Solar Marketing
A Comprehensive Guide to the Job of Solar Marketing
A solar marketing specialist is responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategies that promote solar energy solutions to potential customers. They work closely with the sales team to create campaigns that generate leads and increase brand awareness. This job requires a deep understanding of the solar industry and a knack for creativity and problem-solving.
Overview of the Solar Marketing Job
Larger companies will typically hire a marketing specialist / generalist in order to partner with sales teams to build brand awareness and education of solar offerings and services the company provides.
Solar Marketing Salary
Nationally, marketing professionals in the solar energy industry earn $117,730 with the top 10% of earners making more than $169,530, while the bottom 10% earn less than $104,380 per the BLS data. Like most roles, junior employees will earn a lower starting salary, but marketing presents a clear career ladder to continue increasing your pay.
Common Solar Marketing Job Descriptions
Marketing roles at larger companies are critical as they play a pivotal role in promoting solar energy solutions to potential customers, creating brand awareness, and generating leads for the sales team. They then work with the sales team to develop marketing campaigns and strategies that support the company's growth objectives.
Responsibilities will vary across the size and stage of the company you join. You may be the only marketing employee, or you could be in a team of dozens. Generally, responsibilities induce:
Developing and implementing marketing campaigns that promote solar energy solutions
Collaborating with the sales team to generate leads and increase sales
Creating and managing digital marketing initiatives, including website content, social media campaigns, and email marketing
Conducting market research to identify customer needs and preferences
Creating marketing materials, such as brochures, flyers, and other promotional items
Planning and attending solar industry events, such as trade shows, conferences, and seminars
Analyzing marketing performance and developing strategies to improve campaign effectiveness
Maintaining a deep understanding of the solar industry, including new technologies, trends, and regulations
Managing and improving the company’s webpage and social channels to communicate with customers
Solar Marketing Job and Skill Requirements
For entry-level roles, enthusiasm and demonstrated knowledge and research of the solar panel installation process is required. Senior roles will require prior leadership experience and demonstrated evidence of improvements you have brought to other organizations with your marketing expertise.
Bachelor's degree in marketing, business, or a related field
At least 1 year of experience in marketing, preferably in the solar industry
Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills to understand key marketing pipeline metrics
Proficiency in digital marketing tools and platforms, such as Google Analytics, social media management tools, and email marketing platforms
Knowledge and excitement of solar industry trends, technologies, and regulations
Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously
Creative mindset and ability to develop unique and innovative marketing strategies
Strong team player to partner with sales and requests across the organization
What's the day-to-day like in Solar Marketing?
You will touch all areas of the solar business and likely have requests coming from owners, sales teams, or operations teams if you are the single employee. You’ll learn to juggle a lot and no two days will be the same as you and your company grow.
Generally, a solar marketing employee spends their day developing and implementing marketing campaigns that promote solar energy solutions to potential customers. They work with the sales team to create strategies that generate leads and increase sales, and collaborate with other marketing team members to create marketing materials and manage digital marketing initiatives. They also attend industry events, analyze marketing performance, and stay up-to-date on industry trends and regulations.
Outlook for Solar Marketing Jobs
The demand for solar energy solutions is rapidly increasing, which is driving the demand for marketing roles to help customers understand all of the benefits and rapidly changing legislation that they can take advantage of. Solar is scaling up quickly, and marketing roles are being turned to as an efficient way to generate leads and interest for companies, as well as to manage their own company brand within their community.
Career Opportunities for Solar Marketing
Once you have this job, you can advance to a more senior position, such as a marketing manager, where you would oversee a team of marketers at a larger organization. You can also transition to a sales role, such as a solar sales representative, where you would use your marketing expertise to generate leads and close sales. Sales roles will offer more engagement with customers and the ability to earn compensation based on your sales performance. Check out our Sales article for more information on what that career path can look like.
The marketing skillset is very translatable to other industries. If you end up deciding solar is not for you, the experiences and learning you had on the job will help you bridge into another industry that you are more passionate about!
How to get a job in Solar Marketing
The best way to find a job as a solar marketing specialist is to research solar companies and solar marketing agencies in your area. You can also search for job openings on popular job search websites, such as Indeed and LinkedIn. WorkInSolar will have the latest jobs specifically focused on Solar for you to browse.
Networking with industry professionals and attending solar industry events can also help you find job opportunities. If you have prior marketing experience but no solar experience, reach out to local companies and offer to help them with any campaigns, case studies, or social engagement they may need support in (wherever you have expertise). A quick volunteer activity can turn into a full-time job and also give you a taste of what it would be like to work at the employer!
How to keep learning more
The best time to get involved in solar marketing was yesterday and the second best time is today. The industry is booming and marketers play a critical role in increasing awareness and education of customers. Subscribe to our blog to stay on top of all of the latest solar trends to better understand the market.