Community Solar Advocate Action Plan
Choosing to become a Community Solar customer/subscriber is one of the easiest decisions a consumer can ever make! You save money and help the environment; with no costs to participate, no costs to leave, and no switching energy suppliers. “So, why doesn’t everyone enroll?”, you’ve likely asked yourself… The answer is because they don’t yet know about it! Once they learn about it, they WILL enroll!
Step 1: Identify Your Purpose for Starting
There’s no sense getting started if you haven’t yet clearly identified why you’d want to get started. Making money requires an effort and your purpose for getting started will be what fuels that effort. Without a clearly defined reason for pursuing this endeavor, you will most likely quit. You won’t quit because the opportunity isn’t good, you’ll quit because you won’t have the fuel required to put in the effort.
Most people go to a job when they don’t feel like going, because they don’t want to lose their job. But, this isn’t a job! So, what’s going to get you to put forth an effort here when you know you can’t be fired? You’re reason for starting will!
Fill out the form below and refer to it every time you don’t feel like putting forth an effort!
My reason for starting is ________________________________________________.
I plan to make $______________________ by _____________________________.
What I plan to use that money for is ______________________________________.
The following people are counting on me to succeed: _____________________________________________________________________________________________.
Remember: You can’t fail in the Community Solar Advocate Program, you can only quit!
Step 2: Build Your Contact Lists
There are three lists you need to build.
- Contact List – Everyone who knows you
- Customer Prospect List – Those who get a utility bill and who live in an active Community Solar market
- CSA Prospect List – Those who don’t get a utility or live in an active market, but who may be interested in earning money and/or helping the environment
Your Contact List
When creating your Contact List, it helps to understand what the list will be used for.
First, it’s NOT the list of those you plan to reach out to about Community Solar! Instead, your Contact List is simply everyone who knows you. Notice we didn’t say everyone you know. No, it’s a list of everyone who knows you. For instance, you may be an officer of a large organization in which you don’t know everyone in the group. But, if they know you, put them on your Contact List! Since it’s not a list of people you plan to reach out to, there’s no harm putting people on your list!
The biggest mistake people make when building their Contact List is taking the time to analyze whether you think someone would be interested or not. Save that for the next step! For now, go ahead and put EVERYONE on your list! Use your cell phone contacts, your email contacts, LinkedIn connections, Facebook friends, and even your neighborhood directory. If they would recognize you or your name, put them on your list!
Do not take this step for granted! Actually create a list on a blank sheet of paper, or perhaps a List Template like the one on the following page. Better yet, open a new Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or Google Sheet, and title it, My Contact List. Those who take the time to create a Contact List will always outperform those who rely on their cell phone as their list!
Imagine you would get paid $100 for every person you put on your Contact List, as long as that person would know who you are. How big would your Contact List be then?
Your Customer Prospect List
Everyone on your Contact List would technically make a good prospect, but not everyone on your Contact List would make a good customer prospect. To be a good customer prospect, the person needs only to meet two criteria.
- They get a utility bill
- They live in an active market for Community Solar
Everyone who gets a utility bill is a good customer prospect, because everyone wants a lower utility bill! But, unfortunately, we can’t help them with Community Solar unless they’re also in a market that’s actively enrolling customers.
Now, are some people better customer prospects than others? Yes. For example, if someone is in the process of moving, they’re not a good customer prospect at the moment. For those people, it would be best to reach out to them after they move and get their new utility account number.
On the other hand, if someone is passionate about helping the environment, they’re an even stronger customer prospect than normal! These people are typically so excited about the environmental benefits of Community Solar they don’t even care that there’s a guaranteed savings!
Your CSA Prospect List
A CSA prospect is anyone who may be interested in earning money and/or helping the environment. It doesn’t matter where they live or whether or not they get a utility bill. If they want to earn money and/or help the environment, they are a good CSA Prospect. And everyone wants to earn more money, so, technically, everyone on your Contact List is a good CSA prospect!
Here’s the Plan…
Go through your Contact List and identify all the people who get a utility bill and who live in an active market for Community Solar. These are your Customer Prospects. You can export these names to a new list titled, My Customer Prospect List, or you can code/highlight these names directly on your Contact List.
For the sake of making money immediately, let’s begin with your Customer List.
Step 3: Get the Word Out to Your Prospects
We enroll customers prospects, and we register CSA prospects. Let’s begin with…
Getting the Word Out to Customer Prospects
No one wants to feel like they’re being sold. When we feel like we’re being sold, we typically turn down the offer in our mind, even before hearing the details. So, never try to sell people on Community Solar. Instead, just learn ways to get the word out about what you’ve learned, then let those who are interested ask you for the details!
The two best ways to get the word out about Community Solar to your customer prospect is via social media and text. We’ll use email too, but we’ve found it best start with social media and text.
If you’re comfortable with posting on social media, here are a few posts that have been wildly effective for generating interest:
“I just found out about a state-run program where we get up to 30% off our utility bill every month for 20 years! Private message me for details!”
“I just enrolled in a state-run program where I get two free months of electricity every year for 20 years, Private message me for details.”
“I just found out about a state-run program where I can get green energy, at a discount, without switching my electricity supplier! Private message me for details!”
“I just found out about a state-run program where I get all the environmental benefits of solar, but with NO PANELS, no costs, and without switching my electricity supplier! And I’m paying less than I was! Private message me for details!”
Whether you’re comfortable posting on social media or not, the most effective medium is text! Simply text any of the statements above to one person at a time, but end with “Let me know if…”, instead of “Private message me if…”.
The best part about getting the word out by posting or texting any of the statements above is that people don’t feel like they’re being sold! Additionally, you only have to interact with those who express interest by asking you for details!
Now most CSA’s will follow up with everyone they send a text to, even if they didn’t hear back from them. But, don’t feel like you have to! If all you do is reach out to those who ask you for details, you’ll be in great shape!
Next comes the Customer Prospect email…
When your Customer prospects message you or text you back asking for information about the state-run program, we recommend sending them an email such as the sample one below:
Subject: State-Run Program for Discounted Electricity
Or
Subject: State-Run Program for Green Energy
As I mentioned, I just found out that the state of _______ is one of several states piloting a program called Community Solar where a limited number of utility customers, homeowners OR renters, can sign up to get all the environmental benefits of solar energy, but with no panels on their roof or property, no costs to participate, no cancellation fees, and no switching energy suppliers. Basically, no risk whatsoever!
And the best part… You get up to 30% guaranteed savings on your electric costs, right on your utility bill, for the next 20 years! That’s like getting up to 3 months of electricity for FREE every year for 20 years!
Slots are limited, but they were still accepting enrollments as of yesterday. Let me know a good time to call you when you’re in front of your computer and have your utility bill in hand. I’ll explain more then, and show you exactly what to do!
If you’re in an active market and thus were able to enroll yourself as a Community Solar subscriber, add the following:
I enrolled online, and it took me less than 10 minutes!
Notice we didn’t try to explain Community Solar in the email or send them our referral link just yet. In some cases you may need to, but, in our experience, when you give someone a website to review, and ask them to enroll themselves, they tend to get lost in the details and they rarely take action. So, in Step 4 below, we’ll try to engage with Customer Prospects in conversation first, then walk with them through enrolling online…
But, before we get to Step 4, what about those on our Contact List who aren’t eligible to become a Community Solar customer, but who may be interested in making money and/or helping the environment?
Getting the Word Out to CSA Prospects
Getting the word out to CSA Prospects is very similar to getting the word out to Customer Prospects. But, with CSA Prospects, it doesn’t matter where they live! And most people are looking to make more money either part-time outside of what they’re currently doing, or full-time in place of what they’re currently doing! So, everyone’s a good prospect!
Just like getting the word out to customer prospects, we’re going to get the word out to CSA prospects in such a way that only those who are interested in learning more will reach out to you requesting details!
And once again, we’ll begin getting the word out by using social media and text. We’ll use email too, but just like with customer prospects, we’ve found it best start with social media and text.
If you’re comfortable with posting on social media, here are a few posts that have been incredibly effective for generating interest:
“I just found out about a state-run program where utility customers in certain markets get up to 30% off their utility bill every month for 20 years! And I’m getting paid to help these people to enroll online! Private message me in you know anyone looking to make good money working from home!”
“I just found out about a state-run program where utility customers in certain markets can get green energy, at a discount, without switching their electricity supplier! And I’m getting paid to help them enroll online! Private message if you know anyone looking to make good money working from home!”
“I just found out about a state-run program where utility customers in certain markets can get all the environmental benefits of solar, but with NO PANELS, no costs, and without switching their electricity supplier! And I’m getting paid to help them enroll online! Private message me if you know anyone looking to make good money working from home!”
Whether you post on social media or not, you should definitely text any of the statements above to one person at a time. The only difference when you text is to end with “Let me know if…”, instead of “Private message me if…”.
Again, the best part about getting the word out by posting or texting any of the statements above is that people don’t feel like they’re being sold, and you only have to interact with those who express interest by asking you for details!
Next comes the CSA Prospect email…
When CSA prospects message or text you back requesting information, we recommend sending them an email such as the sample one below:
Subject: State-Run Program for Discounted Electricity
Or
Subject: State-Run Program for Green Energy
As I mentioned, I just found out that several states _______ are piloting a program called Community Solar where a limited number of utility customers, homeowners OR renters, can sign up to get all the environmental benefits of solar energy, but with no panels on their roof or property, no costs to participate, no cancellation fees, and no switching energy suppliers. Basically, no risk whatsoever!
And the best part… They get up to 30% guaranteed savings on their electric costs, right on their utility bill, for the next 20 years! That’s like getting up to 3 months of electricity for FREE every year for 20 years!
I recently became a Community Solar Advocate, (CSA), in which I get paid to educate utility customers in certain utility markets, then help them enroll online. To learn more about the CSA Program from earning money, check out:
[Insert Your Referral Link]
After reviewing the web page including the two, short videos, click the orange button on the top right titled, “Join Our Team”. This will take you to a video which explains the CSA Program including the compensation.
There are instructions on what to do next right on that page, but feel to reach out to me with any questions!
Notice with CSA prospects we encourage you to email them your referral link, along with instructions on watching the CSA Opportunity video. Be prepared to follow-up with these people.
Step 4: Engage with Prospects and Help them Enroll/Register
Engaging Customer Prospects
It would be a lot easier for us if we could just email our prospects our link, they’d review the website, then enroll themselves. But, if it were that easy, solar developers would do their own marketing to acquire customers and they wouldn’t need us!
The reason solar developers need Community Solar Advocates is because Community Solar still requires an explanation. It’s a program most people aren’t yet familiar with, and the idea of getting the environmental benefits of solar energy without any costs or installing any panels goes against everything they’ve ever heard about solar. Because of this, prospects typically want to talk to someone who can explain how Community Solar works and answer any questions they have. And that’s great news for us!
When a customer prospect replies to your email with a question or with a request for more details, it’s best to ask them a good time to talk by phone. Or, since you know they’re thinking about it at the moment they reach out to you, that’s typically a great time to just go ahead and call them! If you can’t call right then, simply reply to their email with, “Great question, when’s a good time to talk?”
The Customer Prospect phone call:
“What do you like best about what you’ve heard so far?”
The answer to this question is very important because it will let you know which benefit is most important to them. They may mention many benefits, but pay particular attention to which benefit they mention first as that’s likely the most important to them!
“When I first heard about Community Solar, I thought it sounded too good to be true. But, after doing my research I’m even more excited about it! In fact, I registered to become what’s called a Community Solar Advocate because I believe everyone needs to be made aware of this program!
Are you at your computer? Go to www.SolarWithNoPanels.com.”
Instead of giving them this URL, you could email them your referral link. If they use the Solar With No Panels URL, make sure during enrollment they enter your name as the person who referred them.
(Oh, and if they’re not at a computer, we suggest rescheduling for a time when they are.)
“There are two short videos here, go ahead and click play on the first one and watch it while I hold.
Scroll down to the second video. This video is a piece that aired on a local news station about a Community Solar project in the Pepco market. Go ahead, click play and watch this one while I hold.
As you saw, each solar farm can only accommodate a limited number of utility customers. Let’s go ahead and secure your spot.
Scroll down to the button titled, Find My Local Community Solar Project!, enter your name and email address, then click the button below.”
This approach is called, the Assumptive Close. Like its name, we assume they would want to enroll, and don’t have any questions. (After all, who wouldn’t want to enroll!). You still have to be prepared to answer any questions they have, but assuming the enrollment makes it seem like enrolling is the normal next-step. So, are you prepared to answer their questions? Are you prepared to help them enroll? Well then, the best way to get prepared is to Get Plugged In as explained in Step 6!
But, before we get to Step 6, let’s assume our customer prospect just enrolled. What’s next for them?
Step 5: Ask for Referrals and Promote the CSA Program
Now it’s time to grow your income by asking your customers for referrals, as well as by promoting to them the Community Solar Advocate Program!
“In the short time we’ve been on this call, you’ve just made a measurable difference in helping the environment. You’ve also saved thousands of dollars on your electricity costs over the next twenty years!
Think for a second how many people you know who would love to save money and/or help the environment! Here’s what I propose...
Either “A” you can refer me to anyone you know who would benefit from this program, and I would be honored to explain the program to them and help them enroll.
Or “B”, I can show you how to become a Community Solar Advocate like me, and get paid to educate the people you know and help them enroll.
Which of those options sound better to you?”
Most people will choose to become a CSA. But, if they’d rather just refer some people they know to, don’t push them to become a CSA! In that case, ask them immediately for some names along with the contact information for the people they refer. They may try to delay giving you referrals by saying they’ll get back to you, but try to get some names while you’re still on the call. The fact is, if they don’t give you some names right then and there, it will typically be a lot harder to get names from them in the future…
Now, for those who are interested in learning about earning money as a CSA, simply take them to your referral link and have them click on the orange button on the far right titled, “Share and Earn”. This will direct them to the page where they can watch the CSA Opportunity video which includes an explanation of compensation.
Step 6: Get Plugged In!
Working as a Community Solar Advocate can sometimes feel very lonely… But, it doesn’t have to be! The fact is, you’re never alone!
For starters you have an upline CSA Mentor who is compensated by us to help you succeed. So, utilize your CSA Mentor! Do you have a question? Ask you CSA Mentor! Do you need help explaining Community Solar to a customer prospect? Ask your CSA Mentor for help! Do you need help explaining the CSA program to a CSA prospect? Ask your CSA Mentor to help you! Do you need help explaining the Affinity Partner Program to a prospective Affinity Group? Ask your CSA mentor to Help! You are not alone!
That being said… Your success in Community Solar does not depend on your CSA Mentor; it depends on you! Take the time to educate yourself about Community Solar.
Educating yourself starts at your personal referral website/link:
www._____________________________________________________________________ (Write your referral link in the space above!)
Study your website! Watch the videos, read the content, learn the answers to the frequently asked questions!
Make it a priority to learn the ins and outs of our Community Solar program enough to sound like you know what you’re talking about. People want to do business with people who are confident. So, until you’re confident, you can lean on your CSA Mentor for their confidence. But, while leaning on your CSA Mentor- study for yourself so you can become confident!
Another effective way to become confident is to hang around other CSA’s who are confident. So, whenever you have the opportunity to associate with other successful CSA’s, do it!
For now, the two best ways to associate with other, successful CSA’s are:
- Our Weekly Lunch and Launch Zoom Meetings
- Our private Facebook Community
Weekly Lunch and Learn Zoom Meetings
Every Monday at 12:30pm EST we host a Zoom meeting at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84801795001
This informal Zoom meeting offers you the
opportunity to hang out with other CSA’s while asking questions, listening to answers, hearing the latest announcements, all while eating lunch together!
One of the special features of this Zoom meeting is that any CSA who enrolled a customer the week before is invited to share their experience. How did you know the customer prospect? How did you engage with them about Community Solar? What questions came up? Etc… CSA’s who share their experience will be immediately CashApp’d $10 to help pay for their lunch that day! Hearing about others’ experiences is a great way to learn and to be inspired!
Solar With No Panels Private Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/solarwithnopanels/
This private Facebook group is another place for CSA’s to ask questions and get answers. It’s a place for CSA’s to learn best practices and get the latest announcements. Our private Facebook Group is also where we house all of our training and marketing material. Come walk through the Training Units to learn more about our Community Solar Advocate Program!
How to Make a $1,000 this Week!
There you have it- The 6-Step Action Plan!
Step 1: Identify Your Purpose for Starting
Step 2: Build Your Lists
Step 3: Get the Word Out to Your Prospects
Step 4: Engage with Prospects and Help them Enroll/Register
Step 5: Ask for Referrals and Promote the CSA Program
Step 6: Get Plugged In!
But, it’s still just a plan until you put in the action!
Where does the action begin? By taking the time to identify your reason for starting in as explained in Step 1. Then by building your lists as explained in Step 2.
If you haven’t built your Contact List, do it now! Would you take the time to build your Contact List if we paid you a $1,000 to build it? What if I told you your Contact List will be worth more than $1,000 THIS WEEK! Go ahead and build it now! We’ll wait…
The Plan
Assuming you’ve built your Contact List, here’s a simple, almost full-proof way to make your first $1,000, this week!
- Identify from your Contact List 12 Customer Prospects. Remember, these are people who get a utility bill and who live in an active market for Community Solar 2. Text each of them one of the messages in Step 3.
- In our experience, at least 10 of the 12 people will reply asking you for more details. 4. Send those 10 people the email that was also in Step 3.
- In our experience, at least 7 of the 10 people will agree to speak with you about Community Solar.
- Have a conversation with each of the 7, and in our experience, all will enroll as Community Solar customers!
- Enrolling 7 customers at $156 average commission earns you just over $1,000!
There you have it! A simple, almost full-proof way to make your first $1,000, this week! The only thing that’s holding you back now, is you! So, go get your money!
