VIRIDIAN ASSOCIATE SOLAR TRAINING GUIDE

Transcription

1 VIRIDIAN ASSOCIATE SOLAR TRAINING GUIDE

2 HELLO, SUNSHINE IT S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY WHAT S IN THIS GUIDE: FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, WE HOPE YOU START EVERY MORNING SAYING THOSE EXACT WORDS You have every reason to feel positive about where you are right now, where you re headed and what your future holds. We re here to help you get every day of your solar business off to the best possible start, and help keep it going strong from year to year. As an Independent Viridian Associate building your business in a solar market, you have the support of a vast and vibrant network of solar experts. Our experienced and inspiring Viridian Associates, our visionary corporate team and our highly trained solar sales team are all here for you. SUBMITTING QUALIFIED LEADS IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS You re paid for those leads. Once we ve closed them on your behalf, you get a contract bonus and 20 years of residual income. Plus, your customers have the opportunity to participate in our Solar Rewards Program, which gives them the opportunity to earn $250 per solar installation, while bringing in new customers for your organization. That means a great earnings opportunity for them, and a more robust business and more commissions for you. What s more, we are all playing a significant, quantifiable role in reducing CO 2 emissions, protecting America s precious fresh water, increasing the security of our energy grid and helping to move America toward energy independence. It s a win-win-win: for you, your customers and this planet we all share. PART I: THIS IS HAPPENING Why the time to get involved with solar is now...4 Solar Power: Earth s best friend...6 Why going solar with Viridian is the best choice...7 PART II: LET S GET STARTED Your solar toolkit...8 Your SunRoom...10 Viridian s solar markets...12 How solar works, and how to tell if a home qualifies...14 How to submit a solar referral...16 Viridian Associate/Viridian SRP earnings comparison...18 PART III: THE VIRIDIAN SOLAR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Customer lifecycle...19 PART IV: TIPS, GUIDELINES & FAQS How to talk to prospects about solar...21 Overcoming common objections...22 FAQs...24 Go for it!...26 And the best part is, talking about solar doesn t have to be hard. We prepared this guide to put all the information you need in one simple, easy-to-use format. The small investment of time you spend reading it through has the power to transform your business and even your life. LET S GET STARTED. 2 3

3 PART I: THIS IS HAPPENING WHY THE TIME TO GET INVOLVED WITH HELLO, SUNSHINE. SOLAR IT S GOING TO BE IS A GREAT NOW DAY. SOLAR IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF! AMERICA IS GOING SOLAR IN A BIG WAY, AND THE TREND JUST KEEPS GETTING STRONGER. THE NUMBERS SAY IT ALL: As a nation, we installed 22 times more solar in 2014 than we did in And then we went ahead and installed more much more. According to GreenTech Media, one of the industry s leading sources of research and analysis, the first three months of 2015 were the best quarter for residential solar system installations in America ever. In that brief time period alone, homeowners put 437 MW of solar on their roofs a 76% jump over the first quarter of By 2020, experts predict that as many as 3.8 million American homes will have solar up from just 400,000 in Why is that? It s not just one thing, but a number of factors that all have relevance for the energy consumers of today: We re watching our budgets, and solar has never been more affordable. We re more aware than ever of fossil fuel s role in climate change. We re concerned about the security of our energy grid. We re glad when our energy choice creates American jobs. We want to help move America toward energy independence. Your customers may be motivated by one of these reasons, some of them, most of them or all. But tens of thousands of people out there are motivated make no mistake about it. And that number will only grow as each year goes by and more and more solar panels crop up on rooftops. But as big and unstoppable as solar power is right now, it s still a young trend. We re just getting started. That means a wide-open business opportunity for everyone with an entrepreneurial spirit and a great team behind them in other words, every Viridian Associate. This guide will prepare you to speak about solar power in a way that resonates with people s wants and needs. But remember, you re not going it alone. Your only job is to refer qualified solar candidates. Our expert Internal Solar Sales Team will take care of the rest and they ve got the track record to prove it. You re in the right place at the best possible time. LET S MAKE THE MOST OF IT. Given the extraordinary growth and sweep of solar power across the country, it s incredible to realize that only 1% of America has gone solar to date. WE RE POISED FOR THE BIGGEST ENERGY REVOLUTION AMERICA HAS EVER SEEN, AND WE RE IN THE PERFECT POSITION TO HELP PEOPLE BRING ITS POWER INTO THEIR LIVES. CAMI BOEHME CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER 2020 PROJECTIONS 1 900, MILLION HOMES ,000 HOMES ,000 HOMES 1 GreenTech Media 2 US DOE Annual Energy Outlook Source for all figures: U.S. DOE Annual Energy Outlook 2014 and SunShot Vision Study (2012) data. 4 5

4 SOLAR POWER: EARTH S BEST FRIEND GOING SOLAR WITH VIRIDIAN MAKES A GOOD CHOICE A GREAT ONE HERE IS WHY EVERY HOMEOWNER SHOULD SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR A RISK-FREE SOLAR CONSULTATION WITH VIRIDIAN: 100% CLEAN ENERGY AT ITS FINEST The CO 2 emissions caused by fossil fuels are a major contributor to climate change. Solar panels require no fuel but the sun s rays and emit no climate-damaging greenhouse gases. And that makes a truly significant difference for the environment. Over 20 years, the average 3-bedroom home with solar panels will avoid 100,000 pounds of CO 2 emissions. 1 According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), by 2016 solar power in America is expected to offset more than 45 million metric tons of damaging carbon emissions the environmental equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road or closing 12 coal-fired plants. We re moving in the right direction, but we need to keep going in order to reverse the tide. Every rooftop makes a difference. That same average home will save 30,000 gallons of fresh water from being used in energy production. 2 Most people are aware that coal-produced electricity is a major source of air pollution, but not as many know that it s a major polluter of fresh water as well. 1 SEI Rising, 2 SEI Rising, 3 EPA, 4 Union of Concerned Scientists HOW MUCH WATER IS LOST TO DIRTY ELECTRICITY EACH YEAR? Take the average amount of water flowing over Niagara Falls in a minute: 750,000 gallons. 3 Now triple that amount. That s almost how much water power plants in the United States take in for cooling every minute. 4 Clearly, solar power isn t just America s hottest energy trend, it s one of the best and simplest methods at our disposal for protecting our water and all the life within it. 750,000 GALLONS OF WATER 2.1 MILLION+ GALLONS OF WATER INSTALLATION IS FREE. Yes, absolutely FREE. No upfront charges and no hidden costs. Your customers only pay for the power their panels produce. 24/7 MONITORING IS FREE. MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS AND EVEN REPLACEMENTS ARE FREE, TOO. If for any reason your customer s panels aren t producing as well as they should, our solar professionals will be right on the case with repairs or even replacements. NO GUESSWORK, NO PAPERWORK, NO HASSLES. We offer your customers an expert team of solar experts to answer all the questions and handle all the permitting and details. All they have to do is sign the contract and enjoy all the benefits that solar has to offer. LOCKED-IN LOW RATES MAKE MORE SENSE THAN EVER. As the polar vortex of 2014 amply demonstrated, utility rates can skyrocket from one month to the next. With Viridian, solar customers get locked-in low rates for the entire life of their contract, no matter how high utility rates may rise.! REMEMBER, KEEP IT SIMPLE! We pay you for qualified leads, and close them for you. Just keep those leads coming! FLEXIBLE PAYMENT OPTIONS. Three ways to go: Viridian customers can go solar for as little as $0 down, prepay some of their solar electricity to lower their monthly payments, or prepay their entire plan to eliminate ongoing solar electricity bills. Our Solar Advisors will explain all of the options. MOVING IS EASY. When your customer sells their home, their solar contract can simply transfer to the new homeowners. Or if they choose, they may even be able to take their panels with them, depending on the location of their new home. A GREAT SET OF SOLAR PANELS Viridian works with leading solar providers, dedicated to excellent service and high-quality solar technology. Plus, today s strong solar incentives make now the ideal time to go solar, far outweighing any cost savings that might be gained by waiting. LAST BUT NOT LEAST: OUR SOLAR REWARDS PROGRAM Now even prospects who don t qualify for solar can participate in America s hottest energy trend. The way it works is simple: When someone they refer to Viridian has their solar system installed, they get $250. Viridian gives our Solar Rewards Partners everything they need to make referring people easy. They ll have access to Viridian s SunRoom, their own GoSolarWithViridian.com handle and many of the same tools as Viridian Associates. Plus, our Solar Rewards Partners can become Viridian Associates at any time. SHARE THE SUN WITH SOMEONE IN NEED: VIRIDIAN S SUN PLUS ONE In keeping with our mission of local and global change, for every 15 Viridian customers who receive solar installations, we ll donate one solar power system to a low-income household somewhere in the world. Find out more about SUN PLUS ONE on viridian.com Water flowing from Niagra Falls every minute. Water U.S. power plants take in every minute. 6 7

5 PART II: LET S GET STARTED YOUR HELLO, SOLAR TOOLKIT SUNSHINE. HERE ARE JUST SOME OF THE MANY USEFUL MATERIALS YOU WILL FIND IN YOUR SOLAR TOOLKIT: Your multimedia solar toolkit lets you clearly and easily communicate the benefits of clean, affordable solar energy. IT S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY. w TOOL Look for these tools in your SunRoom, Back Office and/or ShopViridian. They re ready to download and put into WHERE TO FIND IT HOW TO USE IT Business Opportunity Video Back Office In person or while on the phone Solar Animated Video Viridian.com In person or while on the phone Catch Some Sun LiveViridian.com In person or while on the phone Wallet Card ShopViridian.com Give out to people you meet Top 10 Reasons to Go Solar SunRoom, Back Office , Download PDF Overcoming Objections to Going Solar SunRoom, Back Office , Download PDF Business Opportunity Flyer Back Office Facebook, Twitter, , Download PDF Solar Business Cards ShopViridian.com Give out to people you meet Gaining Momentum SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Hottest Energy Trend SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Turning the Tide SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Protect Our Water SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Energy Independence SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Wide-Open Opportunity SunRoom Facebook, Twitter, Solar Customer Referral SunRoom, Back Office Download Word doc Solar Rewards Business Opportunity SunRoom, Back Office Download Word doc Current Commodity Customer SunRoom, Back Office Download Word doc Solar Customer Thank You SunRoom, Back Office Download Word doc Back Office Reference use immediate use. Solar Business Cards VIDEOS MARKETING MATERIALS MINI-BROCHURE PANEL SHAREABLE GRAPHICS Solar Brochure Top 10 Reasons to Go Solar E-COMMUNICATIONS EDUCATIONAL TOOLS Solar Market Guide Solar Stat Shareables 8 Solar Wallet Card 9

6 BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS SUNROOM: YOUR PLACE IN THE SUN FOR ASSOCIATES AND SOLAR REWARDS PARTNERS SunRoom is a free online service offered to all Viridian Associates and Solar Rewards Partners. It s your own personal solar office, stocked with everything you need to spread the word about solar, well-organized and easily accessible in one convenient place. In your SunRoom you ll find: WITH THE VIRIDIAN SOLAR REWARDS PROGRAM HAVEN T HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT SUNROOM YET? WE THINK YOU LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE. TAKE A LOOK AROUND: 1 A Personal Referral Website: You can be sure all solar leads are accurately tracked back to you with a personalized URL. The URL is: gosolarwithviridian.com/handle (the handle is the personalization of the URL with your name). Solar marketing tools: Solar-focused videos, flyers, Go to sunroom.viridian.com, and press Get Started (or log in to SunRoom via a login link in your current Associate Back Office) 1 Bookmark the login link in the welcome you 2 Bookmark sunroom.viridian.com, and use the login link at 3 Go to your current Viridian Back Office. You will see received when you initially activated your SunRoom of allowing you to grow your organization more efficiently and effectively your Associate ID and last name every installed customer brought in by one of your SRPs. And when those 3 Enter your address and password, and hit Submit. that appears in the welcome message in your Viridian Back THERE ARE 3 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR SUNROOM AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: For Viridian Associates, our Solar Rewards Program has the added benefit than ever before. You earn a $100 bonus and 20 years of residual income for Facebook and Twitter. installation. to Viridian who receives installation. 2 brochures and social media shareable graphics for throughout the sales process from initial consultation to Solar Rewards Partners (SRPs) earn $250 for every solar customer they refer Check the I am a Viridian Associate box, and enter Please note: To activate your SunRoom, use the last name Referral tracking: Now it s easy to follow your solar referral OUR POPULAR SOLAR REWARDS PROGRAM IS A WAY FOR BOTH VIRIDIAN ASSOCIATES AND NON-ASSOCIATES TO MAKE MONEY BY SHARING THE POWER OF THE SUN. Office. If your Viridian Back Office welcomes you as John Smith, then use Smith as your last name. If your Viridian Back Office welcomes you as Smith LLC, then use LLC as your last name. If you d like to change your handle, you ll have the opportunity at a later date. Once inside your SunRoom, you ll find useful tools like your customers get customers, you earn a $100 bonus for each customer, plus 20 years of residual income. Please see the compensation plan for complete details. Plus, the Solar Rewards Program can be a good stepping stone for you when talking to your prospects about becoming an Associate. Once your SRPs start receiving bonuses from their installed customers, they may be eager to hear about how they can have an even better business-building opportunity. SRPs have access to Viridian s SunRoom, their own GoSolarWithViridian.com handle and many of the same tools as Viridian Associates. Personal Referral Website and referral tracking, plus links to solar videos, flyers, brochures and shareable graphics that can be posted to Facebook and Twitter with just one click. the top right of that page the Viridian SunRoom logo included in the Quick Links toolbar at the top of your Back Office home page. Click that link to go to the SunRoom login page

7 VIRIDIAN S HELLO, SOLAR MARKETS SUNSHINE. IT S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY. IS YOUR PROSPECT A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR SOLAR? Solar is growing across America, and Viridian s solar markets are too. For the most accurate information on our markets, please check your Solar Market Guide, which we update on a regular basis. AS OF JULY 2015, VIRIDIAN OFFERS SOLAR IN 14 MARKETS, INCLUDING: THE THREE KEY QUALIFYING QUESTIONS Arizona California Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Maryland Massachusetts Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New York Oregon Pennsylvania Washington, DC Although every American can benefit from solar power, not every home can currently take advantage of rooftop solar. To grow your business and earn credit toward bonuses, it s important to submit only qualified leads. It s easy to see if someone initially qualifies. First find out if they live in one of our solar markets. Then just ask these three simple questions: These questions will likely be enough to qualify most customers, but there are additional factors that could make solar a less than optimal choice. Viridian s solar team will check for issues like home shading at the time of your customer s risk-free initial consultation. R R DO YOU OWN YOUR HOME? DO YOU HAVE A MOSTLY UNSHADED ROOF?* *PLEASE NOTE: In order to ensure the greatest savings potential for our customers, we look for roofs with maximum sun exposure. However, if your customer s roof has some shading and some sun, it s OK to submit the referral. The Viridian Solar team will assess the amount of shade. R DO YOU PAY $100 OR MORE A MONTH FOR ELECTRICITY? DC HAVE THOSE BILLS HANDY! When a member of the Viridian Solar Sales team calls your referral, one of the first and most important questions will be What have you been paying for electricity over the past year? Make sure your referral is prepared, with either paper copies of energy bills or a printout of online statements, preferably for the preceding 12 months

8 HOW SOLAR WORKS A EXPLAINING THE SOLAR INSTALLATION PROCESS C D SOME PEOPLE ARE WARY OF EVEN SUBMITTING A SOLAR PROPOSAL UNTIL THEY HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN ON THEIR ROOF. BUT IT S A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE AND QUICK PROCESS. HERE S HOW TO EXPLAIN IT: B E Your solar provider will erect a safe scaffold structure. The wiring and conduit are routed into your home and connected to your main electrical panel. They will affix the mounting system to your roof. An inverter is installed next to your utility meter. SOLAR PANELS Solar panels, or solar modules as they are sometimes called, are typically installed on the roof. These solar panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which UTILITY METER The utility meter continually measures your electrical supply. When your solar power system produces more power than you need, the meter literally spins backward, accumulating credits Then they ll waterproof it, making your system ready to face the elements. Your system is configured, tested and given a complete electrical inspection. convert sunlight into direct current (DC) power. with your energy supplier that will offset your next bill. INVERTER The DC power from the solar panels is sent to an inverter, where it is converted into alternating UTILITY GRID Your home remains connected to the utility grid to supply you with electricity when you need more power than your The PV panels are clamped on. You re good to go, ready to start generating electricity as soon as the utility switches you on. current (AC) power, or standard electrical current solar power system has produced, such as on overcast days used in your home. or at night. ELECTRICAL PANEL AC power travels from the inverter to the electrical panel, often called a breaker box. This power is now ready to use in your home

9 MAKE SURE YOU GET HELLO, CREDIT FOR SUNSHINE. EVERY SOLAR LEAD SUBMITTING A REFERRAL Submitting a solar customer referral is simple. At the same time your customer is enrolling for electricity or natural gas, he or she can just check the box on the enrollment form indicating an interest in learning IT S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY. more about our solar program. After the referral is submitted, a Viridian Solar Advisor will contact your customer and make an appointment for a risk-free custom solar proposal. You will be able to track your customer s status in your Back Office. To ensure you recieve credit for your customer referral, SUBMIT YOUR REFERRALS THE RIGHT WAY make sure your customers use your PWS or your ID on the enrollment form. Because solar referrals can happen anytime, anywhere at a formal meeting, on the train to work or Sunday at the park Viridian makes it easy for Associates to seize the moment with a variety of different ways to correctly submit. When at all possible, however, it s best to submit qualified homeowners through your SunRoom or PWS. Solar Rewards Partners may submit through their SunRoom. TWO WAYS TO ENROLL ONLINE: WAY TO SUBMIT A SOLAR REFERRAL HOW AND WHY DURING COMMODITIES ENROLLMENT You can have a 24/7 seamless, whole-home, clean energy solution: solar by day, Viridian clean energy at night. Sign up for your risk-free consultation! on the Our Products tab and then Let me send you the link to my Personal Website. Then all you have to do is click the link for Get a free quote today! (Or send them to the Get started with solar today icon DURING SOLAR-ONLY ENROLLMENT GoSolarWithViridian.com/your personal handle) ON A SOLAR REFERRAL TEAR SHEET Have your lead fill out one of the referral tear sheets from our solar referral pads available through shopviridian.com or use a printable referral sheet located in your Back Office, simply take a picture with your phone and send it to solar@viridian.com IN YOUR BACK OFFICE FOR ASSOCIATE ENROLLMENT Reap the benefits of signing up your own home for a solar consultation by filling out the form located in your Back Office. It s under Request Solar Consultation in the My Account tab. Remember, you get paid on your own home when you re a solar customer, and nothing is a truer or more persuasive testimonial to the incredible power of solar than solar panels on your own roof. IN YOUR SUNROOM FOR ASSOCIATES AND SRPs Go into your SunRoom, submit your leads, and track your customers progress 1. On Viridian.com: Your customer clicks clicks Solar Energy in the drop down menu. When redirected, they will click on to the right of the page. 2. Your customer goes to GoSolarWithViridian.com and fills out the orange form on the right Back Office Consultation Button 16 #1 #2 Solar Referral Sheet & Pad 17

10 PART III: THE VIRIDIAN SOLAR CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE SIMPLE, COURTEOUS, EFFICIENT AND CLEAN: THE VIRIDIAN CUSTOMER LIFECYCLE SIMPLE, COURTEOUS, EFFICIENT AND CLEAN: THE VIRIDIAN CUSTOMER LIFECYCLE Viridian and your customer s solar provider will work together to create a seamless, efficient and high-quality customer experience. Remember: The best way to get the process off to a good start and be sure you receive credit for every solar installation is to submit all referrals through the channels outlined in the preceding section. Your GoSolarWithViridian.com or Personal Website is your safest bet. Step 1 PRE-QUALIFY & SUBMIT REFERRAL 18 Online on your Personal Website or SunRoom Paper application in solar market Viridian Customer Care HERE ARE THE 4 EASY STEPS: Submit a referral Submitting a solar customer referral is simple. The different ways you can submit a referral are discussed on page 16. After the referral is submitted, the Viridian Solar Sales team will contact your referral and make an appointment for a risk-free custom solar proposal. You will be able to track your referral s status in your Back Office or SunRoom. Remember: To ensure you receive credit for your referral, make sure your qualified leads use your PWS or your ID on an enrollment form. Step 2 Step 3 QUALIFY PROSPECT & SCHEDULE CONSULTATION DESIGN SYSTEM, PREPARE PROPOSAL & CONTRACT SOLAR PROVIDER SITE AUDIT & ENGINEERING PERMITTING & INSTALLATION Risk-free consultation Once you or your customer submits a lead request, he or she will be assigned to a personal Viridian Solar Advisor for a risk-free consultation and custom solar proposal. The Viridian Solar Advisor will contact your customer to ask a few more qualifying questions, make sure that we have all the information we need and work through the steps to getting your customer a customized proposal. SERVICE & MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATE VIRIDIAN SOLAR PROVIDER The proposal will show your customer how generating his or her own solar power can control home energy costs. THE 4 EASY STEPS (CONTINUED): The solar advisor guides your customers through the process Because every home is unique, a Viridian Solar Advisor will custom-design a home solar energy system that meets your customer s energy needs based on the architecture of their home and their savings goals. No paperwork for your customers: Your customer s solar provider will take care of all permitting and inspections, and will keep you and your customer informed and up-to-date at each step. Installation typically takes one day, and is performed by expert installers. Once the panels are up and running, they re producing clean energy for your customer s home. As an added bonus, the utility company will credit your customer for any excess solar power fed back into the grid. This is referred to as net metering. Your customer is active UNDERSTANDING USAGE: A: Your home is producing and consuming solar energy B: Your home is producing solar energy and sending it to the grid C: Your home s energy is being supplied by Viridian and/or your utility UNDERSTANDING BILLING: Once customers are active, they ll receive two bills: one for their solar energy production, and one from their utility as they normally would. SECTION A + B: Your customers will receive a monthly bill from the solar provider for their home solar production SECTION C - B: The utility will continue to send your customer a bill for transmission, delivery and electric supply. Your customer s net-metering credit (amount of energy flowed back into the grid) will be shown on the utility bill on a monthly or year-end basis, depending on the utility. HOW VIRIDIAN AND SOLAR WORK TOGETHER: This illustration is an example of a typical day of solar production and energy consumption. Your customers can enjoy clean energy 24 hours a day! KILLOWATT USAGE! B A TIME OF DAY A FEW REMINDERS: A customer can only be submitted once as a solar lead. The Associate who is first to submit the customer referral is the Associate who will be credited with the enrollment. Tip: To ensure that you receive credit for referrals, be sure to refer your customers to your GoSolarWithViridian.com or Personal Website. If you send them to one of our solar providers you will not receive credit for the submission. See page 16 for how to correctly submit a lead. C 19

11 PART IV: TIPS, GUIDELINES & FAQS SUN PLUS ONE: VIRIDIAN PAYS A GOOD THING FORWARD HOW TO TALK ABOUT SOLAR: SOME IMPORTANT POINTERS The sun shines on everyone, but across America and around the world, there are countless people for whom solar power is completely out of reach from low-income homeowners in urban areas to villagers in remote regions who ve lived off the grid their whole lives. SUN PLUS ONE is how we re doing something to share the sun s power with those who need it most. For every 15 Viridian customers who receive solar installations, Viridian will donate one solar power system to a household in need. Working with organizations that address the issue of energy poverty with thoughtful, practical, cost-effective solutions, SUN PLUS ONE offers a way for every Viridian solar customer to make a meaningful and lasting difference. MEET CATARINA, a trained solar engineer and graduate of Barefoot College, an organization that empowers women to acquire skills that can serve their community. SUN PLUS ONE donations made Catarina s training possible, and will enable her to bring light to her village in Guatemala. Viridian has long said that we re a different kind of energy company. We really don t do things like anyone else; from our eco-tourist incentive trips, to our all-hands-on-deck sustainability events, to our passionate and inspiring culture. So it makes sense that we carry ourselves a different way, too: as agents of change, proud business owners, professionals. The way you handle everyday situations can make the difference between a solar business that slumps and one that soars. BEST NOT TO SAY GOING SOLAR WILL SAVE YOU A TON OF MONEY! THE VIRIDIAN WAY We all need to control our energy costs, and going solar is the best way to do it. You get locked-in low rates that don t change, no matter how high utility rates may rise. Your Solar Advisor will be able to give you a good estimate of how much you could save. There s no obligation, so why don t we submit your name and see what they say? YOU + YOUR CUSTOMERS + VIRIDIAN + SOLAR POWER = A WORLD + MORE LIGHT + MORE OPPORTUNITY + MORE HOPE. HUH, YOU VE GOT ME STUMPED. I LL FIND OUT THE ANSWER AND GET BACK TO YOU. YOU SHOULD GO WITH A SOLAR PPA. THAT S WHAT EVERYONE DOES. That s a good question. To make sure you get the best answer, you should talk to one of our Solar Advisors. They ll answer any questions you have with no obligation whatsoever. May I have one of them call you? Viridian offers flexible payment options. You can even buy your system if you want. Your Solar Advisor will help you choose the right plan for you. Why don t we get that started? You can t say too many things more attractive to energy customers than locked-in low rates. And the fact that Viridian can offer free installation and free maintenance and monitoring is a big plus as well. But I m really gratified by how quickly the conversation turns to the environment. WHEN I START TELLING PEOPLE HOW TRULY SIGNIFICANT THE IMPACT OF SOLAR ENERGY IS NOT JUST FOR THE AIR BUT FOR OUR FRESH WATER AS WELL I CAN SEE THEM CONNECTING THE DOTS BETWEEN THE ACTIONS THEY TAKE TODAY AND THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD. MARIE JOHNDRO, INDEPENDENT VIRIDIAN ASSOCIATE AND SOLAR TASK FORCE MEMBER 20 21

12 THE VIRIDIAN WAY TO OVERCOME CUSTOMER OBJECTIONS Overcoming objections is part of introducing anything new. People are comfortable with the status quo, even when they suspect there s something better to be had. The good news is that for qualified customers, solar offers a truly compelling value and going solar with Viridian offers value on top of that. Here s how to respond when prospective customers express some common doubts or concerns: FREE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE, AND A LOW-LOCKED IN RATE? IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. WHAT S THE CATCH? There isn t one. There are really and truly no hidden costs. Think of it this way: When you receive free installation, it s a lot like leasing a car with no money down. When you lease solar panels, your solar provider makes their money from what they charge for your energy usage, just as the car dealer makes money from your usage of the car. (With the major difference being that instead of paying a penalty for putting more mileage on your panels on sunny days, you actually save money by flowing that excess energy back into the grid.) Of course, you can choose to purchase the panels outright if you like, prepay your contract, or put some money down and pay a lower kwh rate. Our expert Solar Advisors can explain all of the options to you, but most customers opt for free installation. Yes, it s an amazing deal, but it s built on a strong and very successful business model. SOLAR IS A HASSLE. AND EXPENSIVE! It may be with some other companies. But when you go solar with Viridian it s easy, convenient and hassle-free, starting with your free, no-risk consultation. All the permits, paperwork and details are taken care of by solar professionals. Plus, you get free installation, free monitoring and free maintenance for the life of your solar contract. Nothing could be simpler or more cost-effective. SOLAR TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING SO RAPIDLY. I DON T WANT TO GET STUCK WITH OUTDATED PANELS. Viridian works only with expert solar providers who are committed to providing leading-edge, top-of-the-line equipment. If at any time your panels functioning becomes impaired, your solar provider will repair or replace them for free. I DON T KNOW IF I LL SAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO MAKE GOING SOLAR WORTH IT. Saving money is important. So is controlling your energy costs. Your personal Solar Advisor can quickly and easily give you a good estimate of what your particular cost savings will be at current utility rates. Plus, you ll have the security of locked-in low-rates for the full life of your solar agreement. I M WORRIED ABOUT INSTALLING SOLAR, BECAUSE I MAY NOT BE IN MY HOUSE FOR MUCH LONGER. No need to worry or miss out on the benefits of solar. Your solar contract is easily transferable to your home s new owner. Or, if you prefer, and if circumstances permit, your solar provider may be able to remove your solar panels and reinstall them on your new home. SOLAR PANELS ON MY ROOF MAY MAKE IT HARD FOR ME TO SELL MY HOME. Because residential solar is still a comparatively new market in this country, there haven t been many studies tracking what if any impact installed solar has on home sales. But the studies that have been conducted all show that homes with solar tend to sell quicker than homes without. In fact, an independent study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) found that solar homes sold 20% faster than homes without solar across a range of demographics. SOLAR MIGHT MAKE MY HOME WORTH LESS. Prospective homebuyers evaluate homes on a number of different factors. Given today s high utility rates, energy savings are often seen as a plus. Potential buyers usually ask about the home s monthly utility bill. What a pleasure to be able to tell them a lower than average number! WHY DO I NEED TO HAVE GOOD CREDIT IN ORDER TO HAVE SOLAR PANELS INSTALLED ON MY HOME? The solar system that s installed on your roof represents a sizable financial investment. So although we understand that your credit rating is only one measure of your financial responsibility, it s the most efficient and objective means we have. When you become a solar customer you will be receiving a system worth $20,000-$50,000 along with system maintenance and monitoring for free! SOLAR IS A FAD RIGHT NOW, BUT PEOPLE MAY NOT WANT IT IN 5 OR 10 YEARS. Solar is here to stay and is growing at an unprecedented rate. In 2013, someone in America went solar every 4 minutes. Experts predict that by 2016, someone will be installing solar every 80 seconds. 1 Our country has gone from 15,500 homes with solar in 2004 to 600,000 by the end of There s no going back now! MY HOME IS VALUABLE. WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO MY PROPERTY WHEN THE PANELS ARE BEING INSTALLED? While that would be an extremely rare occurrence, our providers are well-insured. Should any damage occur to your property as a direct result of panels being installed, they will make sure the situation is quickly remedied, at no cost to you. WILL I REALLY BE MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? You will be making an immense difference. Over 20 years, a typical 3-bedroom home with solar panels will avoid the emission of B 100,000 lbs of harmful CO 2 and will save 30,000 gallons of fresh water from being used in energy production. 3 1 Greentech Media, 2 SEIA, 3 SE Rising A

13 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS One of the great things about talking to people about going solar with Viridian is you don t have to be a solar expert. But you will want to be able to answer some of the most common questions people ask and get clear on some things you may have been wondering about yourself. Our solar team tells us these are the questions they most often receive. If you have any others, feel free to contact us at askv@viridian.com. WILL SOLAR WORK ON MY HOME? It s pretty easy to find out. The two biggest factors are the amount of sunlight your home gets throughout the day and the amount of open roof space you have. Our Viridian Solar Team can give you a quick assessment by looking at satellite photos of the property. If the roof looks good, we will schedule a follow-up risk-free solar consultation. At that time, our experts will take a look at your home s architecture, evaluate your energy needs, and work with you to decide if a solar system fits with your house and lifestyle. They will provide a detailed proposal including recommended system location, size, pricing and financial analysis. HOW RELIABLE IS SOLAR POWER? Solar systems built today are very reliable. They have proven to be dependable sources of energy for large office buildings, mass retailers and governmental agencies, supplying many megawatts of energy. Some of the largest organizations in the world have buildings powered by solar energy, including ebay, Wal-Mart and the U.S. Air Force. HOW LONG WILL A SOLAR SYSTEM LAST? Most of the parts on a solar system, such as solar panels, carry manufacturer s warranties of 25 years. Other parts, such as inverters, carry 10-year warranties. But it s not at all unusual for solar systems to outlast their warranties. In fact, many of the first solar systems installed more than 30 years ago are still going strong. Plus, when you re a Viridian customer, your solar PPA or solar lease contract will include 20 years of maintenance, monitoring, repair and even replacements. WHAT HAPPENS AT NIGHT, OR WHEN THE WEATHER TURNS CLOUDY OR FOGGY? Because the amount of power your solar system generates is a direct result of sunlight, it will produce less energy when the weather is cloudy or foggy, but will still produce some. (Anyone who s gotten a sunburn on a cloudy day knows that a surprising amount of sunlight comes through those clouds.) The system will not produce any energy at night. However, because your home will remain connected to the grid, it will automatically draw power whenever needed. You won t experience any power interruption: The switch between solar system power and the utility grid happens seamlessly, with no effort or disruption. WILL I STILL NEED MY UTILITY ONCE I GO SOLAR? You will. Solar panels are not able to power your house at night! But while you will still need your utility, you will be using their power a lot less. Plus, when you use one of Viridian s affordable responsible energy plans for the remainder of your electricity supply, you can rest assured that you are still minimizing your environmental impact by consuming energy from renewable resources by day and by night. IS SOLAR TECHNOLOGY RELIABLE? Very. Solar panels are made from extremely durable materials, rated to survive virtually every kind of bad weather. Your solar system will be warrantied and insured for the entire length of your contract at no additional cost to you. IS THERE ENOUGH SUNLIGHT IN THE NORTHEAST TO MAKE A SOLAR SYSTEM WORTHWHILE? There s plenty. In fact, the U.S. Solar Market Insight Report put New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts in the top 5 states for U.S. residential solar installed in the first quarter of IS THERE ENERGY STORAGE AVAILABLE FOR THE POWER MY SOLAR PANELS PRODUCE? We are making battery storage available in limited markets right now. Viridian will let you know when battery storage is available for 1 24 Longtermsolar.com/solar-sunlight-hours 25 your home. DOES VIRIDIAN SERVICE FLAT ROOFS? Yes. We currently service flat roofs in Arizona, California and Hawaii. On the East Coast, we service flat roofs in Washington, DC. WHY GO THROUGH VIRIDIAN FOR MY SOLAR SOLUTION? The simple answer is, you get more without having to pay more. Viridian is more than an energy company we re a socially responsible energy partner with a full portfolio of affordable, sustainable energy solutions that we re continually improving to suit your needs. Most of all, we re a company of people helping people at home, in the workplace, in your community and around the globe. Plus, by going solar through Viridian, you can have the comfort of working with a friend or Associate you already know and trust: Someone who has a personal stake in making sure you re completely satisfied with every step of the process. You re helping a Solar Rewards Partner or Associate build a business, and you re assuring yourself of a seamless, whole-home energy solution that will help the environment anytime you use power.

14 GO FOR IT! SOLAR POWER FROM VIRIDIAN IS YOUR POWER: THE POWER TO HELP PEOPLE YOU KNOW CONTROL THEIR ENERGY COSTS AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE PLANET. THE POWER TO CREATE THE KIND OF LIFE YOU WANT. THE POWER TO SHOW OTHERS HOW TO DO THE SAME. It s time to go out there AND SHINE! 26 27

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