How to create a renewable energy marketing strategy to reach more customers

The renewable energy market is growing rapidly as the UK aims to reach its net zero carbon targets. It’s estimated that over one million UK homes already generate their own electricity from solar or wind power.

On top of that, in 2024, there were over 115,000 searches on our website for jobs relating to renewable energy.*

Renewable energy is therefore a massive opportunity for tradespeople. A wide range of trade businesses can tap into opportunities with a renewable energy marketing strategy.

Now is a great time to start a trade business in renewable energy.

Why is renewable energy so important?

Governments around the world have set ambitious targets to use more renewable energy. For tradespeople, the opportunities are closer to home.

Hitting net zero targets

The UK government is aiming for 95% of electricity by 2030 to be low carbon. That means homeowners and businesses need support in going greener with their energy consumption.

The aim is for the UK to be net zero by 2050. That’s an ambitious target so there is no time to waste in embracing renewable energy and lower energy use.

However, the UK is falling behind in investing in renewable energy. This creates opportunities for tradespeople to market the benefits to customers of generating their own green energy.

Renewable energy sources

Tradespeople are winning profitable business by reaching more customers in the renewable energy sector. These are some of the main areas where you can market your trade business:

Solar energy

It doesn’t even have to be sunny for solar panels installed on buildings to generate renewable energy. You use this for energy and heating.

The government even pays homeowners to buy back their surplus energy. With demand for solar energy on the rise, it could be the right moment for you to start a solar panel business.

Air source heat pumps

These pumps take heat from the outside air and convert it to heat homes. They work like a fridge in reverse (which generates heat to cool the air inside). The government has pledged to fit 600,000 a year until at least 2028.

Ground source heat pump

This takes heat that’s in the ground outside a home and uses it to provide heating and hot water. You would need enough space to install it. This includes digging trenches and boreholes.

Wind

Wind turbines convert wind power into electricity. They can be mounted on poles or onto buildings. This includes roofs of homes.

Biomass systems

These burn natural materials – like wood pellets or logs – to provide heating and hot water.

Opportunities for tradespeople

Trade businesses that are helping meet the UK’s renewable energy targets include:

• Supplying products and services related to renewable energy
• Installing, maintaining and servicing products

Tradespeople who might be interested in renewable energy work include:

• Builders
• Electricians
• Groundworks
• Handyman
• Plumbers
• Roofers

Branching out into renewable energy is a great chance to upskill. It also means your trade business will be able to offer more services, and as a result, win more work.

What a renewable energy marketing strategy looks like

Your renewable energy marketing messages

A good place to start with your renewable energy marketing plan is to decide what you want to tell people. These include customers and prospects who you want to convert into customers.

Key marketing messages include:

• Renewable energy is helping to save the planet
• Customers can play a role by converting to renewable energy
• Customers can save money using renewable energy
• Your trade business has the right experience and skills to meet your customers’ renewable energy needs
• Your trade business is local, trustworthy and highly professional

Your marketing objectives

Your marketing messages need to be relevant to the audience you want to reach. The main reasons for running marketing campaigns are to:

• Raise awareness of your trade business – so people locally know you’re a renewable energy specialist
• Win new work – by sending information to people you think are most likely to use you

Your marketing can focus just on building your reputation in the areas. It could be more of a ‘hard sell’ to people you know are looking at renewable energy.

Or you could combine your messages into a single marketing campaign. This has the benefit of not bombarding your audience with marketing material.

Your target audience

There are lots of ways of identifying the best audience for your renewable energy marketing activities. These include:

• Homeowners or businesses with properties suitable for solar panels
• Homeowners or businesses with enough land available for solar panels on the ground. Also, space to install a wind turbine air-source or ground-source heat pumps
• Homeowners could qualify for government incentives and grants that cut the cost of switching (see below). Many of these focus on energy-saving activities. This could be the perfect time to send marketing materials about renewable energy options as well

Where to start with your marketing

You can use all sorts of marketing techniques when it comes to planning your renewable energy marketing strategy. For winning business, start by setting out your marketing plan.

That way, you can see where you are, where you want to be and how you’re going to get there.

Renewable energy marketing activities

Digital marketing

Look to add information to your trade business website. For digital marketing, think about how you use search engine optimisation (SEO). This pushes your website higher up in internet search engines, like Google.

You might be thinking about online digital advertising. Many tradespeople pay to advertise on Google. But marketing with a Checkatrade membership can be equally effective at pulling in new business.

Email

By creating simple emails and email newsletters, you can reach a large audience quickly and easily.

Social

There are lots of ways for you to build your trade business on social media. Your renewable energy marketing strategy could include blogs and posts on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Video

Visual marketing is a very effective way to make an impact on customers. Renewable energy is a very visual topic to talk about. Think about creating video content to include in your renewable energy marketing plan.

Word of mouth

Of course, one of the most effective ways to market your renewable energy business is through people. Word-of-mouth marketing also saves you money. Customers like to hear recommendations from fellow customers.

A great word-of-mouth marketing technique is using customer reviews and testimonials. Make sure you ask for these and include them in your renewable energy marketing strategy.

Promotions

Another way to boost your renewable energy marketing is to offer customers incentives to choose you. Promotions and money-off deals catch the eye and make marketing stand out from the crowd.

Increase your expertise in renewable energy

As well as carrying out work, you can help customers in other areas. One of the big considerations for customers is the cost of moving to green energy. Make sure you can supply them with useful ideas that reduce their outlay.

What government support is available to homeowners and businesses?

The Energy Saving Trust has ideas for homeowners on generating renewable electricity. The government’s Green Deal loans as well as a range of financial incentives and grants.

These include support for:

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• Warm Home Discount
• Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive
• Great British Insulation Scheme
• Smart Export Guarantee

Green training

Start increasing your knowledge of renewable energy by learning more about it. This will help you keep up with all the latest developments.

Green training will put you in the picture. There are a variety of options and grants available for tradespeople looking to expand their skills.

Keep up with the latest small business support

When it comes to marketing, we can do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Checkatrade members receive our help with new enquiries.

There are lots of other benefits of Checkatrade membership too. They include:

• Dedicated membership advice team
• Work guarantee up to £1,000 (T&Cs apply)
• Exclusive offers and discounts
• Up to 20% off Public Liability Insurance – important if you work outside, at height or in public areas
• Reduced cost of workwear and branding – good for specialised clothing you may need for installing renewable energy products
• Savings on other business essentials such as vans, fuel and materials

FAQs

How do you advertise renewable energy?

A trade business looking to advertise what it does should start with a renewable energy marketing plan. Pull all your ideas together and then look for profitable business opportunities.

Who is the target market for renewable energy?

We’re talking about homeowners and businesses keen to lower their energy bills and help the UK reduce its carbon footprint. They could be thinking about installing solar panels, a wind turbine and heat pumps.

Is renewable energy a competitive market?

Yes. It is a growing market with plenty of opportunities. That makes it highly competitive with lots of trade business keen to take a slice of the market. That’s why tradespeople who demonstrate their experience, trustworthiness and professionalism are in high demand.

* Internal search data based on users accessing the Checkatrade.com website in 2024