So you’re considering a job selling solar. 

Here’s what you should know

Selling solar is a craft, and a calling, not just a job.  Over at Generation Academy, we offer dozens of on-demand courses that cover everything from free courses on how to sell solar which provides some foundational scripts and sales tracks to advanced courses on active listening, discovery, building client commitment framing, objections, and solar technical topics. 

Ultimately, there’s no formula.  Solar sales is a highly skilled profession, requiring creativity, technical knowledge, and most of all, curiosity about the unique story of each potential client. 

But there are some important components that can help you determine if you have what it takes to be successful.

If you’re brand new to solar sales, this blog post can help you navigate

1) whether you actually want a career in solar sales

2) whether you have what it takes to stay motivated. 

We’ll also talk about what’s at the end of rainbow, the mid-career possibilities that are opened up when you master sales. 

TL;DR: Anyone can succeed in solar sales, and success in sales sets you up for pretty much any career move. Almost every job is at least partly sales!

Key Factors in Solar Sales Consultant Success

Building Relationships

Solar sales is all about relationships.  Often this is grounded in a concept called “cognitive empathy” -your ability to understand what your client is thinking so you can meet their needs effectively and shift their thinking when necessary.  Many companies refer to the position as a “consultant” for a reason.  You consult with your client, instead of selling to them.  To succeed, you must focus on building trust with your customers by listening to their needs and providing honest, helpful information.  Success looks like being a helpful expert, not a pushy sales guy. 

We’ve made huge progress in training “cognitive empathy” and other character skills of successful consultants, but these training systems are still rare.  Most people who are successful today have a natural gift for this type of intuitive mind reading.  But everyone can learn it!

Continuous Learning and Technical Communication

Stay up-to-date with the latest solar technology and industry trends. Attend training sessions, read industry publications, and seek feedback from more experienced colleagues.   Pay attention to what other companies are doing in your market and discuss it with your team. 

But don’t stop there.  Reflect on how to communicate these technical topics so that they can be understand by anyone.  

Setting Goals and Stay Motivated

Set achievable goals for yourself and celebrate your successes. Stay motivated by remembering the positive impact you're making on the environment and your customers' lives. 

Studies show that one of the best predictors of sales success is provided by a psychometric test called the ASQ.  The ASQ measures how you attribute the causes of success and failure, and in turn, how you learn and improve.  What the ASQ shows is that the best salespeople don’t take failure overly personally.  They use it to reflect on what they could have improved upon briefly, then move on!  Every failure is just another a useful piece of information, not a problem to ruminate on. 

Setting goals and achieving success allows you to be realistic about what’s accomplishable.  And that can help you show up every day ready to control the things you can and accept the things you can’t. 

Common Myths about Sales Jobs

Myth 1: You need to be an extrovert

Many people assume they’re too introverted to enjoy sales.  In reality, research shows that “ambiverts” (people who are introverted at times and extroverted at other times) are the best sales consultants.  When we coach sales people, we find that introverts and extroverts can both become equally successful with the right coaching.  Introverts often need help with the courage to be assertive when their client is going off track.  Extroverts often need help with learning how to listen instead of continuously talking. 

Whatever your personality, you can be successful in sales. 

Myth 2: Sales Jobs are All About Pitching Products

Many people think sales jobs are about pushing products onto unwilling customers. In reality, sales is about solving problems and helping customers find solutions that meet their needs. In the solar industry, this means lots of listening and education. You are first and foremost a teacher - educating homeowners and businesses about the benefits of solar energy and helping them make informed decisions.

Myth 3: Salespeople are Born, Not Made

Another common myth is that you need to be a natural-born salesperson to succeed. The truth is, sales skills can be learned and honed over time. With the right training and a willingness to improve, anyone can become an effective salesperson. We work with introverts, initially “non-technical” people, and other “non-traditional” sales consultants every day. Some become top sales consultants at their company. There’s no one way to sell, and if you are willing to learn and work hard, you’ll often find a way that works for you.

Myth 4: Sales Jobs Don’t Pay Well

If your tiger mom wanted you to be a doctor or a lawyer, you might be surprised to sales jobs can be equally lucrative. Entry-level positions often come with a base salary plus commission, and experienced sales professionals can earn six-figure incomes without the responsibilities of management.

You can read read some more specific suggestions about how to sell with an overview of our good guy game plan for solar sales here.

Rising into Solar Sales Management

Let’s handle another myth in greater depth.  The Myth that sales doesn’t provide upward mobility couldn’t be farther from the truth. Let’s talk about both the vertical (ascending levels of management) and lateral (specialization in adjacent fields) options for advancement into other solar careers. 

Sales Managers

Sales managers oversee a team of sales representatives, set sales targets, and develop strategies to meet those targets.

Salary Expectation: $70,000 - $100,000 per year, plus bonuses that typically related to sales department performance.  These bonuses are typically considerably over and above typical sales commissions.

Commercial Sales

Commercial sales representatives focus on larger, more complex sales to businesses and institutions. They need strong technical knowledge and negotiation skills. Salary Expectation: $80,000 - $120,000 per year, plus commission.

Director/VP of Sales

Directors and VPs of sales set the overall sales strategy for the company and manage large sales teams. They often report directly to the CEO.

Salary Expectation: $120,000 - $200,000 per year, plus bonuses.

Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) (or Chief Sales Officer)

The CRO is responsible for all revenue-generating activities in the company, including sales, marketing, and customer success. This is a high-level executive position.

Salary Expectation: $200,000 - $300,000 per year, plus bonuses and equity.

Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)

CCO’s typically take on the responsibilities of Chief Revenue Officers plus additional responsibilities related to product alignment and outside partnerships. 

Salary Expectation: $200,000 - $400,000 per year, plus bonuses and equity.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

At many companies, in addition to setting vision and strategy, CEOs are in charge of sales.  Many CEOs at both private and public companies emerge from early career sales backgrounds. The difference is just scale - instead of services and products, they’re selling their entire company to their employees, partners, and investors.

Salary Expectation: $250,000 - $400,000 per year, plus bonuses and equity.

Lateral Career Opportunities Opened Up by Solar Sales Success

Succeeding in sales often opens up many lateral moves to adjacent fields as well. 

Marketing

Your experience in sales can easily transition into marketing roles, where you can use your knowledge of customer needs and sales processes to develop effective marketing strategies.

Channel Partner Development

Channel Partner development involves creating long-term value for the company through connecting to new markets, products, and partnerships with other companies. Your sales skills can help you identify and pursue these opportunities.

Project Management

With experience managing customer projects in sales, you can move into project management roles, overseeing the installation and implementation of solar systems. Project managers are essentially professional planners and communicators, and the skill set overlap is significant with sales.

Customer Success

Customer success managers ensure that customers are satisfied with their products and services. Your background in sales can help you understand customer needs and provide excellent service.

Policy and Advocacy

If you're passionate about renewable energy policy, your sales experience can help you transition into roles where you advocate for solar energy and influence policy decisions.

Finance and Development

Use your financial acumen to develop financial models, think through the complex development process of larger commercial and utility scale projects, and navigate engineering, design, permitting, and interconnection. 

Solar Entrepreneurship

Starting your own solar business is often enabled by an early career sales position.  Whether you’re fundraising for your new company, convincing talented people to join your team, or finding your first clients, there’s no way to succeed as an entrepreneur without selling.  And having full-time sales experience is the unlock for entrepreneurial success. 

Conclusion

Many different types of people can be successful in solar sales careers and find both upward and lateral mobility. 

Compared to almost any other early career option, success in a solar sales career opens more opportunities for mid-career moves. 

If you’re considering a career in the solar industry, this is an excellent place to start. It’s second only to a job in construction as the most common first stepping stone to a career that continues onto a leadership role in the solar industry.