Solar technology is leading the way in the advance of new, sustainable energy production methods, and opportunities in the industry are growing rapidly as a result. While 2018 was a down-year for solar, 2019 has seen a triumphant bounce back, with the U.S. market surpassing two million total installations in Q1 2019 – doubling the one million installation mark set just three years earlier. But with that enormous growth comes enormous competition, meaning new entrants and established players alike need to constantly look for new ways to improve their sales processes, tap into new leads, and create new revenue streams. The following are three of the most effective ways solar equipment retailers can accomplish those goals in 2019, setting the stage for strong growth alongside the overall industry well into the future. 

 

Target High-End Customers

Many solar equipment retailers focus their efforts on residential and consumer-level solar solutions. That certainly represents a lucrative segment of the market, but it also means selling lower-margin equipment and services, requiring higher sales volumes to drive growth. Solar retailers can gain a lot by branching out into targeting commercial and governmental projects that require more complex solutions and more significant equipment. There is an obvious increase in complexity for the seller as well, but these types of larger-scale projects represent the opportunity to bring in the same revenue from an individual customer that would otherwise take dozens of smaller residential customers to generate. 

 

Invest in Your Solar Sales Team

Your sales team is your front-line attack in the war for market share in an incredibly competitive industry. Selling solar equipment means selling technology that isn’t yet widely adopted and hasn’t reached full maturity. That means prospects likely won’t be highly educated on the products your team is selling, making a streamlined, effective sales process all the more important. A professional, enthusiastic, and well-trained sales team is, therefore, a must. That means investment in two ways – first, in attracting the best sales talent you can afford, and then in providing ongoing sales training to ensure that your sales team is better than your competition’s. 

 

Put Solar Technology to Work

Technology has changed the way we handle almost all aspects of business, and sales are no different. Specifically, customer resource management software has revolutionized the way companies handle lead management, customer service, the sales process, and after-sale support. That’s especially important in the solar industry, where any advantage is invaluable thanks to the high level of competition. Solar CRM platforms provide tools to enable inside and outside sales representatives to prioritize the hottest leads, close deals faster, and build the kind of long-lasting relationships that lead to return business and referrals. That makes customer resource management an easy choice for solar companies.

 

CRMDialer is the solar industry’s leading CRM platform, offering everything solar retailers, installers, and service companies need to increase sales and squeeze out higher margins. It also streamlines all aspects of back-end office management, from communications to scheduling to billing and payment collection, marketing, and more. Start your free trial to find out more about how CRMDialer can help your company find new solar clients, boost revenues, and carve out a larger piece of the market.