Marketing is one of the most essential tools for business success. An effective strategy can help you attract the right customers and increase sales. Take a look at this HVAC marketing guide for tips to help you create your plan.
1. Create a Great Website
Creating a valuable website for your target market is essential for growing your business. It should include your products, services, and other company information, but it should go beyond that. It should also provide valuable and useful content that your customers search for. This will not only help your customers find you but also trust you. Some examples include:
- Signs your HVAC needs service
- Winterizing your HVAC unit
- Spring cleaning tips (which can include having your HVAC cleaned)
- Benefits of cleaning your HVAC unit
All of these examples are related to questions your customers are probably asking. When they search for the answer, your blog post should appear in the results along with your contact information. You can also blog about any new products or services as you acquire them and the benefits of each.
Optimize for Mobile Devices
It is also important to make sure your website is optimized for mobile. At least 60% of online searches are completed on cell phones. If your site is not optimized for mobile search, your visitors will move onto one that is.
Optimize for Local SEO
Your HVAC company’s success revolves around customers in and around your area. Optimizing your marketing with local SEO is the easiest and most organic way to do this. The following tips can help you achieve this:
Add contact information. When creating your website, be sure to add your business contact information. Include the name, address, and phone number on each page so that search engines can categorize your business in local directories.
Personalize content. When creating HVAC advertising content for your website or social media posts, make it relative to your location. Try to add in the names of local places and your city or town. For example, you might create a blog post titled “X Ways to Keep Cool This Summer.” One or more of the items on your list could relate to your area, such as a water park. You can conclude your post with an explanation of your services as well as your city and state. This helps search engines determine your location and list you in local SEO directories.
Build links. Link building is an important part of any marketing plan, but local link building can take things a step further. Link your content with other local sites, such as newspapers or other publications. This step can be very beneficial in local SEO.
2. Leverage Current Online Platforms
In addition to creating your website, you can take advantage of what is already available. There are many popular websites that businesses can claim a listing on:
- Google My Business
- HomeAdvisor
- Yelp
- Angie’s List
- Foursquare
- YP.com
- Bing
- Better Business Bureau
3. Give Back
Charitable projects and contributions do a lot of good for a lot of people: those in need, the entire community, and your business. You can sponsor a local sports team, charity race, or donate goods and services to community causes. Giving back builds your reputation in your community. It also increases the chance that your business will be mentioned in a local publication, getting your name out in your community.
4. Social Media Marketing
Social media is a must among HVAC marketing strategies. Social media platforms allow companies to show a human side, build a good reputation, communicate with current and potential clients, and so much more. Some common uses of social media that can work well in the HVAC industry include:
- Relatable and humorous memes
- Links to your blog posts
- Videos to provide educational content
- Friendly reminders to schedule HVAC service
You do not need an account on every social media platform to reap the benefits. Always remember that quality is much more important than quantity. Try choosing two or three platforms and commit to those. If you have multiple team members, you might consider splitting the work to ensure your accounts are managed optimally.
5. Utilize Email Marketing
Email marketing is a leading tool, and it is great for HVAC online marketing strategies. While results vary, email marketing earns an average of $40 for each $1 spent on a campaign.
When creating your email marketing campaign, use the following tips:
Make it personal. Include the recipient’s name in the subject line to get their attention and make them feel more valued.
Include an offer. Send out promo codes, free gifts, discounts, and more to incite action.
Don’t flood their inboxes. Nobody likes an inbox full of spammy emails. Send relevant content at a reasonable frequency.
Segment your list. Break your email list down into categories and then send relevant content to each. For instance, you could sort recipients by their location, occupation, sign-up date, or services they receive. This can help ensure that you send out relatable and targeted emails, increasing the chances of success for your email marketing campaign.
6. Try Direct Mail Campaigns
Digital marketing is an effective marketing tool. However, since most businesses use it, it can be difficult to stand out in the crowd. Adding direct mail campaigns to your marketing strategy can help combat this.
When you send direct mail, your potential customers have your offer in their hands. It is often more difficult to ignore something you are holding than something you see on a screen, meaning you have their attention for a moment.
The next step is to keep that attention. Add catchy titles and slogans, relatable phrases, or some type of coupon or incentive to the mail piece for the best results.
7. Don’t Overlook Door-to-Door Sales
Sometimes, only face-to-face contact can create the best results. Knocking on people’s doors may seem old-fashioned but it works well. The following are just a few reasons it can be successful:
- Most potential customers appreciate the personal touch — the smiles, the eye contact, the conversation.
- It helps customers feel more comfortable with you by putting a face to the company name.
- It builds trust and rapport.
- You get to ask questions that give you more insight into your target market.
- Your customers are more engaged, leading to a better chance of sales.
- You stand out among the competition.
If you’re hesitant to try out this tactic, here are some tips for door-to-door sales success:
- Aim for getting to know your potential customers and fulfilling their needs — not getting sales.
- Have an ID and something with a company logo on it so that people know you are who you say you are.
- Don’t be too pushy. Let them know you offer excellent HVAC servicing. If they say they need to think about it, ask if they have any questions or suggestions for services. You can check back in with them on a different day.
8. Ask for Reviews
Potential customers want to hire an HVAC company they can trust to get the job done. If they have never worked with you before, customer reviews are the best way for them to determine if they should hire you.
Be sure that you provide quality service to every customer. After completing a job, ask your customers for reviews. They can do this through Google or other online platforms. You can also ask them to submit a review to publish on your website. The more good reviews you have, the better chance you will become the go-to HVAC solution in your area.
9. Send Service Reminders
Send out text reminders to encourage your customers to schedule regular service. Also consider sending seasonal reminders to previous customers as it may inspire them to restart HVAC services with your company.
10. Use a Calling Service
It is imperative that you answer calls from clients — especially after you have worked so hard to get their attention. Whether they are calling to start services or continue current services, missed calls can lead to missed business. If you do not answer or return their call promptly, you risk losing them to the first competitor that does.
Don’t take any chances. Leverage the power of Slingshot for your company. The Slingshot team can answer your calls 24/7 on any communication channel, dispatch a technician for emergencies, sell your services, and much more. Call or reach out online today for a demo.
