Marketing

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Marketing Sales of Solar Energy
SystemsASUJuly 11-12, 2008

• Brandon Leavitt
• bl_at_solarserviceinc.com

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Overview

• Value Proposition
• Advertising
• Effective marketing materials
• Public relations community education
• Solar incentives

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What Value are you Offering?

• Lower utility bills
• Clean energy
• Smart investment
• Energy independence

• Strong local economy
• Increased property value
• Positive publicity (for businesses)

Think from the customers perspective
Who is your target market?
What are their needs?
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Creating a Value Proposition

• Necessary ingredients
• Passion
• A hook

• Think about
• What value are you offering?
• How does this apply from the customers
  perspective?
• What is your competitive advantage?

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Solar Service helps individuals and business
take control of their energy future by utilizing
clean, reliable, and affordable solar energy.
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Marketing Solar

• Impressions left for target market
• Is solar black boxes on the roof? Or is it

Practical
Intriguing
Reliable
Cutting edge
Innovative
Responsible
Trendy
Simple
Forward thinking
Way of the Future
Sustainable
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Hi-Tec
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DC Power
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Advertising

• Direct mailing
• Conferences
• Vehicles
• Signs
• Pens, mugs, shirts, hats, etc.
• Magnets on all tanks

• Print Adds
• Trade Shows
• Radio
• Website (source of 50 of our leads)
• Google Adwords

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Google Adwords

• Pay per click
• Choose keywords
• Choose geographic area
• Set maximum daily budget
• Increases traffic to website

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Free Publicity
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SolarCity
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Free Publicity

• Public Education
• Conferences
• Tradeshows
• Schools
• Environmental groups
• Libraries
• Solar system dedication
• Media can supplement written materials
• Press releases
• PR Newswire (not free)

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Referrals Networking

• Past customers (incentive)
• Networking groups
• Educational seminars
• Tradeshows
• Solar/Renewable Energy Association
• Complementary industries
• Building professionals
• Contractors
• Architects

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Know the Solar Incentives

• What is a federal tax credit?
• Dollar for dollar reduction on taxes owed
• Can be carried back 3 years carried forward 15
  years
• Available through 2008
• System must be operational by 2008
• Accelerated 5 yr Tax Write-off
• Visit www.seia.org for more information

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Federal Commercial Incentives

• Tax Credit of 30 no cap
• Commercial credit no cap
• A 10,000 system would have 3,000 tax credit (if
  no grants or state incentives are applied)
• Accelerated Depreciation
• Tax rate x 85 x system cost
• 20 tax rate x 85 x 10,000 1,700 over 6 yrs

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Accelerated DepreciationWrite-off Schedule
Year Write-off
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Example

• 50,000 Solar System
• -15,000 Tax Credit (50,000 x 30)
• - 8,500 Tax Write-Off Value (85 x 20 x
  50,000)
• 26,500 Final Price
• assumes 20 tax bracket

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Residential Operations Process

• Pre-qualify Lead
• Site Survey
• Design System
• Create Proposal
• Signed Proposal Deposit
• Prepare IL State Rebate Forms
• Apply for Permit (if required)
• Install Solar System Collect Payment
• System Walk-through and Manual
• Congratulations Letter With Tax Credit Info

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Pre-qualify Lead

• Analyze Solar Potential
• Google Earth Helpful Free
• Ballpark Price
• Explain What Solar Provides
• Source of Lead
• How Much kWh Use (PV)

Identify Show Stoppers Before Survey
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Site Survey

• Determine
• Location of System Components
• Solar Potential of Building
• System Cost
• Explain
• How Solar Works
• What it Can Provide
• Government Incentives

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Visio Drawing
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Create Proposal
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• Signed Proposal Deposit
• Prepare IL State Rebate Forms
• Apply for Permit
• Install Solar System Collect Payment
• System Walk-through and Manual
• Congratulations Letter With Tax Credit Info

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Job File
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Job Ticket Solar Thermal
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Updated Job Ticket Solar Thermal
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Job Progress Form
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Job Ticket Photovoltaic
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Service Request
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Congratulations Letter