Building a Simple CRM Funnel for Your Net-Zero Business

Introduction

Managing leads efficiently is the difference between scaling your clean energy business and losing potential customers. Whether you’re a solar EPC in Ontario or a heat pump installer in BC, having a well-structured CRM (Customer Relationship Management) funnel ensures you don’t waste time on cold leads—or forget to follow up with hot ones.

In this guide, we’ll show Canadian net-zero contractors how to set up a basic but powerful CRM funnel to track, nurture, and convert more leads—without needing a full-time marketing team.

Map Your Customer Journey in Simple Stages

Your CRM should reflect how customers actually move through the decision process. Here’s a simple 6-stage model tailored to net-zero providers:

Stage	What It Means
New Lead	Just submitted a form or came in from a referral
Qualified	Meets basic criteria (homeowner, budget, interest)
Consult Booked	You’ve scheduled a call or site visit
Quote Sent	Proposal delivered, awaiting decision
Won	Customer signed the deal
Lost/Nurture	Not ready or didn’t convert—add to re-engagement list

Tip: Use colour-coded tags or columns in your CRM (e.g., HubSpot, Notion, Trello) to track these at a glance.

Define What Makes a Lead “Qualified”

Not every inquiry deserves a site visit. Build a simple scorecard based on your ideal clients:

Qualification Criteria	Points
Owns home in BC/ON/QC	+10
Interested in solar + heat pump	+15
Asked about financing or rebates	+12
Lives in rental or heritage district	–10

Only move leads with 30+ points to the “Consult Booked” stage. Others should enter a nurturing campaign (more on that below).

Canadian Context: A homeowner in Southern Ontario asking for solar + EV charger quotes with Greener Homes Loan interest? Likely a high-value lead.

Automate Your Follow-Ups and Nurture Low-Scoring Leads

Don’t let warm prospects go cold. Use email tools like Brevo or ConvertKit to build:

• A 3-email drip sequence for education (rebates, savings estimates, timeline)
• Reminder nudges for quote approvals
• Re-engagement emails every 60–90 days for lost or slow leads

Example Sequence:
Day 1: “Thanks for reaching out—here’s what rebates you qualify for”
Day 3: “How much could you save? Try our free solar calculator”
Day 7: “Still interested? Let’s book a call to walk you through your options”

Track KPIs That Matter

Data is only helpful if it drives action. At minimum, track:

• Close rate by source (Google Ads, Solenery, Referrals)
• Avg time to convert (from inquiry to closed deal)
• Quote-to-win ratio
• Cost per lead (CPL) and cost per sale (CPS)

Use free tools like Google Sheets or Airtable to track weekly or monthly.

Canadian Example: If your Facebook leads close at 7% but Solenery referrals close at 35%, reallocate spend or messaging accordingly.

Tools to Get Started (Even for Small Teams)

You don’t need Salesforce to build a good CRM. Start with:

• Notion or Trello – Free and visual lead boards
• HubSpot Free – Great entry CRM with automation
• Brevo or Mailchimp – For email automation
• Zapier – To connect forms with your CRM

If you’re using Solenery’s lead network, export leads into your system and tag them based on readiness (Solenery leads are often rebate-ready).

Conclusion

A clear CRM funnel turns chaos into confidence. Whether you’re managing five leads a week or fifty, a structured process means less stress, faster sales, and better follow-ups.

The good news? You can build this system today—with tools you already have.

Together, we can scale clean energy across Canada—one home, one project at a time.