How to Create a Winning Commercial Solar Marketing Campaign

The clean energy movement is underway, and many solar companies and ancillary businesses are posed to join. 

In fact, a very common buzzword is permeating the clean energy and clean tech space: ESG. 

While many residential solar companies focus on saving homeowners money, commercial solar businesses are interested in addressing the environmental social governance benchmarks. 

Why? The commercial sector presents a huge opportunity for solar companies to expand their customer base and increase revenue. From office buildings and storage facilities to manufacturing plants, countless commercial properties can benefit from solar energy. Not only does it decrease costs, but it contributes to job growth in new sectors and helps support clean energy initiatives in the communities where businesses operate.  

However, reaching commercial customers requires a different approach than reaching residential customers. That's why it's important to develop a commercial solar marketing campaign that speaks to commercial customers' unique needs and pain points. 

Here are five things to keep in mind when developing your commercial solar marketing campaign:

Understand the commercial customer's perspective.

Understanding your customers' perspective is the first step in developing a successful commercial solar marketing campaign. These businesses are motivated by the financial benefits of solar energy, such as tax incentives and rebates, in addition to overall energy cost-savings and environmental benefits. Additionally, commercial customers may be more concerned with the reliability and performance of their solar system, as well as the potential impact on their business operations.

To effectively reach commercial customers, it's essential to understand their perspective and address their concerns. Consider including points like a cost-benefit analysis (see below), operational downtimes, benefits to employees and event tenants, and environmental benefits in your marketing messages. 

Focus on the financial benefits

One of the biggest drivers of commercial solar adoption is the financial benefits that solar energy can provide. This can include lower energy bills, tax incentives, and rebates.

Consider using case studies and testimonials from other commercial customers to demonstrate the potential savings that can be achieved when switching to solar. Some companies even create a financial analysis tool that allows commercial customers to calculate their potential cost savings and return on investment.

Showcase your expertise and experience.

Commercial customers often look for a solar provider with experience working with other businesses in their industry. They want to know that they are working with a company that understands their unique needs and can deliver a solar array that meets their requirements.

In short, this means it is very important to showcase your industry expertise and expertise when developing a commercial solar marketing campaign. Highlight case studies and testimonials, and create content that speaks directly to the pain points and needs of commercial customers in your target market. Consider partnering with industry associations and organizations to increase your visibility and credibility within the industry.

Leverage social media and content marketing.

Social media and content marketing are powerful tools for reaching commercial customers and building brand awareness. By creating informative and engaging content, you can position your company as a thought leader in the solar industry and attract commercial customers to your website.

You can even integrate the targeting capabilities of a platform like LinkedIn to promote your company’s presence at an upcoming tradeshow or event. This is a great way to combine the benefits of digital marketing with IRL events. 

It’s also essential to consider creating a content marketing strategy with diverse educational content, including blog posts, infographics, and videos. In our experience, LinkedIn is an excellent platform to connect with decision-makers at B2B companies in the select target market.

Provide exceptional customer service.

Commercial customers often seek a solar company that can provide exceptional customer service throughout the entire process, from initial consultation to installation and ongoing maintenance. They want to know that they are working with a company that will support them throughout the system's build-out and life.

To provide exceptional customer service, invest in training and development for your customer service and sales team - and that these materials are well branded. Everything from the messaging to the look and feel of the documents should align with your company’s overall mission, vision, and values. Everyone in your organization should speak, communicate and represent the company in a unified and cohesive way. This builds loyalty and creates awareness of who you are and what your company stands for. 

In closing, developing a commercial solar marketing campaign requires a deep understanding of the B2B commercial customer's perspective, a focus on the financial benefits of clean energy, and a mix of educational content that can be consumed via digital channels like social media platforms and blogs, as well well as IRL  content that can be shared with prospective customers at sales meetings and event. 

Are you interested in learning more about our work in the commercial solar sector? Visit our portfolio page.