By Gregg Hicks, VP, Modernize
Now that the new year is well underway, many solar professionals are refocusing their marketing efforts for 2021. Just because 2020 has ended doesn’t mean you have to start over with your marketing. It’s likely that you have solar leads from last year that still hold the possibility of a sale. Even though those leads didn’t convert right away, you still have the opportunity to turn them into paying customers.
Planning Your Solar Sales: 2020 vs. 2021
It’s an understatement to say that 2020 was an unusual year. Even in good economic years, homeowners can be cautious about investing in solar for their home. The pandemic and economic uncertainty of 2020 made families even more careful about high-cost spending. However, in December 2020, Congress extended the solar investment tax credit (ITC) that results in affordable solar installation for many families. Additionally, homeowners can further reduce their expenses through solar rebates.
As the price of solar steadily decreases, more homeowners will move to solar. There’s been a spike in homeowners investing in home improvement projects since the beginning of the pandemic — with solar systems being included. Additionally, according to Modernize Home Services eBook “Homeowner Project Preferences: 2020 Modernize Survey Results,” 89% of homeowners fail to set a budget for solar projects before exploring solar panel installation.
As we moved into 2021, mindsets changed for many people. Society is adjusting to the uncertainty of the pandemic. Solar industries are finding ways to adapt to new ways of doing business. Plus, the news of a vaccine has many people feeling optimistic about the future.
These mindset shifts have a positive impact on the comfort and security that people need to invest in their solar projects.
Identifying Property Value Opportunities in 2021
It’s clear that the real estate market is holding strong. Not only are mortgage rates the lowest we’ve seen in years, but the demand for real estate is high in many parts of the country. Most areas have low real estate inventory, which helps to drive up home prices. The continued demand creates a prime opportunity for homeowners who want to maximize their property value with solar energy.
When you are talking to homeowners who are on the fence about investing in solar, remind them of the current trends in the real estate market. People have an easier time spending money on their solar projects because they can see that it truly is an investment in the future.
Re-marketing to Cold Leads
Cold leads aren’t always dead leads. Continuous outreach is key to converting those cold leads into paying customers. Since people don’t often sign the deal during the first conversation, you need to be persistent about making your solar business stand out in the industry. Follow up with emails, phone calls and text messages. Make it a personal interaction to impress each potential client.
The goal is to re-market in a way that supports the needs of your target demographic without being overbearing in your efforts. Find new value propositions you can add to your emails and phone calls, showing why people should rethink their home improvement options.
Always include a call to action to encourage each customer to take the next step. Asking for the sale is sometimes the missing piece that might be preventing you from closing the deal.
If you can solve the person’s problems, then it’s a no-brainer decision to move forward with the solar installation. Get into the psychology of why people are hesitating to buy, then tap into the talking points that motivate someone to fix the current issues they are facing in their homes.
Keeping your focus on the customer’s needs – not your company’s needs – is the most effective way to draw in the customers ready to invest. Offer value and focus on customer satisfaction, and you’ll find that it’s easier to keep an active list of interested customers in your sales funnel.
Great article! However, I feel the one big thing missed out on this article is the pain value. With California having a large amount of planned blackouts and power outages, solar panels and battery storage are becoming a must.
Most home owners understand the value in many ways of Solar, but the problem becomes the solutions companies offer. At my solar company, we try to provide a safety net for our customers by providing warranties and top notch service. There’s a good reason why we get a large amount of referrals.
I would think that residents of Texas will be an easy conversion for purchasing a Tesla Powerwall and PV panels after their recent problems.