Viridis Energy empowers solar shoppers with knowledge, not sales tactics

You’ve seen them walking around neighborhoods, and you’ve seen their ads litter newsfeeds. Solar scammers are everywhere, promising inquiring shoppers the world if they would just switch to solar energy. However persistent these scammers are, sales are their number one goal.

Viridis Energy Solutions is not one of these companies. In fact, Viridis joined the EnergySage installer network in 2023 because of the companies' aligned mission of customer education above all.  

“We were looking for a partner more than just a lead source,” explains Jereme Erlandson, sales manager at Viridis Energy. “When we spoke with EnergySage, it looked like the company was also aligned with what we were trying to accomplish—educating shoppers.”

And so they have. In under two years, Viridis has helped ~80 shoppers through the EnergySage Marketplace while maintaining a perfect five-star rating.

“We don’t treat EnergySage like a sales environment,” Mike Collette, web development & IT manager at Viridis, adds. “We’re not trying to rush clients into a sale. We want the client to make the best-educated decision and let them decide for themselves.”

EnergySage’s user-friendly platform simplifies home electrification, especially for homeowners who don’t know where to begin. Shoppers can access the latest clean energy resources, including expert articles on clean energy, easy-to-use comparison tools, and equipment ratings.

Viridis, an Elite-rated installer, feels that the EnergySage platform gives them a place to showcase their knowledge and expertise in the solar industry. Part of their strategy is curating their approach to each homeowner’s goals:

“At the end of the day, we try to give clients the facts and show them that there is a better way,” Jereme explains. “But it’s not necessarily a sales process – it’s a knowledge process. People are spending anywhere from $17K - $90K. There has to be a level of confidence that we (the installer) can do the job.”

EnergySage mirrors this belief, which is why, to be approved to operate on the EnergySage platform, installers must meet rigorous vetting standards and maintain quality standards over time.

“I have been in sales since I can remember,” Jereme says. “Over the years, it becomes more about the grind and the sale. But in solar, it’s more about helping people. And that’s what we like to do – is help people.”

When an installer joins the EnergySage platform, they are partnered with a Partner Success Manager (PSM) who supports installers with onboarding, tactics, and unique market insights, to help them differentiate themselves in the market. When Viridis first joined EnergySage, there were the typical growing pains:

“At the beginning, we didn’t have great results, so we shifted our plan,” explains Jereme. “After working with our Partner Success Manager and continuing to have meetings, we adjusted to be competitive, and our results have continued to grow. We’re seeing more success stories and installations month in and month out.”

Mike echoes this statement adding,“Working with our PSM, Kate Sweeney has been great. She’s always been there to fill me in on any logistics and analytics I’m looking for. She’s an email away!”

Another advantage EnergySage offers installers is lead volume flexibility, which allows installers to adjust the volume of leads they receive on their terms. Partner Success Managers help installers choose which areas they should expand to based on shopper volume data.

“Around 50% of our sales come from EnergySage,” Mike says. “It gives us access to as many shoppers as we want throughout the month. We like that if we want to crank up the volume, we send a message to our Partner Success Manager; she’ll flip a button, and boom, we get extra leads. It cuts down on trying to find lead sources.” 

The strength of this partnership is clear, with both Viridis and EnergySage focused on a shared commitment to delivering high-quality service to solar shoppers.

“Viridis Energy Solutions have been great partners of EnergySage, working collaboratively with us to improve their success on the platform while providing our customers great service,” Kate adds.

Photos courtesy of Viridis Energy.