A sales card that arrives while the fridge is still warm can damage your name for years.
Generator play · Post-outage
Post-outage generator leads, with honest install dates and no fear tactics.
Interest in backup power peaks after a long outage, and so do the waitlists and pushy pitches. Spur lets you mail the affected streets within days, with respectful copy, a real install date, and a QR code. Owners get the facts, and you get a calm, qualified sizing.
Free forever plan · No card · 20 property searches a month
USPSFirst-Class
Rachel Doyle62 Fairhaven StPortland, ME 04103Scan when you're ready
Rachel D. scanned your post-outage card · 15 min ago
AI-written for this owner · Mailed in 2 days
7–14 daysafter power returns is the respectful window to mail
Real datesyour actual install lead time, stated on the card
~53 hrsaverage interruptions for South Carolina customers in 2024
The problem
After a storm, everyone is selling, and most of it feels wrong.
Owners sign, then find out their install date is six months away.
Broad storm ads reach whole metros, including areas that barely lost power.
How it works
From list to mailbox in one workflow.
Five steps from a major outage to a calm, honest offer.
app.usespur.com
See it in Spur
A post-outage list
A sample Portland, Maine list of homes in zips hit hard by a multi-day outage. Names are partly masked.
Zip 04103Owner-occupiedValue $350K+Built pre-2005Excludes current customers
- Rachel D.62 Fairhaven StBuilt 1961 · mature treesMulti-day outageOwned 13 yrs
- Hank & Sue O.78 Fairhaven StBuilt 1958 · oil heatMulti-day outageOwner 70
- Leila T.221 Ocean AveBuilt 1972 · home officeMulti-day outageOwned 7 yrs
- Ross M.240 Ocean AveBuilt 1969 · sump pumpMulti-day outageOwned 19 yrs
- Cara & Jim F.15 Wildwood CirBuilt 1988 · propaneMulti-day outageOwned 11 yrs
AI draft for Rachel D. · 62 Fairhaven St
Hi Rachel,
We hope you and your family came through last week's outage all right. A lot of people on Fairhaven were without power for several days, and we've been hearing about it from neighbors.
If you've started wondering about backup power, we're glad to come out, size a system for your home, and give you a written price. We'll also tell you our real install date. Right now we're scheduling about ten weeks out, and we won't raise our prices because of the storm.
If this isn't the right time, keep this card for later. Scan the code whenever you're ready.
Owen Pratt · Coastline Generator Co. · (207) 555-0193
Sample data for illustration. Your results depend on your market and filters.
Playbook
How to market generators after an outage without being opportunistic
A long outage changes how owners think about backup power. Spoiled food, a cold or hot house, a flooded basement, and days of uncertainty create real motivation. It's also a stressful moment, and owners notice who treats them with respect. The dealers who come out ahead aren't the first to pitch. They're the ones who show up with useful information once the immediate crisis is over.
Wait until the power is back. A card written during a crisis feels wrong to its reader, and delivery may be disrupted anyway. A week or two after restoration is about right. Owners have dealt with the immediate problems, the memory is still clear, and they've probably started talking with their neighbors. In a major disaster, wait longer. Anyone dealing with a damaged home, or with loss, has bigger concerns than you.
Be honest about capacity. Demand after an event can overwhelm any dealer, and permits and equipment availability can stretch further. State your real install lead time right on the card. Don't take a deposit on a date you can't meet. Saying 'we're scheduling about ten weeks out' feels risky, but owners who know the wait are more likely to stay with you than those who find out later.
Keep your pricing steady. Many states have price-gouging laws that take effect during a declared emergency, and some also restrict door-to-door or contractor solicitation after a disaster. Rules vary, so check with your state attorney general's office and your local licensing board. Even where no law applies, saying you don't raise prices after a storm is a strong, simple differentiator, and it's worth stating on the card.
Choose the affected streets. Use public outage maps and your own calls to narrow it down. The Energy Information Administration's data shows how uneven outages are: South Carolina customers averaged about 53 hours in 2024, while many states saw far less. Within a metro, one zip can be dark for days while the next is fine, so a precise list keeps your budget on the owners who really felt it.
Include safety information. After outages, portable generator accidents rise, and the CPSC warns against running a portable in a garage, basement, or anywhere enclosed. A short safety note on your website or in a letter is genuinely useful, whether or not the reader ever buys from you. Serving owners first is what makes this kind of marketing work over the long run, and what your name will be remembered for after the next one.
16×+return on a year of Spur Team and one drop from two $12,000 installs
A targeted drop after one event can pay off for years.
- Spur Team: $49/mo billed annually = $588/yr
- 900 postcards on Team at $0.94 each = $846
- Two installs at ~$12,000 each = $24,000
Example math. Demand after an event varies widely. Your capacity sets the limit. Run your own numbers →
One tool, not four
Spur vs. the usual storm advertising
What you needThe usual waySpur
Mailed to the streets that lost powerAds across the whole metro✓ Built in
Sent after power returnsRunning during the crisis✓ Built in
Your real install dates in the copy'Call now' with no timeline✓ Built in
Copy that states your steady pricingStorm surcharges✓ Built in
Drops paced to crew capacityBacklogs and unhappy customers✓ Built in
Post-Outage by the numbers
What the 2024 outage data shows
~53 hrs
average interruptions for South Carolina customers in 2024, an outlier nationally
70+
people a year die from portable generator carbon monoxide, often during outages
16×+
return on a year of Spur Team and one drop from two $12,000 installs
FAQ
Post-outage generator questions
How soon after an outage should I mail?
A week or two after power returns. Wait longer in areas with serious home damage, since those owners have more urgent concerns.
Is it ethical to market after a storm?
Yes, if you're respectful and honest. Acknowledge what happened, state real install dates, don't raise prices, and don't use fear.
Are there legal limits?
They can apply. Many states have price-gouging laws during declared emergencies, and some restrict contractor solicitation after a disaster. Check your state's rules before you mail.
How do I find the affected streets?
Use public utility outage maps and your own service calls to choose zips and neighborhoods, then filter by ownership and value in Spur.
What if I can't install for months?
Say so on the card. Offer the sizing now and a real date. Owners who know the wait are more likely to stay with you.
Keep exploring
Related plays and guides
Start in minutes. No card required.
Show up after the storm with facts, not pressure.
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