HOW TO:

HOST A VIRTUAL LOCAL SOLAR TOUR

TABLE OF CONTENTS:How to register your Local Solar Tour..................................................1How to recruit people to join your Local Solar Tour..................1How to film a virtual Solar Tour..................................................................1How to livestream your Solar Tour.........................................................2How to shoot a photo Solar Tour.............................................................3How to to sign up Open Houses...............................................................3How to promote your Local Solar Tour...............................................4Social media graphics.......................................................................................5Social media captions.......................................................................................6Local Solar Tour fill-in flyer...........................................................................7National Solar Tour flyer.................................................................................8

HOW TO:

HOST A VIRTUAL LOCAL SOLAR TOUR

You do not have to have showcase your own house or business to host a Local Solar Tour

Ask your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues and others who have gone solar to host their home,business, religious institution, etc. on your Local Solar Tour!Engage your neighbors by posting on community listservs, bulletin boards, and social media

Film a selfie video - keep it simple and easy!Consider asking a spouse, housemate, or your children to help be videographer for you, that way youcan focus on sharing your story in front of the camera.

CHOOSE A GOOD BACKGROUND: If you or your videographer can get you and your solar panels in theshot that is ideal. If you can’t make that shot work, include your electric vehicle, the inverter, an electricbill in your hand, or another green feature in your house. Otherwise, a nice shot of you in front of yourhouse is great!LIGHT IT UP: Try shooting outside on a sunny day for the best lighting. If you are shooting inside, it’salways best to turn on all the lights! Move close to a window or light source and make sure the light isfacing you and not behind you.SAY CHEESE: Make sure to smile. Feel free to include any friendly family and pet faces at home

CONSIDER NOISE: If you choose to film your video outside, make sure to keep noise level in mind– suchas traffic and construction. Try to reduce noise other than your voice as much as possible. You may needto do a few takes if you have any interruptions.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL: Keep the distance between you and your videographer pretty close tomake sure you can be well heard during your video.GO SIDEWAYS: Video is normally seen in horizontal (landscape) instead of vertical (portrait). So

REMINDER: Be sure to elevate the camera to eye level (put laptop on pile of books or something else ifneeded) and look in the camera rather than at your computer or phone screen. If filming outside holdyour phone up to eye level as though you were having a conversation with a person.

The typical format for a virtual tour is to record an introduction and talk about your solar story and thentake the audience on a tour to show off your solar system! Feel free to customize it to what works foryou! You can see an example Virtual Solar Tour here!

REGISTER YOUR LOCAL SOLAR TOUR:nationalsolartour.org/host-a-local-tour

RECRUIT PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY TO JOIN A LOCAL SOLAR TOUR

SHARE HOW TO FILM A VIRTUAL SOLAR TOUR WITH YOUR HOSTS: WAYS TO FILM A VIRTUAL SOLAR TOUR:

SETTING UP THE SHOT:

with you.

If you have a set of headphones that have a microphone attached use it! The sound will be much better,particularly if you’re outside. If you don’t have a microphone, don’t worry, the built-in microphone on yourphone works just fine.

unlike selfie photos you take, go ahead and turn your phone so your video is being shot inlandscape mode.

WHAT TO SAY IN YOUR VIRTUAL SOLAR TOUR:

Be sure to start off your video with your name, where you are located, and when/why you

“My name is (name), I am located in (location). Welcome to the virtual tour of my solar

What else to share in your video:How many kilowatts your system is or how many kilowatt hours your system

Why you decided to go solarWhat was the process like going solarWhat your experience with the co-op was like (if applicable)Why you would encourage other people to go solarWhat you wish you knew before that you now know about solar

Some ideas of what to include on your solar tour, feel free to customize as you see fit:Solar ArrayInverterElectricity BillAny other sustainability features at your home - for example, EV's, battery storage, composting,geothermal, grey water system, gardens, green building materials, etc.Your family, pets, yard, scenery etc. - make it personal to you and your home solar system!

KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET: Your video should ideally be no longer than 5 minutes but can be as shortas 30 seconds. Keeping your video within this length will make it more likely that viewers will watch it all.PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Practice what you are going to say in your video a few times before startingto record. You can also record a few takes and choose which one you like best!

Here are some other ideas to take your video to the next level!Do you have an electric vehicle? Show off your solar powered ride. Give folks a quick tour of yourcharging station and walk through how your electric vehicle works!Let your kids tell the story of how you went solarInclude your pets in the movieDrone videos are a great addition if you have access to that technologyDownload our National Solar Tour Sign for your family to use in a video or make your own “We WentSolar” sign!

Go live on Facebook Live or Instagram Live to let your friends and neighbors tune in and engage with youin real time about your solar system. If you decide to go live, please let us know on your Local Solar Tour or Open House form. We will reachout to you to find out when you plan on going live and to help you with your event! We will add your livestream to our events calendar and post the link to your Tour when you go live!Learn how to use Facebook Live and Instagram Live.Once you are done going live, save your video (by clicking the box in the bottom left corner) and thenupload your video to your Tour Webpage for people who missed it to watch!

went solar

(home, school, nonprofit, business). I/we went solar because (fill in with your solar story)”.

produces each month

WHAT TO HIGHLIGHT ON YOUR VIRTUAL SOLAR TOUR:

TIPS FOR YOUR VIRTUAL SOLAR TOUR:

WANT TO GET MORE CREATIVE?

LIVESTREAM PARTS OR ALL OF YOUR TOUR:GO LIVE!

Print out a National Solar Tour sign to use in your photosTake some selfies - keep it simple and easy!Consider asking your spouse, child, or neighbor to help by being your photographer, that way you can bein some of the photos.Try to take a few different shots of each part of your system.

CHOOSE A GOOD BACKGROUND: If you can get photos of yourself with your system in the backgroundthat is ideal. If you can’t see the panels from the ground, you can take a photo of yourself in front of

LIGHT IT UP: Try shooting outside on a sunny day for the best lighting. If you are shooting inside, it’salways best to turn on all the lights! Move close to a window or light source and make sure the light isfacing you and not behind you.SAY CHEESE: Make sure to smile. Feel free to include any friendly family and pet faces at home with you.

Some ideas of what to include on your solar tour, feel free to customize to your family, business,

Solar arrayInverterElectricity billElectricity production dataAny other sustainability features at your home - for example, electric vehicle, battery storage,compost, geothermal, etc. Your family, children, people working, pets, etc. - make it personal to you and your solar system!

Either you or your Open House Hosts can do these steps:Once you have created your video or photo tour, sign up your open house:nationalsolartour.org/host-an-open-house

Choose whether you are signing up a video or photo tourUpload your video or photos - if you are going to live stream your tour, you do not have to uploada video

Fill out the short form - Make sure to say "yes" to the question "Are you a part of a local solar tour?"and fill in the space with your Local Solar Tour name

Repeat this step for all Open Houses on your Tour!

HOW TO SHOOT A PHOTO SOLAR TOUR:WAYS TO SHOOT YOUR PHOTO SOLAR TOUR:

SETTING UP THE SHOTS:

your house.

WHAT TO HIGHLIGHT ON YOUR PHOTO SOLAR TOUR:

school, etc:

SIGN UP ALL OPEN HOUSES ON YOUR TOUR:

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS - Use the social media graphics and captions below to let your social networks(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linked In, Nextdoor) about your Local Solar Tour. You can also make yourown graphics using Canva.com, BeFunky.com, Adobe, etc. or email solartour@ases.org for us to help youmake one.FLYERS - Post flyers showcasing your tour around town- at local coffee shops, shopping centers,bulletin boards, etc. Again, you can use the flyers provided below or make your own flyers on differentonline graphic makers like Canva, BeFunky, Adobe, etc. or email solartour@ases.org for us to help youmake one.CREATE AN E-BROCHURE TO HELP EDUCATE ATTENDEES - E-brochures can be posted on your TourWebpage

Add home specsAdd a list of resources: designers, builders, suppliers, retailers Include money & energy saved

BE INVOLVED:On your Local Solar Tour sign up form, choose to have your email listed on your Local Solar TourWebpage. This will allow attendees to contact you with any questions they may have. Encourageyour Open House hosts to list their emails as well when filling out their Open House forms.

These social media graphics and more are available in PDF on the Local Tour Resources page

PROMOTE YOUR VIRTUAL TOUR:

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS:

FACEBOOK: The 2020 all-virtual National Solar Tour brought to you by @americansolarenergysocietyand @solarunitedneighbors is right around the corner. This event is the largest grassroots solar,renewable energy and sustainable living event in the nation. The Tour occurs September 28th - October4th showing a virtual collection of solar Open Houses and Local Solar Tours around the country. Thisweek will also have interactive programing featuring schools, businesses, electric vehicles, and morestarting September 28th.

TWITTER: The 2020 all-virtual National Solar Tour brought to you by @ASES_Solar and @SolarNeighborsis coming up on September 28th - October 4th. Learn more about programing, Local Solar Tours, OpenHouses or RSVP today at nationalsolartour.org #NationalSolarTour #SolarTour2020 #Solar

INSTAGRAM: The 2020 all-virtual National Solar Tour brought to you by @ASES_Solar and@SolarNeighbors is right around the corner on September 28th - October 4th. Find out more about theweek-long virtual programming, Local Solar Tours and Open Houses or to RSVP today at nationalsolartour.org #NationalSolarTour #SolarTour2020 #Solar

LINKEDIN: The 2020 all-virtual National Solar Tour brought to you by @americansolarenergysociety and@solarunitedneighbors is right around the corner. This event is the largest grassroots solar, renewableenergy and sustainable living event in the nation. The Tour occurs September 28th - October 4th,showing a virtual collection of solar and sustainable Open Houses and Local Solar Tours around thecountry. The Tour will also have week-long virtual events featuring schools, businesses, electric vehicles,and more starting September 28th.

ONLINE NEWSLETTER: The 2020 all-virtual National Solar Tour brought to you by the American SolarEnergy Society and Solar United Neighbors is right around the corner. This event is the largest grassrootssolar, renewable energy and sustainable living event in the nation. The National Solar Tour will occurSeptember 28th - October 4th, showing a virtual collection of solar Open Houses and Local Solar Toursaround the country. The Tour will also have week-long virtual events featuring schools, businesses,electric vehicles, and more starting September 28th. Find out more about the week-long virtual events,Local Solar Tours, Open Houses or to RSVP today! nationalsolartour.org

Facebook: @americansolarenergysociety & @solarunitedneighbors   Instagram: @ases_solar & @solarunitedneighbors   Twitter: @ASES_Solar & @SolarNeighbors  LinkedIn: @American Solar Energy Society & @Solar United Neighbors

SOCIAL MEDIA CAPTIONS:

Find out more about the week-long virtual events, Local Solar Tours and Open Houses, or to set up yourown Local Solar Tour or Open House today! nationalsolartour.org #NationalSolarTour #SolarTour2020

Find out more about the week-long virtual events, Local Solar Tours, Open Houses or to RSVP atnationalsolartour.org. #NationalSolarTour #SolarTour2020 # SolarMovement

BE SURE TO TAG ASES & SUN SO WE CAN SHARE YOUR POSTS

This Fill-in Tour Flyer and more is available in PDF on the Local Tour Resources page.FILL-IN TOUR FLYER:

This Tour Flyer and more is available in PDF on the Local Tour Resources pageTOUR FLYER:

Thank you for creating a virtual Local Solar Tour and contributing to the25th Annual National Solar Tour!

If you have any questions or need support, feel free to reach out toNarelle Kipple, Tour Co-Director, at solartour@ases.org.

The National Solar Tour Team will create custom webpages for each Local TourThe webpage will look similar to this:

TOUR WEBSITE: