Door-to-door solar sales have become a great way of selling solar panels. The industry is relying on the direct sales approach to physically connect with homeowners and help them save money and the planet.
However, selling door to door is not an easy task. You can face the same challenges that field sales reps in other industries face. Along with that, you have to deal with the specific nuances of solar energy. On top of that, there are customer expectations!
The job can get really difficult, so we thought of lending a helping hand. In this post, we will teach you how to sell solar panels door to door like an expert to surpass your quota!
We will begin with the basics.
Spare the Education
Solar companies would have you believe you need to educate the customer to sell solar. But in this age of the internet, everyone knows a few things about what solar energy is how they can benefit by using it.
So save the educational approach and get down to facts and figures-
- Tell your prospects exactly how much they can save (monthly, yearly, and lifetime)
- Highlight the solar rebates they can get
- Talk about Solar Renewable Energy Credits
- Any other applicable statistics
Become an Expert on Solar
Your prospects will know a thing or two about solar, but they will have questions too. Expect the queries to be super-precise, so you need to have great domain knowledge. You should do your own homework, read papers, industry publications, and stay updated on the latest solar trends and developments.
You need to have some facts under your belt that can “wow” your potential customer. Something which he got to know only from you!
[Also read: What is consultative selling? How does it make sales more effective?]
Target Solar-Friendly Houses
Many houses are not a good fit for solar. Roofs with too many vents or trees above it don’t make a good location for solar. The roof should also be in good shape.
You can certainly install solar on these houses, but it will need a lot of work and investment. A homeowner might not be ready to invest so much just to go solar. So, target houses that have a big, unobstructed plain.
[Also read: what is outside sales?]
Give References and Examples
People always relate better when you show them how similar people benefitted from solar. Let’s say you are visiting a neighborhood where you have sold at least solar to one customer. When you visit other houses in the area, you can say-
“Hello Mr. XXX,
I’m from XXX solar company. We helped Mr. Robinson, your neighbor, save $1,400 per year on electricity bills by helping him go solar.
Would you like to save $1,400 per year too?”
References and examples work like a charm to woo your customers.
Carry Resources
How do you convince a client in B2B sales?
If you have ever sold to companies, you know the process is a bit different from handling regular customers. You will need to give presentations, demos, and other resources to prove the benefit of your product.
Why not adopt the same approach for door-to-door solar sales?
You can carry a tablet or even use a smartphone to show videos and other visuals related to your product. Humans react with a lot more enthusiasm to visual than plain speech, so this method surely works wonders!
Bust the Myths
People still have a lot of myths about solar energy in spite of having access to information. They are still influenced by what others say, even when they may not be practical. So be ready to bust the myths around solar and pave the way for your client to take action.
Some common solar myths are-
- Solar panels are way too costly
- Solar panels don’t work in cloudy weather
- The technology is not economically viable
- Maintain a solar energy system incurs huge cost
- Solar panels damage the roof
Use Your Script as a Checklist
Door-to-door sales scripts provide room for flexibility as the conversation may take any direction based on the situation. For this reason, it’s not useful to have a rigid sales script when you are selling solar door to door.
Rather, use your script as a checklist to ensure you don’t miss out on important points or questions. Also, include gaps in your script to allow the prospect to speak his mind and put ahead ideas.
Allow Some Time for Decision-Making
Buying solar is not similar to buying a hairdryer. People need time to consider the proposal and research the viability of the investment.
Don’t try to close the sale before time as it may lead your prospect to say, “no!” Take 90% time to set up the deal and then use 10% to close the deal.
It’s also highly unlikely that you will be able to sell at the first visit. So give your prospects time to decide.
You can ask for an interview or call back to check what the potential customer decided.
Related:
Zero In on the Pain Point
Saving money is not always the main priority of installing solar. Some may want to save the planet, while others may do it to increase the resale value of their house.
You need to be able to exactly uncover the pain point of your prospect in order to sell solar successfully. Ask a lot of open-ended questions to discover the specific problems of a potential customer.
Then relate the benefits of solar that align with the pain points of the prospect.
Use a Mobile CRM
Solar sales reps need a holistic tool to manage their daily activities, track leads, update customer information, and handle door-to-door sales. Your company should empower your solar field reps to make their day productive and close more deals efficiently. You can invest in a reliable mobile CRM like Leadsquared to increase your revenues and sales.
