If you work in the home performance industry as an insulation contractor, weatherization professional, or HVAC technician, you’ve probably come across the BPI acronym at one point or another – either in job descriptions, meeting colleagues, or as a requirement for a utility rebate program. In fact, you’re probably competing for work with BPI Certified Professionals.

The Building Performance Institute (BPI) is the standard-body, or leading authority, organization for home performance certification. BPI offers several home energy auditor designations. Home energy professionals pursue BPI Certification to better their understanding of home energy efficiency and the “house-as-a-system” but also use their professional designation to stand out from competitors and establish trust with customers.

For more information about BPI Certification in general, visit our New to BPI? Start Here overview series.

Whether you are new to BPI or have some familiarity with the certification program, there remains to be an unavoidable question among homeowners (i.e., a BPI professional’s primary client!).

Homeowners don’t know what BPI is.

And it’s not their job to know that. All a homeowner cares about is that their energy bills are reasonable, that they feel comfortable inside their home, and that they are hiring a credible professional to perform the work for which they are being paid.

As a BPI-certified professional, it’s YOUR job to convey why your certification matters and what benefit it offers your customer.

Oftentimes, this description can be relayed through an elevator pitch, which is a quick way to easily explain yourself/your services to prospective clients. BPI was kind enough to supply a sample elevator pitch for its BPI-certified professionals to use.

Here’s how to describe your services as a BPI-certified professional.

When you first a customer, and they ask, “What exactly do you do?” you can start with this introduction:

“You know how you see a specialist doctor for complex health issues? Well, I’m a specialist for your home’s issues.”

If they want to hear more, then you can into the ~28 second elevator pitch:

“I am a building specialist certified by the Building Performance Institute. I assess and solve problems that affect the comfort, health, and safety of your home. First, I will listen to the concerns you have with your home. Then, I will look for the causes of the problems. I’ll complete an energy audit/[other service] and do diagnostic tests using various tools I have. I will then provide you with a prioritized action plan for my findings. These recommended improvements should help resolve your home’s issues.”

What’s great about this elevator pitch is…

That it conveys your services using non-technical language. This enables the homeowner to get a clear idea of what you do, why you do it, how you do it, and how it will benefit them. Isn’t that great? A simple and concise way of advertising yourself without causing a homeowner’s eyes to glaze over in confusion.

This elevator pitch is free to use for all BPI-certified professionals!

If you’re not yet BPI certified, start by taking an Everblue BPI Training course. We offer online and live training packages – complete with certification exams. We also provide bundling options so you can work toward three BPI Certifications in the same week! It’s the fastest way to get BPI Certified, and then you can use BPI’s elevator pitch to market your newfound skills!

For more information about BPI Certification, give us a call at (800) 460-2575.