Even with all its benefits, going solar can still be intimidating for homeowners. It requires permits, documentation, and even changes to the physical appearance of their house. Sure, it’s old hat to us, but to someone going through it for the first (and maybe only) time, it can be pretty confusing.
It’s no surprise, then, that obtaining a signed commitment remains one of the toughest hurdles that solar salespeople have to overcome.
So what can we do to increase the likelihood that the customer will sign on the dotted line?
That’s what Aurora Product Marketing Manager Stephen Gerken discussed in a recent webinar.
In this blog we’ll dig into four key strategies that can help you get more customers to move from, “Yes, I’m interested,” to, “Where do I sign?”
Adjust Proposals In Front of the Customer
With any home improvement, customers will choose to work with a company that caters to the unique challenges of their home. So, being able to adjust a proposal on the fly is an absolute must have.
“You have to be able to easily adapt your proposal to the customer’s needs and design a solution that works best for them,” Stephen explained. “That’s really important to improving the overall customer experience.”
This is where software like Sales Mode can be a huge help. While traditionally, a proposed design change could require work by different teams, introduce errors, and often take significant time, Sales Mode eliminates waiting time and reduces the possibility for error. If a system needs an adjustment during a customer meeting?
“You can make those changes in real-time and won’t need to worry about manually entering in a bunch of information, which can lead to errors, change orders, and even cancellations down the line,” Stephen said.
Have Documentation Ready to Go
When moving a conversation forward, having every bit of documentation ready for the customer will also help keep a sale on the right track. And although most people appreciate being walked through the entire process, significant chunks of time dedicated to drafting paperwork can negatively impact sales momentum.
For example, with Contract Manager sales reps can come prepared with custom templates that instantly adapt to create new proposals.
“The coolest part about Contract Manager is that all of the project details from Sales Mode are automatically pulled into the contract for you.” Stephen explained. “So, you don’t have to manually enter any of that information yourself. This makes it so that when you have your documents configured, setting up a contract is just as easy as a couple of clicks.”
Taking the next step, simplifying documentation for the whole sales team really sets company reps up for success.
“These templates can be uploaded and configured by a systems admin on your account, and you can have as many templates as you want,” Stephen said. “The beauty of this is that you can have full control over the documents you send out, and if you need to make changes to your template, a system admin can simply go in and make those changes, and they’ll be reflected across your entire team.”
Get the Signature On the Spot
You’ve heard the expression, “You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink”?
This sentiment is also true in solar sales. In reality, companies can only do so much before ultimately leaving it up to the customer to sign on the dotted line.
Knowing that half of homeowners receive quotes from three or more solar companies, it can be difficult to differentiate yourself from the crowd, and locking in a contract quickly is a great way to earn new business.
So, it’s critical to eliminate any last-minute variables, and get firm, on-the-spot commitments whenever possible. This is where Contract Manager’s e-signature integration can make a sale.
“Whether you are in the home or doing this remotely, you can just fire off all of the documents that you need the customer to sign, and get that firm commitment right on the spot,” Stephen said.
By walking through the proposal, answering questions, and putting a contract directly in front of the customer, a solar sales rep has then done everything they can to try and sell a system.
And while some homeowners may still want to shop around for another deal, a company that has earned a customer’s trust will have an easier time asking for a commitment during a sales meeting.
“If they’re ready to go, getting that signature on the spot will ultimately lead to higher closing rates because it eliminates potential hesitation,” Stephen said.
Keep Customers Engaged After Your Meeting
If a meeting ends without a signature, it doesn’t need to be the end of the sales process. Whether they’re looking at other quotes or simply mulling it over, keeping a customer engaged with a proposal is the best way to stay in their mind.
By implementing continued communication, solar companies can separate themselves from the rest of the pack who fail to follow up.
“Today we are in a digital-focused world where there are so many things competing for people’s attention,” Stephen explained. “The longer that you can keep the customer actively engaged with what you’re offering, the more likely they are to choose you and sign the deal later on.”
Knowing this, creating interactive project proposals, built to be as engaging and informative as possible, can set your company apart.
“Sales Mode’s proposal isn’t just a screenshot, the customer can pan around and zoom in on their own home’s 3D model with solar on it, and that’s pretty cool. They can’t edit the system design itself unless they consult with you first, but they can click on icons to show the irradiance map, the LIDAR map, and the sun path animation,” Stephen explained. “You’re not just leaving them with something to glance over, it’s something that they can use to educate themselves, educate their spouse, or just play around with.”
With a live link, an interactive proposal allows a customer to learn at their own pace and share the information with others to review. After deciding to move forward, Sales Mode even allows a customer to close the deal themselves with a few simple clicks and an online signature.
Close It
Keeping customers engaged both during and after a meeting is a critical part of closing more solar deals. Features like live proposal changes, auto-filled contracts, interactive proposals, and an e-signature integration can keep those customers engaged, and lead to more closed deals — either in the room or at a later time.
See Contract Manager and Sales Mode in action during our Sunrise demo event.