This solar marketing post is going to be purposely brief, and you will probably appreciate that.
Why Brevity Is Important
Solar marketing brevity is so important today because we have so much more information, data, and distractions in both of our offline and online worlds, yet we’re restricted to the same number of hours in the day.
We may hate to admit it, but this trend will continue, and solar marketers will have to adapt in order to grab people’s attention …for as long as we can.
To be effectively brief, we must:
- Get the attention of our target solar customers, then
- Make our solar point in the least amount of words and time, while
- Making our target audiences care.
With the above in mind, here’s my short guide to effective solar marketing brevity:
1. Use the Least Number of Words Possible
For a blog post, press release, or information sheet, try to get in as much information as you can in 500 words or less, or about a page.
2. Use Short Paragraphs
“The wall” of a paragraph of text is intimidating to the distracted mind. It encourages readers to skim or to not read the paragraph at all.
You can convey the same information, but do it in smaller paragraphs consisting of about one to four sentences.
3. Use Headings
Headings, such as “Use Headings,” makes it easier for short-attention span readers to skim down to the important points that they’re personally interested in and care about.
4. Use Executive Summaries
Perhaps you can’t convey your solar marketing information in 500 words or less. Happens all the time. In that case, sum up your in-depth document with an executive summary, highlighting the important bits.
5. Use Images
It’s often been said that a picture is worth 1,000 words. The right image can say it all, especially graphs, charts, infographics, and also photographs.
6. Use Video
If “a picture is worth a thousand words,” a video is worth ten thousand words. Here too, videos should be as brief as possible and grab people’s attention as quickly as possible.
7. Use Pull Quotes
Similar to images, if you want to call attention to an important verbal point, use a pull quote that stands out and draws the distracted eye’s attention. At the very least, you’ll convey that verbal point before the person mouse-clicks away.
8. Use Bullet Points
- Some people hate bullet points.
- Some people love them.
- For informative lists, instructions, and for important highlights, I like them.
- I also like to use them for breaking down complex topics.
9. Use Simple Language
Especially for consumers, reduce the solar jargon. Explain concepts with colloquial speech and simple sentences. However, for installers and solar pros, DO use solar jargon and abbreviations. That’s keeping it simple and succinct for them.
10. Use Summaries at the End
If you’ve read this far and paid some attention to the above points, then you now have a brief guide for solar marketing brevity.
In summary, keep it simple, keep it visual, keep it brief, and as always… UnThink Solar.
Tor Valenza a.k.a. “Solar Fred” is the Chief Marketing Officer of UnThink Solar and the author of Solar Fred’s Guide to Solar Guerrilla Marketing. For more solar marketing info, sign up for the UnThink Solar newsletter or follow @SolarFred on Twitter.