As an HVAC business owner, you know that marketing is an integral part of running and growing your business. Even though a functioning HVAC system is a critical component of homes and businesses, there’s plenty of competition in this industry, and good marketing can help you distinguish your business from the rest. It’ll help you reach new customers and build relationships with existing ones. With so many different marketing strategies available, it can be difficult to know where to start. To make things a little easier, here are seven of the best HVAC contractor marketing ideas.
Create a high-quality website
In today’s digital age, maintaining an up-to-date website is essential for any business in any industry, including home services like HVAC. Not only does your website provide potential customers with information about your company and services, but it also gives them the opportunity to book appointments or request work online. It’s also important to remember that your website should be optimized for search engines.
Today, search engine optimization, or SEO, is a critical part of any marketing plan, including HVAC contractor marketing. As people in your area search for local services, like HVAC contractors, plumbing professionals, landscapers and more, they turn to Google and other search engines. By making some strategic adjustments to your website, you can create a searchable page that climbs to the top of search engine results, including on Google.
In short, good SEO practices help your business get seen online by the people who need to see it the most. Here’s how to boost your SEO:
- Use strategic keywords: Including the right keywords in your website, from meta descriptions to the content you publish, is critical for your SEO efforts. Start by thinking about what potential customers in your area are searching for, and incorporate those keywords into every aspect of your web presence. For example, if you own an HVAC company in Atlanta, include keywords like “Atlanta HVAC company,” or “HVAC company in Atlanta,” in headers, website copy, and HTML codes.
- Publish quality content: If you want a high-ranking website, you need to post fresh, high-quality content on a regular basis. Web pages—not entire websites—are ranked in search engine results, so you should post unique content on multiple pages, not just your homepage. Use blogs, seasonal tips, and any other educational information to post content that provides value to readers. You can rank for long-tail keywords in blogs, and don’t forget to post video content to optimize your page and enhance your overall user experience.
- Prioritize accessibility: The speed of your site matters, not just to potential customers but also to your overall SEO efforts. If your website is slow or taking longer than it should to load, reach out to a trusted web development professional to make necessary changes to maintain a faster website. Also, keep your site well organized and make it easy for visitors to find important information like your business hours, phone number, and geographical service area.
- Optimize for mobile: Today, most people are searching for local services using a mobile device, rather than a laptop or desktop computer. Again, working with a professional web developer can help you design your site for mobile users, so they can scroll and click on your site with ease using their mobile device.
Make a Google Business profile
Another important step in boosting your online presence is making sure you have a Google Business profile set up. This will help ensure that your business appears on Google Maps when people search for HVAC services near them, as well as increase the chances of showing up higher on relevant searches.
Plus, having an active profile will allow customers to leave reviews about their experience with your services, which can help future customers make informed decisions about whether they want to hire you.
Create a Facebook Business page
Creating a Facebook Business page is another great way to market your HVAC business because it offers an easy way for current and potential customers to contact you and learn more about what you offer. Be sure to include all relevant information on your page—including ways people in your area can request work from you—as well as post updates regularly so that people know what’s going on at your company.
You may also consider running paid Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn ads if you want even more exposure for your business.
Share compelling content—and engage!
Engaging on social media can be beneficial because it helps create relationships between you and potential clients who may not have heard of you before. In addition to responding promptly when someone comments on one of your posts or messages you directly, try sharing compelling content related to HVAC services, such as helpful tips or industry news stories. This will show potential customers that you are knowledgeable and up to date on the latest trends in the industry.
Being active on social media also keeps you in touch with existing customers and serves as a simple way of keeping your company top of mind when they need help with their HVAC systems. It’s a great way to build good will and strengthen your relationship.
Create an exciting referral program
If you already have a healthy stable of satisfied customers, implementing a customer referral program is one of the best ways to encourage them to spread the good word about your business. Word-of-mouth is incredibly effective at cultivating new clients for any business, including home service providers like HVAC contractors.
It’s also a very cost-effective form of HVAC contractor marketing. Some of the incentives you can offer to current or referred customers include:
- Offer referring clients a discount on their next HVAC maintenance visit.
- Offer a cash incentive or credit per closed sale for client referrals.
- Run a contest for referring customers with a grand prize like a cash incentive or credit.
Re-target existing clients with email marketing
Email marketing is a great way to leverage your existing client base and inform them about any promotions you’re running or new services you’re providing. It also keeps your brand at the top of customer’s minds, helping you build stronger relationships.
Carefully craft your emails—no one wants to be bombarded by a sales pitch over and over. Use email to educate your clients on HVAC systems. In general, for every five emails you send to subscribers on your email list, only one of those should include a hard sales pitch. By including valuable information in your emails, and writing a strong subject line, you’ll encourage people on your email list to open and read your emails, rather than sending them to the trash can immediately.
Create postcards or flyers
Even in today’s increasingly digital world, tangible marketing matters. Investing in print marketing materials like postcards or flyers is an affordable way to spread the word about your HVAC business. Running a promotion and advertising it with high-quality, well-designed postcards or flyers is a great way to stand out from the competition, especially those who may only be using digital tools for advertising. Include all important information about your business, including contact information and your logo.
NorthOne supports HVAC companies just like yours
In today’s competitive business climate, HVAC contractors can’t afford to neglect marketing. Good HVAC contractor marketing practices, like the strategies detailed above, can help even longstanding HVAC businesses find new clients and retain them. As your business continues to grow and thrive, you’ll need the right banking solution to support you. NorthOne is the ideal bank for small businesses in trades industries, including HVAC.
