Leads are the lifeblood of any HVAC business, no matter where you’re located or how long your business has been established. Without a steady flow of exclusive HVAC leads, sustaining your business long-term is impossible. But when you create a HVAC marketing campaign that attracts new customers and brings in exclusive HVAC leads to your business, that’s a recipe for:
- More high-paying jobs
- Consistent work
- Increased revenue
- Growth of your business
So, we know why generating exclusive HVAC leads is important for your HVAC business’s long-term growth, but how do you get those leads? The answer is a good HVAC marketing campaign. If you’ve ever wondered how to get more HVAC business, how to get HVAC customers or how to get HVAC jobs in general, try a few (or all!) of the HVAC marketing and HVAC advertising ideas below.
1. How to get more HVAC business with a professionally designed website.
One of the most important things you can do for your HVAC business is to build a website. It’s the key to exclusive HVAC lead generation. Your website will act as your HVAC business’s online storefront and be a home base for all of your HVAC marketing and advertising efforts. Add the URL to your business cards, your work trucks—anywhere you’d usually put a phone number. The URL is likely to be easier for people to remember, which means it will be easier for them to get in touch with you.
Your website can also help potential customers:
- Learn more about your HVAC business
- Read about the HVAC services you provide
- See your service area
- Get in touch with you
Without a website, how are your potential customers going to find your business on Google? How will they know where to contact you? They won’t.
Without a website, your HVAC business might as well not exist at all.
Fill out the form below to get a free quote on professional HVAC website design.
2. Teach your HVAC techs how to get more 5-star Google reviews.
Good and bad reviews directly impact your HVAC company’s bottom line—including your techs’ paychecks—so get them invested in earning 5-star reviews for the company. A great way to motivate them is to offer bonus checks or prizes for the tech who earns the most 5-star reviews.
Your HVAC techs should focus on providing 5-star-review-worthy service. Try following these guidelines to achieve just that:
- Make a good first impression, then follow up after the job is complete.
- Offer online scheduling to simplify the process for your customers.
- Book appointments the day of—try not to schedule out.
- Provide an arrival window, or use an app that allows customers to track their HVAC tech.
- Check in to make sure customers are happy before leaving the job site.
- Invite the customer to leave a review of their experience.
3. Request 5-star Google reviews from satisfied customers via email.
Use your email list to follow up with past customers and see how satisfied they were with your HVAC services. If they were happy, request that they leave a review or testimonial for your business. This will help to ensure you’re only soliciting reviews from customers who are likely to leave a positive one. Once they’ve left a review, you can use it on your website to incentivize potential customers to contact you.
4. Find customers in neighborhoods with old homes using Nextdoor.
Nextdoor is used in more than 90% of American neighborhoods to find local service providers, such as HVAC techs, and can be a gold mine for HVAC lead generation. Use it to scope out neighborhoods with older homes that are likely to need new air conditioning units, new construction that needs HVAC installations and neighborhoods that have a history of large HVAC jobs.
To get started, sign up on the platform and get verified. Then, watch out for posts where people are asking about HVAC service providers. 24% of all posts are homeowners asking for provider recommendations, so your job opportunities should be plentiful.
5. Advertise for upcoming spring HVAC services now.
Spring can sometimes be slow for HVAC companies, so create a sense of urgency. A great marketing tactic is to offer a great deal to your customers, such as 10% off an HVAC tune up, then say it’s only going to last a few weeks. Appeal to them by reminding them that it’s important to get their HVAC equipment serviced before they turn it on for the summer.
An advantage of advertising early means more potential customers are likely to remember your HVAC business when they need services fast.
6. Join local trade associations and HVAC groups.
Do a quick Google search and see how many local HVAC trade associations you can join in your area. These groups are fantastic for networking with other businesses—especially during the slower months when building connections can help you stay busier in spring and summer.
7. Reach out to other local businesses in your area.
Plenty of local businesses require HVAC services year-round, so see if you can set up contracts with some that are close to you, especially as winter and summer approach. It’s a great way to network with other businesses in your area, and it can often result in free advertising if you leave your business cards behind or place a yard sign outside.
8. Use door hangers to market your HVAC services.
First, make sure your door hanger design is eye-catching and easy to read. Then, the next time you perform a HVAC service in a neighborhood where HVAC projects are in the homeowners’ budgets, leave door hangers at the houses around the one you’ve just serviced. They’ll be able to check with their neighbors about the quality of your work in person—and they just might have some incentive to “keep up with the Joneses” and invest in HVAC work, too!
9. Take out ads in local newspapers for HVAC lead generation.
Newspapers might be waning in popularity, but they’re still a great medium to advertise your HVAC business to your local community and generate exclusive HVAC leads.
Choose a newspaper with a wide readership that falls primarily within your service area, then take out an ad that’s short, sweet and to the point. It should be eye-catching prominently feature your website URL and phone number to make it simple for people to learn more about your business and contact you.
10. Wrap your HVAC work trucks to make a lasting good impression.
Which seems more professional to you?
A dirty, beat-up truck with tools in the bed and no signage to speak of?
Or a clean, well-maintained truck with a sleek logo on its side?
The one with the logo, right? Adding a wrap or a magnet to your work vehicles is a great way to make them look more professional, while also taking advantage of free advertising space. Your work trucks are basically billboards on wheels, so why not?
11. Create a customer referral program that offers incentives.
Did you know that 92% of consumers trust referrals from people they know? That’s a pretty big reason to ask your current customers to refer their friends, families, and neighbors. Especially if you offer an incentive like:
- A discount on their next HVAC service
- A free consultation or maintenance appointment
- An entry into a raffle with a great prize
Starting the incentive program is simple, and it can turn out to be a consistent source of exclusive HVAC leads.
12. Advertise your HVAC business on local radio stations.
Radio reaches thousands of people every day, and people who listen on their commutes often think of the radio personalities on their local stations as friends. So, when one of those personalities mentions they just had their pipes fixed by a local HVAC company and that they’re impressed with the quality of the company’s work, listeners will take note.
Endorsements and radio ads are often overlooked but, with their brand power, they shouldn’t be. Consider reaching out to some of your local radio stations to ask about putting your HVAC business on the air—it’s a great source of exclusive HVAC leads and a good solution if you’re wondering how to get HVAC work or how to grow a HVAC business.
13. Generate more HVAC leads by canvassing the area.
Canvassing an area to get more HVAC leads for free might seem like an old-school advertising tactic, but your ideal HVAC customers are more likely to work with you and remember you when they connect a face to your business. If you want to give canvassing a shot, try doing it after you’ve completed a nearby job. You’ll be able to name-drop your customer and provide an example of your work.
For the best results, remember to:
- Always be polite and courteous, even if you don’t get the reaction you want.
- Set a goal for each interaction: get their contact information, leave a business card.
- Have a script ready so you’re better prepared.
- Follow up with potential customers after getting their info—you could add them to your mailing list.
14. Send direct mailers to get more exclusive HVAC leads.
Here’s another HVAC marketing idea that will stand the test of time: direct mailers. Compared to the chaos that is most email inboxes today, old-school mailboxes are seeing a lot less action and junk mail, which means your letter or postcard advertising your HVAC business is much more likely to be read.
According to the Direct Marketing Association, the average cost per lead for direct mail is $51.40 for a general mailing list and $54.10 for postcards. Not bad! Give it a shot if you keep asking yourself how to get more HVAC business or how to get HVAC leads.
15. Use pay-per-click (PPC) and search engine marketing (SEM).
A good PPC and SEM campaign is one HVAC marketing and advertising strategy that’s been proven time and again to generate HVAC leads and jobs, no matter where you’re located.
While Google is the most popular search engine for PPC and SEM campaigns thanks to its widespread popularity, don’t count out Bing. It’s not as popular as Google, but it still has a wide user base—many of which are searching for HVAC techs in your area.
Still on the fence about using PPC and SEM for exclusive HVAC leads? Check out these stats:
- For every $1 spent in Google Ads, businesses make an average of $2.
- About 41% of clicks on a search results page go to one of the top 3 paid ads.
- More than 85% of people use the internet to find local HVAC businesses.
- Visitors who come to your website via PPC or SEM are 50% more likely to make a purchase.
This extremely effective HVAC marketing strategy could be perfect for your business. If you want to generate more exclusive HVAC leads, give it a shot!
16. Get more exclusive HVAC leads instead of shared leads.
Shared leads are the ones you get from lead generation services like HomeAdvisor and Angi. You pay for them, and then you go head-to-head with your competitors to see who can contact and convert the lead first. It isn’t very cost effective, and it’s stressful to boot. The solution? Get more exclusive HVAC leads. But how?
The simplest answer is this: a website and good SEO. A website gives your potential HVAC customers a place to land, and good SEO is what will get you found on search engines like Google. When homeowners who need HVAC services go straight to your website and contact you directly, you’re basically getting free HVAC leads.
17. Generate free HVAC leads with local SEO.
Search engine optimization, usually referred to as SEO, is still the king of digital marketing. It’s what will move your HVAC business to the first page of Google and keep it there, on top of your competitors. If your SEO campaign is strong enough, SEO alone can generate the majority of your exclusive HVAC leads (but we still recommend reading the rest of these HVAC marketing and HVAC advertising ideas)!
A good first step to your SEO campaign is setting up and filling out a Google My Business account. From there, you can advance to backlinking (linking out to other HVAC sites with high authority) and content marketing (sharing HVAC-focused content with your potential customers).
It’s always a good idea to let an SEO expert get your campaign up and running. They’ll also be able to make recommendations for your SEO campaign that will improve its effectiveness over time.
Fill out the form below to get a free quote on a local SEO campaign for your HVAC business!
18. Facebook + Instagram advertising could win you more exclusive HVAC leads.
Advertising your HVAC business on Facebook and Instagram can be a cost-effective method of bringing in more HVAC leads, provided you have the right strategy in place and know how to navigate the ad builders on these platforms. If you don’t, consider working with a pro who can get your ads set up correctly.
You can target your ideal HVAC customers by their location and other pages they’ve liked—such as your competitors’ pages.
Displaying ads to this audience has the added benefit of creating and boosting awareness of your HVAC business and the HVAC services you provide. If people see your logo and your ads all over the place, they’re more likely to remember your business name when their heating and air conditioning units need servicing.
19. How to get more HVAC business through strategic alliances.
Another great way to get more HVAC leads for free is to partner up with other businesses in your area. That could be Lowe’s, Home Depot and others. Creating a partnership means they’ll recommend you to their customers, display your business cards or other marketing materials, and provide a steady stream of exclusive HVAC leads. So, get to networking!
20. Content Marketing = HVAC Marketing
Creating HVAC-related content for your ideal customers is a great way to get more HVAC leads. Consider writing HVAC-themed blog posts and articles that you can post on your website, and make sure to make it easy for your audience to share that content on social media.
Here are some topic ideas:
- How to Prepare Your HVAC System for Winter
- Why Your HVAC System Needs to Be Serviced Before Summer Temps Hit
- This Is Why Regular HVAC Maintenance Is a Must for Saving Money
21. Email Marketing = HVAC Marketing, Too!
Email marketing is one of the oldest forms of digital marketing, and it’s stuck around for a good reason: it works. For every dollar you spend on email marketing, you’ll make (on average) a $40 return on your investment.
Because most HVAC business owners overlook the benefits of email marketing, it’s a great HVAC lead generation option for your business. For instance, businesses that stay in touch with their ideal customers via email will generate 50% more sales-ready HVAC leads and spend 33% less money on making sales.
22. How to get HVAC customers at trade shows.
Attending industry tradeshows should be high on your list of HVAC marketing and HVAC advertising ideas. They not only provide plenty of solutions for how to get HVAC jobs and how to expand a HVAC business, but also let you observe your competitors, create new business partnerships and boost brand awareness.
To make the most of your trade show experience, your booth should provide something valuable to visitors, such as a freebie or another incentive, like coupons, giveaways, contests and more.
Finally, make sure you’re collecting contact information from interested visitors and following up with them to sell your HVAC services.
23. Network with local businesses that need your HVAC services.
If you’re still wondering how to get HVAC work, consider reaching out to other small businesses in your area. Most will be more than happy to use you or to team up and refer their customers who need HVAC services to you—as long you’re willing to return the favor. Here are a few businesses you could contact:
- Pest control
- Home inspection companies
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Pool companies
- Garden shops
- Hardware stores
- Real estate investors
- Real estate agents
- Architects
- City officials
- Urban planners
- Community organizers
24. Use your chamber of commerce for HVAC advertising ideas.
If you haven’t already joined your local chamber of commerce, attend their next meeting and start networking with other local business owners. In particular, try to connect with property managers, developers, and owners of businesses—they’re likely to need your services and might be willing to send more HVAC leads your way if they’re impressed! This is a particularly good solution if you’ve been wondering how to get commercial HVAC jobs.
25. Give HVAC telemarketing a chance.
Though telemarketing was once a choice channel for HVAC lead generation, many people now block unwanted calls on their smartphones. However, there are still companies out there that will telemarket for you and set up appointments with potential customers in your service area.
26. Manage your HVAC business’s reputation online and offline.
Remember when we said 85% of people search online to find local HVAC services when they need them fast? Those same people are also researching your reputation to find out what your past customers are saying about the quality of your work and the fairness of your prices. Did you show up on time and do what you said you were going to do? If so, you’ve probably got nothing to worry about.
Offline, you can use word-of-mouth to your advantage. Ask your satisfied customers if they can think of any neighbors, friends, family, or acquaintances who might be interested in your HVAC services. Give them plenty of business cards to pass around, and ask if you can put a temporary sign in their yard with your business name and phone number after you complete a service for them.
Online, list your HVAC business on review websites and ask your satisfied customers to leave a review on Google. Doing so makes it more likely that you’ll bring in more HVAC leads.
27. Ad retargeting is a fresh HVAC marketing idea.
Have you ever searched for a specific product or service online then noticed ads for it following you around the internet for days after? That’s retargeting in action, and you can do it for your HVAC business.
Whether you want more residential HVAC leads or you’re wondering how to get commercial HVAC jobs—or both!—retargeting is a great way to keep your business and services in front of potential customers who have already shown interest by visiting your website.
28. Make your HVAC business stand out.
If you want to stand out from your local competitors, your HVAC business needs a unique selling proposition, usually shortened to USP. That USP could be your level of service, your experience in the industry, your competitive prices, your reputation, your employees, your guarantees—anything that sets you apart from your competitors. Once you’ve figured out your USP, use that selling point in your HVAC marketing and HVAC advertising materials!
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at how your competitors are generating HVAC leads. What’s their USP, and how can you beat it? What would matter more to your customers and the community you serve? Here are some USP ideas to get you started:
- Eco-friendliness
- Specialized services
- Specialized commercial equipment
- Workmanship guarantees
- Level of service and friendliness
- Professionalism of crews
- Availability and affordability
29. Use Google’s Local Service ads to get more HVAC business.
Google’s Local Services ads are a type of pay-per-lead ad, and they appear at the top of the search results page where they’re most likely to be seen. Those HVAC ads get about 13.8% of clicks—that means if 50 people in your area search for HVAC services on a given day, at least 7 of them will click one of those HVAC ads and turn into a HVAC lead.
How much more money would you make per month with 7 more HVAC jobs per day?
30. Co-market with a relevant or similar business.
Co-marketing means you’re partnering up with another like-minded business to share lead generation opportunities. For example, you might want to team up with a plumbing company and offer a discount to customers who use both of your services. In the end, this kind of combined marketing can lead to many more exclusive HVAC lead generation opportunities.
31. How to get HVAC leads with more referrals.
Referrals are a great way to capitalize on word-of-mouth marketing. Offer your existing and past HVAC customers an incentive to refer their friends, families and neighbors to your business, and give them a discount on future services in return. Since people are far more likely to use a business that a friend recommends to them, this is one HVAC marketing idea you shouldn’t pass up.
32. Create helpful YouTube videos about HVAC maintenance.
YouTube is a hugely popular platform with a wide swath of demographics, so why not use it to your advantage? Make an account (it’s free!) and start posting videos about HVAC. The videos can document your day-to-day activities, follow a job from start to finish, or illustrate the different warning signs that pipes or fixtures need to be repaired. These videos will build your credibility as a HVAC business and make it easier to build trust with your viewers.
In the video description, include your contact information and a link to your website so they can learn more.
33. Create a HVAC-focused Facebook group.
Having a dedicated Facebook business page for your HVAC business is a must, but creating a group page for your business is a good idea, too. Post helpful content (maybe something you wrote for your content marketing efforts!) and interact with group members to start building trust and brand awareness in your audience.
34. How to get commercial HVAC jobs with LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is more than a great place to establish yourself as a HVAC expert and reputable HVAC business—it’s a great place to generate HVAC leads and HVAC contracts. How? Do a search for local businesses and property managers you can connect with to discuss your HVAC services. You might be able to secure some long-term contracts for your business.
35. Send out press releases about your HVAC business.
Press releases are a great way to share new and exciting developments about your HVAC business. Are you offering a new HVAC service? Expanding your service area? How about a discount for repeat customers or those who refer their friends? Write a press release that outlines these new items and send it off to your mailing list to start generating HVAC leads.
36. Sign up with Townsquare Interactive.
The team at Townsquare Interactive specializes in creating HVAC marketing campaigns that generate exclusive HVAC leads for businesses across the country. All of our dedicated marketing specialists and teams of subject matter experts can provide personalized suggestions for how to take your HVAC marketing campaign to the next level.
Fill out the form below to learn more about our HVAC marketing and CRM packages and jumpstart your HVAC lead generation.