This means that you cannot simply adopt a blanket marketing strategy that is copy-pasted from other industries. Cost advantages and easy financing options, People who enjoy outdoor sports like skiing or biking, People interested in environmental causes. These include phone numbers, forms to request info/estimates, and a way to capture email (newsletter or gated content). This will be your first impression and may be a point of reference for months as leads consider their solar options. Great customer service and delivering value are the keys to getting positive reviews, but be proactive. It’s clear that more and more people are spending money on solar. It’s easy to point out where solar marketing gets it wrong: used-car sales tactics, selling price over value, or simply failing to follow up. Formulate industry-specific Solar Marketing Ideas Having a look at the statistics of energy alternatives, it’s not hard to see that solar is on the rise in comparison to other players. New marketing tip videos on our YouTube channel every week! Videos work. Add to this keeping track of client information and leads through the long sales cycle, and it becomes apparent you need the right tools to manage it all. Our relationships with solar companies to date have been highly productive ones, as we have found that SEO can be of serious benefit to them, no matter what stage of development they are in. Add to that our free CRM software that ties onto email marketing software and you have a comprehensive package that executes marketing at the highest level. My Solar . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You can stay in front of them using retargeting ads. Get business, marketing and sales tips written by experienced industry practitioners. If a client refers a neighbor and you get another contract, pay them for it. ... And you must have a business plan with marketing and financial projections. No one ever said it would be this hard.”. You want to be all over page one. The market for solar is growing – make sure you’re positioned to get your share. A professional video production is a bit of an investment, but it can pay off for years. Having a look at the statistics of energy alternatives, it’s not hard to see that solar is on the rise in comparison to other players. Captains » Thoughts » Energy » 5 ways solar energy companies can crush it with their marketing. It’s no secret that people do not want to be constantly advertised at. If you can get your company to the top of a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) through ethical means that take into the account the core mandates of the major search engines, you’ve struck marketing gold for the following reasons: We’re more than a little excited about the move to solar. Next, you need to set-up and rank for Google My Business. As solar energy’s popularity increases, so does the competition between providers and solutions. We won’t dwell on this one. Looking at the current boom in the solar industry, you’d be accurate in thinking Here Comes the Sun is more than just a Beatles’ track. Yes, we all want to save the Earth, but people really perk up when they hear about saving thousands on their electric bill. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Next, it needs to convert the visitor. Your marketing needs to generate initial leads, then nurture them through this process to the moment of buying decision. This can operate in various ways. Think outside the Barrel . What makes solar marketing different is that it is important to make provisions for people who don’t necessarily know they are looking for solar until they find it. Apart from the traditional items, you can develop different types of new solar products. First, it needs to detail the basics of who you are, what you offer, and where you work. This trend has been fueled by the high cost for electricity, stemming from the high cost for imported fuel. It may come as no surprise to you that according to Hubspot’s report on the state of inbound marketing, 68% of respondents agreed that generating traffic and leads was their company’s greatest marketing challenge. People are still learning about how this all works, and the idea of “going solar” has not yet crossed over to majority adoption. A unique value proposition (UVP) is a statement that does three things: For example, this solar panel company specializes in powering agricultural water pumps: Other ways you might develop a UVP include: Consider that leads will certainly research your competitors. We have a client that uses social media posts to encourage referrals: Of course, customers refer you because solar is saving them money and they enjoyed working with you. Added to this, incentive schemes are being employed throughout the globe that are only set to increase the uptake. Initially, many new leads will search for solar energy companies and panel installation on Google search. Authenticity in solar marketing is key. While solar energy has long since been a part of the vocabulary of a number of people, it is still a foreign concept to a vast tract of the population. This page is half website, half social media updates. Instead, what’s really catching the interest of consumers – particularly home owners – is the long-term financial savings enabled by solar systems. Email outperforms many other marketing methods in engagement, conversion rates and other key metrics. Solar & Renewable Energy Creative Marketing Materials January 11, 2016 January 29, 2020 / Graphic Design , Print Design Ideas Generate public awareness for renewable energy with innovative marketing materials. Marketing 360® is designed to help solar energy companies manage these challenges. This will only serve to increase your leads and generate more traffic. So much so that, according to Hubspot, 4 out of 5 people have left a webpage because of a pop-up or autoplaying ad. MARKET TRENDS The Marketing trend for the solar lighting solution has been a growing industry. By displaying some of your previous projects, you will be able to illustrate that you are a trustworthy supplier that has completed jobs successfully. Sell Solar Panels and Power on Value, Not on Price. This throws up a complicated conundrum when it comes to solar marketing ideas. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Competition is fierce in the solar industry; in some areas, it seems like a new solar installer enters the market every other week. Most people who visit your website initially won’t convert. There are many sites you need to have reviews on, including Top Rated Local, Facebook, Google, HomeAdvisor, and Yelp. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Appeal to their sense of environmental stewardship. We offer a free SEO strategy review that will give you insight into how well your lead generation efforts are working. The way to make that happen is referrals. As we mentioned at the start, people looking into solar energy go through a long sales cycle. Testimonials are most effective when customers relate how much they saved by going solar and how easy the installation was. If you have a way to make your offer stand out, you have the advantage. Look, we’re no Scientists, but in the words of a band that may need some sun themselves, “Nobody said it was easy. A solar installation company’s website is the central element of a strong digital solar marketing strategy. Post to deal sites - People love free stuff, some more than others. The very best method to do this is by creating quality content for your consumers that will help inform, notify, and raise their interest in your renewable energy services. As solar energy is a progressive idea that still needs a lot of explaining to the average consumer, social media marketing in the solar industry presents the perfect opportunity to become a thought leader. Your solar energy company website design needs to accomplish a number of things. Explain the benefits of solar energy. Plan of attack: Become a thought leader in the solar industry via your social media marketing campaign. It’s often as close as you can get to meet a contractor before they begin work on your property. The big challenge with marketing solar panel systems is the long-term sales cycle. Communicates something specific of value. A primary marketing challenge is to ensure that the public hears the positive message about solar’s value equation. Added to this, incentive schemes are being employed throughout the globe that are only set to increase the uptake. The U.S. Department of Energy has set up Solar Powering America, which provides incentives to both individuals and businesses. Learn how long-term SEO marketing can yield BIG returns. Your neighbor installs solar, you chat, then so do you. Sure, these businesses will have access to a great, fairly well off demographic that is sustainability minded, and they will have built up a layer of trust that is critical to closing a sale. We think it is just so much cooler to build things that operate without batteries. Our marketing program includes both software that tracks all your marketing channels on one interface and a professional marketing executive to develop a strategy and execute the tactics. It's a lack of knowledge by sales reps on how to sell solar array systems. A report by EnergySage has identified the current moment by referencing author Geoffrey Moore’s notion of “crossing the chasm”, an effective means of describing the tightrope between a climate of only early adopters and one of accepted standard practice. How should you invest in SEO for the highest ROI? Think energy auditors and organic food co-operatives. If so, what does effective solar lead generation look like? You need to get specific. Everyone loves to save money, so devising a compelling way to clearly illustrate the overall savings offered by going solar can really improve a solar installer’s conversion rates, as can scheduling online, print, radio, and television marketing efforts to coincide with local utility due dates. If you're currently creating a solar sales strategy and business plan, I'd suggest reading K Some of the most trending segments are solar lights, solar gadgets, solar rechargers. Solar is appealing because it’s environmentally friendly, but that isn’t likely to be your most effective topic for marketing. Solar Fred’s Guide to Solar Guerrilla Marketing includes 10 solar guerrilla marketing ideas to help your solar company to stand out from large competitors, get local brand recognition, generate more leads, and activate your referral base after the sale. You can have a specified page for testimonials, but it’s more effective to have them spread across your site. Here they are—9 ways to capture your piece of the sun through digital lead generation and solar advertising. branding, Bright Ideas Blog, marketing, solar Three Examples of Solar Marketing Done Right. Your goal should be to see large suburban neighborhoods in your area with every rooftop covered with your solar panels. Numerous solar lead generation companies offer lists of leads at a pretty penny. Our bright ideas come from the Sun . Read our eBook to find out now. Once you get a customer in a neighborhood, everyone they know becomes a potential customer. The second is the modern day equivalent of a referral system—link building. What’s more, videos can serve as a moving brochure for your work. Clarifies the benefit(s) customers derive from your offer. Marketing strategy tips and advice for small sized solar firms on how to develop a successful forward-looking marketing strategy and move beyond the trap of reactive marketing that drowns so many small businesses in a continuous struggle to keep up. White Hat SEO is still the most effective way to drive organic traffic and generate leads that matter—and it can be effectively employed in any sector. With growth in the residential solar energy, solar energy marketing is increasingly important. Web pages can include articles that help people understand the value of going solar. Here’s an example infographic: Create a detail report on what types of energy bill savings to expect and use it as gated content to gain an email address. How can you be part of the movement to ensure that more consumers are hit by the rays of solar growth? Geoffrey Moore’s notion of “crossing the chasm”, Hubspot’s report on the state of inbound marketing. Rather, provide them with meaningful content that will serve to educate them about the benefits of solar installation. Don’t inundate people with adverts. You can target audience demographics and interests with precision using social media advertising on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. The future for solar energy businesses is bright. To compete, you need to stand out. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. One of the big keys to marketing solar is finding great strategic partners. Maintain a referral system This means that if environmental concerns are not a major factor in consumer decision-making, financial implications will be. This means effectively marketing and selling against large solar installers that have huge budgets. You can only do this by understanding the unique characteristics of solar lead generation and marketing. For example, here a design mockup on the UXI® platform: A professional design on a mobile responsive template is a must for any business website today. See the sunny side of life and make your life sunnier by using solar energy . Yes, keyword research is necessary for all sectors who would like to launch or maintain a successful digital marketing campaign. Future Marketing Strategy points: Power production from thin film panel based solar power plants cost slightly less per kWh than that from crystalline solar power plants, but the practical efficiencies and robustness of thin films over a 25 year project time period is not well established. Nevertheless, I hope they inspire you to be thinking about what you did in 2017 and give you some ideas to include in your 2018 plans. Then you have the organic website listings. Our Sun, the bright alternative . But, marketing can be confusing as there are often many methods to choose from. Here are 10 marketing ideas that will help you do just that. Marketers have to work that much harder to generate as many leads as possible and make sure that they are reaching the right people for long-term growth. As a company filled with big dreamers looking to change the world, an industry based on renewable energy is the kind we would like to engage with. 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