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“I’m Selling the Sun”:
The True Story of How One Guy’s Bringing Solar Power to Texas

Solar provider say solar power is a huge potential player in the world of energy, but it’s not yet taken off in the States in a big way. The issue of solar energy has become deeply  politicized and instead of reaping the benefits of harnessing the sun’s energy, many Americans see solar panels on a roof as a statement about which party you vote for. But one guy in Texas is trying to change all that.

Jacob Davis is the founder of Rockit Solar, a San Antonio-based start-up that’s affiliated to Powur, a leading solar provider. He’ll tell anyone who’ll listen that solar power is the future and he’s got the stats to prove it. Currently only 3.5% of all eligible houses in the United States have solar panels, and Jacob’s leading the way in increasing that number.

He was recently a guest on theLocal Talent podcast, a podcast showcasing the best new emerging businesses in the San Antonio area. Jacob told Local Talent host Jason Setzer his strategy to get San Antonio powered by the sun.

Sell a Product You Believe In

Jacob really believes in solar energy, and he’s not afraid to tell you about it. His customers hear about solar provider, Powur, and their unique position in the market. Linking up solar energy customers with equipment providers, technical support,  and customer care. All of which have advantages that are hard to come by if you work with a small solar energy supplier.

He points to great deals available on solar because no down payment and low interest rates can sweeten the deal. The federal government’s interest rates under 3%, making it a great time to invest in solar energy.

You Gotta Care About the Customer

Jacob’s main sales tool is door knocking. Even though it can be a grind and he hears more ‘nos’ than ‘yeses’, he likes to get out into the community and deliver his sales pitch in person to learn about the customer directly from them. This method is much better than reading it from a sales report.

His typical customer fits into one of two profiles: The first profile’s more interested in saving money, and the second is motivated by the thought of helping out the planet. He has a different approach for these two kinds of customers by targeting their main concerns and walking through the sales process. As he tells Jason, “I stay with my client from A to Z” but, handing over the reins to the Solar Provider, Powur, once the solar panel installation is complete.

Overcoming Objections

Spending a lot of time with customers gives Jacob the opportunity to hear why they might object to solar power. Solar provider objections he calls them.

Jacob’s studied the data and can reel off some very convincing statistics about solar energy. Doubts about solar as an energy source are quelled when he points to the support and warranties Powur offers. If they’re unsure about the cost, Jacob’s happy to dive into the math, and he even examines their recent utility bills to give a comparison of how much they would have cost using solar energy.

And for those who think that solar’s just a trend, he tells them that solar energy is the future. “I tell the realtors that I speak to “Look, your customers, previous, current, and future, are all going to go solar. Do you want to be a part of that and help them and maybe make a little bit of income off of it? Sure. If not, somebody else is going to reap the reward from it”.

Planting Your Flag

When discussing business strategy, Jacob’s clear that he’s all in on solar. One of the biggest mistakes he says that he’s made as an entrepreneur is to spread himself too thin and trying to run too many business operations at once. Now he doesn’t believe in creating different income streams or starting side hustles because he’s planted his flag in the field of solar energy and that’s where it’s going to stay.

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