Intro
Maybe you run an established HVAC business and it feels like you’re already doing all the right stuff for marketing. Every blog article you read says “get a website, run pay-per-click ads, do SEO” - but you’re already doing those things, and still not seeing the growth you want.
Or, maybe you are the owner of a brand new HVAC business, and you simply don’t have the cashflow to compete with the big guys on Google. So you’re looking for a marketing approach that’s special and different, to really make your business stand out.
In either case, this article is for you! This list is designed to give you fresh marketing ideas that you haven’t considered before, and that very few HVAC companies are currently doing.
Let’s dive in!
10 Creative HVAC Marketing Ideas
1. Take Over Your Community with a Local Event + Hyper Local Meta Ads Strategy
The Idea
Make a big splash at local events like farmers markets and festivals while simultaneously running Meta ads to a 1 mile radius.
Why it Works
Being present at a farmers market, while running ads to a 1 mile radius, gives you that omni-channel exposure effect.
People who see the ad will think “Hey, I saw them at the farmers market” and people who see you at the farmers market will think “Hey, I saw them on Facebook!”
This makes it easier to stand out and increase engagement. When coupled with giveaways, and contributing to the feel good atmosphere, you can use this as a powerful strategy to generate leads for your business.
Topline HVAC based in Pennsylvania did something similar - giving away teddy bears (their company mascot) at a fair, while running Meta lead generation ads to that area. They were able to generate a large burst of inexpensive leads and make a splash at the fair!
How to Do It
Give something away!
You can give away water bottles, free balloons with your branding on it, and other stuff! You can also do a giveaway for an HVAC system where anyone who registers with their contact info gets a chance to win.
Some conversations should naturally spark as people ask you about their HVAC system. You can take down their information and schedule appointments, on the spot, for estimates or repairs.
If you can’t give away a full HVAC system, think of something smaller that will fit your ideal demographic.
For your ads, you can also take a video of yourself at the fair, making your presence much more tangible for people who see you online, and making your brand that much more memorable.
2. “Ask Me About HVAC” Shirts for Your Entire Team!
The Idea
Order “ask me about HVAC” shirts for yourself and your team and wear them whenever you go out in public. Get business cards that can easily be handed out to locals who ask you about their HVAC system.
Why it Works
What’s unique about this approach is that your employees aren’t wearing a branded company shirt. To locals, when they see the shirt, it just looks like a random person who’s open to talking about HVAC.
If my HVAC system isn’t working as well as it used to, and I can tell it’s on its way out, I’d love the chance to get free tips from an expert.
That random conversation also does a lot more for your company brand than someone just seeing your logo on the side of a truck. Next time they see your logo, they’ll think “oh, that’s where that guy I met works!”
This increases the likelihood of earning their business - either as a direct lead from the interaction they had, or from the connection they made with someone from your company.
How to Do It
Get simple shirts that have “ask me about HVAC” in big, bold lettering. It should be a very simple design, clear, and easy to read. Wear them in public and have your technicians and comfort advisors wear them as well.
To get employees excited about this, you could also give them a bonus for new customers that are referred to the company.
Credit where credit is due: I got this idea from Tim Brown at Hook Agency. You can get more of his ideas here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihYQXL__xPM
3. Share Your Life & Your Story - Get Personal & Vulnerable
The Idea
Share personal photos with you and your family on your company website and social media.
Why it Works
People love to connect with other people, but no one wants to be vulnerable. Most HVAC business owners hide behind layers of branding online.
When homeowners see the real person behind the business, there’s a much bigger connection that forms to your brand. You’re not some random company anymore. You’re a person.
That connection can make people simply want to do business with you. This is especially true of small family businesses!
How to Do It
- Get some fun photos of yourself and your family, post them to your company’s social media and add them to your website.
- Share your story and your goals for your family.
- Talk about why you started your HVAC business and what you want to change in the industry!
4. Unbranded Road Signs
The Idea
Put simple road signs in various places with a message like “We do HVAC” or “Get an HVAC replacement estimate” with a phone number.
Why it Works
It looks like an individual put the sign there and not necessarily a big company; it’s interesting, it’s different. It doesn’t feel like you’re being sold something.
It’s also incredibly cheap to order a large quantity of these road signs! You might recoup your investment within the first few phone calls.
How to Do It
Have a very simple call to action that’s only a few words, in big black lettering, on white road signs. Include a large phone number. Don’t include company logos or slogans or anything like that.
“Call for HVAC repair” or “Looking for HVAC repair work” are good examples. You can also use your CRM to set up a few different tracking numbers, and see what gets the best results.
Note: don’t overdue it. If people are put off by the excessive yard signs in their area, it could damage your brand once they find out who you are.
5. Mail Special Exclusive “In The Door” Offers to a Highly Targeted List
The Idea
Send a heavily discounted tune-up offer (e.g., $29 tune-up [$129 full value] that includes a filter change, certain minor repairs, etc.) to a targeted list of high end homes.
Why it Works
This works so well because you are accomplishing two things at the same time:
- Offering special exclusive value that will be hard to say no to
- Only offering that value to homes you know are likely to convert into highly profitable jobs
Here’s why that matters:
Running a promotion that’s an absolute steal on social media or TV may not be ideal. Sure, you’ll attract high quality leads, but you’ll also attract lots of attention from people who just don’t have the money to get anything else.
By only sending this promotion to a targeted list that you create, you get the best of both worlds; you get the conversion rate of a highly valuable offer, and the lead quality of high value homes.
Those high value homes may have 2 HVAC systems instead of just 1, which doubles your order value if you upsell the customer to a system replacement.
How to Do It
Think of a Tune-Up offer that’s an absolute steal, and pack as much value into it as possible (don’t be cheap). Then think of what the full value of that service would be if you weren’t running it as a special promotion.
Then hiring a direct mail marketing agency to send out the mailers, or order mailers yourself online.
You can also use tools like Leads Please to generate a targeted list.
6. Offer Free Value PDFs on Your Website
The Idea
Create an informative, valuable PDF for homeowners and give it away for free on your website. All that’s required to get it is an email opt-in.
Why it Works
Lots of your website visitors are on the fence about whether to contact you. They may not call or submit a contact form.
However, if they're trying to make a good decision on who to hire for their HVAC repair or replacement, a simple graphic that gives them some good info might be just what they need.
An HVAC company called Freedom Heating & Cooling utilized this marketing idea on their own website to generate hundreds of free leads over time, with little to no cost.
How to Do It
Create a valuable list like “7 ways to choose the best HVAC contractor” or “5 ways to make your HVAC system last as long as possible.”
Then use Canva or a similar tool to easily create the list as a nice graphic with your logo, and export it as a PDF file. Then set up an automation in your CRM to send the PDF to customers who grab the offer by providing their email address.
7. Add a Creative Feature to Your Company Vehicles
The Idea
Add a creative feature to your company vehicles that’s so unusual, or special, people can’t help but look. Here’s an example of a pest control company called Akita Pest Control that has gigantic bees on top of their vehicles: https://akitapestcontrol.com/
Why it Works
This branding tactic works because it causes you to do a double take and say “wait, what?” The added brand familiarity then makes your company feel like a safe choice when it’s time to replace an HVAC unit.
And if you do something kids will love, they'll be your brand ambassadors - pointing out your vans to their parents every time they drive by one!
How to Do It
A creative feature can either be a structural feature (like a giant wrench, HVAC guy, or company mascot) on top of your vehicle OR it can be something unique on your truck wraps.
Freedom Heating & Cooling in Alabama features “Super Girl” on their company vehicles. Kids always point Super Girl out to their parents, making the mascot a powerful branding tool.
8. Give-Based Referral Programs
The Idea
Design a referral program that allows customers to give something by referring your company rather than get something.
Why it Works
With the rise of annoying multi level marketing schemes, most people probably don’t want to come across as “selling” something. Getting your friends to sign up with an HVAC company because you get a $100 gift card can feel sleazy.
On the other hand, people generally feel good about helping other people. Giving them this opportunity may generate far more referrals.
How to Do It
You can go about this any way you want to. Here are two of my ideas:
- For every new HVAC system you install, you add $100 to a “give pool”. Once the give pool gets high enough, you use the money to donate a free HVAC system to someone in need. You share this with customers as you ask them for referrals. Customers can feel good about helping someone in need.
- The employee who provides the install benefits. “Mrs. Customer, if you send referrals to the company, the company sees that as me doing a good job. For every person you refer to the company, I get a $50 bonus. How many referral cards would you like?” Customers can feel good about helping an employee who did a great job.
9. Thank You Page Video
The Idea
When a lead submits their contact info on your website, they get re-directed to a “Thank You” page that features a company video to build trust.
Why it Works
Our data shows that a significant percentage of people stay to watch the video after submitting their info. This gives you a golden opportunity to build more familiarity with the lead. You can highlight your best testimonials, show pictures of your work, and tell your company’s story.
There are lots of ways to resonate with people. That added trust makes it easier to schedule the lead and easier to close the sale.
How to Do It
Record a Loom video with your computer and webcam and talk about the company, or put your phone on a tri-pod. Show team members and ask what they think. Do a few iterations of this until the video seems like it will be effective!
It’s free, can be implemented once, and has a long-lasting impact!
If you want to get really fancy, you can have a professional company like Service Allies make this video for you. We include a company video for our HVAC clients on our HVAC leads program.
10. Offer Other Services that Are Less Competitive to Get in the Door
The Idea
Advertise a different service to stay busy during shoulder seasons and get a chance to sell HVAC units once you get in the door.
Why it Works
Some localities in the United States are incredibly competitive for HVAC. This makes leads and marketing very expensive.
However, it’s much cheaper to get leads for other services that can easily be fulfilled, including duct cleaning, generators, and water softeners.
How to Do It
When you perform these other services, you can give the customer a pamphlet with the other services you provide and current promotions.
You can even slap a magnet on their HVAC unit (if they let you) that has your company name, number, and maybe an exclusive promotion. This will help you get the job when their system breaks down!
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to advertise your HVAC business. Big companies are willing to spend lots of money on standard marketing approaches, driving up the cost.
So if spending money on advertising isn’t cutting it, maybe it’s time to spend that money more creatively!
