It is anticipated that the solar business will shift out of depending on a large number of low-quality leads and instead prioritise leads that demonstrate real interest. By 2025, getting consumers' direct approval will be the norm.
A new federal law, effective January 1, 2025, requires solar companies to obtain clear and verifiable one-to-one consent for online leads prior to initiating any form of outreach, such as phone calls, emails, or text messages. This modification not only supports consumer protection laws but also has major effects on companies that generate, purchase, or sell solar leads.
This article will look into the value of compliant solar leads, the necessity of this adaptation, and the measures that your solar company must implement to maintain compliance and prevent costly penalties.
So let’s see and understand this all.
What Are Compliant Solar Leads?
Compliant solar leads are consumer contacts (e.g., names, phone numbers, emails) that have been lawfully acquired and verified in accordance with specific industry regulations. As per the new law of 1st January 2025, companies are required to obtain explicit one-to-one consent from individuals prior to sending any marketing communications.
This suggests that basic opt-in forms, pre-checked boxes, or blanket consents will no longer be sufficient. Instead, individuals must explicitly consent to be contacted, which is typically achieved through a recorded phone call, a timestamped web form submission, or third-party verification platforms such as Active Prospect TrustedForm.
If the company contacted the lead without this consent, it could be considered a violation, which could result in legal implications and penalties for the company.
Why Is This Law Being Enforced?
Now, many may wonder why there is a need for such a law. There has been a significant increase in consumer complaints regarding aggressive sales tactics, spam messages, and excessive enquiries in the solar power industry.
That is why regulators are responding to these complaints by creating stricter consumer protection laws as well as fines from $500 to even $1500! This one-to-one consent (1:1 consent rule) requirement assures that consumers have complete control over who can contact them and how and for what purposes.
The main objective here is to eradicate the "loopholes" in marketing practices that have enabled companies to bombard consumers with unsolicited communications, such as marketing calls and texts. The law tries to re-establish trust in the solar industry and substantially decrease the number of complaints submitted to regulatory bodies, including the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), by requiring active, direct assent.
What Happens If You’re Not Compliant?
The next question is, what happens if you are not compliant with these processes as a business? There will be major consequences if the one-to-one consent criterion is not followed. Non-compliant businesses run the risk of:
Reputational Damage: First and foremost, if solar companies use spammy marketing strategies, they run the danger of negative publicity, bad reviews, and lost sales.
Class-Action Lawsuits: There will be a class-action lawsuit for those non-compliant businesses, especially if several customers file complaints against the same business.
Hefty Fines: Regulatory agencies such as the FCC and the FTC can impose heavy fines—up to $43,280 per infraction.
Lead Source Bans: Major advertisement firms like Google and Facebook may restrict lead providers whose services do not have one-to-one consent.
How Does the One-to-One Consent Work?
In order to keep up with the new regulations, solar companies are required to obtain verifiable and traceable evidence of a lead's consent. The procedure is as follows:
Explicit Opt-In: The first thing is that the individual must take direct action to provide consent. This could mean checking a box on a web form, giving their information on a specific landing page, or agreeing to be called during a recorded phone call.
No Pre-Checked Boxes: Forms with opt-in boxes that are already checked will no longer meet legal guidelines. The users have to check the box manually.
Timestamp and IP Address Tracking: Businesses need to keep track of and record when, where, and how the person gave consent. A date, an IP address, and a copy of the form are usually part of this.
Verification Through TrustedForms: Certificates of consent are generated by compliance tools such as Active Prospect's TrustedForm. These certificates demonstrate that the lead voluntarily participated and are taken as a record of compliance.
5 Steps to Ensure Your Solar Leads Are Compliant
As a solar company, you need to think about these measures to manage these new rules successfully:
Audit Your Current Lead Flow
Begin with removing any pre-checked opt-in boxes. The next is to review that all of your landing pages, web forms, and call scripts are in accordance with the new rules.
Use Trusted Consent Verification Tools
Companies must integrate technologies like Active Prospect TrustedForm to gather and save consent proof. Along with this, time stamps, IP addresses, and evidence of opt-in should all be recorded by your customer relationship management (CRM) system.
Update Contracts with Lead Vendors
Make sure that any third-party providers you work with are legally bound to offer you evidence of individual permission for every lead they sell you.
Also, make sure you get their certification paperwork before you obtain a new batch of leads.
Retrain Your Sales and Marketing Teams
Inform your staff of the most recent legal criteria for consent. Also, be sure to add clear requests for consent to your call scripts.
Create a Lead Compliance SOP
Proper SOPs for compliance must be done for internal lead verification. This includes instructions for obtaining consent, verifying forms, and handling customer concerns.
Selecting a Compliant Lead Vendor
Your company's credibility and legitimacy are strongly affected by the honesty of your lead generation procedure. So, it is important that any leads purchased by your solar company adhere to the new one-to-one consent standards.
Before you evaluate your lead providers, be sure to ask them the following important questions:
Q: How do you obtain one-to-one consent for your leads?
It's important to know how your provider gets customers to give their explicit approval. Things like time-stamped online form submissions, recorded phone calls, and third-party verification technologies could be used for this. Any reputable vendor will have an open and honest system in place to verify that all leads are produced legally.
Q: Do you provide a TrustedForm certificate or similar verification for each lead?
Proof that permission was received in compliance with federal requirements is provided by TrustedForm certifications. These certificates should be available for vendors to provide for each lead, proving that the person has chosen to receive messages. This form of documentation is very important to show that you are following the rules if regulatory officials ever look into your business.
Q: Can you supply proof of consent if requested by regulators?
Your business may be required to provide proof to regulatory bodies that it is following the new consent requirements. Upon request, your primary vendor should have clear and verifiable permission documents available. Information such as the date, method, and exact words used to get the permission must be mentioned.
If a vendor is unable to demonstrate their capacity to provide verifiable consent documentation plainly, it is high time to reconsider your partnership. Not only does working with non-compliant vendors expose your company to potential legal risks, but it can also harm your reputation in the solar industry.
So, this is the best measure to protect your business and ensure a consistent supply of high-quality leads by ensuring that your lead vendors comply with these compliance standards.
How Solcertain Is Preparing for January 1st, 2025
Solcertain, a pioneer in the solar marketing sector, is dedicated to complying with the new one-to-one consent standards that will be implemented in compliance with forthcoming regulations. We recognise the critical significance of compliance, which is why we have incorporated TrustedForm certificates into our lead-generation process. These certificates provide concrete proof of consumer assent, ensuring that each lead we generate satisfies federal regulations.
We account for factors that most external partners overlook, giving us complete visibility and control over each step in the process. This means we can enforce compliance all the way from the first consumer interaction to the last lead delivered. We rely on our trained professionals to follow best practices throughout the process so we can effectively and securely capture and maintain consent information.
If you need a reliable supplier of compliant solar leads, Solcertain is well-positioned to help you navigate these regulatory changes since we place a premium on keeping a steady and lucrative supply of leads.
Conclusion: Take Control of Your Solar Marketing Strategy
The new one-to-one consent laws are both a need and an opportunity for your company to thrive in the ever-changing solar market. A consistent stream of high-quality prospects may be assured by giving preference to compliant solar leads, which allow you to establish better, trusting connections with customers.
Now is the time to act. Evaluate your present techniques for lead generation, work with reputable suppliers, and put strong protocols in place to verify consent. Avoid any fines and boost your company's image by taking preventative measures now rather than waiting until the deadline looms.
So, is your solar company prepared to succeed in this changing environment? Contact us now to find out how Solcertain can assist you in navigating these changes and obtaining compliant leads that contribute to your success. Let us work together to make your company's future better!
Key Takeaways
One-to-One Consent: As of January 1st, 2025, every solar lead needs to have explicit & traceable consent prior to outreach.
Serious Penalties: You risk penalties, litigation, and irreparable harm to your reputation if you don't comply.
TrustedForm Is Key: Active Prospect TrustedForm and similar verification solutions give the evidence that is required to prove compliance.
Take Action Now: Train your staff, review your vendors, and update your lead procedures.
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