How to Sell the Value of LED Lighting

How to Sell the Value of LED Lighting

August 17, 2015

Updated July 23, 2018

LED lighting makes lighting more energy efficient and has the potential to integrate with countless smart building platforms for easier control and automation. As with any innovative technology that is still relatively new, that can make it hard to sell. A potential buyer may not understand or be aware of the latest developments in smart LED lights.

  • They may have assumptions about LEDs based on how the lighting was priced three to five years ago, even though prices have declined significantly.
  • They may not realize that Internet of Things (IoT) controls and platforms work best with LED lights, and the combination of smart buildings and LED lights creates a future-proofed building.

We’ve put together some best practices on how to sell others on LED lighting systems for a smart building and overcome any dated assumptions or misinformation.

Selling Smart LED Lights to a Skeptical Buyer

Educate about the cost and capabilities of smart LED lights.

First, ask yourself what information does your buyer already have, and what information do they need? The best place to start any lighting conversation about LED is with up-to-date information so that a buyer understands that this technology is both available and a sound business decision.

If a potential LED buyer looks at prices from a year or two ago, those dated estimates may make a profitable smart building project look like it’s in the red, but with LED lighting being affordable and widely available now, those estimates are misleading. Or they may not realize that full array of fixtures and lighting tones that can be selected when buying LED lights. Some potential buyers may not understand what LED lighting is or the benefits offered by controllable smart lighting.

To sell LED lighting, have a conversation with your buyer about their commercial lighting and IoT needs. Once you know what they are looking for, you can easily explain the value of LED lighting for their specific smart building needs. If your client is not yet looking for a smart building, focus on the countless other benefits of LED lights and simply let them know they are setting themselves up for a lighting system that can evolve once they’re ready.

Change the lingo to LED lighting metrics.

The conversation about LED lights should not be about watts. To assess LED lighting and to compare this new technology to a current lighting system, people need to understand a variety of new terms. Make sure the decision maker can talk in lumens, CRI, and other metrics that accurately capture the power and efficiency of LED lighting. If your buyer is looking for a smart LED lighting system, make sure they are familiar with IoT protocol terms like Power over Ethernet (PoE), Zigbee, Z-Wave and Bluetooth so that you can discuss the type of system they are considering.

Give them the tools to assess their building’s lighting efficiency.

Investing in LED lighting pays back in cost savings, thanks to improved energy efficiency. And, thanks to the technology’s longevity, those savings will occur over many years, but how much and how large the savings are depends on the usage in each individual situation. Provide the decision maker with a custom estimate that factors in their office’s current lighting, square footage, usage, and other variables to pinpoint their exact savings - and for how many years they can count on those savings. If the buyer is on the fence about smart lighting, make sure they know that many systems learn from behavior and optimize the environment for even more cost savings.

Reposition smart LED lighting on their priority list.

Most people don’t think about a lightbulb until it breaks. But you wouldn’t wait for an office chair to collapse before replacing it. You’d add new chairs when you assess that they can improve your office design and employee comfort. Upgrade lighting sooner rather than later, because an overall lighting upgrade changes a buildings capabilities. LED lighting opens up a world of opportunities for implementing an IoT-enabled smart lighting system. Properly designed smart LEDs improve the overall look and atmosphere of an office, and can even have a positive effect on employee productivity, company morale and customer experience.

Learn how Igor’s smart LED lighting and smart building platform works or learn about getting started with Igor.