. We provide a range of best-in-class solar products that are backed by an industry-leading 25-year warranty, designed to provide you with unparalleled peace of mind.
To learn more about reducing solar customer acquisition costs and the equipment you’ll need to have happy customers at a price that you’ll love, feel free to contact one of our knowledgeable specialists today!
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