Solar Leads Guide: Aged Solar Leads vs Facebook Ads vs Solar Call Center Appointments
I’ll show you how to generate solar leads for as little as 4 cents each—and that’s not even the cheapest strategy I’m about to reveal. Read on to transform your solar sales game.
Why Door-to-Door Solar Sales Are Becoming Obsolete
As a solar salesperson, you’ve probably experienced the door-to-door grind. Knocking on doors, convincing homeowners to embrace solar, all while battling burnout—it’s exhausting. But let’s face it: nobody likes having their personal space invaded by a salesperson. And here’s the real kicker—do you actually enjoy door-to-door?
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
The world is moving toward virtual interactions, and solar sales are no exception. Transitioning from in-person sales to virtual solar sales is a game-changer. But it’s not as simple as swapping out door-to-door with Zoom calls. If you don’t master the nuances of virtual selling, you’ll struggle. Chief among these challenges is getting your lead generation process right.
Why Facebook Ads Aren’t the Answer
When switching to virtual sales - or simply trying generate solar leads without door knocking - many people turn to Facebook ads for lead generation. It seems like an easy way to generate inbound solar leads, but the reality often doesn’t match the hype.
Low-Quality Leads: Facebook leads tend to lack interest and intent as the space is saturated with gimmicky and spammy ads. You might generate hundreds of leads, but most are “tire kickers”—wasting time, effort, and money.
High Costs: Facebook ads can quickly drain your budget. Solar is a saturated industry, and ad fatigue makes it even harder for your ads to stand out. Plus, as more competitors enter the space, advertising costs rise, further reducing ROI.
The Myth of Scaling: Increasing your ad spend doesn’t guarantee better results. If your ads aren’t converting, no platform will magically fix that just because you upped your budget.
Use Aged Solar Leads
Instead of wasting money on Facebook ads, consider aged solar leads. These leads are highly cost-effective and avoid the pitfalls of ad fatigue.
Why Aged Solar Leads Work:
Cost-Effective: Aged solar leads can cost as little as 4 cents each, making them perfect for both new salespeople and established companies.
Engaged Audience: These are homeowners who’ve already expressed interest in solar, giving you a head start.
Scalability: Aged solar leads are readily available in most solar markets, so scaling is simple.
Pro Tip: Invest in a predictive autodialer dialer, which allows you to call 20 lines at once. At around $250/month per seat, it’s a small price for significantly higher efficiency.
Embrace Cold Calling
Cold homeowner data is another underutilized lead source. While similar to aged solar leads, cold homeowner data offers unique advantages, particularly in saturated markets.
Why Cold Calling Works:
Fresh Prospects: Unlike aged solar leads, cold data targets homeowners who haven’t been overwhelmed by solar pitches.
Low Cost: Cold homeowner data can cost as little as 2 cents per record.
Pro Tip: Always use skip-traced data to ensure accuracy. A wrong name or number can tank a cold call before it even begins.
Outsource Smartly
Not everyone wants to manage solar lead generation themselves, and that’s okay. Outsourcing can save time and streamline the process.
Options:
Hire a Setter: Appointment Setters specialize in booking solar appointments. Offer a commission split on closed deals, so you only pay for results.
Solar Call Centers: Outsource to a solar call center, but be cautious. Offshore centers can save money but often struggle with cultural nuances and language barriers and generally low quality solar appointments.
Pro Tip: Consider solar call centers in Latin America, or even better, Mexico. Agents there tend to speak fluent English and have better cultural understanding, improving engagement with American homeowners.
Build Your Own Solar Call Center
For ultimate control, consider building your own solar call center. This doesn’t require a massive operation - or even a massive investment - a small team can be highly effective.
Why Build In-House?:
Lower Costs: Generate solar leads at wholesale prices, often under $100 per appointment.
Quality Control: By owning the platform you can ensure high standards and consistent results.
Pro Tip: Pay agents based on performance, not hourly. This ensures accountability and minimizes losses from unproductive appointments.
Stay Organized with a CRM
Managing leads and/or virtual solar sales requires robust organization. A quality CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system helps you track leads, automate follow-ups, and streamline your sales process.
Benefits of a CRM:
Pipeline Visibility: Monitor leads at every stage of the sales funnel.
Automation: Schedule follow-ups and reduce manual tasks.
Integration: Many CRMs offer AI tools to further enhance efficiency.
Wrapping It Up
Focus on these cost-effective solar lead generation strategies, and you’ll set yourself up for sustainable success. Remember, you don’t need to over-invest in worn-out marketing tactics. Start with these tips, and watch your solar business thrive.
Need help getting started? Let’s chat—your six-figure solar business starts here!
-Peter Roth
Owner, Solar Wise