Qualifying a Lead

One of the first things to do with a lead is contact him or her to set up a consultation.

A lead is not automatically a prospective buyer of a solar system, but you can determine this quickly by asking a few simple questions. If they agree to a consultation, be sure that you will be speaking to everyone involved in making the final decision to install a system. Talking to one half of a couple is likely to have you repeating your visit and answering the same questions twice. It’s best if you can establish a relationship with all decision-making parties from the beginning.

Be Persistent

Keep contacting the lead until you can set up an appointment or to send an email with detailed information. If there is no answer to a mobile number, send a text and succinctly state why you are making contact.

Repeat this process until you are able to set up a consultation or eliminate the lead.

Be sure to track everything you do with each lead so that you know exactly when they have been contacted and by whom.

Incentivize

Know what incentives are currently available to your potential customers from both the federal and state government. With this information to hand, you can motivate a potential buyer with solid information about what they can save and what they can expect with respect to a return on their investment (ROI).

A great way to broach the subject is by asking: “Are you ready to reduce your yearly home energy costs and increase the value of your home?” That gets people’s attention.

Invest in a Dedicated Sales Line

Separate your sales and service lines. Ensure that your sales line is answered by someone at least 8 hours a day, Monday through Saturday. Whoever answers that phone should be able to:

1) set a consultation,

2) answer basic questions, and

3) provide an FAQ sheet for the client to read prior to the consultation.

For people who work all week, Saturday is the day tasks like sorting out solar power can get done.

Also ensure that the off-hours voicemail message is clear, informative, and tells people when to expect a call back.

Ask for the Business

It is never too early to let a potential customer know that you want their business.

At the initial consultation, ask them for their business. Also, ask them to tell you what will get you their business. That invites questions and, in the nicest way possible, makes it clear that you are there to make a sale.

Knowing how and when to schedule a consultation is a critical part of converting leads. The next step is to provide the customer a proposal.