Could Roofing Contractors be Your Next Solar Business Partner?

Many small and mid-sized solar installation businesses tend to go it alone. They do all the lead generating work by themselves, often without realizing that partnering with other businesses could lighten the load.


When solar contractors work with the right types of businesses, they can build up a strong local network of lead sources. One such type is roofing businesses.

Roofers and Solar Installers: A Natural Fit
The customers of roofing contractors are typically homeowners who need to upgrade or repair their roofs. Often, when homeowners need to make one upgrade, they start thinking about other ways that they can improve their home. Since roofing contractors are already working on their roof, these homeowners may be open to further enhancing their roof’s usefulness with a solar installation.

Partnering up with roofing contractors can be mutually beneficial. You can send them homeowners who look like they could use a roof upgrade before mounting a solar installation, and they can send you those who have freshly-built roofs ready to go solar.

One great thing about roofing contractors as a lead source is that, if they are told what basic features to look for, they can scope out a roof’s suitability for solar while they’re working. Getting this information can help your team predict which leads are the most promising.

Since most homeowners hire roofers to prepare for seasonal rain and snow, roofers are at their busiest during the late summer and early fall. This period is when you will likely get the most leads from the contractors you partner with.

Sourcing Leads for Solar Installers
Getting leads from multiple sources is always a good strategy for solar businesses. On top of partnering with roofers and other contractors, you can also turn to a solar marketing company for leads that are delivered directly to you.

Grid Freedom is one of the industry’s best generators of solar leads. Every lead we offer is 100% exclusive and pre-qualified by our expert staff. If you’d like to learn more about how our solar installation leads can boost your sales, visit www.Gridfreedom.com.

Do You Need Help From a Solar Lead Company?

As a solar contractor, you’ve probably considered partnering with a solar lead company. But how can you tell if it’s something you really need?

Below, we go over some of the top signs that purchasing quality leads from a reputable company would be a worthwhile investment.

You’re Never Sure if you’ll Have Enough Jobs for the Month
Cash flow can be a big sore spot for solar contractors, and it’s often because they exist in a permanent state of financial instability. If you regularly find yourself uncertain if you’ll be able to get through the month, it’s clear that you’re lacking a reliable stream of leads.

Weeks can pass between Getting Solid Leads
Inconsistency is one of the biggest causes of financial instability. To keep your business healthy, you need solid leads coming in every week. But for many contractors, a lot of time passes between the incoming of leads that show good sales promise.

You’re Losing Too Much on Marketing
With a tight spending budget, it can be painful when it seems like you’re putting more into marketing than you’re getting in return. Between the money and the staff hours, the cost to your company can be too steep.

This is where buying from a solar lead company can help immensely. It may feel counterintuitive because you’re paying for leads, but there’s a higher ROI when you choose a high-performing company.

Your Workload is Stable, but You’re Just Getting By
Perhaps you’re in calm financial waters: you’ve got enough customers to keep you afloat each month and there are no big cash flow problems but what about growth? If there’s not enough revenue for your business to expand or improve, then you still need more leads coming in.

If any of these points apply to you, you need help from a solar lead company.
Now, it’s just a matter of finding one that is professional, trustworthy, and able to deliver leads worth paying for. Here at Grid Freedom, we pride ourselves on being all of those things. Our thorough lead generation process and strict quality standards make our leads some of the Industry’s most lucrative.

Get your exclusive solar leads from www.Gridfreedom.com

How to Persuade Homeowners who are on the Fence about Solar

How do you deal with homeowners who still aren’t sure about going solar, even after you’ve finished your consultation? Below, we offer some effective strategies for turning hesitant homeowners into confident solar buyers.

Show Them Success Stories
 
Homeowners can be hesitant about going solar if they haven’t seen that it has worked out well for others. Provide your customers with this “social proof” by sharing a few customer success stories with them.

Tell them about how much solar is helping other homeowners save on their energy bills, and how that’s improving their lives. If they agree, you can also use your past customers as referrals who will vouch for your services.

Hold a Q&A Session
 
Some customers may avoid asking questions because they’re afraid of seeming uninformed. Sit down with your customers to explain that many people don’t know a lot about solar, and that you’re happy to answer any questions they have. If they’re still tight-lipped, you can go over the topics homeowners most frequently ask about.

Either way, making this effort will ensure they get the information they need to confidently buy.

Make it Simple
 
Some solar contractors make the mistake of overwhelming would-be customers with too much unnecessary information. They’ll dive into the details of panel specs or solar regulations, even when it’s not particularly useful for the customer to know.

Doing this distracts homeowners and increases their uncertainty. Try to keep your pitches simple by explaining the benefits that solar will bring them, and the basic steps they’ll need to take to make it happen.

Give Them Options
 
There’s more than one way to pay for a solar installation, but your customers may not realize that. They may think that they can only pay in cash, when they could actually get a loan, make a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), or lease instead of buy.

Make sure that you take the time to lay out a few different options for how they can finance a solar installation. Your customer might realize that they can afford solar after all.

Get Access to Confident Solar Buyers
 
It’s best for your business if most of the customers you talk to are already eager to buy. This can be accomplished by purchasing better residential solar leads.

Here at Grid Freedom, we offer lucrative leads for solar contractors that are pre-screened for quality and 100% exclusive. Visit www.Gridfreedom.com to get connected with enthusiastic solar buyers.

Top 3 Signs Your Solar Marketing Efforts Aren't Working

Does it feel like you’re just spinning your wheels when it comes to solar marketing? If so, then you’re not alone. Marketing is a struggle for many solar installers. To make things worse, many often don’t know how to tell if and how their marketing strategy is in need of improvement.


In this post, we’ll share with you the top 3 signs your solar marketing strategy is falling flat, plus some helpful tips and solutions.

1. Your Conversion Rate is Practically Zero

This may seem like an obvious sign, but sometimes it’s not always clear to contractors that it’s their tactics that are keeping leads from biting. Many find some other explanation, such as “it’s the slow season”, “it’s the recession”, or “there’s too much competition”.

The truth is, there are always interested buyers to be found. You just need to be using the right methods to reach them. Do the advertising materials you use properly address homeowner’s biggest needs? Are you targeting places where people interested in solar are likely to be found? If not, then it could be the reason why the leads aren’t coming through.

2. The Leads you do get are Often Flaky

Maybe you’re reeling in leads, but when the time comes for your sales team to reach out; those leads are wishy-washy at best. They avoid committing to appointments or deadlines, and they keep dodging opportunities to seal the deal.

If this sounds like a large number of your leads, the problem lies in your marketing. It’s attracting the wrong type of leads - the kind that are just window shopping. Your marketing strategy should be designed to target and attract homeowners who are serious about going solar. This involves using high-quality materials, offering valuable information, and focusing on areas where serious solar buyers go.

3. You Spend More on Acquiring Leads than You Earn Back

Investment is a necessary part of solar marketing - you have to spend money to make money. But when your marketing budget exceeds what you’re actually earning, then it’s clear that your leads are costing you more than they’re worth.

This is indicative of an inefficient marketing system that’s begging for some optimization. You might be spreading your marketing efforts too thin, spending money on advertising in numerous places rather than a few impactful venues. It’s worth checking every aspect of your marketing system to see where spending might not be yielding good returns.

Overhaul Your Marketing by Purchasing High Quality Solar Leads

What if you could find an expert team to handle all of the marketing hassle for you? That’s where solar lead companies can be invaluable partners for your business.

When you buy high quality solar leads from trusted agencies like Grid Freedom, you can get connected with buy-ready homeowners without worrying about any of the marketing efforts. Go to www.Gridfreedom.com to learn more about how buying leads can simplify how your solar business lands new customers.

The 6 States Most Serious About Solar

As we progress further into the 21st century, much of America has embraced sustainability as a modern standard. This shift has led many states to implement programs and policies that incentivize solar adoption. Below, we’ve profiled the 6 states that are the most serious about their solar standing.

1. Massachusetts
Though New England may not be the first place you’d think of when it comes to solar power hotspots, the region has been leading the way in expanding solar energy. Massachusetts homeowners don’t have to pay any sales tax on their solar systems and can enjoy the benefits of net metering. Additionally, a 5kW solar system can earn as much as $1,700 per year for homeowners through performance payments (SRECs). MA’s current Renewables Performance Standard (RPS) has set a goal for 25% of the state’s electricity sold to come from sustainable energy sources by 2030.

2. Rhode Island
The nation’s tiniest state is one of its biggest solar champions. It offers a number of incentives to people who install solar power systems, including rebates, performance payments, and exemptions from property and sales taxes. The state government also expanded its RPS law, aiming for a 38.5% benchmark by 2035.

3. Oregon
Oregon’s lawmakers have been committed to increasing the state’s solar capacity by creating incentives for its citizens to embrace solar energy. Homeowners especially get significant help covering the costs of going solar. The Oregon Energy Trust rebate takes $3,300 off the starting price of a residential solar system, and tax credits eliminate $6,000 more over the first four years. Overall, Oregon has the best solar carve-out in the country, and its RPS is ambitious, striving for 50% by 2040.

4. New Jersey
New Jersey is one of America’s solar leaders thanks to a number of pro-solar policies and incentives. The state government has expressed its dedication to clean energy and is working toward a 22.5% RPS by as early as 2021. Specifically, 4.1% of all the electricity must come from solar panels, making solar an integral part of the state’s sustainability plan. Homeowners are offered net metering benefits, and can currently earn well on SRECs.

5. New York
New York is another state that has consistently leads the way in solar adoption. The state’s homeowners can save as much as 40% on the price of their new solar systems, and the payback time for a 5kW system is only 6 years on average. Additionally, residents get to save through net metering and exemptions from property and sales taxes. With an RPS target of 50% by 2030, New York has one of America’s best RPS laws.

6. California
Given that California is where the solar industry established its roots, it’s no surprise that the state remains committed to its longstanding solar ambitions. It’s no longer the nation’s solar leader, but it still has plenty of policies and incentives to keep its rank as a solar heavyweight. California’s RPS of 50% by 2030 ties New York’s for the third best in America. Homeowners earn credits for their solar system’s production thanks to an updated net metering program, and they also get a 100% solar property tax exemption.

Make the Most of Your State’s Solar Standing
Are you a solar contractor located in one of these states? Capitalize on solar interest with the best solar installation leads possible. Grid Freedom offers top quality lead generation services for solar installers in all of the states above, as well as the rest of America. With our help, you can connect with more homeowners who are serious about going solar. Visit www.Gridfreedom.com to learn more.

How Solar Installers can Make the Most of Summer's Solar Surge

As the sun shines bright for the summer, more people will start thinking of going solar. With the sun beating down on their house and daylight hours becoming longer and longer, it becomes easier for many homeowners to understand that there’s an opportunity to seize when it comes to solar.

This season also creates a great opportunity for solar installers. With more people inquiring about solar installations in the summer, this is the best time for acquiring more customers. The problem is, many solar installers don’t have the sufficient time, staff, or budget to devote to marketing campaigns big enough to draw in as many homeowners as they would like.

Where to Find Summer Leads for Solar Installers

Lacking the resources for marketing doesn’t mean you have to miss out on summer’s surge of solar buyers. The solution is simply to outsource the lead-generating and qualifying process, leaving you only with the task of sitting down with interested homeowners and making the sale.

The best way to accomplish this is by purchasing qualified leads for solar installers from a reputable agency. For example, here at Grid Freedom, solar contractors can buy exclusive, high-quality leads that have been fully vetted to create the best sales opportunity possible.

Summer “Deal-Sealers” to Use with Homeowners

This gives installers like you the ability to get the best value, only paying for leads that can truly be lucrative. All you have to is meet the lead at their home and start talking business.

When talking with interested homeowners in the summer, you have a few unique selling points that you can highlight to drive home the sale. These benefits are particularly relevant for the season, so don’t neglect to use them.

• Solar Helps Compensate for Cooling Costs

Summer almost always creates a spike in energy costs because of extra cooling needs. The energy generated by new solar panels can go straight toward powering a homeowner’s air conditioning systems. Or, in cases where the generated energy will be sent back to the power grid, homeowners can receive energy bill credits that cancel out some or even all of the costs.

• The Greatest Savings can be Gotten Now

By installing solar panels in the summer, homeowners can take advantage of the season when the panels will operate at peak capacity. This translates into the best energy-generating period of the year. Come fall, the days will become shorter and the light will dim. If homeowners put off installation until later seasons, they’ll miss out on big savings. 

If you’d like help taking advantage of this summer’s spike in solar interest, get in touch with us today. We’ll show you how to connect with homeowners who are truly ready to buy this season.