Public relations might seem like an unnecessary addition to your company’s marketing repertoire, especially if you’re a five-person organization far too busy installing new solar arrays each week. But I would ask you to reconsider. Even setting aside a small PR budget helps with marketing your company, building community awareness and encouraging growth so you can build more projects, hire more employees and make more money.
Robert Sincovich of R.J. Sincovich Communications recently penned an online piece for Solar Power World dispelling myths associated with public relations and providing steps to get even the smallest solar contractor started. The biggest misconception is that PR is limited to Fortune 500 companies going through a crisis. Instead, PR is a positive, impact-driving tool, Sincovich said, for reaching targeted audiences and producing credible, relevant and attention-grabbing information. Through PR, you can get a higher level of exposure to attract customer attention and make sales.
Think you have nothing worthwhile to share with the masses? Solar PR isn’t limited to announcing new product partnerships or finished projects. It’s a chance to figure out what’s special about your company, pat yourself on the back and share the news with your community. Did you hire a new installer who is a military veteran? Tell us a little about him or her. Did you represent your town at an industry conference? Share what you learned and how it relates to the clean-energy future in your area.
Here’s something you could share today: Did you appear on the Solar Power World Top Solar Contractors list? News outlets love it when local businesses succeed, and this is a prime example of success. You might overlook these things as day-to-day events, but if you don’t share them, how will your audience know what’s happening? The goal is to build and sustain momentum. After seeing your name again and again, potential customers will take notice, and industry media (like me!) will, too. It may seem obvious, but I’m more likely to include companies in promotional opportunities if I’m familiar with them.
Adding public relations to your company is relatively easy. Sincovich suggested reaching out to a PR consultant or agency with experience in solar. To find one, you can ask for referrals from local PR association chapters or see what connections your local college has developed. The cost of PR help can be surprisingly low. PR firms can work on a project-by-project basis, or you could hire them on retainer, paying a monthly rate. If a firm’s outreach on behalf of your company lands editorial placements, it doesn’t cost you any extra.
We at Solar Power World love seeing material with a true news value, and we’re happy to share it with our vast audience on multiple platforms. Experienced PR professionals will know what type of content we want, will know how to reach us and, depending on the quality of their pitch, may be able to get your news published. All you do is pay for their services.
A1A Solar Contracting (No. 208 on the 2016 Top Solar Contractors list) first enlisted the help of a public relations professional when fighting local net-metering and solar policy changes. The company wanted to be sure the utility’s Board of Directors knew these changes would affect the entire community and not just solar customers.
“We turned to [a PR firm] because we knew they would be our best bet in drawing the media’s attention to the matter,” said Shellie Thies, A1A’s marketing manager. “We hoped that if the media heard enough about what was going on, we would get the issue in front of the public, and if the public heard enough about it, then they would show up at the board meetings.”
The PR company helped A1A’s president appear in local news coverage and in industry publications, and Thies said the community feedback was big and loud. The utility commented on the vast public turnout, and the proposed solar policy changes were not passed. Thies said she was so impressed with the work of the PR firm during this special case that A1A continued the partnership.
“I saw the types of connections they had and the outlets that they could regularly access. They do a great job, and it’s less of a hassle than trying to do it myself,” she said. “Yes, I could probably do things like write my own press releases and email them, but I certainly wouldn’t be able to do it as efficiently or as well as a professional can. I use a PR company for the same reason I hire any professional: They can do the job faster, better and probably even cheaper overall than I could on my own.”
There really is little to lose by exploring public relations as part of your marketing efforts. As Sincovich wrote, when you see news of your company highlighted prominently throughout various media channels reaching your customers, you’ll see the value you can add to your overall business pursuits. Solid PR efforts worked for A1A Solar Contracting and can help get the word out about your company, too.
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