Quick Guide For Solar Businesses

Solar energy is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, the solar market grew by 34% in 2016, and it’s expected to continue growing at a similar rate for the next few years.

To succeed in this competitive marketplace, you need to know how to sell solar energy effectively along with how to install solar panels.

In this blog post, we'll give you all the information you need to know as a power company to sell solar energy to make your business thrive.

How to start with Selling Solar Panels?

In order to put the tips to use, you need to know where to start, right? This is where you begin. You will need to execute all the below-mentioned pointers in order to start off the sales journey on the right track.

Find a Reputable Solar Dealer

The first thing you need to do is find a reputable solar panel dealer. There are a few things you should look for when choosing a dealer. Make sure the company has been in business for a while and has a good reputation.

You also want to make sure they have a good selection of solar panels to choose from.

Get Quotes

Once you've found a few dealers, it's time to start getting quotes. The price of solar panels can vary quite a bit, so it's important to get quotes from several different dealers before making your final decision.

Market your Panels

Once you've decided on a dealer, it's time to start marketing your solar panels. You can do this by creating flyers and handing them out in your local community.

You can also post information about your solar panels on websites and in online classifieds.

Understand Net metering

This essentially means you understand how you can sell excess energy your solar panels produce back to the utility company. This can help offset the cost of your solar panel system as the utility company pays you.

Once you Implement the above, you should be able to sell solar panels. Just remember to do your research and have the right information before making a sale on your end as well, so to help you with always having the right information we have the next segment.

Information to have before selling panels

There are a few things you need to know before getting started in the solar panel business in order to be able to implement a successful sales strategy.

Size of Solar Market

The first thing to consider is the size of the solar panel market. The solar panel market is growing rapidly, but it's still a small market overall. In 2018, the global installed capacity was only around 480 GW. This is expected to grow to around 1,600 GW by 2030.

So, while the market is growing quickly, it's still relatively small. This means that there are not a lot of solar panel manufacturers or suppliers. To be successful in selling solar panels, you'll need to find a good supplier and build a good relationship with them.

Price of Solar Panels

The second thing to consider is the price of solar panels. Solar panels are becoming more affordable as technology improves and manufacturing costs decrease. However, they are still relatively expensive. Prices are expected to continue to fall as technology improves.

Installation Process

The third thing to consider is the installation process. Solar panels need to be installed by a qualified installer. The installation process can be complicated and time-consuming. This means that the installer will need to be paid for their time and expertise.

We sure discussed a lot about knowing your product inside out before selling them to a customer, let us read on to understand its importance.

Why is important to Understand Products before selling them?

It is always important to understand products before selling them, but this is especially true for solar panels.

Get to know your Customers

Solar panels are a substantial investment, and it is important to be sure that customers know what they are getting into before making a purchase. So understanding your product deeply will help you gauge your customer's interest and requirements so you sell them what they actually need.

Financial Considerations

In addition to getting to know your customers, it also helps us take into cognizance the financial aspects of making a sale both for you and your customers.

It helps you understand your scalability and terms of your customers, you can end up with more leads since you will present them with the right product at the right time.

Technicalities

There are also technical elements of solar panels that need to be understood in order to ensure that they are installed correctly and will work as intended and this will only happen if you have the knowledge about them from a generic source.

By taking the time to learn about solar panels before selling them, you can give your customers the best possible experience and ensure that your business is successful.

There is something extra you can do to understand your product better, read further to find out how?

Certified by NABCEP to help sell solar panels

One of the best ways to sell solar panels successfully is to get certified by an organization like the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

NABCEP is the leading certification organization for solar energy professionals.

Shows Depth of Knowledge

• Getting certified by them will show potential customers that you are knowledgeable and qualified to sell solar panels.
• It will also give you a competitive edge over other businesses that are selling solar panels.

How to get certified?

To get certified, you'll need to pass an exam that covers topics such as solar panel technology, installation, and safety. Once you've passed the exam, you'll be able to use the NABCEP logo on your marketing materials.

NABCEP offers a range of certification programs for different levels of experience. The entry-level certification will allow you to sell solar panels.

The solar professionals in your company can get certified as a Solar PV Installer or Solar PV Site Assessor. These certifications will show potential customers that you have the skills and knowledge to install or assess solar panel systems. There are also specialized certifications for specific types of solar energy systems, such as grid-tied or off-grid systems.

This was just a general tip, you can visit their page for more details. Now let us move on to a slightly more important segment.

How to build a strong network?

We touched upon things of diverse importance to the process of selling a panel. But this pointer stands out as it is always important to have a good network when selling anything, and solar panels are no different.

There are a few things you can do to build a strong network to sell solar panels:

Join industry associations.

This will give you access to other professionals in the solar industry and allow you to stay up-to-date on industry news.

Attend trade shows and conferences.

This is a great way to meet potential customers and suppliers. It's also a good opportunity to learn about new products and technology.

Get involved in community outreach.

This can help you raise awareness about solar energy and make connections with potential customers.

Use social media.

This is an excellent way to connect with potential customers and promote your business.

Now, moving on to the final segment of the article, we finally have a list of ways that are effective in order to make sales.

Ways to Sell Solar Power

Offer a competitive price.

The first step to selling solar energy is to offer a competitive price. There are a lot of companies out there offering solar services, so you need to make sure that your prices are competitive.

By doing your research and knowing the going rates for solar services, you can make sure that you're not overcharging or underserving your customers.

Host events and webinars.

Another great way to sell solar energy is to host events and webinars. This is a great opportunity to show potential customers what your company has to offer and answer any questions they may have.

Events and webinars can also be used as lead-generating tools, so make sure to promote them accordingly.

Get involved in the community.

Solar energy is all about being environmentally friendly, so what better way to sell it than by getting involved in the community?

There are many ways to get involved, such as volunteering for environmental organizations or speaking at local schools about the benefits of solar energy.

By getting involved in the community, you can show potential customers that your company cares about more than just making money—you care about making a difference.

Offer financing options

For many people, one of the biggest barriers to going solar is the upfront cost. By offering financing options, you can remove this barrier and make it easier for people to switch to solar energy.

There are many different financing options available, so find one that best fits your company's needs and offer it to potential customers.

Educate Your Prospects About Solar Energy

The first step in selling solar energy is educating your prospects about what solar energy is and how it can benefit them. People are more likely to invest in something if they understand what it is and how it works.

When you’re educating your prospects, be sure to focus on the benefits of solar energy—such as savings on their electric bills, being more environmentally friendly, etc.

People are motivated by different things, so it’s important to address as many different benefits as possible.

Offer a Free Solar Analysis

Once you’ve educated your prospect about solar energy, the next step is to offer them a free solar analysis. This will help them understand how much money they could save by switching to solar power.

Be sure to use an online calculator or tool so that your prospect can get an accurate estimate of their potential savings. This will give them a concrete reason to switch to solar power—and it will also help you close more sales.

Set Up a Solar Plant Tour

If you have a local solar plant, set up tours for interested prospects! This is a great way for them to see the technology up close and ask any questions they might have. It’s also a great opportunity for you to build relationships with potential customers.

Offer Attractive Financing Options

Financing options are very important when selling solar energy because most people don’t have the upfront cash to pay for a system outright. By offering attractive financing options, you can make solar power more accessible to everyone—and increase your chances of making a sale.

Some things to keep in mind when offering financing options include:

• Offer low-interest rates
• Flexible payment terms
• No money down options

Use Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing is a great way to reach new prospects and generate leads for your sales team. You can use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to raise awareness about your company and its offerings—and drive traffic back to your website or blog.

Remember each and every point is important. So read carefully and also choose carefully. We took the liberty of leaving a suggestion here to try out Sunbase for your solar sales needs, You can read on to see how Sunbase can be a valuable addition to your company.

If you want to sell solar panels like a pro, be sure to check out our blog post.

Sunbase

Visualize your business systematically organized into one central platform, that is designed around defined systems, processes, and operational workflows to access every detail with a simple search. You can have all this with Sunbase!

The flexibility of Sunbase offers the adaptability to fit existing systems & processes or make it simple to create new more efficient ones. Not only does the system keep everything organized, but it also offers automation to be more efficient and effective, with less manual effort. 

It provides a wide range of tools for the following functions that are of key importance to the sales process. Some of the major Sunbase tools and software used by solar companies are-

• Solar CRM
• Solar Design Software
• Solar Proposal Software
• Solar Lead Management Software
• Billing & Invoicing Software
• Door to door software
• Dashboard reporting software

You can request a demo if you would like to witness in real time the compatibility Sunbase proposes for your company.

Solar power is a rapidly growing industry with huge potential for profitability and life-changing from burning fossil fuels to depending on solar electricity. Power companies and Utility companies are gaining extreme momentum due to the solar system becoming relevant.

So by reading this article today you'll be one step closer to closing a sale. Be sure to check out our Blog on Strategies for Solar Panel Advertising.