So far, 2013 has been an incredible year for the solar industry. Analysts and investors are in agreement that the solar industry has reached an inflection point where profits and growth exceed costs. 
Reports from UBS AG, Deutsche Bank and Macquarie Group all suggest the upswing in the solar industry profits could be the beginning of a long and profitable bull solar market. The reports predict that the solar market could expand 20 percent in 2013, proving that solar is a strong competitor with fossil and nuclear sources.
For your solar company, the rampant growth in the solar market is encouraging, but the challenges of capitalizing on this growth remain oversized. More and more solar companies are popping up, but will they last? You want to be the company that sticks around for the long-term. That starts with having a strong, recognizable brand. For help developing a brand, click the link below:
In order to grab the market share necessary for sustained company growth, your marketing team should adapt a comprehensive marketing strategy to include social media, email, pay-per-click ads, and enhanced landing pages.
These components are the most essential elements in cultivating relationships with target consumers and investors:
- PPC Ads—Pay per click advertising is an excellent way to enhance your inbound marketing strategy. These ads that populate the borders of virtually every page on the Internet, provide unique benefits like costs related to consumer actions, high customization and enhanced brand awareness. Because you will only pay if a visitor actually clicks on the ad, you can depend on a higher level of interest and engagement. Most importantly, PPC ads impact the consciousness of millions of Internet users who never click on the ad, thereby elevating your name recognition.
- Social media—Every inbound marketing strategy to funnel consumers to your website should include a strong social media component. Not only is activity on Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn relatively cheap, but it can produce an enormous response. Users who engage your marketing team are actually seeking out your presence there, so they are primed for sales. Developing relationships with these users is critical to creating a strong and loyal customer base that will attract others. These followers also provide insights into the minds of consumers throughout the solar market; their responses to your marketing initiatives and developments in the wider industry provide valuable feedback that can be used to refine ad campaigns.
- Landing pages—The ultimate purpose of every inbound marketing strategy is to attract consumers to your website, but, to clinch the sale, your site needs to be appealing, engaging and professional. This begins with a compelling landing page, which responds to the interest of visitors. Key information about solar products, cost savings, and sustainable technologies should often be highlighted on this page. Of paramount importance is the unique value that your company is offering, whether it is competitive pricing, technical expertise or superior customer service. Your visitors should instantly recognize why your company is the one to choose.
- Email marketing—Once you have acquired the email addresses of visitors, it is imperative to develop an enduring relationship. Interest in solar products has skyrocketed as the costs of panels have dropped, so it is vital to establish yourself as the ideal vendor for them. The new affordability in the solar market has made more visitors into shoppers rather than information seekers, which means your company must keep the attention of visitors. Most shoppers will visit a number of sites prior to purchase, so maintaining the relationship through emails is essential to converting.
The surging solar market has opened the door to many more solar companies. Crafting the inbound marketing strategy that sweeps up as many potential customers as possible and delivers them to your landing page requires no small amount of skill.
