Join @EcoOutfitters for #SolarChat on Twitter on December 21st from 2-3 p.m. ET We'll be discussing ways to build brand connection.

In a world where most solar companies are in their early stages, where solar is a relatively new industry and struggling as a whole to break the mainstream market barriers, how does one overcome the “brand recognition challenge”?

• Is branding essential and instrumental to the realization of your business goals? Yes!
• What’s in the name? So many “solar-sounding" companies … how do you stand out?
• How do you build brand awareness in a short period of time?

Solar champion Raina Brett Russo, president and co-founder of EcoOutfitters.net and #SolarChat, will welcome guest panelists Liz Merry (@VerveSol) and Heather Whaling (@PRtini).

Merry is the sole proprietor of Verve Solar Consulting and has been educating people about the solar industry since 2001, when she first organized a group of homeowners to install PV systems as a group in Davis, CA. Since 2006, Merry has taught more than 2,800 students about the solar industry through course sponsors such as: Solar Energy International, Solar Power International, Renewable Energy World, Solar Living Institute, UC Berkeley Extension, Pacific Energy Center, and many others.

As president of Geben Communication, Whaling helps businesses develop and implement traditional and digital PR strategies. Named one of the top 30 PR pros to follow on Twitter, Heather has been quoted in Inc Magazine, Bloomberg BusinessWeek and Mashable about technology’s impact on communication and business. She also co-moderates PR 2.0 Chat (#pr20chat on Twitter), a weekly discussion about PR and social media.

#SolarChat provides an opportunity to connect homeowners and qualified installation professionals, to demonstrate the affordability and environmental impact of all types of solar solutions, and to educate consumers on this emerging field. "We believe in the power of solar to change the world," says Russo. "We hope #SolarChat will further advance EcoOutfitters' goal of making solar a reality for every American home and business."

For those new to Twitter, a hashtag (#) is an easy way to find and follow people who are tweeting about a certain topic. #SolarChat has a simple mission: Curious consumers, energy experts, and installation professionals can tune into Twitter at the designated chat time to share advice and resources, weigh in on discussion topics, pose questions or concerns, and work together to advance solar awareness.

#SolarChat is held on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 2-3 p.m. ET. 

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