Hey there, so I’m getting into marketing and online lead generation for solar (been knocking doors for 6 years).
If anyone has any strategies they recommend as far as the Ads themselves, what platforms to spend on, marketing agencies, etc. I would be grateful for any tricks that have worked for you!
A little background: I’m an ECE grad student, and before going back to school I worked as a software engineer. I got laid off and the job market has been pretty rough, so I’ve been trying to figure out what direction I want to take next.
During my first quarter I took an Energy Public Policy class, which got me seriously interested in renewable energy and the economics behind commercial solar.
Over the last few months I’ve been learning the commercial solar business from the ground up; prospecting, utility bills and interval data, system sizing, installer quotes, incentives, financing, permitting, etc. My approach has been to work on the customer’s side, get quotes from different installers, compare the numbers, and help them figure out whether a project actually makes financial sense.
After a lot of cold calls and dead ends, I finally have my first real project moving into deal negotiations this week.
I’m excited, but I’m also very aware that there’s a lot I don’t know yet.
For those of you who have actually worked in commercial solar, EPC, development, or energy consulting: what should a first-timer be especially careful about before getting a customer under contract?
•A few things I’m already thinking about:
•Making sure the commission/referral agreement with the installer is airtight
•Who owns the customer relationship
•Change orders and unexpected project costs
• Utility/interconnection timelines
•Structural and electrical surprises
•Making sure projected savings aren’t overly optimistic
•Tax/incentive claims that I shouldn’t be making myself
•What happens if the project gets delayed or doesn’t pencil out after engineering
I’m particularly interested in the mistakes you made on your first few deals that you wish someone had warned you about.
Not selling anything here and I’m intentionally leaving out my company/site/contact info. Just looking to learn from people who have been doing this longer than I have.
Thanks!
Hey all,
We’re a small commercial solar startup here in Portland and we’re looking for a few people who already have (or want) B2B sales experience.
This isn’t door-to-door residential stuff. We work with businesses, property owners, churches, warehouses, etc. If you’ve done any kind of B2B selling, this will feel familiar. We have leads and a pipeline/CRM setup and ready for you.
A couple things that might make this interesting:
If you already have a sales job, this can be done on the side. It’s not a huge time commitment, you’re mostly setting up conversations and handing deals off.
It’s a legit resume builder. You’re selling real commercial projects, not phone plans.
We’re small and early, so if you do well, you’re not just “rep #37”, there’s a real path into leadership or a bigger role as we grow.
We train you on the solar side, so you don’t need to be an expert. You just need to be comfortable talking to business owners and opening doors.
If this sounds interesting, shoot me a DM and we can talk details.
For homeowners who have considered solar, what was the biggest concern: upfront cost, installation, battery storage, roof space, or something else?
I’d be interested to hear what made you decide for or against solar.
Battery Manufacturer Sales Opportunity
Hey all,
We’re a battery manufacturer looking for people throughout the United States (Puerto Rico included!) who are interested in getting into battery and energy storage sales.
You don’t need previous battery or solar experience. We can train you on the product and industry. What matters more is being comfortable talking to people, generating interest, and finding opportunities.
A couple things that might make this interesting:
You’re selling direct for the manufacturer, not working for a solar installer or knocking doors for somebody else’s company. There are opportunities to sell through homeowners, solar installers, contractors, distributors, and other channels.
It’s also a good way to get experience in the rapidly growing battery and energy storage industry without needing years of solar experience beforehand.
We’re actively building out our sales network, so there’s room for people who perform well to take on larger territories, build their own sales channels, or move into leadership as we grow.
We’ll provide product training and support. You bring the ability to sell and develop relationships.
If this sounds interesting, shoot me a DM and we can talk details.
One of my other shorter co workers mentioned today about how us being shorter in height affects how many sales we get. Now, I have noticed that every closer does happen to be above average height or more and when I knock w my taller colleagues I notice how homeowners tend to be less hostile and more open to hearing them out. Any advice on how to overcome this? I want to be a top producer in Virginia one day. (I sell solar)
Howdy all, I have sold solar virtually for many years. I did d2d for years before that. I’ve been a part of several sales teams ran off of a Ghl and a bunch of crappy data.
Aged leads, homeowner data that sucks, aged leads that have been resold dozens of times. We’ve been there
I’ve helped quite a few teams get started virtually with great leads, a more suitable and better running crm,
It’s Been successful on multiple occasions so I want to take on a few clients who are looking for a virtual business in a box.
Leads of several different types, crm with a2p compliance for texting, proven systems, coaching, dialer… everything you need
Single father here, kids full time. So time for calling and sales is low. But I know this is a talent I have and I can do a bunch of the background work at night. So dm me if interested.
🚨 WE’RE HIRING — SALES REPRESENTATIVES
We’re expanding our Lights Campaign and looking for motivated sales professionals to join our team.
* Door-to-Door Sales Reps — Utah
• Field-based sales position
• Strong earning potential
• High commissions + performance-based incentives
*. Telemarketing Sales Agents — Remote
• Work remotely
• Sales-focused role
• High commissions + additional incentives
We’re looking for motivated, confident, and results-driven individuals who are ready to earn and grow with us.
Interested? Send us a message with your experience and availability.
(Door to door knocking) Im hearing 50/50 that this job is basicly scummy or a scam or you can make $90,000 and theres no in-between?
I come from a construction family and built a tool thinking that there could be a real market. My tool pulls fresh construction permits daily across several US cities. New roofs, replacements, major repairs, new builds, additions, and major renovations. Sorted by how recent so you can be reaching out first.
I figured that new roofing permits could be perfect solar sales customers because they own the property, and are currently spending and making decisions for their home. I think this could be of real benefit to solar reps. Every morning you wake up to a fresh list of warm leads in your area. Im looking to expand and want to know where it would be worth doing. Do solar reps even work permit data into their outreach or is this not how it's done in the field?
What areas within the solar industry need more developing in terms of training? I am looking to support training of non-technical staff and would like to know the main areas that need improving and general strengths for the training of non-technical staff in the solar industry?
Hey guys,
We are probably alone one of the best companies in New Jersey, I have worked in this industry for 8 years, and actually nice to feel like you are part of a family here. We get paid on time, commissions are high, redlines are low. We got 45 day installs on average, with permits on hand and ICX approved. Inspections are done few days after install, and systems are turned on within 2-3 weeks of install. We have panels safe harbored till 2028- meaning you still get great pricing. We have 4 different banks to choose from. The list goes on. Hit me up if you want more info.
I’ve been in solar sales for years and feel like a have a great understanding of the process start to finish. In my mind the process is:
Close
Site survey
Engineering
Permits
Install
PTO
If I do a site survey engineering comes back quick and then it’s a drag waiting for that approval before we can schedule the install. What’s the real bottleneck? Just waiting on approval and no one knows it’s done? Apparently our crm and canvassing tool is rolling out a feature that checks and notifies the team on the permit status and if it’s approved but would that speed up the process or is the local county always slow to process or does my company suck at follow through?
I’m making good money (on paper lol) but waiting is killing me. Any ops people in here?
Looking for setters who have experience in the roofing or solar industry, dm me to learn more.
Pay structure varies on the type of appointment you set.
Residential Solar: 40% commission of total commission earned
Commercial Solar: $800/ appointment set and a % of the total commission earned.
Roofing: 50% of commission earned.
DM if interested.
Just curious what’s actually working for you guys these days.
Do most of your customers come from door knocking, referrals, ads, purchased leads, cold calling, or something else?
And which one has been the most reliable for you?
We are researching on a tool that's why I need response highly appreciated