How to Easily Win Lucrative Energy Deals—A Guide for Advisors

Energy is rapidly becoming one of the most critical and complex components of business operations. Rising demand driven by AI, electrification, and sustainability mandates is reshaping how companies source and manage their energy. At the same time, volatile prices and regulatory complexities are creating costly headaches for businesses—headaches that advisors like you are uniquely positioned to solve.

While energy might be new to many advisors, it’s a natural extension of your existing portfolio, offering a significant opportunity to grow revenue, deepen customer relationships, and provide holistic technology lifecycle management.

This blog will help you understand why your customers urgently need energy expertise, explore the main challenges they face, debunk common myths that may be holding you back, and show you practical ways to start winning profitable energy deals today.

ABOUT THIS ARTICLE

This article is part of our Thrive Blog Series, offering a glimpse into the kinds of trends and insights we’ll be exploring at Thrive 2025 in Austin, August 25-27. Watch for new posts on our blog through August.

6 customer energy challenges advisors are uniquely positioned to solve

Many businesses today face urgent and complex energy challenges that directly impact their operational costs, sustainability commitments, and growth plans. As a tech advisor, your deep understanding of technology ecosystems and business operations places you in a prime position to help them overcome these obstacles—and unlock new value.

Managing cost volatility and budgeting uncertainty

Energy prices have become increasingly unpredictable, with electricity rates rising sharply in recent years and natural gas markets experiencing tight supply and growing demand. Many businesses struggle to budget effectively amid this volatility. Advisors can help customers secure stable, multi-year contracts and employ strategic procurement tactics to lock in favorable rates, providing much-needed budget certainty.

Navigating complex energy regulations and contracts

The energy sector involves a web of regional regulations, compliance requirements, and contract structures that can be daunting for businesses. Advisors’ experience managing complex service agreements and regulatory landscapes in other technology domains positions them to guide customers through this complexity confidently, ensuring compliance and optimal contract terms.

Integrating energy solutions with existing infrastructure

Many businesses seek to incorporate emerging energy technologies—like distributed solar, EV charging stations, or energy management platforms—into their current operations. Advisors’ understanding of technology ecosystems and integration challenges enables them to design comprehensive energy solutions that work seamlessly with customers’ broader tech stacks.

Meeting sustainability and decarbonization goals

With rising pressure to reduce carbon footprints, businesses are prioritizing cleaner energy sources and energy efficiency initiatives. Advisors can support these goals by recommending renewable energy options, energy efficiency upgrades, and sustainability-focused financing that align with customers’ environmental commitments.

Accessing technical expertise and tailored energy strategies

Business buyers increasingly demand specialized knowledge to evaluate and implement energy solutions effectively. Advisors’ technical expertise combined with access to energy experts and data-driven platforms can help customers tailor energy strategies that optimize costs, performance, and environmental impact.

Securing flexible financing to support energy investments

Upfront capital costs often pose barriers to adopting advanced energy technologies or efficiency measures. Advisors can assist customers in exploring financing alternatives—including energy-as-a-service models and long-term partnerships—that minimize capital expenditures while delivering operational savings.

By addressing these challenges, advisors not only solve pressing customer pain points but also position themselves as trusted strategic partners essential to evolving business needs. The energy market is complex, but with your unique skills and the right tools, you’re poised to unlock significant new revenue opportunities.

Busting myths—Selling energy isn’t the heavy lift you might expect

The energy market offers a lucrative opportunity for advisors to expand their services and build customer trust. While energy can appear complex at first glance, today’s tools, resources, and partnerships make selling energy solutions far more accessible and manageable than many realize.

Myth 1: Energy sales are too complex and technical for advisors to understand

Reality: You have access to centralized platforms and expert support that simplify pricing, contracts, and regulatory compliance. Advisors can rapidly build knowledge through targeted training and leverage automated tools that streamline the sales process—making energy sales accessible and manageable.

Myth 2: Regulatory hurdles and changing policies make energy too risky to sell

Reality: Navigating regulations and shifting policies may seem challenging, but you don’t need to be an expert in every jurisdiction. By partnering with energy specialists and using up-to-date market intelligence, you can reduce risk for your customers and deliver compliant, optimized solutions. This collaboration lets you act as a trusted guide, helping businesses confidently navigate energy complexities.

Myth 3: Entering energy sales requires a large upfront investment or specialized resources

Reality: Thanks to platforms offering instant pricing, contract management, and commission tracking, advisors can add energy offerings without costly infrastructure or extra headcount. Automation and integrated workflows enable efficient deal closing and portfolio scaling.

Myth 4: Customers don’t want to buy energy from their tech advisors

Reality: Research shows that a growing number of businesses prefer to work with a single partner managing both technology and energy needs. By demonstrating your expertise and offering tailored, cost-saving energy solutions, you naturally build deeper relationships and increase loyalty.

Myth 5: Energy sales don’t offer sustainable or recurring revenue

Reality: Energy deals often come with multi-year contracts, renewals, and ongoing advisory opportunities, creating stable, recurring revenue streams. As energy consumption evolves, continuous engagement around optimization drives recurring business and upsell potential.

With the right tools, expertise, and partnerships, selling energy becomes a natural and profitable extension of your advisory services—ready to unlock significant new revenue and growth.

The energy opportunity for advisors

The energy landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation fueled by technological innovation, rising demand, evolving regulations, and heightened sustainability priorities. For advisors, these powerful market shifts are creating one of the most lucrative opportunities to expand services and drive impactful growth.

Electricity demand is soaring with AI and electrification

The rise of artificial intelligence, expanding data centers, and widespread electrification of vehicles and machinery are driving unprecedented electricity consumption. According to Gartner®, energy demand is projected to grow by 42% by 2035. This surge puts energy procurement at the center of strategic business planning, emphasizing cost control, risk management, and sustainability.

Rapid expansion of AI data centers alone caused electricity rates to spike over 50% between 2023 and 2024. Businesses face mounting pressure to secure reliable, stable, and cost-effective energy sources that can power innovation and growth.

Rising energy prices and market volatility are driving an urgent customer need for guidance and support

Energy markets are experiencing significant price fluctuations fueled by tightening supply and growing demand. Between 2020 and 2024, average U.S. commercial electricity rates rose nearly 23%. Meanwhile, natural gas exports are surging while domestic production declines, putting further upward pressure on prices.

These volatile conditions make budgeting and controlling operational costs major challenges for businesses—opening a wide door for advisors who can offer strategic procurement and risk management solutions that provide financial predictability and resilience.

Sustainability goals are driving rapid change in energy use

Stricter emissions regulations and corporate sustainability goals are pushing companies to decarbonize faster than ever. Renewables like solar, wind, and green hydrogen are reshaping the energy mix, with commercial solar installations growing over 40% year-over-year.

Nearly 70% of businesses now express interest in long-term energy partnerships focused on cleaner, more reliable power. This shift creates fertile ground for advisors to lead businesses toward sustainable solutions aligned with environmental commitments and cost-saving objectives.

Customers are seeking integrated, flexible energy solutions

Energy buyers are moving beyond commodity purchasing toward comprehensive lifecycle management. They seek integrated services including energy efficiency, on-site generation, EV charging infrastructure, and innovative financing models like energy-as-a-service.

Advisors who can offer these portfolio solutions will position themselves as long-term trusted partners by helping customers optimize their entire energy use and investment.

Increasing energy procurement and management complexity requires trusted guidance

With the energy market diversifying rapidly, regulatory compliance and alignment with ESG standards has become more complex. Managing these evolving requirements requires expertise and up-to-date market intelligence.

Advisors who have, or have ready access to, technology knowledge and energy expertise are uniquely positioned to guide businesses through this complexity—helping them make smart, compliant, and strategic energy decisions.

Key takeaway

These converging shifts signal a clear, growing demand for energy solutions—and a prime moment for advisors to act. By leveraging your existing technology expertise and expanding into energy services, you position yourself not just as a vendor but as a critical, trusted partner in your customers’ growth and sustainability journeys.

Your roadmap to unlocking new revenue through energy sales

Adding energy solutions to your portfolio is not just about closing deals—it’s about building stronger, more valuable client partnerships that drive sustainable value and growth over time for everyone involved. Here are four key ways to boost your success in selling energy:

Take a total lifecycle management approach to solve multiple paint points

Energy is a natural extension of your existing telecom, SaaS, and technology services. Offering energy solutions allows you to expand your footprint within client organizations, increasing share of wallet and creating new revenue streams beyond your traditional offerings. This approach also enables you to provide your customers with a total lifecycle management strategy that meets all of their tech stack needs.

Position yourself as a trusted strategic partner

Helping clients manage a critical and complex part of their operations—energy—elevates your role from vendor to strategic advisor. This deeper partnership fosters loyalty and opens doors for broader consulting and technology engagements.

Leverage an energy management platform for faster deal closure

The right energy management platforms will provide instant pricing, contract automation, and e-signing, reducing sales cycles and administrative overhead. Coupled with targeted marketing assets and expert support, these tools help you close deals faster and more efficiently.

Build recurring revenue through long-term contracts and renewals

Energy deals often involve multi-year contracts with renewal opportunities, creating steady, recurring revenue streams. Continuous client engagement around energy optimization and new technology adoption drives upsell potential and strengthens your revenue base.

Actionable steps you can take now to win energy deals

Getting started in energy sales may feel daunting, but with a clear approach and the right tools, you can quickly build momentum and close lucrative deals. Here are practical steps to help you win energy business from your clients:

1. Identify target sectors and clients with pressing energy needs

Focus on industries facing high energy costs and complex requirements, such as manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, and transportation. These sectors show strong demand for energy optimization, sustainable alternatives, and flexible procurement solutions.

2. Use discovery questions to uncover energy pain points

Engage clients by asking about how they manage rising energy costs, their sustainability initiatives, regulatory challenges, and interest in new technologies. Tailor your conversations to reveal opportunities for energy solutions aligned with their goals.

3. Partner with energy experts and use advanced platforms

Make use of expert resources and platforms like the Broker Online Exchange (BOX) My Service Cloud to access pricing, create instant proposals, manage contracts, and accelerate the sales cycle. This support reduces your workload and improves client confidence.

4.Start small, measure results, and scale

Pilot energy offerings with select clients to gain experience and success stories. Track savings, efficiency gains, and other KPIs to showcase value. Use positive outcomes to expand your energy portfolio and grow your business steadily.

Launching your energy sales journey is a strategic move that can significantly enhance your revenue and client relationships. With these practical steps and your unique advisor skills, you’re well positioned to capture this lucrative market.

Get more winning strategies for selling energy from advisors, live at Thrive 2025

If you want to hear success stories from advisors who are winning solid energy deals, the place to be is Thrive in Austin, August 25-27, for the session How to easily win lucrative energy deals. A panel of advisors will share how they’re leveraging AppDirect’s diverse energy portfolio, tools, and expertise to win lucrative energy deals.

Discover more trends and best practices at Thrive 2025, August 25-27 in Austin. Register today and check out the many other available sessions and panels.