Marketing and advertising are key components in the success of any business, and the HVAC industry is no exception. With the right strategies, you can reach new customers and increase your sales.
Many contractors don’t go beyond traditional HVAC advertising ideas like prints, TV, and billboards, unaware of their potential clients’ shift toward online platforms. Researchers found that 76% of consumers today look for a company’s online presence before visiting in person.
And why is that? Because online marketing and advertising are the new normal! Any company that doesn’t want to fade into oblivion has to follow suit!
Which online HVAC advertising ideas are most suitable for your business? You’ll find out below, as we’ve highlighted the six best HVAC advertising ideas that put you ahead of your competitors. Let’s go!
#1. Use Reviews to Gain Trust
Like with any other industry, trust comes to play when people search for a new HVAC company. And what better way is there to prove trust than by looking up a company’s reviews and seeing what others have said about them? Of course, honest reviews might not be all positive, but the not-so-good ones prove your genuineness.
The trick is to respond positively to every one of them, which shows concern for your customers’ satisfaction. Especially now (post-covid), more people search online and evaluate businesses with their Google reviews before contacting them.
The stats for consumers checking reviews in 2021 soared to 81% and 87% in 2022! And you can be sure reviews are something to appreciate.
Also, while Google remains the first action point for reviews (the most trusted), you’ll benefit from spreading your wings across the board to other popular sites like:
- Facebook,
- Yelp, and
- Better Business Bureau.
Sounds like work, right? Well, you’d be correct. But it’s work that pays off well because of the undeniable reassurance reviews bring to your potential clients.
#2. Get Ahead With Local Paid Ads
When potential clients do a Google search like “HVAC business near me,” does your website pop up as part of the first three results? If not, you’re missing out on getting heavy traffic to your website.
Making your website rank organically is great, but it takes time and could be more encouraging for a new business. You can quickly get ahead of all the organic competition by using Google Local Service Ads. Although it’s paid, you’ll show up on top of the list, which matters more than the payment you made for it.
Interestingly, you can also target your ads by location, which is excellent because commercial HVAC companies work locally. So you want to do some research, then target your ads by location and keywords towards customers in your current area of operation and other places you’ve found to have similar potential for new customers.
You can even target your competitors’ locations if you think your HVAC advertising strategy is good enough to win them over to your side.
#3. Localized Social Media is Underrated
If HVAC company owners know that over 74% of consumers make their purchase decisions with social media, their attitude toward social media marketing will change that day.
Because the surprisingly low 26% of HVAC business owners think social media is worth leveraging, this marketing strategy remains an unmatched advantage to those few wise ones.
Social media does a lot for your HVAC advertising, but here are a few you should keep in mind:
- It establishes your brand in consumers’ minds (brand awareness)
- You can release educative or entertaining industry-related content
- Engage your current and potential customers
- Publicize your location
- Build your brand’s authority by engaging with other local HVAC businesses.
It’s best always to indicate your current and potential location in your social media posts to notify residents of those areas of your presence.
Have someone reply to social media comments and direct messages.
Whether it’s Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram, people will always appreciate a responsive business social media handle. Many of your leads won’t go the official website route when they can easily ask questions beneath your YouTube post.
So employing a stand-by responder to these messages is crucial if you’d retain such leads. A social media manager can also protect your business from inevitable negative reviews. They can address client concerns quickly, serving as damage control and showing respect for customer satisfaction.
Post helpful content
Social media is also your perfect opportunity to showcase your company’s expertise in the commercial HVAC industry. If all you do is company promotion and marketing, you won’t stand out from the crowd of advertisers on social media.
Value is what stands a business out. You can post about what to watch out for in maintaining an air-conditioner or how to spot problems with an HVAC system. Consistent creative, innovative, and educative content cannot but keep you on top of your HVAC advertising game.
#4. “Any” Website Design Won’t do
No, a general, unintentional website won’t cut it for an HVAC-specialized company. Since you’ll direct users to your website, it’s central to your HVAC marketing; and any slackness will tell on your business. Here are a few details that make for an efficient HVAC website:
Top-notch Design
Your website’s color, font, responsiveness, and overall feel are the first ambassadors of your brand. Consistent color combination with proper content arrangement speaks impressively of your company to a visitor without contacting you yet.
Mobile-friendliness
Study shows that in 2022, a whopping 93% of Canadian users browsed the internet with their mobile devices, and you can be sure there’s no turning back on this. You should optimize your website for phones and tablets as it’s for laptops and desktops.
People don’t waste time searching for a form to complete or a phone number on a website. They leave immediately if they can’t find these details upfront, click a button or wait for some reason, which will affect your Google ranking.
Google prefers websites with lower bounce rates (the rate at which a visitor “bounces” off the website).
Optimized for Search Engines
As mentioned earlier, top-notch website design is vital, but it’s useless if no one can find it. SEO is that HVAC advertising idea that makes your website “findable” to browsers surfing the net.
HVAC SEO involves optimizing a website’s off-page and on-page details, ensuring it jumps out when someone searches for anything related to its content. With a team of experienced SEO professionals, Hook Agency can help you out with your SEO needs.
Be Transparent With Prices
With the above factors in place, pricing is another deciding factor for users. Customers are more likely to patronize a website with its services and pricing upfront than those without.
Hence, your HVAC advertising strategy should include easily purchasable pricing plans placed upfront on your website.
#5. Nurture Your Leads With Email Marketing
For every $1 invested, email marketing has been proven to give an ROI of up to $44. Specifically, HVAC email marketing includes nurturing existing relationships as well as it means winning new leads.
Email marketing is one HVAC advertising idea that helps you achieve both simultaneously and effortlessly. And growing an email list is easy, as all you need is your clients’ email addresses.
The fastest way to do this is using a request form on your website in which they can sign-up in exchange for some value you’d give them. It could be a 10-minute free consultation, an HVAC how-to guide, or any other idea you have.
On submitting their details, they can start receiving your emails, many of which also contain the following:
- Company updates,
- Exclusive and informative HVAC-related content,
- Giveaways and referral discount opportunities,
- Links to published blog or video content,
- And more.
Categorize Your Email List
Segment your list to provide specialized content to different people based on your past interaction with them; and straight to their inboxes! For instance, if you helped a client with ventilation, you can follow them up with ventilation-related email content.
Another helpful idea is to send out a monthly newsletter to update all your leads on the current happenings in your company. You’ll build an engaged community of new leads and established clients. Finally, building an email subscriber list isn’t a day’s job, so be patient enough to reap your profits in the long haul.
#6. Prioritize Unmatched Customer Service
Lastly, the adage, “A good name is better than silver and gold,” still stands true today. Every marketing strategy discussed here amounts to nothing if people can’t trust your brand name for excellent customer service.
Actually, the “big fish” clients won’t come by Google ads or social media marketing but by word-of-mouth referrals. And even when you don’t request them, satisfying customer service always precedes referrals.
So when next you’re on your drawing table, don’t forget to remind the team to respond quickly to calls and emails, relate politely to customers, and leave every client with a smile.
Your business growth and reputation are hinged on good customer service, which no other marketing strategy can do for you.
Final Thoughts
Your HVAC business must hit every required mark to compete successfully and thrive in today’s online world. Online reviews, Google paid ads, and localized social media are a few HVAC advertising ideas for achieving more units.
Furthermore, the need for an undeniably attractive website with an option for engaging in email marketing cannot be over-emphasized. Above all, treating your customers like royalty will make for your speedy growth as an HVAC company.
Are you interested in HVAC marketing to help you sell more units? Hook Agency specializes in HVAC online marketing. Reach out to us today!
