I hope you enjoy reading this blog post. If you want our handwritten notes to drive more sales for you, click here.
9 Killer Reasons Handwritten Notes Work for Solar Marketing [Free Templates]
We are using up all Earth’s resources to generate energy. Fossil fuels like oil and coal are depleting fast, which leaves us all wondering – what happens when fossil fuels are no more? Replenishable, recyclable, and reusable energy sources are the future. Think wind, water, rain, tide, and solar power.
Solar energy was explored as far back as the 7th century B.C., when magnifying glass was used to light fires. By the 1800s, sunlight was used to run ovens on extended trips and power steamboats instead of traditional fuels.
Believe it or not, the first solar cells made from selenium were created in 1883 by Charles Fritts, though he wasn’t the first researcher to recognize the power of harnessing solar energy. In 1954, selenium was replaced with silicon creating the basis for today’s solar panels.
Don’t get it wrong, that’s not where solar evolution stopped. In 2019, Tesla Motors released the third version of the Tesla Solar Roof. Instead of using old solar panels, the new design uses glass shingles to capture sunlight and convert it to electricity.
This short history of solar gives you an idea of how energy production and storage are being turned on their heads by new, exciting technologies.
Why would a solar tech company want to use an old-school marketing tactic like handwritten notes when technology is growing?
Why Solar Marketing Needs Handwritten Notes
Marketing is what drives business growth, from lead generation to sales. It’s how a solar company introduces itself to a target audience, nurtures new leads, and maintains a stellar customer experience.
Many centuries ago, before the advent and takeover of digital technologies, handwritten marketing led the way to increased visibility with potential customers. The thing with digital is: that it gets mind-numbing after a while, and consumers have been exposed to digital for decades.
Your target audience demands more personal communications, and that’s where handwritten notes for solar marketing fit in.
Why Do Handwritten Notes for Solar Marketing Work So Well?
First and foremost, handwritten notes work for every business niche, not just solar marketing. We’ve seen outstanding results with real estate agents, mortgage brokers, insurance brokers, HVAC companies, and many more. Here’s why they work so well.
- Direct mail open rates are around 30 times higher than digital alternatives, near 100%.
- Handwritten marketing has 5 times the response rate of traditional direct mail.
- Handwritten notes are tangible and interactive – it’s something they can hold.
- Hand-addressed envelopes are delivered directly to decision-makers.
- Handwritten notes are displayed, which promotes word-of-mouth.
- Personalized messages garner trust with leads and current solar customers.
- Customers demand more attention from a business before becoming loyal patrons.
- Digital communication is expected; handwritten notes are a surprise.
- More than 90% of millennials prefer handwritten mail to digital contact.
Now that we’ve covered why solar marketing needs handwritten notes let’s jump right into how best to write those notes.
Expert Tips for Writing Handwritten Notes
Handwritten notes for solar marketing hold significant potential power. When done right, this power drives lead development, website traffic, brand awareness, and conversion rates, among many other benefits. So, precisely what does it mean to do handwritten notes right?
- Always have a plan – who gets the notes, what message are you sharing, and how many notes will you send to each customer?
- Write in the customer’s language – how old are they, and what current stage of life are they in?
- Skip the fancy language – the only use for flowery language is to appear smarter and more knowledgeable, but that’s often lost in niche jargon the customer doesn’t understand.
- Stick with a simple message – customers are overstimulated by digital, and the last thing you want to do is hit them with a long, drawn-out message.
- Add a real person’s signature – concluding your handwritten note for solar marketing with “Customer Service” or “Management Team” takes away from the personalized nature of handwritten notes.
- Adopt a handwritten notes template for solar marketing to crush writer’s block.
- Send only personalized messages – science shows it’s simpler for customers to read and comprehend your message when personalized.
- Include a call-to-action on every handwritten note – what do you want the customer to do next?
- Deliver more than a single note – experts suggest it typically takes five to eight touches to convert a lead.
- Share a familiar graphic on your handwritten notes for solar marketing – familiarity breeds trust, and trust increases lifetime value.
- Handwrite the envelope, too – what’s the point in starting a handwritten notes campaign when the customer won’t know it’s handwritten?
- Apply a USPS postage stamp – digital postage screams mass marketing, meaning your note ends up in the trash, handwritten or not!
For a more detailed guide to these tips, check out our blog post on Handwritten Notes: Expert Tips You Need to See Brilliant Results.
How to Send Handwritten Notes at Scale
With all the provided information, you’re ready to craft a handwritten note for solar marketing. Notice we said A handwritten note. It’s virtually impossible to send 50, 100, or 500 notes if you’re writing them by hand. For handwritten marketing to be effective, it must be scalable.
Handwritten marketing services work with clients to send large-scale campaigns every day. These clients include businesses from hundreds of niches, including solar energy. Here’s how it works!
What is a Handwriting Robot?
A handwriting “robot” is an AI-directed pen plotter. Software is designed to recreate the pressure, slant, and flow of human writing. They make small errors and no two letters are exactly the same.
Everything about these handwritten notes is authentic – the ink even smears when rubbed. The robot “hand” never gets tired, never cramps, and never stops.
There’s also the factor of consistency. After a few notes, the human hand automatically starts to tire; as time passes, your handwriting will change due to fatigue. The first handwritten note may look perfect, but the 10th not so much. Consistency is wildly important in solar marketing.
According to Forbes, consistency “helps build credibility, reputation and brand trust.” They go on to share that “consistent brands are worth 20% more than those with inconsistencies in their messaging.”
What’s more consistent – automating handwritten notes or writing them yourself?
How to Utilize Handwritten Notes For First-Class Results
We’ve got the WHY of using handwritten notes for solar marketing out of the way. Now, let’s look at a scenario to get across how to use notes for the best results.
Your solar company just finished installing panels on a new construction home in a gated community. The homeowners are thrilled with the results and agree to share a testimonial.
There are 500 homes in the new community and each one is a potential client.
Send a handwritten note to community leads and include the testimonial. The community is gated, which typically means homeowners are upper-middle to upper-class.
According to Berkeley Lab Electricity Markets & Policy, “Solar adopters generally skew towards higher incomes, though that trend continues to diminish over time. Plus, solar-adopter incomes are consistently higher for systems paired with battery storage, for host-owned systems, and for systems installed on single-family homes.”
That’s not to say low- to moderately-low income households aren’t installing solar. The same report shared, “Solar adopter incomes vary considerably and encompass many low-to-moderate income (LMI) households.”
Handwritten notes for solar marketing help you lasso entire communities.
Handwritten Note Samples & Templates for Solar Marketing
To make things even easier, handwritten note templates for solar marketing help get your point across without dealing with writer’s block. We’ll go through templates for introductions, special deals, and more.
Introduction
Sample
Hello Ben and Sally,
I’m Don from Solarize (an alternative energy company), and we just finished a job on Goliath St. The homeowners were thrilled with their solar installation and have already noticed changes in their electric bill. Here’s what they had to say:
“Solarize made the installation process a breeze. Friendly, responsive, trustworthy, and passionate are words we’d use to describe Don and his team. We’ve already cut our electric usage by 50%.”
If you’re interested in installing solar or learning more about energy-efficiency programs, scan the QR code and set a time to connect.
Have a great day,
Don Gordone
CEO of Solarize
Template
Hello [recipients],
I’m [sender.name] from [business.name] (an alternative energy company) and we just finished a job on [street/drive/ave/way]. The homeowners were thrilled with their solar installation and have already noticed changes in their electric bills. Here’s what they had to say:
[quote/testimonial]
If you’re interested in installing solar or learning more about energy-efficiency programs, scan the QR code and set a time to connect.
Have a great day,
[sender.name]
[position]
Special Deals
Sample
Dear Jon,
Solar panel installation prices are lower than ever, and your neighbors are taking advantage. In the last twelve months, we’ve installed systems on at least twenty houses near you. I’m Don, a local native, community leader, and alternative energy nut. I also happen to be the CEO of Solarize (an alternative energy company) out of Smithville.
Right now, we’re offering all solar panel installations at 50% off labor and 25% off solar panels. You CAN combine the two special deals to save more.
If you’d like to learn more about how solar energy will help save you money, scan the QR code below to choose a time for a quick 10-minute meeting.
Talk soon,
Don Gordone
CEO of Solarize
Template
Dear [recipient],
Solar panel installation prices are lower than ever, and your neighbors are taking advantage. In the last [number] months, we’ve installed systems on at least [number] houses near you. I’m [sender.name], a local native, community leader, and alternative energy nut. I also happen to be the [position] of [company] (an alternative energy company) out of [town/city].
Right now, we’re offering [deal.1] and [deal.2]. You CAN combine the two special deals to save more.
If you’d like to learn more about how solar energy will help save you money, scan the QR code below to choose a time for a quick 10-minute meeting.
Talk soon,
[sender.name]
[position]
Nurturing
Sample
Hey Sara,
I’m Don, the CEO of Solarize (an alternative energy company), and I live in Smithville too. I think that makes us neighbors! I’m super passionate about solar, but my friends would say I’m a real alternative energy junkie.
I’m not asking for anything, and I’m not trying to sell you something. I simply want to share my love of alternative energy of all kinds with my community. So, over the next few months, I’ll be sending you handwritten notes every so often with information I believe you’ll benefit from and enjoy.
Take care,
Don Gordone
CEO of Solarize
Template
Hey [recipient],
I’m [sender.name], the [position] of [company] (an alternative energy company) and I live in [city/town] too. I think that makes us neighbors! I’m super passionate about solar, but my friends would say I’m a real alternative energy junkie.
I’m not asking for anything, and I’m not trying to sell you something. I simply want to share my love of alternative energy of all kinds with my community. So, over the next few months, I’ll be sending you handwritten notes every so often with information I believe you’ll benefit from and enjoy.
Take care,
[sender.name]
[position]
Questions and Answers About Solar Marketing
1. How do you market a solar company or product?
Email and social media are safe choices; both remain effective marketing strategies for solar companies when done right, as you’d expect.
Our favorite marketing tactic is to combine digital (email, social, ads) and direct mail tools (handwritten notes) as part of an omnichannel plan. A hit them from all sides kind of strategy.
2. How do you sell solar panels in a saturated market?
The only way to sell anything in a saturated market is to stand out from the crowd. For instance, many solar businesses focus on customer service more than customer experience.
Recent trends point to people wanting a more personal connection with the companies they support. Handwritten notes are critical in selling solar panels in a saturated market.
3. How do you market solar online?
Content is the queen of marketing whether you own a solar company or a hair salon. Four types of content to focus on are graphic, audio, video, and written.
Not only does content get you ranked on search engine results, but it establishes your brand as a trusted expert.
4. How can I get solar customers?
Following old-school, tried-and-true marketing tactics, you’d get solar customers by door-knocking and cold-calling.
Nearly every business does it, from lawn care to pest control to real estate agents; getting up close and personal with potential leads is how it’s always been done.
Suppose you subscribe to taking the road less traveled (something proven time and again to set you apart from the competition).
In that case, you’d work with a handwritten notes service that provides leads based on factors you define, such as income level, age, years at current residence, and more.
5. What is the target market for solar panels?
The primary targets for solar panels are high-income homeowners. As quoted above, “Solar adopters generally skew towards higher incomes, though that trend continues to diminish over time.
Plus, solar-adopter incomes are consistently higher for systems paired with battery storage, host-owned systems, and systems installed on single-family homes.”
6. What do solar customers want?
Honesty. One of the most common solar customer pain points is dishonesty. The sales spiel promises near 100% energy efficiency, but solar power captured only offsets 15% of total energy costs, according to a consumer complaint shared by WECT News.
Solar customers want transparent contracts with no hidden clauses, costs, or required future purchases based on truthful expectations.
Using Handwritten Notes for Solar Marketing Shines Bright
If we were to answer the question, why should I use handwritten notes for solar marketing? In three words or less, we’d say, “Because. It. Works.”
Old-school marketing is still effective, but just like more people drive modern cars than vintage cars, you can build on something that works to create something new that works better.
That’s why handwritten notes are best used as part of a multi-angle marketing plan involving all kinds of communication, written and digital.
