In today’s blog, I’ll explain how you can generate more leads for your solar business through proven strategies that are easy to implement- yet deliver big results.
Hidden In Plain Sight
What do the bumps on the F and J keys on your keyboard, remnants of the historic past, UFOs, and unspoken social cues all have in common?
To save you from guessing, I’ll tell you: they’re right in front of us, yet we’re usually barely aware of them (ok, maybe not UFOs…or are they?).
And even if we’re aware of them, we don’t usually think to use them to our advantage (again…UFOs…tough call).
Other similarly hidden things in plain sight are ways to generate more leads for your solar business.
You probably already come across them or even use them for other means on a regular basis. So now is the time to step it up and start using them to bring sales in and boost your order book!
Enough of the intro. Let’s get into them. The 4 ways to generate more leads for your solar business that I’ll be looking at today are networking, sponsorship, robust referrals, and finally, effective email.
Table of Contents
4 Hidden ways to generate more leads for your solar business
Local Networking
Unless you spend all your life at home behind closed doors, it’s likely that you have a network of friends, acquaintances, workers and other locals in the place where you live. The second most common question people ask is usually “How’s work?” so you don’t even have to try very hard to get onto the topic of subtly promoting your business.
If you don’t already have much of a warm network, you can make one pretty easily by heading to events in your area. While you may not have much luck at the annual church roof repair fund tombola, you’ll probably get on well at trade fairs, county shows, house and garden exhibitions, or anywhere else where your clientele may be present (you could even start by talking to the other parents at the gates on the school run…I know I have!).
Ultimately, the aim of networking is to talk to people who may be interested in your solar installation services, get your name out there, build some brand awareness and familiarity with your services, and trust in your abilities. The more you show up, the more people will think of you- remember, you don’t always have to convince someone to sell straight away- however, developing and nurturing this network will mean that when people are ready to commit to going solar, it’s you they’ll think of.
What’s great about this way to generate more leads for your solar business is that it doesn’t have to cost any more than an entry fee to an event and the price of a pack of business cards. The biggest challenge is arguably having the confidence to talk to people about your business; however, if it’s your bread and butter, knowing what to say and how to promote your service should come easily, even if it’s awkward.
Sponsorship
This way to generate more leads for your solar business may cost a little to set up; however, it will get you noticed by large groups of people- potentially huge.
At the smallest scale, you could sponsor a school-building project or a local sports team. Consider donating resources or finances, and in return, get your company branding placed prominently for all to see- for example, at the sports ground, on football kits, in brochures and programmes, and on signage in the area. It’s even better to sponsor something aligned with solar, such as a green tech project at a school- this will naturally appeal more to your target audience.
From these small beginnings, you could scale up and sponsor larger events, teams, and projects. This will bring increased exposure and awareness of your brand.
Similar to networking, the idea behind sponsorship as a way to generate more leads for your solar business is not necessarily to do the hard selling or conversion but more to bring brand awareness and keep you in the minds of your potential clients.
Sponsoring a worthy cause also lets your customer base know that you care about the community and the needs of others- both will boost your reputation and build a picture of familiarity and trust for your brand.
Just recently, we sponsored a fundraiser at a local preschool, Jiminy Crickets, in Ashford Hill, Hampshire, along with a host of other local companies, all of which would be potential clients for us.
Referrals
This one is simple. When you get a customer, ask for a referral. You can incentivise this by offering a gift, i.e. a small sum of money, voucher, free product or service, in exchange for a referral which results in a successful bid. This takes the work out of looking for new business and warms up your new contact, too. The moment you say someone they know suggested you connect, it breaks down a barrier and builds immediate rapport.
If you want to really push this way to generate more leads for your solar business, you could add exclusivity to your service by only agreeing to work with a customer if they first provide you with a referral or two. Worded in a way that doesn’t sound pushy. For example, before we start working together, is there anyone in your network who you think may benefit from talking to me about having a solar installation?
This also plays into the psychology of reciprocity, where doing something for them (giving them a first-rate service, priority work, discount, etc) inclines the client to do something for you, i.e. refer you to a friend. Exclusivity builds desire for your service and increases the client’s perception of your service value- meaning you can charge more. Although I’ve never seen this done in the solar world, it is a tactic used widely in the coaching world with great success (but I would understand if it’s not your cup of tea).
We’ve all seen promotional emails landing daily in our inbox. A sale here, a discount code there. Let me tell you something for free: they’re rubbish. They’re pre-filtered into promotions, social or spam by most email clients, and some are even blocked altogether- so they’re rarely read.
If they’re lucky enough to be opened (which is unlikely with a subject as dry as yet another “flash sale now on!!!”), the reader usually loses interest in the irrelevant dross, or they’re so picture-heavy that they don’t load properly and are unreadable anyway.
This, ladies and gents, is where email campaigns from Sustainability Marketing come into play.
We’ll craft an email sequence to match your sales funnel (which we can help you with, too), helping you to engage with your clients, build interest and rapport, and let them know all about how your products and services will satisfy their needs- and make them aware of their needs too!
We do all of this without sounding like a spammy wotsit, too. Just straightforward, no-nonsense conversational emails that bring a personal touch to marketing outreach- with proven results.
The Rest
We also offer a comprehensive range of other services such as website SEO auditing, web copy reviews and writing, socials and blogs. So you can focus on delivering great solar services and leave the promo to us!
To find out more ways to generate more leads for your solar business with Sustainability Marketing, just get in touch.
