Small and Medium-Sized Businesses on Low Voltage

A B2B Sales Roadmap for Installers

According to studies by ANEEL (Brazil’s national electricity regulator), commercial, service and small industrial premises carry out more than 60% of their energy consumption within solar generation hours. That simultaneity, combined with the chance to strengthen their image through sustainable practices in these sectors, represents a major market opportunity for solar installers. But it is not all plain sailing: this is also a sale with plenty of challenges, such as:

• The customer’s lack of technical knowledge about the real benefits of installing the system.

• A lack of confidence in the solution.

• Fierce competition from other installers.

• A longer decision-making process, since it involves business owners focused on value for money.

With this in mind, 3D Watt has put together a practical roadmap to help installers prospect, qualify and negotiate sales of PV systems to B2B customers connected on low voltage.

Smart Prospecting Based on Simultaneity — Who Are Your Ideal Customers?

The simultaneity factor is the percentage of the energy generated by the PV system that is consumed at the moment of generation. The higher the simultaneity factor, the greater the savings and the less the need to export energy to the grid for later credit offset.

High-Potential Businesses

• Supermarkets and grocery shops: steady daytime consumption, with refrigeration, lighting and electrical equipment running continuously.

• Restaurants, bakeries and cafés that operate mainly during the day: equipment such as ovens, fridges and air-conditioning systems runs all the time.

• Gyms and beauty salons: open mainly during the daytime, relying on air conditioning and electrical equipment essential to their operation.

• Retail shops and small shopping centres: heavy use of lighting and air conditioning, especially during the day.

• Medical and dental clinics: medical and air-conditioning equipment consumes a great deal of energy and runs mostly during the day.

Tools for Smart Prospecting

Smart-prospecting tools are essential for installers to focus their efforts on better-qualified opportunities, saving time and improving the chances of closing. Using Google Maps and Street View, for example, makes it possible to spot businesses with space available for solar panels, such as large roofs and car parks. Specialist digital platforms like 3D Watt are also key to prospecting for leads, and the 3D Watt Solar Simulator generates detailed, accurate analyses of generation and offset credits, making the sales case easier to argue. Building partnerships with trade associations can help you reach pools of qualified customers, making prospecting sharper and more strategic.

Qualification — How to Filter the Best Leads?

A Few Tips for Your Qualification Checklist

• Average consumption above 500 kWh/month.

• Operating during business hours.

• Financial capacity for financing or self-funded investment.

• Interest in sustainability and the potential to benefit from green marketing.

Presenting the Advantages and Benefits — How to Win Your Customer Over?

A good technique is to build your customer’s perception of value using methods such as FAB (Features, Advantages and Benefits).

Feature	Advantage	Benefit
On-site self-generation with local self-consumption	Reduces reliance on the distribution utility	Savings of up to 90% on the electricity bill and protection against tariff rises
Highly durable system	Low maintenance	A safe investment with an attractive ROI
Clean, renewable energy	A smaller carbon footprint	A stronger company image built on sustainable practices
A financeable solution	Instalments lower than the electricity bill	An immediate financial return with no impact on cash flow

Negotiation and Closing — How to Overcome Objections?

Answers to Common Objections

• “The upfront investment is high” — financing lets you pay it off with the savings generated.

• “I’m not sure it’s worth it for my business” — if the company uses more energy during the day, the return is assured; simulations can help demonstrate this.

• “What if the distribution utility changes the rules?” — ANEEL has already set the rules, and Lei 14.300/22 (Brazil’s distributed generation regulatory framework) established the legal framework.

Closing Technique: Possible Differentiators in Your Proposal

• A free feasibility study.

• Installation extras (smart monitoring or module cleaning in the first year).

• A green-marketing partnership (promoting the customer as a sustainable business).

How to Turn Prospecting into Closed Deals?

To boost your sales to small and medium-sized businesses, always keep these four points in mind:

1. Smart prospecting: focus on businesses that combine high consumption with a high simultaneity factor.

2. Fast qualification: set criteria to filter for the customers most likely to close.

3. An offer with perceived value: use techniques such as FAB (Features, Advantages and Benefits) to build your customer’s perception of value.

4. Strategic negotiation: answer objections with hard data and offer incentives.

By combining sales techniques, technical data and green marketing, the installer takes a more strategic position. This builds credibility and increases the conversion rate.