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Lab notes · the resources
Lab notes. Everything we know, written down.
Guides, training tapes, the questions every installer asks us, and the jargon in plain English. Free, no form in the way of reading it.
01The shelvesFree to read
Shelf A · Training tapes→Training tapes.Long-form videos: ads, filming, follow-up, selling. The ones we make for our own clients, opened up.80 tapes · newest firstShelf B · Symposia→On steroids live 2026Manchester · venue to be announcedFri 27 November 2026 · doors 11:00Shelf C · Patient leaflet→Every question.Asked on a first call, answered straight.Q01What kind of installer is the right fit?Q02What is the minimum installation volume required to work with you?Q03What growth can I expect from you?57 questionsShelf D · The formulary→The jargon.In plain English, and what it means for your installs.32 termsShelf E · The guides→The guides.The harder topics, written down.Deadline0% VAT on solar is ending: what installers need to know1 guidesShelf F · Placebo controlled→Us against the rest.Lead companies, in-house, agencies and DIY, side by side.8 comparisonsShelf G · The specimen library→Every client ad.Real ads from real installers, vertical, the way they ran. Search by installer or trade.77 ads · 26 installers
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Last year's room
- VideosHow we got so far ahead and what we're doing to stay thereCharlotte breaks down what we did to get ahead and how we're staying there.→
- VideosWhy “free” ruins solar lead quality“Free” attracts confusion, not buyers.→
- VideosWhat we’ve actually been doing to generate solar demandHow we’ve been quietly generating solar demand→
- VideosHow small funnel changes are cutting solar lead costs in halfConversion rate optimisation is the fastest way to unlock more leads.→
- VideosWhat actually happens on a On steroids discovery callThe call is for decisions, not persuasion.→
- VideosWhy low production solar ads are outperforming everything elseLow production is the new Meta advantage.→
- VideosHow to choose which solar and battery products to sellClarity on product strategy beats product choice.→
- VideosWhy speed decides whether Meta solar leads close or disappearMeta leads are won or lost on speed.→
- VideosWhy you do not need to be entertaining for solar ads to workEducation beats entertainment in paid solar ads.→
- VideosWhy solar installers get better on camera over timeConfidence on camera comes from repetition.→
- VideosOn steroids 2025 mastermind eventAuthenticity compounds faster than optimisation.→
- VideosWhy authenticity beats scripts in solar adsAuthenticity compounds faster than optimisation.→
- VideosThe four ad types that actually work for solarEvery good solar ad fits one of four buckets.→
- VideosBreaking down a high performing solar ad, frame by frameHigh performance ads are engineered, not accidental.→
- VideosWhy solar installers need to niche down to winHalf in usually means half out.→
- VideosHow we avoid failed solar video shootsGood shoots are engineered, not hoped for.→
- VideosWhy most Meta ad accounts collapse over timeRobust ad accounts are built, not found.→
- VideosWhat it’s actually like working with us (start to finish)The full client journey, demystified→
- VideosWhy our clients stay (and why we barely lose any)Retention is built deliberately→
- VideosWe’re hiring videographer / director hybrids (UK-wide)Filming is only half the job→
- VideosWhy educational solar ads brought JDM Earth £15k average dealsEducation creates bigger, better deals→
- VideosWhy this solar ad worked immediately after launchPreparation turns shoots into performance→
- VideosWhat I actually do on solar video shoot daysPrompting beats scripting every time→
- VideosWhy this local solar ad converts so wellReferrals scale when you show why→
- VideosWhat actually happens on a solar video shoot dayGood creatives are built on site→
- VideosHow to stand out with video ads (even if you do it yourself)You don’t need perfection to stand out→
- VideosWhy we covered client ad spend and nearly broke ourselvesPressure accelerated learning brutally fast→
- VideosWhy attribution massively underreports Meta ads impactAttribution only shows part of reality→
- VideosWhy I’m not allowed in our clients’ ad accountsEmotion breaks disciplined scaling→
- VideosWhy creative testing decides long-term Meta ads successVolume creates repeatable winners→
- VideosWhy video-first marketing doesn’t kill differentiationFormat doesn’t remove originality→
- VideosWhy we haven’t lost a client in almost two yearsRetention comes from accountability, not contracts→
- VideosWhy we charge a setup fee for Meta adsStrong foundations decide long-term performance→
- VideosWhy cost per lead is a misleading metric in solarCheap leads can cost you more→
- VideosWhy multi-channel marketing outperforms single-channel adsChannels amplify each other, not compete→
- VideosWhy speed to lead changes solar sales performanceSpeed multiplies every downstream metric→
- VideosWhy dynamic headlines change funnel conversion ratesRelevance wins at the point of conversion→
- VideosWhy always booking a follow-up improves solar close ratesMomentum dies without a next step→
- VideosHow leveraging bigger brands improves ad engagementBorrowed trust drives higher engagement→
- VideosWhy our Meta ads campaigns perform before they even optimiseGreat ads are built long before launch→
- VideosShould you call solar leads in the evening?Speed often matters more than timing→
- VideosWhy great service is the real driver of solar reviewsReviews are earned long before they’re asked for→
- VideosWhy following up more often isn’t being annoyingPersistence beats silence every time→
- VideosHow conditional logic improves solar lead qualityAsk fewer questions by being smarter→
- VideosWhy local solar installers win by being relatablePeople choose people, not logos→
- VideosUTM parameters explained for solar installersUTMs show what actually makes you money→
- VideosWhy Meta ads should nurture solar leads, not just generate themMeta ads warm pipelines at scale→
- VideosThe funnel question that filters serious solar buyersIntent shows itself when you give space→
- VideosThe solar growth document we’ve spent 50+ hours buildingEverything we’ve learned, written down→
- VideosHow to use animations without hurting solar website conversionsAnimations should guide attention, not steal it→
- VideosWhy organic content still matters for solar installersOrganic content quietly compounds over time→
- VideosWhere to send Meta ads if you want higher-quality solar leadsMeta traffic is mobile — design for it→
- VideosWhy systems have to come before scaling solar leadsSystems stop growth from breaking you→
- VideosWhy solar ROI should be shown before the quoteShow the numbers before the proposal→
- VideosHow i’d start solar marketing from scratch in 2025Get the foundations right before scaling→
- VideosTime in the market beats timing the market for solarPreparation compounds when markets shift→
- VideosWhy location pages work so well for solar installersLocation pages turn installs into rankings→
- VideosYou don’t need much traffic to make solar websites profitableLow traffic can still produce serious deal value→
- VideosWhy we changed the first question in our solar funnelsHigher intent beats higher start rates→
- VideosUK solar demand Is about to spike (this changes everything)Residential solar demand is being engineered upward.→
- VideosHow to stop blocking your solar leads from convertingFriction kills more solar leads than price.→
- VideosWhat actually converts above the fold for residential solarMost solar sites fail before the scroll.→
- VideosA tour of the biggest residential solar website we’ve ever builtA solar website should scale with the business.→
- VideosHow we hire using the same funnel we use for lead generationRecruitment works better when it feels human.→
- VideosMeet solar buyers where they already spend time onlineBuyers convert where they feel comfortable.→
- VideosThe one-star review strategy that builds instant trustTurn scepticism into rapport instantly.→
- VideosWhy being yourself works better than “performance” in solar adsAuthenticity converts better than performance.→
- VideosWhy solar installers should collaborate, not competeMake the pie bigger, together.→
- VideosWhy multi-touchpoint marketing beats better adsStacked touchpoints beat isolated channels.→
- VideosHow to score commercial solar leads (properly)Urgency isn’t the same as opportunity.→
- VideosWhy top-of-funnel solar ads can produce cheaper leads long-termCheap leads come from patience, not pressure.→
- VideosSolar installers: your reviews are hurting youMost solar reviews actively destroy trust.→
- VideosWhy entry-point installs beat solar-first salesStart smaller to sell bigger, faster.→
- VideosWhy video is the most reusable sales asset in solarVideo scales trust better than anything else.→
- VideosWhy solar case study pages convert better than service pagesCase studies build trust faster than anything else.→
- VideosResidential vs commercial solar intent isn’t what you thinkIntent differences change everything downstream.→
- VideosWhy most solar proposals kill deals before they’re readProposals fail because they’re built for software, not people.→
- VideosWhy solar websites don’t convert (and it’s not the forms)Proof creates intent. Forms just capture it.→
- VideosThe simplest funnel change we’ve ever madeOne question doubled conversion rate.→
- VideosSpeed to lead is why social solar leads don’t convertSpeed to lead dictates everything that follows.→
- Guides0% VAT on solar is ending: what installers need to knowThe zero rate of VAT on solar panels, batteries and heat pumps ends on 31 March 2027, then it goes to 5%. What changes, what it means for your sales and your advertising, and what to do before the deadline.→
- QuestionsWhat kind of installer is the right fit?Eight installs a month, clear growth ambition, sales resource in place.→
- QuestionsWhat is the minimum installation volume required to work with you?Eight installs a month minimum before we can work together.→
- QuestionsWhat growth can I expect from you?From £2,500 to £60,000 a month. Growth matched to readiness.→
- QuestionsWhy run ads if we have referrals?Referrals are warm but unpredictable. Paid ads add consistency.→
- QuestionsWhy is your minimum ad spend £2,500 per month?Meta needs data to perform. £2,500 a month provides it.→
- QuestionsWhat ROI should I expect from our campaigns?20x return on ad spend is the benchmark. True impact is higher.→
- QuestionsHow quickly should I expect results?First leads within a day. First deals within two weeks.→
- QuestionsWhat is your contract structure / notice period?Monthly rolling, 30 days notice, no fees, no lock in.→
- QuestionsWhy do you cost more than other agencies?Higher retainer, deeper results. The maths is straightforward.→
- QuestionsDo you offer locational exclusivity?No exclusivity, but location is managed carefully by design.→
- QuestionsWhat do I do if I'm not ready to work with you yet?Build your reputation and sales infrastructure before scaling ads.→
- QuestionsHow long does a discovery call take?Thirty minutes. Sometimes a little over. Plan accordingly.→
- QuestionsWhat do we cover on a discovery call?Your situation first, then pillars, case studies, and pricing.→
- QuestionsDo I need to make a decision on the discovery call?Two calls, no pressure. Decide when you are genuinely ready.→
- QuestionsHow do I prepare for our call?Laptop, on time, know your numbers. That is all.→
- QuestionsWhy does every decision maker need to be on the call?Misaligned expectations sink campaigns before they start.→
- QuestionsDo you really have limited capacity?Capacity is genuinely limited. Most months fill in two weeks.→
- QuestionsWhy can't I just do this in-house?The cost of building this in-house does not stack up against using us.→
- QuestionsWho actually works on my account?Every role named. Every person accountable. No black box.→
- QuestionsHow deep is your experience in renewables marketing?Hired for renewables experience, then deepened further at On steroids.→
- QuestionsWhat makes you different from my local, generalist agency?Solar only. ROI focused. Not vanity metrics from a generalist.→
- QuestionsWhy does each one of your team members have a dedicated role?Specialists in single roles, not generalists wearing many hats.→
- QuestionsHow do you deliver consistent results?Same process, every client. QA on every ad before it lands.→
- QuestionsHow is your team structured and how will it grow?22 now, 50 by year end. Structure built around service quality.→
- QuestionsWhy do you limit how many clients you take on each month?Growth is capped monthly so service quality never slips.→
- QuestionsWhat standards do you hold yourselves to?Hired for integrity, held to honesty. Client results come first.→
- QuestionsWhy should I trust you with my growth?Experience at every spend level beats promises and guarantees.→
- QuestionsWhy do you not track hours / bill by the hour?We track results, not hours. Hold us to that.→
- QuestionsWhat do you actually film on a shoot day?Shoots build a creative library, not a single polished video.→
- QuestionsHow should I prepare for my shoot?Three steps before shoot day so nothing is left to chance.→
- QuestionsHow often do you need to film new ads?Spend level determines how often we film. Here is the breakdown.→
- QuestionsWhy do higher spenders need more ads?Higher spend needs more creative. Volume enables scale.→
- QuestionsHow many sites do you film in one day, and why so many?More sites filmed means more creative and stronger campaigns.→
- QuestionsWhat does a shoot day look like?Full day shoots, back to back if needed, to cover everything.→
- QuestionsHow far in advance should I plan my shoot?Book shoots early. Availability fills up faster than you think.→
- QuestionsWhat should I expect if I've never been on camera before?Nerves are fine. Unwillingness to try is the only problem.→
- QuestionsWhy do you put more emphasis on authenticity than scripting?Honest and clear beats polished and rehearsed every time.→
- QuestionsHow fast can you turnaround the content from the shoot?Shoot to live ad in two weeks, faster for returning clients.→
- QuestionsWho works in your creative team?How On steroids builds, shoots, and scales creative that converts.→
- QuestionsHow do you combat creative fatigue?Fresh formats and real footage keep campaigns from stalling.→
- QuestionsWhy do you push video ads over image ads?Video educates buyers. Image ads attract price shoppers.→
- QuestionsWhat do I actually need to say on camera?Talk through the job like a customer is standing beside you.→
- QuestionsHow do you decide on the messaging for my ads?Messaging is built from your data, then continuously refined.→
- QuestionsDo you script the shoots?Prompts beat scripts. Being yourself is enough.→
- QuestionsHow do I make sure I get good leads from my ads?Technical, expert-led ads attract leads who already convert.→
- QuestionsHow do you come up with ad ideas?Ad ideas come from your data and 40 other campaigns.→
- QuestionsHow do you know an ad idea will actually perform?How shoot briefs are built to perform and differentiate.→
- QuestionsWho is on your creative team?Meet the creative team and the experience behind it.→
- QuestionsWhy won't you run a campaign without video ads?No video ads means weaker leads and stagnant performance.→
- QuestionsHow fast do solar ads actually work?Lead generation is immediate, but sales speed depends on installer systems.→
- QuestionsWhy do Facebook Ads work so well with Solar?Visual proof and practical explanations drive high-volume solar sales.→
- QuestionsHow do you decide which ads to scale?Revenue-driven metrics, not lead costs, dictate our scaling decisions.→
- QuestionsWhat cost per lead will I get?Geography and spend levels define your solar lead acquisition costs.→
- QuestionsHow scalable are Facebook Ads?Meta scales solar revenue until operational capacity hits its limit.→
- QuestionsDo Meta Ads still work in competitive areas?Better creative and attribution win in highly competitive solar markets.→
- QuestionsAre the leads exclusive to us?Exclusive branded campaigns ensure you own every lead generated.→
- QuestionsWhy are my Meta ads failing in 2026?Standard lead forms and low creative volume stall solar growth.→
- GlossaryAOVAverage order value. What an installed job is worth to you, on average. The number every other number gets multiplied by.→
- GlossaryAttributionWorking out which ad a sale came from. Ours reads your CRM, so a sale counts when you mark it sold, not when someone clicks.→
- GlossaryAutopsyOur first call. Thirty minutes picking apart where your leads come from and where they leak. Free, and nobody dies.→
- GlossaryBoosted postA Facebook post with money behind it. Easy, and usually the most expensive way to reach the wrong people.→
- GlossaryBUSThe Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The government grant towards a heat pump, paid to the installer on the customer’s behalf.→
- GlossaryCAPIConversions API. Sends your sales from your CRM straight back to Facebook, so the ads learn who actually buys, not who clicks.→
- GlossaryClose rateOf the leads you quote, how many you sell. The number lead sellers never ask about.→
- GlossaryCost per installWhat it cost you in marketing to get one job installed. The only cost that matters. Everything else is a step towards it.→
- GlossaryCPACost per acquisition. What you paid for one result. Ask what the result is: a lead, a quote, a sale.→
- GlossaryCPLCost per lead. What you paid for one enquiry. Cheap leads that never buy are the most expensive thing in this list.→
- GlossaryCPMCost per thousand impressions. What Facebook charges to show your ad a thousand times.→
- GlossaryCRMCustomer relationship management. The system your leads, quotes and sales live in. Ours plugs into yours.→
- GlossaryCreativeThe ad itself: the film, the words, the picture. The biggest lever in Facebook advertising, by a distance.→
- GlossaryCTRClick-through rate. Of the people who saw the ad, how many tapped it.→
- GlossaryECO4The government scheme funding energy-saving work for lower-income homes through the big energy suppliers.→
- GlossaryExclusive leadA lead sent to you alone. The opposite of a shared lead, sold to three installers at once.→
- GlossaryFrequencyHow many times, on average, one person has seen your ad. Too high and they stop noticing it.→
- GlossaryFunnelThe steps between seeing an ad and booking a survey. Ours is a short quiz that asks the questions your surveyor would.→
- GlossaryHookThe first three seconds of an ad. If it doesn’t stop the thumb, nothing after it matters.→
- GlossaryLead formA form inside Facebook. Quick to fill in, so quick to fill in badly.→
- GlossaryLookalike audiencePeople Facebook thinks resemble your customers. Only as good as the customer list you give it.→
- GlossaryMCSThe Microgeneration Certification Scheme. The certification installers need for customers to get grants and export payments.→
- GlossaryPipelineThe value of everything quoted and not yet lost. Tomorrow’s revenue, if you follow up.→
- GlossaryPixelA snippet on your website that tells Facebook who visited and what they did.→
- GlossaryQualified leadA lead who owns the home, can afford the job and wants it soon. We ask before they reach you.→
- GlossaryRetargetingShowing ads to people who have already seen or clicked one. The second date.→
- GlossaryROASReturn on ad spend. Revenue divided by what you paid Facebook. Count sold revenue, not quoted.→
- GlossarySEGThe Smart Export Guarantee. What energy suppliers pay homeowners for the solar power they send back to the grid.→
- GlossaryShared leadOne enquiry sold to several installers at once. A race to the bottom on price, started by somebody else.→
- GlossarySpeed to leadHow fast you call a new enquiry back. Minutes matter more than most installers think.→
- GlossaryTestimonialA customer saying it for you. On film, in their own home, it beats anything we could write.→
- GlossaryTerritoryYour area. We take a few installers per area, per trade, and cap UK solar at 60, so our ads never fight each other for the same homeowners.→
- ComparisonsUs vs Lead companiesWhat UK lead companies publish about their prices and exclusivity, against your own Facebook ads, costed per installed job.→
- ComparisonsUs vs In-houseRunning Facebook ads with your own marketer against a team that only runs them for home services businesses. What each really costs, and where in-house wins.→
- ComparisonsUs vs General agenciesA general agency running your Facebook ads against a specialist that only does home services. What changes in the videos, the funnel and the reporting.→
- ComparisonsUs vs DIY Facebook adsBoosting posts and running your own Facebook ads against a team that does nothing else. Time, cost and what you can track.→
- ComparisonsUs vs CheckatradeCheckatrade's plans, contract and vetting, set against running your own Facebook ads. What each costs per install, and when a listing still makes sense.→
- ComparisonsUs vs Rated PeopleHow Rated People's pay-per-lead model works, how many trades can buy each job, and how it compares with your own Facebook ads, costed per install.→
- ComparisonsUs vs MyBuilderHow MyBuilder's shortlist fees work and what businesses pay, against your own Facebook ads and a quiz that qualifies every enquiry.→
- ComparisonsUs vs Google AdsSearch ads against Facebook video for home improvement businesses: how each works, what each costs, Local Services Ads, and how the two work together.→
- Client adsAJ Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsArc Technical's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsCurrent Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsEveryone's Energy's ads2 ads · Solar→
- Client adsKimble Solar's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsQuantum Electrical's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsActiv8 Energies's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsAll Solar Works's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsBiotech Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsEco Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsInfinite Energy's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsInfinity Energy Services's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsJDM Earth's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsLET Electrical's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsLittle Green Energy's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsNightingale Electrical's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsRudge Energy's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsSolarfix NI's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsThree Counties's ads3 ads · Windows→
- Client adsTJS Solar's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsActismart's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsCreative Low Carbon's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsEdtricity's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsLeaf Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsMYE Renewables's ads3 ads · Solar→
- Client adsSLC Solutions's ads3 ads · Solar→
- EventsOn steroids live 2026Fri 27 November 2026 · doors 11:00 · Manchester · venue to be announced→
- EventsThe 2025 mastermind28 November 2025 · One room, 80+ installers→
- Free samplesThe lab reportOne short email a week: what's working in installer ads right now, from the numbers we see across every client.→
- Free samplesTerritory reportWhether your area is open, trade by trade, and what demand looks like there. Built from public data, so no client's numbers are in it.→
- Free samplesECO4 deadline kitWhat installers do as ECO4 ends: the customer email, three deadline ad angles and a calendar to the end date.→
- Free samples0% VAT deadline kitThe rate-change clause for your quotes, a customer email explaining the deadline, and three deadline ad angles.→
- Free samplesCost-of-your-leads auditWhat your leads really cost per installed job, set out in writing, against what ours cost.→
- Free samplesAd teardownOne of our ad team picks your ads apart: hook, offer, proof, and where they leak. For installers with room in the diary for more jobs.→
- Free samplesQuote template and follow-up scriptsThe quote layout and the follow-up messages our best-closing installers use, ready to use the same day.→
- Free samples3 ads we'd run for youTell us your trade and area. We send three ad concepts written for you.→
- CalculatorsThe cost of the placeboWhat your leads really cost, per installed job.→
- CalculatorsClose-rate blood testHow your close rate compares.→
- CalculatorsProfit scanMargin per job, and installs to break even.→
02The testsThree calculators
Run the numbers.
Three quick tests, run in your browser. Nothing is kept.
Free sample
The lab report.
One email a week: what's working in installer ads right now, from the numbers we see across every client. Unsubscribe whenever.
Is your area still open? A few installers per area.
Five quick questions, then pick a time with Ben. Thirty minutes on where you're losing sales, and what we'd run instead.
✓£2,000 to start, then nothing until your first deal.