From the first interaction to closing the deal, your solar leads will have lots of questions. Great sales teams have the answers to these questions at the ready, plus great materials they can give potential customers to mull over once the conversation is over.
Companies risk losing leads when the answers to questions are inconsistent or confusing. Providing helpful answers means preparing thoughtful answers. In this post, we’ll provide some tips and strategies for better answering customer questions, providing them with the most effective materials, and making sure when they work with you, it’s a great customer experience.
Get everyone on the same page
No one likes getting an answer from a company rep only to learn later the information was incorrect. It reflects poorly on the sales rep and erodes trust in your company.
Working with your sales team, compile a list of 10 to 20 common questions leads and customers ask. Next, confirm the answers you’ve been given are correct and up-to-date. Regulations and internal policies change and sometimes the changes don’t always get added to the marketing materials.
Finally, document the answers in a place where everyone can share. With the answers to these questions at their fingertips, your sales reps will not only have correct information and consistent messaging, it will also save them time when responding to customers.
In addition, these questions can guide your website content as well. Include an FAQs section on your homepage. Create blog posts that answer these questions in greater detail. It’s another way to provide helpful information your leads are looking for. It’s also a great way to boost SEO. Search engine optimization helps lift your website in search results, putting your company in front of more people. FAQs are keyword rich and show search engines there’s lots of valuable content about solar panel installation.
Know your Solar Tax Credit details
The word is out on the Inflation Act and the expanded Solar Panel Tax Credit benefits. While leads and customers might have heard it’s a good deal, they likely don’t know all the details.
This is a great opportunity for your solar installation company to show off its expertise and build trust with leads early in the sales process. The challenge, however, is making sure the information is easy to understand–not always a simple task when we’re talking about taxes!
Consider a video or infographic that clearly explains the tax credit, what it is, what documents are needed to apply and how to get more information, if needed. To help solar installation companies save time, we created a solar tax credit infographic you can download and use today. It’s even got a spot for you to add your logo!
Meet solar leads where they’re at
Everyone has their preferred way of learning and taking in information. Some prefer to read about it. Others might like to have it explained verbally. Others still might need to see a demonstration to absorb the info they’re given. Providing information in a way that’s easy to understand builds trust. Doing so in the way the customer prefers is great customer service.
When answering common questions about solar panels, keep these different learning preferences in mind. Provide answers in different formats. For example, always be ready to answer customer questions when they ask, but also provide them with a FAQs pamphlet that they can read later. Have helpful links bookmarked on your phone in case a lead wants them sent via email or text. Create a quick video you can post on your website or social media. Prepare a community solar slide deck for meetings and conferences.
Preparing different sales materials does require an investment, however, the result is a better overall experience happy customers can share with friends, family and in those important online reviews.
Deliver answers along the buyer’s journey
Sales leads will have different questions at different stages of the process. Early on, they’re gathering information, either directly from your sales team or from the internet. After a few conversations, they’ll start asking more detail-oriented questions. Knowing generally when leads are going to ask certain questions helps you come to conversations better prepared with answers.
If you know there are certain questions leads always ask at the beginning of the process, provide those answers on your website–and make sure they are easier to find. Doing so will better qualify your leads and save the sales team time.
What will ultimately get your solar leads further along the buyer’s journey–and convert them into a customer, is providing helpful, trustworthy information. The key is having that information at the ready, in the format leads want, when they need it. It’s not just about providing information, though. It’s about giving great customer service.
