Exact words for the referral ask when the first low bill arrives
The moment a solar customer sees a lower utility bill is the best time to ask for a referral. The texts, the call script and the timing, word for word.
Most solar installers ask for referrals at the signing table, when the customer has spent money and seen nothing. Then they never ask again. The moment that actually produces referrals comes months later, when the first lower utility bill shows up and the homeowner finally believes the thing works.
This post is the script for that moment. Copy it, change the names, and put it on your calendar.
Why the first bill, not the install
At signing, the customer is nervous. She has just committed to a large purchase and is not ready to recommend you to anyone, because she does not yet know whether it was a good idea.
On install day she is relieved but still waiting. Permission to operate, the utility, the first month of production. You are asking her to vouch for something she has not seen.
When the first lower bill arrives, she has proof. She also has a story to tell, and she is probably already telling it to her neighbor and her brother-in-law. Your job is to make that story end with your name and number.
Set the timing
Most utilities send the first bill after permission to operate within one or two billing cycles. Put a task on each customer's file for roughly six weeks after PTO. If your monitoring platform shows production, check it first so you know the system is running well before you call.
If something is wrong with the system, fix that first. Never ask for a referral from a customer with an open problem.
The text, step one
Send this first so the call is expected:
Hi Linda, it is Carlos from Sunpath Solar. Your system has been running for about six weeks now. Have you seen your first bill since we turned it on? Curious how it looks.
Short, about her, no ask yet. Most customers who are happy will reply with a number or a photo of the bill.
If she replies with good news
Reply with this:
That is great to hear. Thanks for sending it. Quick question, do you know anyone else on your street or in your family who has been thinking about solar? We would take good care of them, and we would send you a $250 thank-you after their system is installed.
Adjust the thank-you to your own program, and check your state's rules on referral payments before offering one. Some installers prefer a donation to a local school or a gift card. What matters is that it is specific and it comes after an install, not after a phone number.
If she names someone, ask:
Would it be OK if I mention your name when I reach out? Or I can send you a short note you can forward.
The note she can forward:
My neighbor Linda had her solar installed by Sunpath in the spring. She mentioned you might be curious. If you want a no-pressure look at your roof and your bills, here is my direct number.
The call version
Some customers prefer to talk. If you call instead, use the same order:
- "How does the first bill look?" Let her talk. Do not rush this part.
- "Is everything running the way you expected?" Handle anything that comes up.
- "One more thing. Most of our new customers come from people like you telling a neighbor. Does anyone come to mind who has been asking about it?"
- If yes: "Would you mind if I reached out and mentioned you, or would you rather pass along my number?"
- Close: "Either way, thank you. And if you have a minute, a Google review that mentions your first bill would help us more than anything."
Ask for the review in the same moment
That last line matters. A review that says "Our first bill after solar was a fraction of last year's" sells better than any ad you will run. The median solar installer on Google has 18 reviews, according to our benchmark report, and only 38.6% hold a perfect 5.0. Reviews written at the first-bill moment tend to be specific and warm, which is what a homeowner comparing three installers needs to read. The reviews guide has more on wording the review ask.
What to track
Keep one simple sheet:
- Customer name and PTO date.
- Date of the first-bill text.
- Did she reply, and what did she say.
- Names referred.
- Referred proposals and installs.
After a few months you will know your real referral rate, which is a number most installers have never measured. It also tells you what each referred install is worth against your paid lead cost. The proposals guide covers how to present the price to those referred homeowners so the trust they arrive with does not get lost in a confusing proposal.
Mistakes to avoid
- Asking before the system is producing.
- Offering a reward for names instead of installs.
- Sending a long email instead of a short text.
- Asking twice in one week. One text, one follow-up a week later, then let it go.
If you want any one service handled for you, the free 14-day trial needs no card. See the free trial page or text or call (801) 751-4071.
Steven has spent the last several years running growth campaigns for local service businesses, solar installers among them, and builds the benchmark datasets on this site from public Google listings. About the editor