Small Solar Company? Here's 5 Strategies to Help You Compete With Big Solar Today

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December 29, 2016 | By RGR Marketing Blog

Finding Your Value Proposition

If you’ve been a small operator in the solar industry for some time, then you may feel like you’ve become a victim of your own success. Big companies have seen the light (so to speak), and are making more and more aggressive moves into markets and territories that small solar companies used to have all to themselves.

If you’re feeling like the reward for all the pioneering you did on the neighborhood and small city level is a heaping dose of unfair competition, take heart – there are ways to compete with the big boys and their sometimes equally big marketing and advertising budgets. Let’s take a look at 5 strategies that will help you level the playing field when it comes to the solar installation industry.

1 – Marketing Innovation

Congratulations! As a small company, you are in a position to get creative with your small marketing budget, without having to justify it to an executive committee. What works in your community may be unique, and being small, you have the flexibility to find it and then execute with full confidence.

2 – Focus on Social Media Rather Than Paid Search

You will most likely never be in a position to compete with the big guys on paid search. Paid search, Google ads, etc. is what a major chunk of their marketing budget is typically devoted to. But you can compete on the level of social media. You live in the community, you have friends and customers in the community, so leverage those connections to build a new community (and some buzz) around your brand.

3 – Personalized Service

You may not be able to compete in terms of solar lead acquisition on a macro level, but you can develop and personalize your service as a member of the community (see number 5 for more). Offer a level of service that the hired workers of a large company simply cannot.

4 – Strategic Partnerships

Develop relationships with other small installers in your area, because you may be able to help protect each other from the big outside companies. More importantly, develop relationships with Realtors, local area construction builders, electricians, roofers, and other types of contractors, as well as inspectors. You can exchange referrals, and be at the top of the list when they get asked about solar.

5 – Getting More Involved in Your Community

Whether it’s just sponsoring a local little league team, paying to set up a booth at an art fair or a fun run, or networking in local business organizations, building ties within the community pays off in referrals. At the same time, you get to position yourself and your business as the local alternative to big outside companies, while keeping your brand at the front of consumers’ minds when talking about sustainability, low-cost renewable energy, and the environment.

You May Never Win Head to Head, So Flank Them Instead

The big companies have very big marketing and sales budgets, and with these budgets they can control most of the Internet search traffic and buy the best solar leads. So, let them. While they are spending massive amounts of money to do so, you can come up with clever ways to embed yourself more deeply into your digital and real-world communities. It may not be enough to drive the competition away, but it should be enough to keep you happily in business, making solar a reality in your community and beyond.

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Finding Your Value Proposition

1 – Marketing Innovation

2 – Focus on Social Media Rather Than Paid Search

3 – Personalized Service

4 – Strategic Partnerships

5 – Getting More Involved in Your Community

You May Never Win Head to Head, So Flank Them Instead

Start making more
money today!

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Contact Us

Finding Your Value Proposition

1 – Marketing Innovation

2 – Focus on Social Media Rather Than Paid Search

3 – Personalized Service

4 – Strategic Partnerships

5 – Getting More Involved in Your Community

You May Never Win Head to Head, So Flank Them Instead

Start making more money today!

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