LEAD GENERATION FOR SOLAR COMPANIES THAT CARE ABOUT QUALITY At the heart of everything we do is an unrelenting commitment to helping good solar installers thrive.
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A LITTLE RANT & A GREAT STORY Let me cut to the chase. SolarQuotes® is not just another lead generator company spruiking for your business. Yes, we can send you more qualified leads that convert better than most of our competitors in the market, but we don’t work with just anyone. Our mission is to rid Australia of no-name panels and inverters and the shonky solar companies that sell them. Not only are they taking good peoples money and selling them second grade products, but they are also contributing significantly to landfill. They are not saving the environment as they claim to be and they give good installers a bad name. We are deeply committed to ensuring that every house gets Tier 1 solar panels with a reliable inverter, well installed by an installation crew that is given the time and BoS components to achieve a result that will last for decades. We do this by being very selective with which companies we work with and by educating people on the difference between quality and junk. SolarQuotes® has been helping businesses like yours to grow for the past eight years. At SolarQuotes®, we work hard to deliver better qualified, informed, high quality leads so your business can thrive. Our records tell us that almost one in thirty homes in Australia have requested quotes through our website since we began eight years ago. This equates to more than a billion dollars in solar sales for our clients. Put simply, we are a lead generation company with a huge heart, founded by an engineer who understands why quality solar energy matters. With this booklet, I hope to unravel some of the myths that plague the solar lead generation industry and demonstrate why working with SolarQuotes® is a unique and valuable experience.
Finn Peacock Chief Executive Officer
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SolarQuotes® client: “SolarQuotes® has been an excellent resource for us to purchase additional leads when we need them. The ability to control how, when and where we get the leads is of great value to us. Furthermore, the information freely provided by SolarQuotes® to prospective buyers has served as a much needed beacon in the industry. We regularly direct customers to their articles for independent verification of the answers we provide and to further explain many concepts of solar. We highly recommend their services.” James Baverstoc National Sales Manager at Solargain.
CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. There are leads and then there are SolarQuotes® leads 3. Raising the bar 4. How we work 5. Will you make the grade? 6. Don’t take our word for it 7. Our offer to you 8. Behind every good company…..
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THERE ARE LEADS.... THE UNINFORMED CUSTOMER Scattergun Lead Generation Get 3 Quotes Title:
Hello it's James calling from Solar Cowboys
Sorry, who are you again?
Hello it's James calling from Solar Tier 1
Yes, I’ve been expecting your call.
Telephone:
Select..
Forename:
Email:
Surname:
Postcode:
An Energy Advisor will call you back during office hours to check your roof and arrange your quotes. SUBMIT
THE INFORMED CUSTOMER SolarQuotes® Lead Generation
since 2009
since 2009
Please tell me a bit more about your installation and I’ll do my best to get you 3 quotes from installers I trust.
Contact Details Choose your system size and features
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1
Your email(privacy policy) *
2
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What is your time frame for getting solar? *
A
1.5kW
B
2kW
C
3kW
D
4kW
E F
6kW
B
In the next 4 weeks
G
More than 6kW
C
In the next 3 months
H
Not Sure. Please help me decide
D
In the next 6 months
E
No timeframe - just looking for a ballpark price 7
A
I want the installers to visit my property, measure up and provide a firm price.
B
No need to visit my property at this time, an estimate from each installer will be fine.
?
A home visit is strongly recommended by Finn Here’s why
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B
Tile
C
Slate
D
Asbestos
E
Other
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Less than $500
B
$500-$1000
C
$1000-$2000
D
over $2000
E
Don’t know
What kind of companies would you prefer to provide your quotes? *
Smaller companies who service my area
B
Larger, state-wide or national companies who service my area
C
No preference as long as they are great!
A
Yes
B
No
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Interested in finance? *
Are you interested in any of the following features? Select only those required:
How much is your quarterly electric bill? *
A
Last Name *
Your Installation Address: * (so we can look at your roof on Google Maps)
123 Sunny Street, Sunny Town, SA
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Phone Number(why?) * Phone Number
Get Quotes Now >>
Once you submit, I’ll pass your responses on to 3 installers I trust, so that they can contact you to get your exact requirements, then provide you with a quote. I’ll also email you the contact details and customer reviews of those solar installers from our collection of over 20,455 reviews
What kind of roof will the panels be installed on? *
Tin / Colourbond
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A
8
A
12
5kW
Immediately
How detailed would you like your quotes? *
Connect with Facebook
Last Name
A
3
or
What size system are you looking for? *
6
Your email here
First Name * First Name
These questions help us know what size and type of system to quote for you.
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A
For a home that is currently under construction
B
Microinverters
C
Increase size of existing solar system
D
Other
Anything else you’d like to tell us? Anything you think we should know here!
We value your privacy - by submitting your information you agree to SolarQuotes Privacy Policy.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOLARQUOTES LEADS. Authentic lead generation is a marathon, not a sprint. The faster you run the leads down the sales funnel, the less qualified the leads will be. That is why, at SolarQuotes®, we have additional filtering layers that are tweaked and modified constantly to keep up with customer demands and the rapidly changing industry. We want the leads that we send your way to be educated, have total clarity and be ready to purchase. An example of this is our ‘Battery Warning’. Problem: Our clients told us that lots of people see mainstream media stories about “$3000 Powerwalls” and are interested in buying batteries - until they see the battery price is actually closer to $10,000! Our Solution: When a customer clicks the button that says: “give me a quote for a battery + solar” we show them this screen:
Result: People that ask for quotes for solar+batteries through SolarQuotes® have a realistic budget. No more people running away when they see the price of a proper hybrid system.
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SolarQuotes® client: “Solaray has been working with SolarQuotes® since 2010. During that time, Finn and his team have worked tirelessly to ensure they continue to improve the quality of the leads. SolarQuotes® is the only lead generator in the market that goes the extra mile to qualify leads rather than just ‘collect and send’ a phone number. SolarQuotes® leads have had to fill out multiple pages of information which automatically weeds out the casual info seekers and focuses on genuine enquiries. SolarQuotes® is far and away the leading and quality lead generator in the market.” Jonathan Fisk Director, Solaray
RAISING THE BAR! Established in 2009, we’ve grown to a team of 7 and we are here to stay. EST
EXPERTS
SELECTIVE
GUARANTEE
ETHICAL
ENVIRONMENT
WE LOVE SOLAR IT’S ALL WE DO
We are experts in lead generation, SEO, PPC, conversion, optimisation and everything digital. As well as solar and batteries
We don’t work with every solar installation company. Our vetting process ensures we only work with reputable companies who install quality systems.
We have the friendliest lead -return policy in the industry. If you reject the lead within 7 days of getting it you don’t even get invoiced for it.
Honesty and transparency are key values we operate by. We use white hat SEO practices and would never incentivise or entice leads. No call centres, no door knockers.
Solar Quotes® was started to accelerate the adoption of high quality solar. Solar that ends up in landfill after 3-5 years is our common enemy.
We do not operate lead generation for any other class of tradie or home improvement professional. We generate content and leads for solar (and batteries if requested). That’s it.
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SolarQuotes® client: “For the past 4 years I have used SolarQuotes®. I have used several lead quotation websites but all have disappointed me except for Finn Peacock and his team at Solar Quotes®. It's the only forum I TRUST! Not only does SolarQuotes® help customers with product and service advice, they also give non-biased options about solar which in this game is rare! I strongly advise any customers out there to jump onto SolarQuotes® and have 3 quotes as they simply lead the way in sales leads in the industry.” Scott Mason Founding Director
OUR EXTENSIVE LEAD QUALIFICATION PROCESS ARRIVE
REQUEST 3 QUOTES 1. Email 2. Timeframe for buying 3. Home visit? 4. Roof Type? 5. Electricity Bill $$$ 6. How many kW
EDUCATE
7. S/M/L Company preferred?
CONVERSION Only after they answer all questions and we validate their details do they become a lead.
8. Finance? 9. Other Features? 10. Anything else we need to know? 11. First name 12. Last name 13. Address 14. Phone
14 POINT QUALIFICATION
Day 1
Day 60
Day 8
WELCOME
FOLLOW UP
REVIEW
Customer emailed immediately.
A week later SolarQuotes® check they obtained quotes from each nominated company.
60 Days later we ask them who they went with and ask them to review their chosen installer. This gets added to our database of 20,000 installer reviews that rank highly on Google.
Customers are informed which companies will be contacting them. Can qualify the providers by reading their reviews. Encouraged to ask key qualification questions.
A comprehensive checklist is forwarded to the customer to assist them in evaluating the quotes.
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HOW WE WORK? At SolarQuotes®, our job is to find people who want to buy solar and send them to you to convert into sales. Easier said than done. As online marketing and solar experts, we spend hours analysing, tweaking, refining, revising, amending, to make sure you get the customers you need.
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT. 1. People find us a. Because we advertise widely online offering to educate people about solar, and arrange up to three quotes. b. Because we have thousands of pages of high quality, expert advice and reviews. c. Because our website contains heaps of information, such as our solar 101 page, that explains solar to the layperson without drowning them in information.
2. Online Form a. When visitors are ready to progress to getting quotes, they will complete our online form (14 steps) with their solar requirements and contact details.
3. Referral Engine a. Our referral engine finds up to three solar companies that match their needs and service their location.
4. Initial Contact with Customer a. The customer gets an email with the details of a maximum of three quoting companies, including you. b. We provide the lead with all the information they need to choose between the quotes. We provide a ‘quality checklist’ to help them decide which system to choose using much more than price alone.
5. Initial Contact with Solar Company a. You get an email (or SMS or automatic update of your CRM system) with the leads details and requirements. We charge you for this lead.
6. Convert the Customer a. It is now your responsibility to follow up the lead. The winning company installs the system. No commission is payable to us.
7. Customer Feedback a. Sixty days after the initial quote request we ask the customer to review your service. We publish this review on your own review page, creating valuable 3rd party proof that you are a great installer. b. You can then leverage this sale and your reviews to get free word-ofmouth sales.
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SolarQuotes® client: “Greenwiring has been in the residential and commercial solar industry in Western Australia for the last 7 years. There is no doubt that the SolarQuotes® website is the most informative and professional site for customers to access information on solar products and request 3 quotes from proven quality solar company’s with a track record of providing a quality and professional service. We have tried other providers but have found Finn’s site to be superior in all aspects. Most of the leads we get from SolarQuotes® are motivated customers that have done some research on the SolarQuotes® website and are familiar with the different product brands and features on offer which saves time when providing a quote. SolarQuotes® provides a non biased opinion on all of the quality solar products on the market today which is very important as there are a few cowboys out there who will tell you anything just to get the sale. We would recommend to any customer looking at installing solar to jump on the SolarQuotes® website, do a little research then give it a go.“ Ash Noon Found Director
YOUR QUESTION ANSWERED In what format will I receive the leads ? We can send an email or SMS. But the best way is for your server to talk to our servers directly using our API, so fresh leads appear in your CRM immediately. We can help you implement this system. If you want the ease of this direct and instant lead alert system, it does require a full day of IT integration. Your staff work with our staff to set this system up.
Does it integrate into our existing CRM systems ? Yes - see answer above. How do I know you won’t just send me poor leads followed by a big bill? We have a policy that enables you to reject leads within seven days of receiving them, if you find out the lead is not seriously considering solar in the next 12 months.
Can I pause my account so I stop receiving leads, at any time ? Yes, you can pause your account at any time.
Can I nominate a cap, so I’m working within my budget ? Yes you can. You can nominate a daily, weekly or monthly cap. If you only want 10 leads per month, then we’ll limit the leads to 10 per month.
Can I cancel or opt out of leads at any time ? There is no minimum sign up period and you can opt out from leads at any time. Otherwise, you can put your account on pause, as described above.
Can I specifically request leads of a certain type ? Yes, you can nominate the type of leads you are interested in and we will send you only those lead enquiries e.g. grid connect, micro inverters, hybrid, off grid etc.
Won’t I just be competing against the big cheap solar companies that sell poor quality solar at rock bottom prices, when I join up with SolarQuotes® ? You know and we know who the shonky companies are. Those companies never have and never will be SolarQuotes® clients. We believe in quality at a fair price and we vet our clients accordingly.
Isn’t this just a race to the bottom on prices ? No. We provide a way for people to get three quotes for quality solar and then choose the system that suits them the best. We have never promoted SolarQuotes® as a place to get the cheapest solar system. We actively encourage everyone that reads our advice to pay more for quality systems that will last for decades and avoid the junk. The Clean Energy Council and the Government both recommend that people get at least three quotes when buying solar. We simply facilitate this for people in the easiest and lowest risk way we can. SolarQuotes®
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SolarQuotes® client: “SolarQuotes® has been a great investment for Green Solar. Lots of lead generators have popped up in the Solar marketplace recently but the quality SolarQuotes® provides is black and white compared to the rest. The partnership is a win-win between SolarQuotes® and Green Solar. The wealth of knowledge contained in the SolarQuotes® website means I can send our customers there for proof of the advice we give them.” Paul Thistleton Sales Manager
WILL YOU MAKE THE GRADE? We are serious about only working with quality solar installation companies, and here is our minimum criteria: Your organisation has at least six genuine reviews on our site (if you don’t have six reviews on our site, we can show you how to easily get at least six genuine reviews from your past customers). Have at least 12 months experience in the solar industry. Sell quality Tier 1 panels and reputable inverters. Rapid Response - follow up leads within 24 hours. Take all leads seriously and have systems in place for accountability. Provide a comprehensive quote including estimated yields and payback projections. And of course, we need to get on. For us, working together is about the journey and helping each other to achieve our goals. If we can’t relate and don’t take the time to understand each other, then it will never work for either party.
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OUR OFFER TO YOU Great Leads More Sales Remarkable Service
BEHIND EVERY GOOD COMPANY.... Finn Peacock founded SolarQuotes® to ensure the solar industry had a go-to resource that ensured accurate, objective, easily accessible information and realistic pricing for high quality solar. Finn is a chartered electrical engineer with an ability to translate important technical details from industry jargon to plain English that anyone can understand. He is motivated by energy efficiency, clean energy, environmental protection and mountain bikes. With his humour and charismatic nature, Finn is able to connect and educate people by turning the boring important bits into the fun bits. A thought-leader and change-maker, particularly around solar power, Finn provides expert media commentary, appears as a guest speaker, and has consulted to leading government ministers on clean energy. His energy and commitment are infectious and he is genuinely committed to empowering people to reduce costs and environmental damage. SolarQuotes® has helped almost 300,000 Australians get quotes for solar, safe in the knowledge that they are using an honest and reputable provider. Beyond this, Finn has a first-class degree in Mechatronic Engineering and professional and international industry experience. His business is based on providing the most reliable information and referring the best possible providers. In 2017 Finn will publish “The Good Solar Guide”, a book which will show homeowners how to use quality solar plus energy efficiency to deliver tiny bills for decades.
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At SolarQuotesÂŽ we are passionate about sending high quality, educated leads your way. Give us a go and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
No contracts, no minimum spend. No risk for you. Contact Rob to get the ball rolling: 08 8182 1241 robert@solarquotes.com.au Or register your interest online: solarquotes.com.au/apply