This week, at my MeetUp group, to which the topic was “Laser Target Your Customers”, I met a guy who sells solar panels as a commissioned salesman. He’s really pretty inspiring being that he got the job so he could learn more about solar panels so he could create a better website.
I found out right away that he’s been aggressively marketing his solar panels – doing all the right things you would assume a solar panel salesman is doing. He’s got business cards, he goes door to door, he did a mailing, he’s got
websites set up to send prospects where they can learn more about solar panels, he’s trying to capture e-mail addresses, he’s met with Realtors to learn if they improve home value and he’s met with home builders about installing them in new homes. . . I’d say he’s better than your average salesman when it comes to productivity.
BUT he’s making no sales.
The problem is he hadn’t figured out what the true benefit of solar panels are, and thus he had no message and without a message there’s no one to target. So, that’s what we did and now he’ll have no trouble “laser targeting his customers” going forward.
Messaging
After all the talk about the benefits of solar panels, I asked him one question: “When do you make your money back”? Solar panels reduce utility bills but you’ve got to pay for equipment and installation up front. His answer was “10 years and at that point you’ll have no utility bills”
PRESTO! That’s the answer in a nutshell.
The benefit of solar panels is that you’ll have no utility bills in 10 years. That’s an easy-to-understand, straight forward benefit. And from that we can contrive a very smartly put together target market. Of all the people on the planet, who would most appreciate no utility bills?
Yep, you guessed it: Fixed Income Seniors!
Now we’re getting somewhere. So . . . if you retire to a fixed income, utility bills are one of the few fluctuating bills remaining. If it takes 10 years to get to that benefit, wouldn’t it behoove Mr. Solar Panel salesman to target 55 year old homeowners? How about 55 yr. old homeowners, within his sales territory, who can afford the upfront cash outlay? Now there’s a market we can laser target.
Laser Targeting Methods
Here’s where you come in. How can a solar panel salesman market solar panels to 55 year olds? I’ll get the ball rolling, and then I want to hear your ideas:
- Joint Venture with a Financial Services guy to put together a seminar about “Getting rid of utility bills when you retire”.
- Use Facebook Ads demographics to reach only people in his territory who are 55 right now with an ad that says “Retiring in 10 Years? How about reducing your utility bills to nothing?”
- Guest blog on “planning to retire” websites with articles about the value of getting rid of your utility bills.”
- Start his own local radio show (or become a guest on one) that’s about Saving Money for Retirement.
- Partner with the power company and get featured in their events about selling power back to the utility company.
So that’s enough to get your thinking cap on. How can Mr. Solar Panels further laser target this very clear niche?
Solar Salesman Seeks Serious Solutions
I appreciate all the tips on moving forward with creating interest in solar power in my home town of Lebanon TN. I will seek out ways to implement the above mentioned ideas to various individuals in my area as well as the online venues for finding customers. It’s funny but I shared this post with the president of the solar company and his response was “let me know how this works out for you”. So maybe the suggestions will be used to draw traffic to my information website for the DIYer solar enthusiasts as well. Thanks.