There is no shortage of platforms and lead-generation strategies that promise to leave your sales team overwhelmed with new customers. But in today’s competitive landscape, the real challenge is finding the quality leads that are most likely to convert into high-value business. By taking a balanced approach that mixes both digital marketing and traditional methods, you’ll be able to cover all your bases and stand out in a competitive market.
Here, we share a few ways how to generate HVAC leads successfully.
Optimize your HVAC website for local SEO
If someone needs HVAC services, the first thing they are likely to do is pull up Google and search “HVAC near me” or “HVAC [city].” That’s why it’s important to build your website with local search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. By including things like your specific services, the geographic area you serve, and other keywords related to HVAC, you’ll help your odds of ranking high on Google’s search results page. Focus on creating content that incorporates local city and neighborhood names, as well as any other local keywords.
Another key aspect of playing the game with Google is setting up your free Google Business Profile. When setting up your profile, you’ll want to ensure you’ve provided accurate information, including:
- The name of your HVAC business
- Your website
- Business category (HVAC)
- Your business contact information (address, phone number, and email)
- Your service areas
Your Google Business Profile will also provide you the opportunity to generate positive reviews, which go a long way in convincing others to use your business. In fact, 98% of consumers report reviews as an essential part of the decision-making process, and another 48% said they won’t use a product or service that doesn’t have reviews.
Use paid advertising for immediate results
It’s certainly valuable to build up natural leads through good SEO practices, but for more immediate results, ads are the way to go. By using services such as Google Ads and Facebook Ads, your business will be put directly in front of local customers actively searching for HVAC service.
Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are another popular HVAC marketing tool that function exactly how they sound — you pay based on how many clicks the ad receives. Setting up PPC ads with Google is fairly simple, and can be broken down into three elements:
- Google Keyword Planner: This is a tool provided when you go to set up your ads that will help you find the best keywords to use. It shows you keywords that are highly used, and how relevant they are to your audience. This will also give you an idea of how much the ad will cost you, as more competitive words are more expensive to win in an auction against competitors.
- Search ads: Once you’ve got your keywords picked out, you’ll be able to pop up as the top result when someone searches for that specific word or phrase. You’ll only be charged should someone click on the link.
- Results monitoring: Once your ad is up and running, you can set your ad goals, including your daily ad budget. After that, you’ll receive details such as how many people saw your ad, how many clicked through to your website, and what your ROI is on the ads.
Remember, these ads only serve as a lead generation strategy to get people to your HVAC website. Once they’re there, it’s up to you to have a well-optimized landing page that helps convert those clicks into actual leads.
Build a strong referral program
Referrals are one of the best ways to generate quality leads and grow your HVAC business. Building an enticing referral program that offers discounts or free services is a great way to facilitate referrals and gain new customers.
These benefits could include things such as:
- Free duct cleaning or tune-up maintenance
- Discount on the next service (for the referrer and even the referee)
- Gift cards
- Customer loyalty program with tiered rewards (such as a lifetime discount for any referral superstars)
Cost-effective traditional marketing techniques
When you hear marketing, it’s easy to default to thinking about digital marketing, which is fair considering we live in a digital age. But, traditional methods aren’t extinct, and they may be overlooked by your competition, making them an effective HVAC lead generation strategy.
How can QR codes enhance your HVAC marketing materials?
Flyers, business cards, and service vehicles are all traditional ways to spread the word about your HVAC business. Mix these with a modern approach by including QR codes on all of the above. By doing so, prospective customers can easily scan the code on their phones, and be directed straight to your website.
Rather than have to remember your business information or keep track of a flyer/card, customers can quickly find themselves in a position to book your services right then and there. When it comes to converting leads, the easier you make it for them, the better your odds are of winning their business.
Networking in local communities
Getting to know the people in your community can result in your business becoming the area's go-to HVAC service. Participating in community engagement, such as attending local events, going to trade shows, and even having a presence on community-based apps like Nextdoor, are all effective methods for building a local reputation. By being present in all of these spaces, you’ll have the opportunity to interact directly with customers, whether in person or in forums, increasing your word-of-mouth leads.
Leverage social media to reach new audiences
There’s no getting around social media as a business in today’s world. Recent studies have found that the average person spends almost two and a half hours a day on social media, which opens an opportunity for you to gather cost-effective brand awareness.
Creating social media accounts is free, so there’s no reason not to have a presence on all of the major apps — particularly Facebook, Instagram, Nextdoor, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn. You don’t have to aim to achieve HVAC influencer status, but you should regularly post some form of content. Common examples could include:
- Home maintenance tips
- How-to guides/videos
- Demonstrations
- Seasonal promotion announcements
- Customer testimonials
By being on social media, you can make it easier for potential clients to find you and build up a certain level of trust by letting them get a better sense of who you are as a business.
Implement email marketing for customer retention and referrals
Part of building customer retention is nurturing existing clients and qualified leads. Email campaigns are an extremely effective way to stay relevant in clients’ minds, especially if you feed them the right type of content at the right time.
When formulating HVAC email marketing content, you might try things like:
- Seasonal maintenance reminders
- Tips for HVAC efficiency
- Exclusive discounts
Also worth noting, is you should be segmenting customers based on their known needs. If you’ve already done work for someone, you’ll have a better idea of what services might motivate them to re-hire you. Use what you know to personalize the emails people receive, maximizing your email marketing efficiency.
Partner with local businesses for cross-promotions
Putting your business in front of as many motivated leads as possible is crucial in winning new customers. By partnering with complementary local businesses, you’ll gain targeted access to leads that likely have common interests. Contact local realtors and construction companies and see if cross-promotions can work for both of your businesses. This could include things like bundled services, joint promotions, cross-referral programs, or simply cross-promotional displays.
Utilize customer testimonials and reviews
People trust other people’s experiences over ads — that’s a no-brainer. That’s also why it’s important to build up an inventory of positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied clients as part of your lead generation efforts. Collecting good reviews helps win business across multiple fronts. First, it boosts credibility for prospective clients researching HVAC services, and second, it can increase the level at which Google pushes your business.
Whenever you have a satisfied customer, encourage them to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and other platforms, and be sure to feature them on your website as well. It’s worth noting that while you should always strive for positive reviews, it’s equally beneficial to ask for direct customer feedback before asking for a review, as it can give you the opportunity to improve.
Offer free resources or consultations
When it comes to technical repairs, most people don’t have the knowledge to know what’s wrong and what requires fixing. That’s what you’re here for, but that doesn’t mean customers will automatically trust what you have to say. Converting a HVAC lead into a potential customer is about building trust, and making it as easy as possible for the customer to feel like they are making an informed decision when agreeing to pay for your services.
The best way to do this is by starting off simply as a trusted resource for HVAC topics. Provide maintenance tips that people can turn to, as well as free services such as consultations and estimates. By presenting people with information before they feel locked in, you’ll help motivate them to get the process started at no cost to them.
Getting people in the door (so to speak) is the hardest part of gaining new HVAC customers. Free consultations are an excellent facilitator for that, so don’t be afraid to invest in website pop-ups, social media ads, and email marketing to promote your offers.
Emphasize your local community
Marketing campaigns such as SEO, search ads, social media, and community engagement are all effective ways to get HVAC leads. While taking a holistic approach is the best way to get a leg up on competition, focusing on your local community is where you’ll find the most business. This makes apps and services like Nexdoor a hotspot for engaging with motivated members of your target audience.
Nextdoor not only features over 88 million users worldwide but also helps businesses find prospective customers through community referrals. In fact, 80% of users reported hiring a business they were referred to on Nextdoor. Not only that, Nextdoor Ad Manager provides in-depth analytics for your ad campaigns, helping you tailor your lead generation efforts to reach high-value and highly qualified leads.
When it comes to generating HVAC leads, cover all of your bases, and make sure everyone in your community knows about you — especially the people next door!
