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HVAC Marketing Essentials So, you're a small HVAC business owner and want to grow your business? How do you do this on a shoestring budget, if you have any budget at all? Starting a new HVAC business or growing into a larger one is the challenge faced by heating and air conditioning companies all over the world, every day. The market is highly competitive, but don't think that this situation is unique to the heating and air conditioning market. Most markets are highly competitive. The good news is when a market is highly competitive the potential for customer loyalty not only exists, it's as high as it is in not-so-competitive markets. Think about it for a minute. In highly competitive markets such as Real Estate, Automobile sales, plumbing, lawn care, insurance, banking, and more; how refreshing is it to find a vender that you can count on to take care of your needs and give you a fair price for doing so? It's very refreshing because it is a horrible pain to find someone you trust while weeding through a pile of people who are fighting for your business. Gaining trust in a new vender is an exhausting process and whether we are aware of it, or it is just subconscious, it is a challenge that most of us like to avoid. With this in mind we have compiled the following list of five marketing essentials for people looking to start a new HVAC business or grow an existing one. 1. Past Customers Are Gold! Remember your customers and remember everything about them -- it shows that you care. Keep an accurate, up-to-date database of people who have done business with you. This is gold -- gold, gold, gold! This cannot be stressed enough. All buyers have a mental screening process that they will put you through. When someone has paid you for your services in the past, they are the most likely to use you again AND refer you to people they know. Keep any and all information that you can keep regarding them, their heating and air conditioning equipment, their CAT that they love ... anything that will help you remember them and take care of them. They will remember you and refer you to their friends in return. 2. Your Vans Are Moving Billboards Whether you realized it or not, your van is a moving billboard. It is likely to be one of your largest sources of new customers aside from the buzz (word-of-mouth) of past customers. With this in mind make sure you follow these basics: Use only new or very, very clean vehicles in your fleet. Prospective customers will be quickly and completely turned off by a dirty old ratty vehicle.Use nicely-designed, clean, uncluttered graphics on your vans. Pay a good graphic designer to design the artwork for your vehicle and people will instantly make a mental note that you MIGHT be someone who can solve their problems. The word "might" is highlighted because a nicely done vehicle will not likely get you the whole way to the sale but it will certainly get you farther than artwork that doesn't project quality. Use cheaply done, clip-arty graphics and people will instantly assume that they may not have a nice experience working with you. Make sure that your services are neatly and cleanly displayed. Make sure that you only list services that you really want work for. If you're not too sure that you can work on 100-ton screw chillers, don't put that on your van. Keep your list as concise and simple as possible so that people can see it at a glance as your van is moving. Along with your logo (which should be professionally done) and your company name, if not part of your logo. Also include your physical address, your website address, and your telephone number in prominent locations. 3. Websites Are Essential A company web site has become an essential part of your marketing portfolio -- and, they are a great value to a HVAC business owner. If you are torn between having custom brochures designed and printed for your business or having a website designed, don't be torn. The website is the choice. Have a professional website designed that contains all of the information that you were considering including in the brochure. Make sure that your site comes with the ability for you to manage its content and you'll have a brochure that you can change to reflect your changing, growing business. After the website is designed, add your web address to everything that has your business name and logo on it such as: your van, business cards, email address (me@my-hvac-company.com), and anything else you can put it on. You may pay several thousand dollars for that web site, but if it's built correctly, you will get more miles out of that than just about any other marketing avenue. 4. Website Marketing The idea of marketing your web site follows the thought from the previous paragraph of putting your web address on everything that you can. The topic as a whole is huge and not meant for this article; however, make sure that if you sell Rheem products that you list your web site address on the Rheem manufacturer's web site. This idea follows for all of the OEMs. Most will have a list of certified installers and contractors for their products and will help to drive traffic to your site. This is powerful and in most cases FREE. Generally speaking, it also helps you rank well on the search engines, so take advantage of it. 5. Network, Network, Network The final essential is an oldie but still a good, effective method of driving business to your startup or growing HVAC business. Network every chance you get. This works best if you just make the networking mentality a part of your day-to-day lifestyle. Always be conscious of the fact that people that you meet daily will likely be willing to refer work to you, they just aren't busy thinking about it. So, when talking to them and the subject naturally turns to your business, just add the question "Do you know anyone who might need these services?" to the end of your conversation and then have a system in place for following up on the lead if it is offered. There are also some ready-made lead sources that you should be on the look-out for. These include plumbers, electricians, handyman services, and other building/home related businesses. Getting to know and building good standing with these types of business owners will pay off big as your business grows. |
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