Solar Sales Presentation: What to Show and How to Explain Your Proposal
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes.
Has a homeowner opened your proposal but still doesn’t understand what they’ll get for the quoted price? Show the system on their home, explain the estimate, and go through the terms. After the conversation, the client should understand what’s being proposed, what it costs, and which questions still need checking.
To do this, prepare a solar proposal for their specific home. The presentation helps you walk through it together, from the homeowner’s goal to the next step. Below, we’ll cover which materials to open and what to say at each stage.
Where to start the conversation
Ask why the client is considering solar. Do they want to reduce electricity costs? Are they planning to buy an electric vehicle? Are power outages their biggest concern? Write down the answer and return to it when explaining the solution.
For example: “You want to understand how much of your electricity use the system could cover and how that would affect your costs. Today, we’ll review the proposal from that perspective.”
If the concern is outages, clarify the need right away: which appliances must keep working, and under what conditions? Having panels doesn’t automatically mean the home will have backup power. Check whether the proposed system supports backup operation, what storage equipment it includes, and which loads it can supply during an outage.
What to prepare before the presentation
Gather the available bills and usage data, roof information, the homeowner’s questions, and the current version of the proposal. Ask for a full year of data if it’s available, so you can discuss seasonal differences rather than rely on one convenient month.
Before the meeting, check what applies to this specific address. Do you have information about the roof’s age and condition? What are the dimensions based on? Have shading and the proposed system location been considered? Record what still needs an installer’s assessment before the layout and production estimate can be confirmed.
Which screens to show
| Screen | Homeowner’s question | What to show | What to clarify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumption and goal | “What are we trying to change?” | Available usage history and the recorded goal | Whether new appliances or other changes are planned |
| Proposed system | “What will be installed on my home?” | The layout and equipment list | Which decisions are preliminary |
| Production | “How much electricity is expected?” | The estimate, including its period, units, and inputs | Which parameters still need checking |
| Cost | “What am I paying for, and when?” | The total price, scope of work, and payment terms | Exclusions and possible additional work |
| Company and warranties | “Who will do the work and help afterward?” | Verified projects, responsible parties, and documents | Whom to contact for each issue |
| Next step | “What happens after the call?” | A list of checks and agreed actions | Who is responsible and when they’ll respond |
How to explain the system on the home
Let’s use a fictional example. A homeowner, Anna, has sent twelve months of bills and roof photos. Her goal is to assess her costs after installation. The house is empty for part of the day, and backup power isn’t currently part of her request. There hasn’t been a site assessment yet.
The company has prepared a preliminary proposal with panels on one roof slope. The specific equipment and final configuration will be confirmed after the site assessment. Anna, the home, and the situation are fictional; the example illustrates how to conduct the presentation.
Then show the equipment list. Explain terms as they come up. Panels generate electricity, and an inverter converts it for use in the home. Discuss specifications through the client’s questions: what’s being proposed, where it will go, and what’s included in the price.
The sample proposal doesn’t include a battery. State that alongside the system components so Anna doesn’t mistake a picture of panels for a promise that the home will work during an outage. If her goal changes, you’ll need a separate discussion about a suitable configuration and price.
How to explain the estimate
Show how the estimate was produced. The screen should display the consumption period, configuration version, expected production, and calculation assumptions. Check the labels: system capacity is stated in kW, while energy generated over a period is stated in kWh.
You could prepare a small table for the conversation with Anna:
| Status | What’s in the sample proposal | How to explain it |
|---|---|---|
| Known | Consumption history from twelve months of bills | “We’re using this period as the starting point” |
| Calculated | Preliminary production for the selected configuration | “This is a model output that we’ll refine if the design changes” |
| Assumed | Future usage patterns resemble those the homeowner described | “If your usage changes, the estimate needs to be revised” |
| Needs confirmation | Roof condition, shading, and final layout | “We’ll pass these questions on for the site assessment” |
Explain how the production estimate connects to the financial estimate. Walk through the consumption, production, purchase or financing costs, electricity rates, and any compensation for energy sent to the grid used in the calculation. Annual production alone doesn’t tell you how much money the homeowner will save.
If the estimate assumes rising electricity rates, show that assumption separately and request a version without it. Don’t apply one percentage to every client. The discussion will be clearer if the homeowner can see which conclusion depends on future prices.
How to explain the total cost
Keep the proposal price separate from the savings estimate. First go through what the client pays for equipment and work, then discuss the future costs and results assumed in the estimate.
Include the following items in your proposal, with verified amounts:
| Line item | What to state in the proposal |
|---|---|
| Total price | The amount for the selected system, including applicable taxes and fees |
| Included work | The equipment, installation, and other services covered by the price |
| Not included | Work the quoted price doesn’t cover |
| Possible changes | What still needs checking and how additional costs will be approved |
| Payment terms | Amounts, milestones, and payment conditions |
Don’t bury possible roof repairs under a vague phrase like “other expenses.” If it’s not yet clear whether work is needed, explain who will determine that, who will price it, and how the client will approve the change. Until then, don’t call the preliminary price final.
If the client is considering a loan, show the documents for that specific offer and direct questions about the terms to the lender. A comparison needs the loan term, payments, and total amount paid; a single low monthly payment isn’t enough.
If you include incentives or a payback estimate in your proposal, state the region, verification date, source, and eligibility conditions. Don’t assume they apply to every homeowner.
Who is responsible for the work and warranties
Show who will carry out the project and whom to contact after installation. You can open a similar completed project and explain how it resembles the client’s home. Use only verified information and materials you’re allowed to show.
Prepare evidence relevant to your proposal: the installer’s name, qualifications, completed projects, documents, and support contact. Explain who handles each stage of the work and how the homeowner can reach them.
Then open the warranty terms. Go through equipment, installation work, and roof-related issues separately. For each item, state what’s covered, for how long, which company is responsible, and how to make a claim. Show the limitations and possible costs to the homeowner. A production or savings estimate isn’t a guarantee in itself. If a metric is guaranteed, find its exact wording in the document before connecting it to the estimate.
A sample conversation with the homeowner
1. Confirm the goal. Screen: consumption.
— You want to assess how the system will affect your household costs. We’re not considering backup power at this point. Is that right?
— Yes. I want to understand what I’ll be paying after installation.
2. Check the inputs. Screen: a year of bills.
— The estimate is based on these twelve months. Are you planning any changes that would affect consumption?
— We might buy an electric vehicle. We haven’t decided when.
— I’ll note that separately. We’ll review the current option using the available data and prepare a new scenario once your plans are clearer.
3. Show the solution. Screen: preliminary layout.
— The panels are proposed for this roof slope. The layout and roof condition still need to be checked on-site. Do you have any questions about how the system will look?
— Will I get an updated layout after the assessment?
— Yes, we’ll include it in the materials for our next discussion.
4. Discuss a concern. Screen: estimate and assumptions.
— This shows the expected production for the preliminary option.
— So my bill will drop by the same percentage?
— Production alone can’t tell us that. Let’s open the financial estimate and look at the rates and usage patterns it uses. We’ll separately check the assumption about you being out during the day.
5. Go through payment. Screen: scope and cost.
— This will show the total price of the agreed option and the payment schedule. Possible roof work still needs checking and hasn’t been included in the final total yet.
— I want to know the total before deciding.
— Then we’ll first get the site assessment results and updated pricing. We’ll record that as a condition for our next discussion.
6. Answer warranty questions. Screen: documents and contacts.
— Who will help if there’s a problem after installation?
— Let’s go through the terms and contacts for the responsible parties. We’ll record anything unconfirmed and send you the documents and answers before you decide.
7. Agree on an action. Screen: open questions.
— I suggest arranging a site assessment. Afterward, we’ll update the layout, estimate, and price. I’ll send a checklist and suggest a time; you can confirm what works for you. Does that work?
— Yes. Please send the warranty documents too, so we can read them together.
How to show the proposal remotely
Reviewing the proposal by phone? Open the prepared layout and document, choose a tab or window in Screen Share, and send the homeowner a link. They can watch in their browser without installation or registration while you continue a separate voice call. You control the presentation and navigate to the relevant part of the proposal.
The connection process is described in the screen-sharing guide. Before presenting, check that you’ve opened the right homeowner’s document. If they’re watching on a phone, zoom in on the layout or price line and check that the text is readable.
What to send after the call
Before finishing, check what you’ve agreed:
- The homeowner’s goal is recorded and reflected in the selected option.
- It’s clear what’s known, what’s calculated, and what still needs checking.
- You’ve discussed the scope, cost, and process for approving changes.
- Open questions about warranties and responsible parties are recorded.
- The next action has named participants and a follow-up deadline.
Send the version of the proposal you discussed, the list of open questions, and the warranty terms. If you promised an update, say what you’ll change and when you’ll respond. In the example, Anna will receive the preliminary document, warranty materials, and a list of checks; the final layout and price will be prepared after the site assessment.
Need to walk through the layout and numbers together? Install Screen Share for Chrome and show the proposal during the call.
Install Screen Share for Chrome