An estimated $485 billion is expected to be spent on home renovations this year. Many homeowners will favor upgrading their homes rather than moving. Are you prepared to stand out and capture a larger market share for your solar business?
Maintaining a robust marketing strategy can be challenging with increased service demands. But you don’t have to sacrifice growth just to keep up with calls! Here are five steps to grow your solar business this season.
Capture every lead
Many solar businesses are missing out because they’re failing to capture every lead and collect the right information. This means sales reps don’t know the best leads to prioritize, and the business makes less money.
There are some simple ways to sort this:
- Answer every call quickly – if you don’t they’ll call the competition
- Respond to website inquiries in under 10 minutes so you get their attention first
- Qualify your leads – get information up front so your sales team can prioritize leads that are ready to buy.
Perfect your local SEO
A digital marketing strategy to grow your solar business extends beyond social media. Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a pivotal role in establishing your company in the community you serve.
A core part of this is optimizing your Google My Business profile to attract new customers. Information on Google, such as your business name, hours, and phone number, must be accurate and up-to-date. You want to feature in searches for ‘solar install [your town name]’, and this is where you can tell Google that information easily.
Showcasing your commitment to exceptional customer service is vital, and it includes actively responding to positive and negative online reviews. Regardless of the communication channel, engaging with your audience online remains a robust strategy for fostering the growth of your solar business.
Beyond your Google Business profile, there are other ways to make your solar business more visible in search results. People are most likely searching online using mobile devices, meaning local SEO is critical for success. A mobile-friendly website, engaging content, and proper localized keywords can improve your rankings and get more traffic to your website.
Does your truck stand out?
For local service businesses, making sure your trucks stand out is massive. More people in your service area will see your trucks than anything else you do, so make them memorable.
You need a strong brand to do this, so make sure your brand is more memorable than a stock photo of a solar panel on the side of a truck. Show that your business is different, that you care, and that you are established. A memorable truck with a phone number and website address on it will grow your inquiries as word of mouth grows.
Start a referral program
Beyond feedback and repeat business, your existing customers offer something even better – referrals. Word-of-mouth and online referrals from happy customers are a cost-effective way to grow your solar business.
Ask your existing customers to refer you to their friends and family and reward them for their efforts. You’ll want to reward each referral and consider milestone bonuses to increase engagement. For example, offering an extra $X after ten referrals creates a tiered program versus a single bonus.
Your existing customers have the potential to be brand advocates for you and, in turn, reduce your marketing spending. You can differentiate yourself from competitors by leveraging customer loyalty through a referral program without a huge investment.
Referral programs also give you measurable results based on the number of referrals and conversion rates. Use this data to view the impact on your bottom line and adjust your referral program as necessary.
Find local partnerships
Relationship building extends beyond your customer base. Through partnerships with related industries, you can also expand your marketing reach.
While it would be easy to rely on traditional promotion channels, connecting with like-minded businesses helps you find work in a new way. Identify what type of companies would be most beneficial to partner with – such as construction companies, home building businesses, and roofing companies.
Once you identify a prospective partnership, you should establish a relationship that benefits both parties. For example, partnering with a custom home builder would allow them to offer solar as part of the build process. In turn, you can grow your solar business with consistent work.
Many other solar businesses want these same partnerships, so you’ll need to stand out. You should come prepared to offer something to the partnership beyond solar installation. For example, an ideal partner might be someone who brings knowledge of local utility regulations and energy rebates.
Diversify your marketing channels
Partnerships are just one creative way to approach solar marketing. You also want multiple avenues to connect with new and existing customers.
Start by considering your ideal customer and the channels they use to find a service or product. The average person spends 145 minutes on social media daily, so meeting your ideal customer on the platform they use often is critical.
Various social media platforms exist, such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Focus your efforts on selecting the most popular ones for your customer base. You may need to do some market research to see where your customers show up online.
Posting regular updates creates consistency for your customer base and gives them a look into your business. But you also need to be engaging with your community. You can establish solid connections with your audience and build trust by replying to comments and direct messages.
Discover new growth solutions.
As spring warmth approaches, it’s the perfect time to re-energize your solar panel business. By following the five steps outlined above, you’ll meet the season’s demands and lay the foundation for solar business growth.
Check out our 24/7 solar answering service and be prepared to make the most of every opportunity.