Residential solar panels remain more popular than ever. To take advantage of this ever-growing market, small and mid-sized rooftop installers need to be agile to grow their businesses.

A recent Pew Research revealed 46 percent of U.S. homeowners have given serious thought to installing rooftop solar panels. This is a sizable jump from the 40 percent of respondents who said the same in 2016. Meanwhile, only 6 percent of U.S. homeowners currently have solar panels installed on their homes. Although the pandemic has slowed down the schedule for some people, the enthusiasm and growing popularity should remain. 

If you’re a small or mid-sized rooftop solar installer, consider these four ways to grow your business and bring solar energy to more households: 

1. Set-up Online Inquiries

Online inquiries and lead generation will be absolutely crucial for rooftop solar installers moving forward. Even before the pandemic, more customers were moving to online shopping for solar panels, and this trend will only continue.

However, this could potentially paint some installers into a corner if they don’t have online services set up. In the past, in-person meetings were especially commonplace for solar deals. But nowadays, people are more unlikely to invite people into their homes or attend the types of community events where networking and referrals are made. 

If you haven’t already done so, now is the perfect time to implement online inquiries. Technology has made it relatively cheaper and easier than ever to shift operations online to chase leads and close deals. There are several convenient and easy-to-use platforms to move lead generation online.

2. Gain Additional Certifications

If you’re a rooftop installer, chances are you already have a roofing license or some local equivalent. But there are also a number of helpful certifications that can lead to new lead generation, better awareness of the market and the chance to potentially expand offerings. Plus, potential customers will feel more assured in your qualifications, and more likely to go with your services, if they see more accreditations. 

If you haven’t already looked into these, some helpful certifications include:

• SEI Solar Professionals Certificate
• North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
• Electronics Technicians Association
• Certified Solar Roofing Professional
• Solar Business and Technical Sales Certificate
• Residential and Commercial Photovoltaic Systems Certificate
• Renewable Energy Applications Certificate
• Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems Certificate

These are just a few of the different certifications that can help propel your rooftop solar services. 

3. Take into Account Homeowners’ Tastes

When the average homeowner thinks about solar panels, they typically picture the traditional blue, polycrystalline modules with the aluminum frames. And all too often, these same homeowners consider this design stale, unfashionable and aesthetically incongruent with their house’s style.

While you might be aware of the new black-on-black styles of monocrystalline PV modules, the general public hasn’t fully caught on. To rectify this, spend some time promoting the variations of all-black residential PV modules. Be sure to inform and educate homeowners about the newer, sleeker and more stylish solar panels available. 

4. Partner with Tier 1 module manufacturers

While PV module aesthetics play a role in helping homeowners choose solar, so too does the quality of the panels. Homeowners want assurance that the panels will work properly for the duration of the PV system’s lifetime, and that there’s a warranty in place for extra protection.

Residential solar customers typically don’t want the cheapest options, they want the best, long-term investment for their home. 

For 20 years, Trina Solar has been a leading supplier of Tier 1 premium modules at an affordable cost. With consistent third-party recognition as a top performer, a highly bankable track record and industry-leading warranties, Trina Solar knows the residential PV modules better than anyone.

Click here to contact Trina Solar today to learn more about our sleek Tier-1 all-black residential module.