Efficiency First

For contractors and businesses, the Home Performance industry can be difficult to navigate at times. One common area that is especially daunting is the topic of financing. With all the different financing options and incentive programs out there, many Home Performance contractors are unsure how to go about financing the audits and retrofits that they perform.

Efficiency First’s “Contractor Financing Options” webinar will educate members on several different financing options, including: direct, PACE alternatives and energy efficient mortgages. Given a better understanding of the available financing options, you will be able to create a stronger, more successful business in the long-run.

Panelists: Peter Krajsa, Chief executive Officer of AFC First Financial; Doug Donovan of Interplay Energy and Best Practices Chair of Efficiency First; Brian Toll, Co-Chair of Efficiency First’s Finance and Incentives working group; Jared Asch, national director of Efficiency First; and Dennis Fontes, President of Go Green Lending.

BPI “GO FOR THE GOLD”

With HOME STAR on the verge of being signed into law, many contractors are asking “What’s next? What must I do to ensure that I benefit from the HOME STAR program?” There are several steps that Home Performance contractors should take to be eligible to participate as part of the HOME STAR program; one of them is to become BPI accredited.

Efficiency First and BPI are teaming up to provide members with a webinar designed to inform Home Performance contractors how to gain BPI accreditation and how accreditation will benefit you and your company.

BPI Go For the Gold Webinars have been designed specific to different regions. This past week BPI hosted a Rocky Mountain States Webinar and previously hosted a California specific version. Up and coming will be individual Webinars for Maine and Massachusetts.

Hosted by BPI in partnership with ACI, EGIA and Home Energy Magazine.

Panelists: Larry Zarker, Chief Executive Officer of BPI, state program managers & state chapter chairs

GRASSROOTS AND WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING

We all know that the Home Performance industry is still young and growing, which means that many consumers have never heard of who we are and the work that we do. And let’s face it – our companies are not like advertising giants Apple or Anheuser Busch – who have virtually unlimited funds for marketing. So how can you market your company to inform consumers about your business?

Efficiency First’s “Grassroots and Word of Mouth Marketing” webinar will provide members with valuable tools to recruit customers, retain customers and build a positive image of your company and industry.

Panelists: Tim Pedersen of Right Brain Branding > grassroots marketing   Courtland Weisler of GreenerDawn > on utilizing word of mouth marketing to create sales and Corbett with Dream Green Group > out reach to constituent groups

EARNED MEDIA RELATIONS

In today’s society, media plays a huge role in shaping ones perception of current trends and issues. With the appropriate tools, you can use media outlets – both old and new – to your advantage by providing insight about your company and the work you do.

Efficiency First’s upcoming “Earned Media Relations” webinar offers members useful tips on how to:

1. Use traditional media to build awareness of your company as well as the Home Performance industry as a whole
2. Utilize new media to generate demand from the Home Performance industry
3. Build a positive reputation for your company and your industry by using all types of media

Panelists: Ed Thomas, Vice President of Utility and Government Services for EGIA and chair of Efficiency First’s marketing working group; Scott Needham, President of Princeton Air Conditioning and Efficiency First’s workforce development working group; and Morris Dye, writer, editor and communications consultant for Efficiency First.

LOCAL HOME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the research of nine existing residential energy efficiency programs, the Home Performance Resource Center (HPRC) has developed recommendations for program managers, policymakers and contractors. These recommendations serve as a guide in the structure and implementation of future programs.  To best address important components of program design and industry growth, the HPRC developed the Best Practices Committee from which four working groups were formed: Finance and Incentives, Marketing, Workforce Development, and Business Models.

Efficiency First’s “Best Practice Recommendations” webinar will provide members with valuable insight on how to maximize the cost-effectiveness of home energy retrofits, and into scaling the industry quickly and sustainably while maintaining quality retrofits and preventing fraud.

Moderator: David Bangs

Panelists:  Scott Needham (Workforce); Brian Toll (Finance & Incentives), Damian Hodkin (Business Modles), Ed Thomas – Marketing

SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

As the internet continues to revolutionize the society that we live in, people are increasingly relying on the web to improve company visibility. With so much data being transferred and information being searched on the internet daily, having the skills to market your company online is an extremely valuable tool.

Efficiency First’s upcoming “Search Engine Marketing” webinar will provide members with information on how to:

1. Effectively create a presence on the internet
2. Increase the number of times your website appear in a search
3. Increase traffic to your site

Panelists: Dan Golden from befoundonline.com and TBD

SUCCESS IN CONTRACTING

In the young and growing Home Performance industry, contractors often have many questions on how to build a successful company. They are continually adopting and testing new business plans in order to determine what does and does not work well in the industry. Through trial and error, Home Performance contractors nationwide have created thriving businesses by implementing unique strategies.

Efficiency First’s “Success in Contracting” webinar offers members key information on how to build a successful company from the ground up. It will also offer advice on how to overcome or avoid common barriers that many Home Performance contractors face.

Panelists: TBD (3-4 contractors from different regions and climate zones throughout the country)

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The energy efficiency market is growing across the country. To rapidly prepare workers for jobs in the sector training providers, workforce boards and educational institutions need to coordinate with employers and the workforce.

This workshop will focus on recommendations for preparing the workforce to participate in the energy efficiency industry. The recommendations will target two distinct audiences: 1) Educators, training providers and workforce development specialist 2) Policymakers and retrofit program managers. Both groups must work together to support the creation of the jobs in the energy efficiency market.

Panelists: TBD

ONLINE CUSTOMER ACQUISITION

Social media services like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are all the rage, but home efficiency professionals are right to question how much marketing time should be put into developing their online social media presence. This session is for people who don’t spend all day staring at a computer screen but want to understand how and when to cost-effectively engage in online social media. We’ll be discussing when to use (and when not to use) various social media tools, and what they’re good for besides direct business development. In this workshop people will understand how to use acquire customers Online:

1. Understand when, why and how to use social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogging
2. Share ideas about the best ways to engage in online conversations about your brand and the industry – and when to stay out of them
3. Learn about how social media helps with indirect business development (thought leadership, reputation management, information sharing)

Conducted July 2010: Recorded version available through your membership profile