Solar Installation: A $120,000 Contract Decays
in the Follow-Up Void While Your
Competitor Closes It.
Solar installation is the highest average contract value in residential service trades — $40,000–$120,000 per residential system, $200,000–$2M+ for commercial. The sales cycle is 30–90 days from initial inquiry to signed contract. During that window, the solar company that maintains consistent, intelligent follow-up closes at 3–5x the rate of the company that sends a proposal and waits. The Follow-Up Void is where solar revenue goes to die.
The 90-Day Revenue Window
A homeowner requests a solar consultation. Your sales rep conducts a site assessment, designs the system, and delivers a $75,000 proposal. The homeowner says they need to think about it. In the solar industry, “need to think about it” means they are going to get two more proposals, research financing, calculate ROI, discuss it with their spouse, and make a decision in 30–60 days.
During that 30–60 day window, the solar company that stays present wins the contract. “Present” does not mean pestering — it means systematic, value-added follow-up: energy savings calculations personalized to their utility rates, financing options explained, incentive deadline reminders, neighbor installation case studies, and responsive availability for questions. The solar company that goes silent after the proposal — and most do — is eliminated from consideration by day 21.
For a solar installation company generating $5M–$15M in annual revenue, our diagnostic framework identifies that 40–60% of proposals that go cold are recoverable through systematic follow-up infrastructure. At an average contract value of $65,000 and a typical close rate improvement from 18% to 32%, the addressable revenue gap is $1.6M–$5.4M annually. This is not new lead generation — this is revenue from prospects who already requested proposals and were abandoned in the Follow-Up Void.
Beyond new installations, every past solar customer represents a battery storage upsell opportunity ($15,000–$35,000), panel expansion potential ($8,000–$25,000), and 3–5 qualified referrals to neighbors and colleagues who have watched their energy bills drop. A solar company with 500 completed installations has a dormant database worth $3.75M–$12.5M in upsell and referral revenue.
Annual revenue recoverable from proposals lost to the Follow-Up Void — single solar installation company.
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Get DiagnosedThe 5 Silent Signals in Solar Installation
Signal 1: Weekend Inquiry Loss
Homeowners research solar on weekends and evenings. A Saturday afternoon inquiry that reaches voicemail is a $65,000 contract that your competitor captured by responding within 15 minutes via text.
Signal 2: The Solar Review Arms Race
Homeowners spending $75K+ on solar systems conduct extensive due diligence. Reviews mentioning installation quality, production guarantees, and post-install support determine which companies make the shortlist.
Signal 3: Portfolio Walkaway
Your website is your solar showroom. If it lacks project galleries, production data, financing calculators, and clear consultation scheduling, the homeowner with a $120K budget navigates to the competitor with a premium digital experience.
Signal 4: Sales-to-Install Disconnect
Homeowner communicates with sales rep via text, then operations contacts via email, then project manager calls. Three channels, lost context. The $75K customer feels like they've been handed off, not welcomed.
Signal 5: The Battery Storage Goldmine
500 past installations × $25,000 average battery upsell = $12.5M in dormant revenue. Systematic reactivation with production data, tax incentive updates, and neighbor case studies converts at 8–15%.