Life–and business–are all about meeting the needs of other people, says Keith Cronin, founder of SunHedge, based in Kailua, Hawaii and instructor for Heatspring’s Solar Executive MBA Training.
If you focus on this simply philosophy, you’ll make friends in your community, become an educator and give your solar business a boost, he says.
To embrace this philosophy, the first step is to begin a dialogue with your team about the costs associated with a project. Let’s say it’s a 6-kilowatt solar system.
“Break the project down. What did the panels and inverters cost, what was the sales tax? Let’s look at those numbers and have a healthy conversation with the people in the operations team,” he advises.
This step is all about communicating well with your employees and being transparent. Keep going over the math with your team, says Cronin.
The second step is to empower all your employees to be marketing and sales enthusiasts. While they’re out in their community, they should keep an eye out for opportunities to educate and help people.
“I believe everyone is in marketing and sales,” says Cronin. “How do we help customers when we see them at supermarkets and trade shows? If your audience is on the soccer field at 5 pm, how do you meet them, educate them and be source of information?”
Be an ambassador, always keeping customers’ needs in mind. Help them make connections with people who can aid them, he says.
You might say, “I noticed leaves in your gutter. I have a friend with a power washer who can take them out,” says Cronin. “Be a resource so they can improve their companies.” Help them understand that they’re not just your potential; they’re people you care about.
“Educate customers and they will appreciate it,” says Cronin. This is a way of “building wealth” in your community, he notes.
The third step is to recruit and hire people by focusing on the needs and desires of your candidates. Ask yourself, “What’s in it for my candidates?” when you’re advertising for employees. In addition, be sure to share your philosophy and vision. Connect with them at the heart level, says Cronin.
“You want to find people who believe in your vision. They will work for you because they believe in what you believe in,” says Cronin. “If you do this, you will see doors open that were closed.”
Embracing Cronin’s three steps requires an important characteristic, he says: courage. You need courage to share financial information with your team, especially when most companies likely hide it. It takes courage to put yourself out there in your community and offer to help others.
However, if you follow these steps, people will start talking about you and how well you treat people. They’ll be evangelical about doing business with you. You’ll become magnetic, says Cronin.
“People need to feel loved and taken care of. If they believe what you believe in and are onboard with your vision, it’s hard to be pried away,” he says.
Interested in Learning More?
To listen to the audio from the interview, as well as links to other articles in this series, enroll in our free course How to Make the Most of Your Solar Business
Dive Deeper
We invite you to join Keith’s Solar Executive MBA Training a transformative learning experience for you and your solar business.
