With the demand for solar energy at an all-time high, millions of people are ready and willing to invest in solar power systems. However, knowing how to reach these potential customers can be confusing, especially if your marketing experience is lacking or non-existent. Competition is also fierce in the renewable energy market, so you will need to make some smart marketing decisions to stand out from your competitors. To help you stay ahead of the curve, here are five points to keep in mind when setting your marketing strategy:
1. Educate Customers On The Benefits Of Solar Power
One of the key marketing strategies for attracting high-quality prospects is to educate your audience. There are so many advantages and facts you can share about investing in PV solar energy panels. You should not run out of interesting content to share with your potential customers. For example, many homeowners are completely unaware of the type of cost savings they can make by switching to solar, so this is a great way to hook them in. You can then go on to tell them about the science behind solar, how it all works, and all the environmental benefits it provides.
A few years back, it made sense for renewable energy companies to advertise on social media through paid ads. It was possible to get multiple leads with a little spending. However, now social media ads are more expensive and incredibly competitive, with up to 18,000 solar ads running at any given time. Instead, educate your target audience through organic marketing channels such as videos, blogs, and social media posts.
2. Multiple Marketing Channels
Long gone are the days where you could invest a couple of hundred dollars on Facebook ads, and you would be inundated with inquiries. Instead, homeowners are turning to places like YouTube and Pinterest for their home improvement needs. You need to go where the homeowners are going so you can get your solar power solutions in front of them.
People need to know you exist before they can buy from you. By getting in front of as many homeowners as possible, which involves multiple social media platforms, you will be able to get your brand seen and known. In addition, positioning yourself as an industry expert by educating clients on the long-term benefits of solar will help put you ahead of competitors.
3. Use The Word "Free"
Many companies are reluctant to use the word "free", which is fine, but it does draw clients in and spark interest in your products. Catchy logos and catchphrases are great, and of course, brand identity is important, but you need to capture the audience and get your business to as many as possible.
Help raise interest and awareness for solar energy by not being afraid to use "no-cost" language. It really is all part of the process of attracting new clients. So many people get confused by terms like "No cost upfront" or "No money down" and misinterpret it to mean no cost ever. Marketing what "free" is can help stop confusion. It can also reduce cost per acquisition by up to 30-40% in some cases.
4. Spend Money To Make Money
Yes, we have all heard this cheesy phrase before: "spend money to make money". But it is true, even when it comes to acquiring new customers. You want to create content and ads that educate potential clients on the benefits they will experience when purchasing solar. Doing it across all the social channels (and not just Facebook) will help you reach a more extensive customer base, but this will cost money. Whether it is your time or hiring a professional digital marketing professional, you will need to invest in your marketing efforts.
You will, however, likely see the return on your investment if a proper digital marketing strategy is in place which reaches customers that are ready and capable of buying. Some of the fastest-growing solar companies are willing and ready to spend the money developing a customer base and sending out high-quality content.
5. Customise Your Audience
As great as it is to share your solar knowledge with as many people as possible, not everyone can invest in solar panels. When you educate customers on platforms such as YouTube that already has a huge audience in learning mode, it is pretty simple to get them to request a quote. This was when the money invested generates leads, making every penny spent worth the return on investment. You can find customers with the appropriate credit score who are able to invest and weed out those who are not a great match for solar energy, such as those clients whose roofs will not hold up under solar panels.
The Takeaway On Solar Energy Marketing
Although competition is fierce, there has never been a better time to be in solar energy. Try to make the most of multiple social media platforms to help you get in front of homeowners and identify the prospects that are a great fit for solar panels. By adopting a creative approach to your marketing strategy that educates customers about the benefits of solar energy, your company will have the edge it needs to stand out. Give customers a reason to invest in your business over any of the other solar energy companies.
