Flogging a dead horse?

[Somecamel]

Are we all just flogging a dead horse? Is solar Dead?

Just been reading up on a few manufacturers going into insolvency etc- EDF win?

 

[Eco Deal]

March 2011 I did 2 installs.

March 2012 6 installs

So Im doign better this year so far!!

but last year we just started selling in FEB 2011 so Maybe this is why????

STILL UNSURE to the answer to this .

 

[Somecamel]

Trying to stay positive but when the money runs out it's over

 

[pvman]

Trying to stay positive but when the money runs out it's over

Same here, spending the last of the cash on a new advertising campaign and then If there is nothing we will be finishing.
makes me sad just typing this.

 

[Eco Deal]

Heres a question for you all ???

do you think there will be a rush for installs before next fits drop ??? 1st july

 

[pvman]

If its anything like the April deadline I don't think so. I think for the next year or so the problem is too many installer chasing not enough work.

Tom

 

[whinmoor]

I've done a couple of surveys in the past few days. Both pretty poor prospects tbh. First one faced due west. Couldn't work on east side due to huge skylight. Outdated CU which will need to be replaced and prepayment meter. Second job faces due south but it's a hipped roof on a semi with a chimney so can only get 8-10 panels up there. Nice concrete tiles though. Quoted for both so will see what happens.

 

[Gavin A]

Heres a question for you all ???

do you think there will be a rush for installs before next fits drop ??? 1st july

depends partly on the level of the cut, but yes I expect May-end of June to be increasingly busy, though I also expect we'll have to work harder for it to overcome the notion about it not being worth it at 21p.

on the bright side though, we've got a hell of a lot more existing customers to spread the word for us, and no need for planning on non-domestic which massively opens up the 10kW market 3 phase market.

it's just going to take a few weeks for the memory of the cuts to fade, and the word to get out that it actually is still worthwhile.

 

[Somecamel]

I've upped the adwords game- still lots of searches for solar and solar PV- 31 clicks yesterday- no enquiries though lol,

 

[whinmoor]

I've upped the adwords game- still lots of searches for solar and solar PV- 31 clicks yesterday- no enquiries though lol,

How much do you pay per click? I thought it was something like £3?

 

[Somecamel]

haha, not far off it now- I've set it to regional as I don't want to travel 500 Miles to do one

edit- just checked £5 per click ouch

(wasn't 21 clicks for that keyword alone btw)

 

[SRE]

I don't think your flogging a dead horse - it's Easter and people are thinking about family, friends and chocolate - not solar. I actually think it's a bit easier to market now because there are fewer options for customers now and it's a bit more clear cut. I've just had a discussion with a customer tonight who would have qualified last week but won't now because she can't get the D rating. It was quite clear cut really whereas a fortnight ago I'd have been saying well you'll have to be quick, pressuring customers to make decisions quicker than any of us would like.

I think that we have to be careful with marketing money, advertising has never worked for me (but it works for JC) but networking, parish magazines and local shows have always worked well for us. We stopped most of them last year because we had too much work - I'm turning the tap back on and crossing my fingers. I'm not giving up - yet!!

 

[Markc]

I think Joe Publics perception is that PV is a done job now and it's all finished. The people I've talked to seem to think that way.

I certainly have seen a big drop off in enquiries and have done no surveys since the beginning of March. Last job was completed two weeks ago and have got no more PV on the go.

Website wise it has dropped off in a big way. Our average monthly traffic was around 2500. March was 43! Not going to throw more money at it and planning to scale it down on the advertising front for PV and concentrate on the contracting.

I don't think PV is dead but certainly on its knees. Only time will tell. The good point is if we drop out of MCS for now but sign in again in a year or so we have systems in place for inspection again without having to buy one to do!

 

[Eco Deal]

it does not help us lot moaning on forums since dec 2011 about how s**T t the tariff is etc we need to send a positive message about solar pv !!! I know its hard but its still worth buying

 

[SRE]

I've changed my mind - yes we're flogging a dead horse. I can't compete with some idiot selling 3.8kwp @ £5600. What's the point in having a business that doesn't make any money and having the ball ache of the ridiculous paperwork that goes with it!