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Discover proven techniques to effortlessly grow your HVAC business. Learn how to attract new clients, optimize your marketing efforts, streamline operations, and boost profitability in this comprehensive guide.

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Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are essential to our everyday lives. 

And with that comes heavy revenue for professionals in the HVAC industry. Analysts projected that the global HVAC market will be worth $288 billion in 2027.

And you can get a slice of the pie too.

The HVAC companies drawing in thousands of customers didn’t get there by magic. Instead, they employ workable growth strategies aligned with the growing trends in the industry.

And to make it easier for you, we studied some top brands to learn what they do behind the scenes to grow their businesses. Continue reading to discover what we found.

But first, let’s explore the current market trend.

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HVAC Industry Marketing Trend for 2023

Stats suggest most companies in the industry aren’t maximizing available opportunities.

For instance, 70% of HVAC companies aren’t okay with their SEO provider. Considering how important search engines are to marketing, it’s easy to conclude that these companies get poor organic traffic.

With the insights we’ll share in this comprehensive guide, you’ll be able to work around your SEO strategies — with or without a third-party provider.

Also, a study found that, on average, HVAC ads get a 3.68% CTR on Google. PPC ads form a critical part of digital marketing, and such low CTR means that with better ad optimization, you’ll be ahead of many HVAC businesses.

Additionally, HVAC landing pages have an average conversion rate of 4.7%. Again, this signals that a good number of HVAC web pages need improvement. You’ll find out how to carry out the amelioration with the strategies we’ll discuss herein.

HVAC Business Growth Challenges In 2023 

Here are some of the growth challenges HVAC businesses face in 2023:

Talent Crunch

Several HVAC businesses struggle to recruit qualified technicians. 

And those who can’t hire strong hands provide sub-par services. Consequently, customers are abandoning HVAC companies failing to meet their expectations. This means a loss of revenue on an individual business scale and a loss of market share on an industry level.

Securing funding 

Startup HVAC companies find it difficult to secure capital to grow their business. 

Not that funding isn’t available; the exact problem is the strict eligibility criteria and high-interest rates. However, this isn’t particular to the HVAC industry, as climbing loan rates affects all sectors.

High cost of equipment

Many expenditures go into running an HVAC company. One of the principal ones, however, is purchasing the latest equipment and technologies. Unfortunately, not many businesses can meet up. Why? Because the newest HVAC equipment lineups have notably higher prices.

Business Scalability

Many businesses find it challenging to sustain their activities after a couple of years. 

Statistics reveal that 20 percent of companies fail in their first year, and about 50% pack up within five years. Sadly, this problem is even more persistent in the HVAC industry. 

For instance, the shortage of skills, high equipment costs, and the increasing competition for customers make it hard for many professionals to stay in the market.

Should these HVAC business growth challenges scare you? Not at all. Only take note of them as you plot your improvement plan.

Now, let’s get into the actual business.

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Top Strategies to Grow Your HVAC Business 

To aid you in your quest to take your HVAC firm to the top, below are expert strategies to employ:

Strategy #1: Have a Clear Plan

Growing your HVAC business means moving from a lower point to a higher one. 

But movement can only bring about progress when it’s in the right direction. So, it’s critical that you have a clear, actionable plan.

Setting Goals

Well-defined goals are critical to building your HVAC business growth plan.

Perhaps you’re making a thousand dollars monthly and plan to make a million – or one hundred thousand for a start. That’s a clear objective. You can then identify what you must and must not do to reach the laid-out amount.

The above applies to not only revenue but also every other aspect of the business.

And your plan must be clear, and transparent.

Building a Brand-specific Marketing Strategy

In our experience, many HVAC businesses fail despite following every marketing strategy online because they take the general route. You must understand that your company differs from others – including those in the same industry.

As a result, your marketing strategy must be brand specific. The good news is, from the growth objectives you lay out, it becomes easy to narrow the techniques herein to fit your business. 

Strategy #2: Identify Your USPs

Over 145,000 HVAC companies are in the United States. 

So, why should a customer patronize your brand and not others? If you can’t answer that question in an instant, you might need to revisit your unique selling points. 

They are what set you apart from other businesses. Customers who patronize you must feel they are getting a value they won’t get elsewhere.

Here are some approaches to take:

Competitor Analysis

Here, you want to check what rivals are doing. Then, you can identify areas where they fall short and amplify them in your business to attract customers.

For instance, if a competing company charges by the hour, you can ask clients to pay by the minute. That instantly places your business atop the scale of preference of customers who need quick HVAC fixes.

How do you get these details? One way is by tracking what people say about your competitors. And, for that, we recommend Marketing Miner:

As the above image shows, Marketing Miner comes with a competitor analysis and brand monitoring feature that follows company mentions all around the internet.

Pro Tip: check out our Marketing Miner review to learn how we use this tool to run data-driven campaigns and stay on top of the competition.

Customer Feedback

Just as you can analyze your competitors, you can also pay attention to what your customers say about your brand. Bill Gates says:

“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”

So, get feedback from your clients and pinpoint the following:

• Their needs
• Their preferences
• Their pain points
• Their expectations

Merge these details to offer unrivaled value that’ll keep them hooked. You can use Hotjar for this strategy:

Utilize the feedback feature to capture customers’ criticisms in real-time on your website. Also, use the heat-mapping tool to understand how they use your site and identify where they experience friction. We explained the exact ways we use this software in this Hotjar review.

Strategy #3: Automate Your Processes With Technology

HVAC businesses that fail to leverage technology will lose out in the long run. We recommend using automation to streamline your processes. Some of our favorite use cases include:

Job Scheduling

No need to put pen to paper and record lengthy registers.

With technology, you can schedule tasks for the right technician based on factors like experience, location, and priority, among others. A dependable software will also foster communication, allowing you to send notifications to workers and clients, keeping everyone updated on the job status.

Zapier is a software you can turn to. It lets you automate almost everything, and the best part is that it integrates with thousands of other tools that’ll benefit your HVAC business:

Inventory Control

If you sell HVAC products, then, you must track your inventory. You should always know what is in and out of stock, and the best way to do that is to closely monitor supplies and deliveries.

Also, you can use Zapier. It supports many easy-to-use inventory integrations, allowing you to automate inventory management.

Strategy #4: Leverage Digital Marketing

The internet is pivotal to doing business today, making digital marketing a requisite to success. But, for some HVAC companies, it’s a tough track due to the many online marketing channels.

So, here, we highlighted the most effective strategies for your HVAC business.

Use SEO And Content Marketing To Stay Ahead of Competitors

Content marketing is one of the most converting channels. 

Creating quality and helpful content can help you attract prospects and convert them into loyal customers. We recommend using Surfer SEO to optimize it for search engines. It provides actionable AI-powered suggestions to outrank the competition.

The tool works great for us. And you can learn how we use it here.

In addition, focus on long-tail keywords. 

They are relatively easier to rank for, thanks to their low competition. They also present an opportunity to target bottom-of-funnel prospects, improving your chances of converting them.

However, quality content might not be enough to get you on top of the SERPs. 

You need bulk backlinks to boost your domain authority and send strong content signals to Google. And we recommend Adsy for this. We outlined how we use this platform to improve our rankings in our recent Adsy Review for 2023.

Related Post: Top Content Marketing Strategy for HVAC Contractors

Lower acquisition costs with email marketing

Email marketing is another solid channel to grow your HVAC business. And it’s cost-effective too.

From our experience, email marketing is not the most effective customer acquisition channel. But it works great for nurturing leads or driving repeat businesses. Start by building your email list.

And you can quickly do this by converting your website visitors into leads. We use Collect Chat for this, and you can learn how by checking out this Collect Chat review from us. 

Next, design and test effective emails focusing on headers, images, videos, and CTA. Finally, send and track responses. We still recommend using Zapier and Collect Chat to automate the process.

Win Lost Sales With PPC

Most customers don’t convert on their first visits.

So, re-engage them with PPC remarketing campaigns. 

It’s a straightforward process. Show customers personalized ads online when they browse other websites, use social media, or check their emails. That way, you can build up on their interest and land sales.

Entice them with discounts or anything of value to nudge them closer to conversion.

Also, use the Google Display Custom Affinity Audience option to target your competitors’ customers. It works by showing your personalized ads to those visiting your competitors’ websites.

Anyone checking out your competitors’ websites is a hot lead, and getting in front of them as soon as possible with a better offer can win you their business.

Use WhatsApp to Your Advantage

More than two billion people use WhatsApp every month. Yet, not many HVAC businesses leverage this platform for their digital marketing campaign. They’ll instead turn to Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook and Instagram marketing are effective approaches. But Whatsapp is just as rewarding, and it’s number one when it comes to instant messaging. 

The WhatsApp Business application features many native marketing solutions, such as:

• Adverts
• Profiles
• Catalog
• Short links
• Auto messaging
• Quick replies
• Chat labels

You can collect customers’ phone contacts using Collect Chat for a start. Then, use WhatsApp broadcast lists to market your HVAC products to everyone at a go. You can as well publish them on your status.

Subsequently, customers can easily and instantly message you. 

We covered WhatsApp marketing in detail in this post.

Strategy #5: Partner With Other HVAC Professionals

A lot is there to gain as an HVAC business when you work with other professionals. One key advantage is the ability to scale, which is the end game when discussing business growth.

Your partner can help in acquisition, service line, and geographic expansions. They can also help run the business and provide financial support and marketing advice based on their industry knowledge.

Don’t limit your partnerships to the HVAC industry alone. Consider related industries like construction and energy. Several HVAC opportunities exist in this industry. Collaborating with established players can scale your business effortlessly.

You can find these players:

• Using online platforms like social media
• Attending industry events
• Joining industry associations
• Urging customers and vendors to refer your business

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Our Recommended HVAC Business Growth Tools

SEO tools

Marketing Miner

This tool focuses on improving marketing using deep data. It’s easy to use, with an array of features you can leverage to improve your HVAC site SEO. You can also employ Marketing Miner to get an edge over your competitors.

Use Cases

• Finding keywords
• Competitor analysis
• Brand monitoring
• Building links

Pricing

Includes free plan, while premium starts at $29 per month

Best for

Businesses seeking to spy on competitors and improve their competitive standing.

Surfer SEO

Surfer SEO works for crafting quality content for SERPs. It’s the number one optimization tool for ranking your blog posts, and, consequently, increasing your organic traffic. The tool employs AI, hence you’ll find it simple to use.

Use Cases

• Content brief generation
• Keyword optimization
• Content optimization
• SEO site audit

Pricing

Premium pricing starts at $29 per month.

Best for

Optimizing content to beat the competition.

Adsy

The software connects you with thousands of high-DA websites for guest posting opportunities. You can share your HVAC content and other info with related publishers to post on their websites while linking back to yours.

Use Cases

• Guest posting
• Link building

Pricing

Custom plans, depending on your business needs.

Best for:

Building quality guest post backlinks.

Rank Math

This WordPress SEO plugin helps you to optimize your site for search engines. All Rank Math features contribute to improving your online ranking and making your web pages more visible on SERPs. It’s the number one alternative to Yoast on WP.

Use Cases

• Generating schema structured data
• Article optimization
• Rank tracking
• AI-powered content optimization suggestions
• Multiple keywords optimization
• Local SEO

Pricing

The free plan is included, while paid pricing begins at $41.59 per month.

Best for:

Business websites running on the WordPress CMS.

Customer acquisition tools

Collect Chat

You can leverage Collect Chat to create simple chatbots for your HVAC business website. Then, use the chatbots to collect feedback and other insightful info from customers, which you can maximize to boost your brand’s performance.

Use Cases

• Customers’ feedback
• Lead generation
• Building landing pages
• Surveying

Pricing

Premium starts at $24 per month, but there’s a free plan.

Best for:

Generating leads from website visitors.

Outgrow

This tool will help you launch interactive marketing campaigns. It works for engaging customers using forms, surveys, assessments, quizzes, giveaways, contests, and polls.

Use Cases

• Content optimization
• Getting insights
• Content publishing
• Conditional messaging

Pricing

Starts at $22 per month.

Best for:

Launching interactive marketing campaigns.

Sendible

You need this solution for social media marketing. It lets you manage all major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. 

Use Cases

• Social posts scheduling
• Social media engagement
• Collaboration
• Reporting

Pricing

Begins at $29 per month.

Best for:

PPC social media advertising

Customer retention tool

HotJar

This platform will help you understand customers’ behavior. You can visualize actions visitors take on your website via heatmaps and recordings.

Use Cases

• Real-time customer tracking
• Recording user actions
• Customer feedback
• Customer interviews

Pricing

Features free plan with premium starting at $32 per month.

Best for:

Uncovering customer behavioral analytics.

Loyal Zoo

You can use this tool to reward your most patronizing customers. It’s a dependable loyalty solution, attested by users to grow revenue by up to 14%,

Use Cases

• Points loyalty programs
• Prime loyalty programs
• POS rewards
• Promotional campaigns

Pricing

Premium pricing starts at $47 per month.

Best for:

Launching loyalty programs.

Zapier

This software will allow you to connect with over 5,000 third-party tools. You need this solution to integrate the many technologies and software that can rocket your HVAC business.

Use Cases

• Digital Marketing
• Inventory management
• Analytics
• Automation

Pricing

Paid pricing starts at $19.99 per month.

Best for:

Connecting your website with third-party solutions.

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Crafting Your HVAC Business Growth Plan

We’ve discussed the top real estate business growth strategies and the needed tools. But how do you tie them all together to develop an actionable growth plan?

It’s simple.

First, define your budget. The business growth tools you’ll use are premium, and so are the PPC ads for retargeting and others. So, it helps to specify the amount you intend to spend.

Next, create an executive summary outlining your vision, mission, and goals. This should be in line with the first strategy discussed earlier.

Now, analyze your strengths and weaknesses and indicate how to leverage your strengths and compensate for your weakness. Also, specify the digital marketing methods you’ll employ, their KPIs, and their budget. Assign responsibilities to your team and establish a clear hierarchy.

Set achievable milestones, and, finally, assemble everything to create a binding policy document.

Measuring Your HVAC Business Growth

Monitoring your performance consistently helps you know when you are on track.

You can easily monitor your metrics using platforms like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Hotjar. We recommend using GSC to track organic search performances and Google Analytics for site-wide insights. Use Hotjar to identify frictions along the conversion path.

That said, here are essential KPIs to keep your eyes on:

• Traffic
• Average CTR 
• Keywords positions
• Leads acquisition rate
• Conversion rate
• Return on Ad spend
• Impressions by location

Final Thoughts On HVAC Business Growth Strategies

Growing your HVAC business shouldn’t be rocket science. As explained, begin by defining your goals and recognizing your best selling points. Follow up with automation and leverage digital marketing to expand your reach. Also, work with other professionals to explore opportunities in new terrains.

Finally, monitor your progress, optimize your performance, and repeat. Your strategies shouldn’t be stagnant. Instead, be open to welcome innovations as industry trends change.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you scale an HVAC business?

You can scale your HVAC business using marketing automation software like Zapier. The tool can connect thousands of applications to automate repetitive tasks.

How can I expand my HVAC business?

You can expand your HVAC business with the right growth strategies. As discussed in this post, have a clear plan, use tech to automate, and invest in digital marketing.

What are the best ways to maintain a profitable HVAC business?

You can maintain a profitable HVAC business by always meeting clients’ expectations. We recommend using software like Hotjar to track customers’ actions on your website in real time.

What are the best digital marketing strategies for my HVAC business?

The best digital marketing strategies for your HVAC business include the following:

• Content marketing
• Email marketing
• PPC retargeting marketing
• Whatsapp/social media marketing

Does the HVAC industry have a specific digital marketing strategy?

No, the HVAC industry has no specific digital marketing strategy. You must create a unique plan that aligns with your business goals.