Conventional C&I solar sales techniques are broken. Here’s how to fix them

For commercial & industrial solar, getting the initial “yes” is only half the battle. The real challenge is keeping momentum and closing multi-stakeholder deals that often stall for no clear reason. After decades of relying on traditional sales techniques, I realized that success in today’s long-cycle projects demands a fundamental shift from micromanagement to vision alignment, trust-building, and team autonomy.

October 2, 2025 Chuck Ellis

Image: SolarEdge

In commercial and industrial (C&I) solar, getting to the “yes” can be hard. But keeping momentum and closing the deal? Even harder. After decades in the field, I came to a difficult realization: traditional sales techniques, relationship-building, pitch decks, and technical walk-throughs just weren’t working anymore.

I used every tool in the book, from pain-point selling and feature-function comparisons to ROI calculators and more. But projects would stall again and again. There was no apparent reason. No one said “no”—they just didn’t say “yes.” That was the red flag. It forced me to re-examine how we were structuring our team, how we communicated value, and, most importantly, how we were leading.

What I found was that success in today’s long-cycle, multi-stakeholder solar projects depends less on micromanaging people and more on aligning vision, building trust, and creating space for autonomy. Here are a few lessons for sales teams looking to fix what’s broken.

Vision alignment > micromanagement

In a high-functioning sales organization, alignment isn’t about everyone following the same script. It’s about everyone understanding what success looks like and being empowered to achieve it in their own way.

I don’t worry whether my team goes from “A to B” or “A to C to B.” What matters is that we all agree on where point B is. That shared clarity on the desired outcome is more powerful than any process checklist.

But this only works when it’s reinforced internally and externally. With my team, I use stories and real examples to ground our conversations in outcomes. With customers, I paint a picture of their energy future, then show how we’ll get together. You don’t lead by barking directions; you lead by showing people what’s possible.

Trust is a force multiplier

Trust isn’t a buzzword. It’s your margin for error when things don’t go to plan. And in this industry, things will go off-plan sometimes.

I once had a major deal collapse at the 11th hour. Everything looked locked, and contracts circulated until we realized a quoting partner had priced the wrong product. The correct product doubled the cost, and the client had already sold a lower number to their investors. The deal, which was headed for a gigawatt scale, was dead within 24 hours.

The failure? A lack of internal alignment, sure. But also a lack of trust-building earlier in the process. If we’d asked the right questions up front, if our teams were aligned internally, we could’ve salvaged it. But trust couldn’t save us at that late stage if it hadn’t been built.

With technical stakeholders, trust means bringing real expertise, suggesting alternate paths, asking thoughtful questions, and helping them see solutions they may not have considered. With non-technical stakeholders, it’s simpler: say what you’ll do, and then do it. Reliability builds equity.

Autonomy wins, if the vision is clear

I’ll be blunt. If you’re a sales leader and feel you have to micromanage your team, you’ve got the wrong people.

The first person I hire is the one who could replace me. I want leaders, not just closers. As long as they share the vision and deliver outcomes, I don’t need to manage their daily calendar.

This matters because long-term success isn’t about the first project. It’s about being the go-to partner for the second, third, and tenth. Project portfolios stretch 18 to 36 months. If you don’t empower your team to think long-term and build relationships that outlast issues, you won’t be around for the next RFP.

Final word

Don’t fake your way through it if you’re leading a sales team. Get a baseline, define a standard, and train everyone up to it before you go chasing deals. Ask your C-suite for six months to build, not scramble. And make sure your team understands why their work matters and how it connects to the bigger picture.

Customers aren’t just buying kilowatts and confidence in this era, but looking for true partnership and vision clarity. As sales leaders, it’s up to us to meet that need.

Chuck Ellis

Chuck Ellis is Vice President of Sales, Commercial & Industrial (C&I) at SolarEdge Technologies, where he leads North American C&I sales strategy and growth. With over 25 years of experience in technical sales, operations, and solar distribution, including leadership roles at BayWa r.e. and SMA, Chuck is recognized for building scalable teams and delivering strong market results. He holds a BS in Bio-Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from Webster University.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.

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