How to Market and Grow Your HVAC Business

Updated December 13, 2019 and September 2021

Today, over 100,000 HVAC businesses in the United States compete for a piece of the $81.1 billion/year industry. And, With more than 72 million homes in the United States with a central HVAC unit, how can your HVAC business stand out above the rest in such a competitive industry?

A couple of key tactics to help make your phone ring are...

• Put your website to work
• Localize yourself
• Voice Search
• Paid Search/PPC
• Turn needs into leads with seasonal deals
• Implement a referral program
• How complimentary services can uncover new opportunities
• Turn needs into leads with seasonal deals
• 8-10 year-long marketing tactics that work

Put Your Website to Work For You

There are 8 simple yet critical elements that every HVAC business website MUST follow to be successful in attracting new customers:

1. A relevant domain name. If the domain name you want to use is already registered to someone else, it’s okay to create something similar or play around with the wording a bit. At the end of the day, the most effective domain names are the ones that are easiest to remember!
2. An easy-to-navigate homepage. Visitors should be able to quickly scan your website’s Home page to find the information they are looking for. The key here is to think about WHAT your customers are looking for- Emergency or After Hours Service. Do you service boilers as well as forced air systems? What areas (cities, boroughs, or counties) does your company service?
3. Current contact information. Your address, phone number, email, and links to your social media accounts should all be current. However, be sure to emphasize the best way for your customers to reach you! At the end of the day, they are most likely to work with a company that is quick to respond.
4. A solid company description. People who have never worked with you need to know WHO you are, WHAT services you provide, and WHY you’re a better choice than your competitors. Remember, your prospects are looking for someone they can trust, so it’s important to explain WHY they should trust YOU! Keep in mind that you have less than two seconds to make a great first impression (online)!
5. A Call-to-Action (CTA) and Lead Form. Assuming you’ve provided all the key information your customers are looking for (and made it easy for them to find it!), the next logical step is to tell your visitors exactly what you want them to do. For example, an effective CTA for an HVAC-related lead form is: ‘Request a FREE Repair or New Installation Estimate!”
6. A Testimonial / Reviews Page. This allows prospects to see what other customers have to say about their experience working with you. However, don’t be afraid to showcase mediocre or less-than-stellar reviews. In the event a customer leaves an unpleasant review, be sure to respond to it, acknowledge their feelings, and offer an opportunity for them to contact you so you have an opportunity to make things right. No one is perfect, and being honest and transparent is much more authentic, relatable, and trustworthy.
7. Fresh content. Keep your HVAC website updated with fresh and unique content. The search engines are more likely to rank a site with regularly updated content than those with stagnant content that hasn’t been touched in a while, as they deem it as having greater value to those searching for the services you provide. This is where ‘blogging’ can add immense value to your website and business (we’ll touch more on this later).
8. Search Engine Optimization (SEO). In order for potential customers to find you when searching online, it is imperative that your website and Google My Business (GMB) listing be properly optimized. The important thing to remember here is that SEO is NOT a set-it-and-forget-it tactic. Search engines are constantly evolving, and the factors they assess to determine a given site’s rank in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are always changing. Add to that the number of existing and new competitors all adjusting their SEO strategies on a daily basis, and you can quickly see how and why SEO is a critical and ongoing tactic.

Pay close attention to the last element! It used to be that when people wanted to hire an HVAC professional, they opened up a big fat phone book and scanned the yellow pages for a heating and cooling company they’d seen advertised in a commercial or local newspaper. Some even asked their friends and neighbors for a recommendation. But one thing is for sure - they definitely didn’t pull out their smartphone and search for “heating repair in West Bloomfield, MI”!

RELATED READING: 4 Proven Reasons Blogging Will Grow Your HVAC Business

Today’s digital world is a totally different culture than it was even 10 years ago. If your HVAC business isn’t online, you’re already losing customers to your competition. But if you are online, your website MUST be up-to-date with the latest SEO tactics and HVAC digital marketing best practices to ensure your business is visible to those searching for your services.

How does your website compare?

Localize Yourself

More than 70% of consumer searches on the Internet are for local businesses, so you want to make sure your HVAC website is easily found. So aside from having a great, user-friendly website that is properly optimized for search engines, it’s important you also list your business in all the local search directories you can. Some are free, and some require a subscription. We recommend taking advantage of all the free listings you can before investing in any paid directory listings.

Many of your customers often use directories like Home Advisor and Angie’s List to find local, credible HVAC businesses in the area. While those are typically paid directories, other options you can get listed on that we recommend include:

With every business listing you set up, make sure you have a plan to monitor it. When you receive positive feedback, send that customer a quick “Thank you” reply! If you receive an unfavorable review (it happens, so don’t stress too much over it), respond to it promptly. This demonstrates your genuine concern for the customer’s issue and willingness to work towards a solution. 

Google Alerts

How do you monitor your online reputation and run an HVAC company at the same time? Easy! And it can be done for free through Google Alerts.

Google Alerts is one of the most convenient and easy-to-step-up tools to monitor your brand’s reputation. Simply go to google.com/alerts and fill out the search form with your company name. You can filter what type of media results you would like, how often you would like to be updated with your results, and so on. Now every time your brand is mentioned online, Google will send you an alert.

Google Map Listing

The most important of all your online business and directory listings is Google My Business (Google Map listing). According to research conducted by Google and research company Ipsos Media, consumers are 38% more likely to visit and 29% more likely to purchase products or services from businesses with a complete Google Maps listing.

A Google Maps listing makes it easy for customers to gain quick and relevant information about your business, such as where you’re located, when you’re open for business, and a phone number or email address where they can reach you. A well-optimized GMB listing also displays any reviews your customers have posted for you and a ‘star’ rating to indicate how well your customers rated their experience with you.

You can even link your Google Maps listing to your Google+ page. Google rewards businesses that actively manage their Google Maps and Google+ pages, so by adding new content regularly, you can boost the ranking power of your listing.

https://www.gybo.com/downloads/search-listing-research.pdf

How Voice Search Will Impact HVAC Companies

A recent survey by Search Engine Land of self-proclaimed tech-savvy individuals between 13 and 65+ years of age showed that a whopping 70% of respondents use voice search.

Whether you have a tabletop VA like Alexa doesn’t matter, the mobile device in your hand right now is at your service. Some occasional frustrations are reported, but overall, voice search is easy, and it’s definitely on the rise.

According to John Mueller at Google, for the near future, no special adjustments to websites are required to be more voice friendly, just the continued focus on making content information useful and easy to access.

You must make it your business to stay current by doing your best to understand search engine algorithms so you can stay in front of your competition. The obvious first step is to build your HVAC website in a way that it rises to the top of searches.

No Fingers or Keyboards are Needed. Just Start Talking.

When a potential customer in your area needs HVAC services, you want to be their first choice. Your business has to be simple to find and easy to contact. With the vast increase of persons using voice search, when someone says to Google or Siri, “I need air conditioning repair near me,” how do you land at the top of search results? The person needing the A/C repair will be directed to HVAC companies within their current location that has the best-organized content on their websites, with the most up-to-date listings and relevant information.

Monitoring the internet to claim and manage critical listings belonging to your organization is an important part of running your business today. It is vital for your business to stay current with search engines, maps, GPS, and business directories. It is as much your address as your physical structure, and of course, you want it to be its best!

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/near-me-searches/

Paid Search Ads/PPC: What HVAC Companies Need to Know

First, you don’t pay for a lead unless it converts (a person clicks on your page or contacts you).

The second thing to know is that HVAC PPC marketing delivers results by targeting people in your immediate area who are looking for your service (the lead is already qualified).

The third thing to do is develop PPC Ads targeting your area and converting leads. Many people don’t understand Google Ads or say they aren’t getting results or the results are poor. Most frustrating is they are not able to measure ROI and feel the effort and investment are a waste.

It is worth the time to understand Paid Search Ads, aka PPC, or consult with someone who does. You should be able to see ROI and measurable results and know that your ad money isn’t wasted. It takes some effort, but your business needs it to thrive in a highly competitive online world.

Turn Needs into Leads with Seasonal Deals

Promoting seasonal services and specials can generate more sales for the following season.

For example, during the fall months, HVAC businesses have a big opportunity to build their brand and gain more furnace repair and installation clients. As winter approaches, the need for heating maintenance starts, and all you have to do is create the right paid search campaign to turn those needs into leads!

You can also promote your seasonal deals on your website or social media pages to get your prospects’ attention. This can be a discount on a furnace tune-up before the winter cold settles in, or an AC precision tune-up before the summer heat comes.

https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6224841?hl=en

Implement a Referral Program

It’s no secret that word-of-mouth advertising can help promote your business at a fraction of the cost of paid marketing. However, most businesses don’t know how to motivate their customers to become ‘brand advocates' and ultimately refer more business to you.

The reality is that most people need an incentive to do something they wouldn’t otherwise normally do. Consider offering your past and current clients a referral credit, such as a $25-$50 gift card for anyone they refer to you (that becomes a new customer!). You can even offer discounts - not just to the customer who referred someone but offer an additional discount to the new customer as well.

This helps create a lot of positive feelings about your business, providing an even higher level of value. According to Texas Tech, 83% of consumers are willing to refer others after a positive experience****. That being said, that $25-$50 credit has the potential to come back to you tenfold!

Your Reputation Precedes You

Reviews matter and your reputation are all over the internet. You may fear there isn’t much you can do about it... or is there?

Reputation is largely formed by what your customers say about you. Or write. Your customers can write about you on dozens of sites like Yelp, Google, Facebook, BBB, and industry-specific sites such as Angie’s List, HomeAdvisor, or WebMD.

The authority of word-of-mouth around town has evolved to reading about you on the internet. What if a negative review is written? What can you and your company do?

You can manage your online reputation.

You need to gather good reviews; in this case, more is better. Ask your customers to review you online. Some companies even offer a discount if they do. Also, stay engaged with your customers and manage your reputation. Responses to poor reviews tell search engines that you follow up and care. It is all about being credible.

High ratings and good reviews will place you higher in search engine results. Positive reviews build trust with potential customers and with search engines, too, and you will be rewarded with increased sales.

How Complimentary Services Can Uncover New Opportunities

The word ‘complementary’ might scare some small business owners, especially when it deals with high-cost repairs like a broken furnace. However, that’s not the point. It’s not about offering a free furnace repair to attract a new customer. It’s about broadening your service offerings and blending lower-margin services with higher ones.

What does that mean? Offer a FREE energy audit, duct cleaning, or indoor air quality assessment as a lead-in for other services requiring a larger investment. This technique has proven to be successful, resulting in additional new customers, sales leads, and even new opportunities discovered, such as equipment replacement jobs that you wouldn’t have landed otherwise.

An 8-10 Year Marketing Tactic That Pays For Itself

An easy and effective strategy that many businesses overlook is the value of wrapping your company truck(s).

Think about it... you only pay for it once; the average vehicle wrap lasts 8-10 years. If you’re constantly driving around town all day every day, people will see your trucks everywhere. This effort alone is a big part of building brand recognition within the areas you serve.

The key to a successful vehicle wrap is to make it noticeable enough that people can read your truck's company name and phone number from at least 50 ft away. Keep in mind, less is more, so don’t overcomplicate it! But do be sure to include your fundamental HVAC service marketing points like:

• Company name & logo
• Phone number
• Clever tagline
• Relevant background images
• Basic service offerings, like “Furnace & A/C Repair, New Furnace and A/C Installations, etc.”
• Any accreditation logos (licensed, insured, BBB rated, Angie’s List Rated, etc.)

With a little thought and effort, your trucks can be great mobile billboards to establish and grow your brand’s recognition, so use them to your advantage!

Need help marketing your HVAC business? Give us a call!

Let’s face it, as technologies and the way people use them continue to evolve, successfully marketing your HVAC business in today’s world can be a big challenge.

At High Level Marketing, the sole purpose behind everything we do is empowering small business owners like you to leverage today’s technologies to best position your brand in front of the very people who are looking for the services you offer and, more importantly, drive them to call YOU instead of your competitors.

We’ve worked with numerous HVAC businesses throughout the U.S. to develop an effective website and digital marketing strategy that drives traffic and converts leads!  Check out our portfolio here,  or contact us today for a FREE initial strategy session.

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