Four Tactics to Avoid Door to Door Scams in Solar Sales

What’s Up, Folks? 

Sam Taggart here – The force behind D2D Experts and your partner in all things sales. 

I began selling as an 11-year-old and have now spent 17 years in the trenches of sales, transforming the craft of sales into a pathway to success. I’ve built a 7-figure consulting business, creating, implementing, and growing door-to-door programs for over 150 businesses nationwide.

Having sold everything but the kitchen sink, my new mission is to bring honor and integrity to the D2D industry.

I have explored four reasons sales reps unintentionally turn solar services into door to door scams in this podcast.

Check out the podcast below, or if you prefer reading, keep scrolling for a detailed overview of what I discuss.

Let’s go FULL SEND!

This might raise some eyebrows.

Many of you will probably say, “What the freak, Sam?”

But you heard it right. Sometimes, without knowing it, you might be deceiving people simply because of inadequate training. 

I have witnessed a lot of reps who thought they were selling the right way, but actually, they weren’t.

Let’s call a spade a spade and see which selling tactics could make you well.. a scammer.

Let’s dive in and go “FULL SEND”!

If you still need to onboard the D2D solar train, check out our comprehensive online training platform. The platform hosts hundreds of videos teaching everything from perfect pitching to tackling objections and mastering the art of door-to-door sales.

It’s everything you need to learn the ropes of selling solar from the industry’s finest. So don’t wait; hop on over and join us in becoming the best in solar sales.

The 4 Key Door to Door Scams to Avoid

1- The Tax Credit Trap 

First up is the tax credit issue. 

Let me take you back to when I was filming training videos for D2D in Maryland.

During one of our shoots, I approached a top rep, “Hey, fancy sharing some of your top camera tips?” He responded, “Sure, one thing everyone needs to know: You’re guaranteed this tax credit. It rolls around every spring.”

“But hold up,” I interjected, “I only rake in around 30 grand a year.” He brushed it off, saying, “Oh, don’t worry, that doesn’t matter. You’ll still get the tax credit.” 

I had to stop him immediately, “We’re on tape here, buddy. You can’t be spreading misconceptions like that.”

While you can carry this tax credit to future years, remember that only some can do that. Some folks don’t pay taxes; believe it or not, some don’t make a dime. 

If you promise these people a $15,000 check come spring, you’re stepping into dangerous territory. That kind of talk can quickly turn into misrepresentation. 

That’s not how tax credits work. 

A safe approach is simply laying it out like this, “Hey, I’m no tax guru. I can only tell you what this is, plain and simple. Remember, this isn’t a tax refund; it’s a tax credit.” 

But here’s the key: Don’t inflate the promise; don’t oversell to chase that commission. Customers who try to claim their tax credit 12-16 months down the line might be out of your sight, but this is a big deal for them. 

You want to make sure they feel safe and supported. Trust me, a transparent approach goes a long way.

2- Misrepresenting the Offset

I once pitched a 10 kW system to a customer, comparing my offer with another company’s 6 kW system. They claimed to offer the same 100% offset as I did but for half the price. 

The prospect hit me with, “Well, this other guy only charges 20 grand. Why are you asking for 40?” I was taken aback, “What? Yeah, that’s quite a gap.” 

They wanted to go with the guy charging 20 grand.

I decided to take a closer look before giving up.

Their trick? They claimed that changing 20 light bulbs to LEDs could offset 20% of energy usage. No offense, but lightbulbs alone won’t cut it. So, always clarify and validate your offset claims.

Here’s what these guys were doing: They would promise an 80% offset, then sweeten the deal with 20 LED light bulbs, claiming the rest of the offset would come from these energy-efficient replacements. 

I had to level with the customer, “Switching a few light bulbs isn’t going to magically provide a 20% offset, no offense intended, sir. That’s just not how it works.”

3- Over-Promising Production

Alright, let’s talk about the third reason – overpromising on production. You know when someone says, “Hey, once you go solar, you can kiss your power bill goodbye forever!” Well, that’s not exactly the whole truth.

Take my sister, for example. I sold her a solar setup, and she was surprised when she still got a hundred-dollar power bill. She’d added a pool, built a shed, and started using more electricity-guzzling stuff. 

So, her power bill didn’t vanish into thin air like she thought it would.

If I had told her, “Hey, once you go solar, you’ll never see a power bill again,” that would’ve been a bit of a fib. 

If you use the same amount of power as last year and the sun shines as much as it usually does, you might not have a power bill.

But life’s not that predictable, right?

We could have a year with more cloudy days than usual, or maybe your in-laws decide to stay over for a month. All these things can bump up your power usage. So, it’s important not to oversell the idea that going solar means you’ll never see a power bill again.

4- Misrepresenting the Utility Companies

Alright, let’s dive into the last point – misrepresenting utility companies. You know how people say, “Oh, utility companies love this,” or “They hate that,” or “They’re taxing this left and right”? 

It’s not that simple. Every utility company is different.

It’s like saying all pickup trucks are the same. They’re not, right? 

The same goes for utility companies. Some might offer dividends or rebates, some might tax solar, and all have a unique stance on solar.

So, playing the blame game with utility companies is unfair.

Sure, they’re our competitors in a way, but it’s more like we’re offering an alternative to them. But before you do that, ensure you’ve done your homework on each utility’s standpoint on solar.

Some might offer incentives like an SREC or some dividend or rebate, and some might not. Some might even tax solar. If you don’t understand the utility company’s rules, fees, and stance on solar, you might misrepresent them.

And you know what happens then? 

When the customer researches, talks to friends, and gets a different story, it will make you look bad. 

Let’s make sure we’re representing utility companies accurately.

Bring Integrity Back to Solar

All this boils down to selling solar with integrity and doing it rightly. 

Why do I say this? Because solar sells itself. 

You’re typically helping people save money every month, giving them an asset, supporting clean energy, and making a good living. 

It’s a win-win-win.

I know some top performers who sell with high integrity. If they can do it, you do not need to be shady or cut corners to see if you can close more deals. 

Let’s ensure we’re selling solar right for our customers and our industry’s reputation.

Get out there, sell with integrity, hustle with a passion, and sell as if your existence depends on it.

I promise you’ll make more money than you ever dreamed of. 

Until Next Time

Watching the solar industry boom since I joined in 2015 has been a blast, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. 

This journey is fantastic, and the best part? It’s just the beginning.

If this post added value to your life, I hope you’ll join our community here. Or give that subscribe button a friendly tap and explore our treasure trove of videos. 

FULL SEND, folks!

I can’t wait to meet you again on our next blog post.