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How can you work smarter rather than harder and get the most from your carefully cultivated customer relationships? Today's special edition podcast gives you practical and tactical advice to earn more business from happy customers.
Through this all-star panel discussion led by Bodhi CEO Scott Nguyen, you'll learn how to double the value of your solar customers through follow-on sales. This Bodhi Media Zone Takeover is a replay from the RE+ PowerUp Media Zone, a live production of SunCast Media.
Bodhi is a software platform that helps growing residential solar companies remove operational headaches and sell more to more people.
"How do we look beyond that initial solar sale and unlock the extra revenue hidden in our existing customer base?" Scott asked.
We get some great answers from Ryan Barnett, market development officer at Palmetto; Preston Booker, Head of Strategic Accounts at BayWa r.e. Solar Systems; Adam Hinckley, Vice President, Corporate Development at Enphase Energy; and Mark Liffman, co-founder and CEO of Omnidian.
You'll hear excellent perspectives on follow-up sales for solar companies and discover how solar installers can help cultivate more sales through thoughtful customer relations.
Mark noted that solar customers are evolving from early to mainstream adopters. "Early adopters will take on more risks and want solar for quasi-religious reasons. Today's customers want something that works and will be easy for them," he said, noting that early claims of decades of maintenance-free use are no longer relevant.
"We've got mountains and mountains of data to say that's not true," Mark said. "We shouldn't tell customers otherwise because it sets unrealistic expectations and a potentially bad experience with solar. If we set the right expectations and have a plan to deliver against, customers will have a fantastic experience with solar."
Ryan said the assumptions and conditions of the initial sale are essential to consider. "Some organizations look at customers as liabilities and burdens. Others look at that customers and ask, 'How can I continually engage and feed them helpful information so they can enhance the asset in which they've already invested?
Preston said the potential for repeat sales also depends on the installer type. "There're two categories of customers we're serving. One is highly hands-on, setting expectations up front and positioning itself as an energy solutions provider versus a detached sales organization that's just going to do an install," he explained. Of course, he noted, there is "everything in between" those two extremes.
Adam said there are increasing opportunities to amortize the high solar customer acquisition costs across second or third sales. "Software development is the future. And everything we're doing is coupling software with the hardware products we provide," he said.
Mark said solar success comes down to the value of the products and the clarity of the message. "If we, as an industry, can find ways to simplify the electrification process, then the mainstream consumer will embrace it," he said.
Intrigued? I am. Join me in listening to this outstanding RE+ replay.
RESOURCES:
Connect with Ryan Barnett, Preston Booker, Adam Hinckley, Mark Liffman, and Scott Nguyen on LinkedIn.
Follow BayWa r.e. Solar Distribution on LinkedIn and its website.
Follow Bodhi on LinkedIn and its website.
Follow Enphase Energy on LinkedIn and its website.
Thanks again to this week's sponsor, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!
SUNGROW focuses on integrated energy storage system solutions, including PCS, lithium-ion batteries and energy management system. Pleae visit https://www.mysuncast.com/sungrow
ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:
Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.
Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.
You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.
If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 20 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.