Solar Leads in Canada: Complete Guide for Solar Installers

The Canadian solar market is growing rapidly, driven by rising electricity costs, environmental awareness, and improving economics. For solar installation companies, generating a consistent flow of quality leads is essential for capturing this opportunity.

This guide covers everything Canadian solar installers need to know about lead generation and conversion.

Understanding the Canadian Solar Market

The solar industry in Canada has unique characteristics:

• Provincial variations: Ontario, Alberta, and BC lead in installations
• Incentive landscape: Federal and provincial programs affect demand
• Net metering: Provincial policies impact customer economics
• Seasonal patterns: Spring and summer are peak sales seasons
• Financing importance: Most homeowners finance their systems
• Growing awareness: Solar is becoming mainstream

Canadian Solar Market Overview

Key Markets:

• Ontario: Largest market, strong net metering
• Alberta: Growing rapidly, good solar resources
• British Columbia: Stable market, environmental motivation
• Saskatchewan: Improving economics
• Quebec: Growing interest, hydro competition

Market Drivers:

• Rising electricity rates
• Carbon pricing
• Federal Greener Homes Grant
• Provincial incentives
• Environmental concerns
• Energy independence

Types of Solar Leads

Residential Solar Leads

• Homeowners considering rooftop solar
• Typically 5-15 kW systems
• Average project value: $15,000-40,000
• Decision cycle: 2-8 weeks typically

Commercial Solar Leads

• Businesses, farms, institutions
• Larger systems (25 kW-1+ MW)
• Average project value: $50,000-500,000+
• Longer sales cycle: 2-6 months

Lead Quality Tiers:

• Hot leads: Requested quote, ready to decide
• Warm leads: Researching, early stage
• Cold leads: Showed interest but not ready

Lead Generation Channels

Paid Advertising

Google Ads Best for high-intent leads:

• Target "solar panels [city]" keywords
• "Solar installation cost" searches
• "Solar companies near me"
• Create location-specific campaigns
• Expected cost: $5-25 per click, $50-150 per lead

Facebook/Instagram Ads Great for awareness and warm leads:

• Target homeowners in service area
• Use home value and interest targeting
• Showcase before/after installations
• Lead form ads for easy capture
• Expected cost: $3-15 per click, $30-100 per lead

Comparison Sites:

• EnergySage
• SolarReviews
• GetSolar
• Pay-per-lead models
• Competition with other installers

Door-to-Door Canvassing

Still effective for solar:

Advantages:

• Face-to-face trust building
• Can assess roof suitability
• Immediate appointment setting
• Lower cost per lead when done well

Best Practices:

• Target neighbourhoods with suitable roofs
• Focus on areas with existing installations
• Train representatives thoroughly
• Use tablets for instant proposals
• Qualify before committing time

Metrics:

• Doors knocked: 100-150/day
• Contact rate: 15-30%
• Appointment rate: 5-10% of contacts
• Cost per lead: $20-50 (fully loaded)

Home Shows & Events

High-quality lead generation:

Types of Events:

• Home and garden shows
• Green living expos
• Community events
• Farmers markets
• Trade shows

Best Practices:

• Engaging booth design
• Interactive displays (panels, monitoring)
• Qualify leads at booth
• Collect complete contact info
• Follow up within 48 hours

Referral Programs

Highest converting leads:

Customer Referrals:

• $500-1000 referral bonuses common
• Both referrer and referee incentives
• Ask at time of installation
• Remind via email after installation
• Make it easy to refer

Partner Referrals:

• Real estate agents
• Home inspectors
• Electricians
• Roofers
• Home improvement contractors

Online Lead Providers

Buying leads from aggregators:

Major Providers:

• SolarReviews
• EnergySage
• Various regional providers

What to Ask:

• How are leads generated?
• Are leads exclusive or shared?
• What verification is done?
• What's the return policy?
• What geographic targeting is available?

Typical Costs:

Content Marketing & SEO

Long-term organic lead generation:

Content Ideas:

• "How much do solar panels cost in [City]?"
• "Solar panel ROI calculator"
• "[Province] solar incentives guide"
• "Is my roof good for solar?"
• "Solar vs. staying on the grid"
• Customer case studies

Local SEO:

• Google Business Profile optimization
• Local directory listings
• Location-specific landing pages
• Customer review generation
• Community involvement

Converting Solar Leads

Speed to Lead

Solar leads are time-sensitive:

• Under 5 minutes: 8x more likely to qualify
• Under 30 minutes: Still competitive
• After 1 hour: Many leads already spoke to competitors

Response Systems:

• Automated text confirmation
• Call back within 5 minutes
• After-hours answering service
• Automated email with next steps
• CRM lead notifications

The Qualification Call

Goals:

1. Confirm homeowner status
2. Assess roof suitability
3. Understand motivation
4. Gauge timeline
5. Set appointment

Key Questions:

• Do you own your home?
• How old is your roof?
• What direction does your roof face?
• What's your average electricity bill?
• What's prompting your interest in solar?
• When are you looking to make a decision?

Disqualifying Factors:

• Renter (can't install)
• Roof needs replacement
• Significant shading
• Very low electricity usage
• No clear timeline

The Sales Appointment

Before the Visit:

• Confirm appointment day before
• Research property (satellite imagery)
• Prepare preliminary design
• Bring all presentation materials

During the Visit:

• Assess roof and electrical
• Understand their goals
• Present customized proposal
• Explain financing options
• Address objections
• Ask for the sale

Presentation Elements:

• System size and production
• Financial analysis (savings, payback)
• Financing options
• Installation timeline
• Warranty coverage
• Company credentials

Common Objections

"It's too expensive" "Let's look at the financing options. With $0 down, your monthly payment is typically less than your current electricity bill, so you start saving from day one."

"I want to wait for better technology" "Solar panels today are 22-23% efficient, up from 15% a decade ago. While there may be small improvements, the bigger factor is rising electricity rates. Every month you wait, you're paying the utility instead of yourself."

"I need to think about it" "I understand. What specific questions can I answer to help your decision? Keep in mind that current incentives may not last, and electricity rates are going up."

"I got a lower quote" "I'd be happy to review their quote with you. Not all systems are equal. Let's compare panel quality, warranty coverage, and company track record to make sure you're comparing apples to apples."

Financing Options

Critical for closing sales:

Options to Offer:

• Cash purchase
• Solar loans (0-10 year terms)
• PACE financing (where available)
• Home equity loans/lines
• Leases/PPAs (where applicable)

Key Metrics:

• Monthly payment vs. current bill
• Payback period
• 25-year savings
• ROI percentage

Measuring Solar Lead Performance

Key Metrics

• Lead volume: Leads generated per week/month
• Cost per lead (CPL): Marketing spend / leads
• Qualification rate: Qualified leads / total leads
• Appointment rate: Appointments / qualified leads
• Close rate: Closed sales / appointments
• Cost per acquisition: Total spend / installations
• Average sale value: Total revenue / installations
• Lead-to-close time: Average days from lead to contract

Industry Benchmarks

Attribution Tracking

Know where your leads come from:

• Unique phone numbers per channel
• UTM parameters on URLs
• CRM source tracking
• "How did you hear about us?"
• First-touch vs. multi-touch

Seasonal Strategies

Spring (Peak Season)

• Increase ad budgets
• Hire additional sales reps
• Extend sales hours
• Focus on closing backlog
• Document for case studies

Summer

• Maintain marketing presence
• Home show participation
• Focus on commercial leads
• Referral program push
• Capacity management

Fall

• Prepare for winter content
• Early-bird promotions
• Clear remaining inventory
• Customer appreciation events
• Plan next year's marketing

Winter

• Lower-cost awareness campaigns
• Content marketing focus
• Sales training
• Process improvement
• Plan spring campaigns

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Slow follow-up: Solar leads go cold fast
2. Not qualifying: Save time on unqualified leads
3. Poor appointment confirmation: No-shows kill productivity
4. One-call close pressure: Build trust first
5. Ignoring financing: Most homeowners need payment options
6. No CRM: Track every lead and interaction
7. Inconsistent follow-up: Many leads close after multiple touches
8. Ignoring reviews: They significantly impact lead conversion

Building Your Lead Engine

For New Installers

1. Set up Google Business Profile
2. Build a professional website
3. Start with Google Ads (small budget)
4. Implement CRM for tracking
5. Create a referral program
6. Ask every customer for reviews

For Growing Companies

1. All of the above, plus:
2. Add Facebook advertising
3. Hire dedicated sales reps
4. Implement lead scoring
5. Add lead sources (providers, events)
6. Build referral partnerships
7. Content marketing investment

For Established Installers

1. All of the above, plus:
2. Multi-channel attribution
3. Marketing automation
4. Door-to-door team
5. Event marketing program
6. Commercial sales team
7. Regional expansion

The Bottom Line

Successful solar lead generation requires:

• Speed: Respond to leads within minutes
• Quality: Focus on qualified, motivated homeowners
• Consistency: Reliable lead flow for predictable growth
• Tracking: Know your numbers and optimize
• Follow-up: Most deals require multiple touches
• Reputation: Reviews and referrals compound over time

The solar installers who build efficient lead generation and conversion systems capture the growing market opportunity. Those who rely solely on referrals or sporadic marketing struggle with inconsistent revenue.

Next Steps

Ready to improve your solar lead generation? Check out our resources:

• Questions to Ask Lead Vendors
• Lead Vetting Checklist
• Average Cost Per Lead in Canada

Or contact us to discuss strategies specific to your market and situation.