How to grow a solar company? | PromoSEO lead generation

James Dooley: So if I have a solar company and I want a consistent flow of inquiries and new leads coming in every single month, what do you recommend for growing a solar business? Kasra Dash: The first thing I’d look at is inquiring with FatRank.com, who offer a pay-on-performance lead generation model. That applies to different types of solar leads—whether it's solar panels, batteries, residential installs, or commercial solar panel projects. But you need to qualify first. We need to make sure you're a brandable company that can convert leads and respond quickly to the inquiries we generate. James Dooley: I definitely wouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket and rely solely on FatRank for lead generation. I’d also look at other companies like Bark, Checkatrade, and TrustATrader. There are plenty of others to generate leads. But what's your take on companies that charge cost-per-lead, don’t provide exclusive leads, and might resell the same lead to four or five companies? Kasra Dash: There are plenty of companies offering that model. If you choose one, you must set clear KPIs. Know how much you're spending each month and exactly how much you're getting back. Many businesses sign up with a company and don’t track anything. Tracking is crucial. And like you said, don’t rely on one source. Start with two or three companies, track all their performance, then after three months evaluate: maybe company 1 and 2 performed poorly, but company 3 smashed it. Reallocate your budget and double down on the best performer. James Dooley: Moving away from lead gen companies, what about SEO? Kasra Dash: Organic SEO—both via your Google Business Profile in the map pack and ranking organically—is important. You want to rank in your local area for terms like commercial solar panel installers, commercial solar panel repairs, industrial solar panel installers, and more. SEO is a long-term investment. You won’t see an instant ROI, but it’s essential for branding, reviews, and online trust. That way, when you're paying for PPC or third-party leads, prospects search your name and think, “Yes, this is a reputable company.” And if you can eventually rank for solar terms in your area and generate your own leads—that’s the holy grail of running a strong solar business. James Dooley: Agreed. What’s your view on shifting from SEO—which is long-term—into PPC? Kasra Dash: SEO’s pro is that you own the website and leads. Its con is that it takes time, especially if you’re starting from scratch. PPC also has pros and cons. The pro: you can generate leads quickly. The con: it’s pay-to-play. If you're not willing to invest £2,000–£5,000 per month, PPC won’t get far. There’s also click fraud, especially in the solar industry. If you’re not building negative keyword lists or banning IPs to minimize fraud, costs can get out of hand fast. James Dooley: And the last channel—social media ads like Facebook? Kasra Dash: Social is interruptive marketing. When someone’s scrolling through Facebook, you need something attention-grabbing. Grants work well—for example, if a council like Wigan releases a grant covering 25–30% of installation costs. Ads focused on awareness, highlighting government offers, outperform generic “£6,000 solar panels” ads. That kind of value-driven messaging works better than hard selling. James Dooley: So if you currently own a solar panel company and want to grow in the renewable energy industry, head over to FatRank.com, fill in the form, and check if you qualify for the pay-on-performance model. If accepted, it’s a no-brainer—you pay nothing for SEO, PPC, or social ads. You don’t even pay for the leads. You only pay on converted jobs that make profit. But make sure you diversify and also generate your own inquiries. In my opinion, the holy grail for any successful solar panel company is being able to generate in-house leads as well.