Every challenge that you face has a solution. Whether generating a lead is costing you too much, or your leads aren't converting to sales—they all have solutions.
Of course, generating more qualified HVAC leads is what every heating and cooling business owner wants, but how do you do it? As a digital marketing company specializing in lead generation for skilled trades companies, we have established a process that gets HVAC companies more jobs and want to share what we have learned with you.
What Is lead generation?
A lead is a consumer interested in your services and ready to communicate with you. Maybe they have an oil furnace and want to upgrade. Or they need a ductless air conditioner in their apartment. Whatever their need, they need you to get the job done.
Not all leads are created equal. Lead generation is about attracting the right ones and converting each into a customer. You want inquiries from individuals that are serious about buying and have the budget for your services.
There are several ways to generate leads, but we have found the most effective process for HVAC companies is:
Creating a conversion-optimized landing page.
Upgrading your contact form to an interactive intake form.
Automated email and text messages after leads have completed their intake form.
Comprehensive tracking of all leads.
Drive these leads to your site using Google Ads and paid social media marketing.
Using these five steps, we helped Orzech Heating & Cooling realize a 452% return on their advertising spend. Here's a breakdown of each step and what you can do to implement it. If you're busy and would prefer to work with a trusted partner that specializes in generating leads for HVAC companies, we’re ready to get working.
How to land more HVAC jobs
Getting leads is about finding the residential homeowner online. You want to be in front of them when they are making their purchasing decision. Here are some of the best ways to do it.
1. Lead generating ads
The first two stages of lead generation are attracting and converting a prospective lead. Lead generating ads focus on attracting them to your business, moving them from a stranger to a visitor.
A pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaign is an efficient, cost-effective way to generate qualified traffic to your website. A PPC campaign can include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Google Ads.
Do I need Google Ads for my HVAC company?
Without a doubt, Google Ads will be part of your lead generation strategy. Unlike other forms of advertising that are more awareness-based, Google Ads get you in front of prospective clients at the right time.
When users are ready to find a local service, like an HVAC company, Google is where they turn. 65% of all clicks made by users who intend to make a purchase go to paid ads. It is why they are so effective for lead generation.
Google Ads are cost-effective. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad. Plus, you're in control of your advertising. You can set limits on your spending, control the geographical regions where your ads are displayed, and schedule your ads to appear at optimal times.
You may be asking about SEO. That is Search Engine Optimization, and, yes, it is an effective way to rank on Google. But, SEO is a longer-term play. For more immediate results, Google Ads is far more effective. As you grow, your PPC and SEO plans can work together to drive leads.
How to create effective google ads
Want to be in front of a searcher when they are ready for a new furnace or AC installation? Then Local Services Ads are ideal. Local searchers want your services, and if it's a repair, they want them fast. With a simple click on your ad, they'll be calling you.
If you are not advertising with Google Ads, you're missing out. 60% of smartphone users have contacted a business by phone using the search results page.
Pay-per-click advertising works well for small businesses because you can easily track your results, make changes, adjust your budget, and gain more business quickly. Dig into the data, and look at what is working and what's not. Adjust. Monitor. Repeat.
2. HVAC Lead generating website
Now that we have talked about attracting them to your business through paid ads, let's convert them into a lead for your sales team.
A lot of people think of a website as a digital storefront. But, you can take it one step further and turn it into your digital sales office.
It is vital to create a conversion-optimized landing page. It's the central hub where you can wow your potential customers. It is an essential component of a well-executed inbound marketing strategy.
The page's goal is to get visitors excited about your services, motivating them to reach out to you so that your sales reps can do what they do best.
SEO-friendly landing page
By publishing a new landing page, you add another indexed page for Google and other search engines to direct your potential customers.
You'll want to ensure that you use the right words on your page. The best way to do this is through keyword research. Keyword research determines the words that your potential clients use to find your services.
You can use several tools for keyword research. Login to your Google Ads account. You'll find a Keywords Planner. This tool will give you the data to determine the right keywords to get in front of the right customers. Though it is meant as an ads tool, it still gives you a good idea of how popular terms are.
Use those terms in the content on your site and the more technical SEO elements, like your page title and meta description.
The right content
It's time to turn our focus to the content on the site. The headline is the first thing that a user sees when they arrive on your landing page. You want to ensure that it is clear and concise and lets users know that they are in the right place. This applies to all your subheadings too.
Clear and concise content should be your focus, avoiding technical jargon. The days of long paragraphs of text are long gone. Your potential clients are busy and have a limited attention span—keep it simple and to the point. Tell them precisely the steps they're going to take to secure your services so that there's no question about what steps they need to take.
High-quality imagery and video
Professional images and videos add an extra layer of professionalism and authenticity to your site. Not only will they build trust, but they will communicate what your business is all about.
We understand that professional photography is an expense, but it is worth it. Top-performing landing pages use video content. A banner-sized video at the top of the page immediately draws user attention and tells the story of your business.
Compelling call to action
An eye-catching header, compelling content, and stunning imagery are all integral parts of your landing page, but you want to have a clear call to action throughout the page. What is the action that you want a user to take? Tell readers exactly what you want them to do.
Are you providing a special offer like 20% off your installation in the spring? Or maybe you are pushing for a free furnace inspection? Whatever action you want them to take, make it clear in all the button copy you don't want them going anywhere else without providing their contact information.
3. Interactive intake form
Getting visitors' information is the most integral part of your lead generation strategy. It is what turns them from a visitor into a lead, then, ideally, a customer.
You can do this with a lead capture form. We highly recommend an interactive multi-step intake form that will wow users while also equipping the sales team with all the information they need to make the sale.
The form should go beyond a name and email address to get more details about their project. It allows your target customers to specify the products and services they need. Keep it short, but do not be afraid to ask questions. The quality of leads will be higher if they are willing to tell you about their project.
Our clients have benefited from using a platform like SurveySparrow or Typeform to provide a better intake experience.
We use an interactive intake form for our clients interested in our digital marketing services. If you want to see how effective it is (and connect with us), give our intake form a try.
Build a thank you page
Make sure to thank your leads when they have completed the intake form. Create a thank you page that lets them know what they can expect next. It will let them know they have completed the right actions and reassure them that you will follow up with them soon.
4. Marketing automation
Getting a lead is one thing. But getting that to lead your sales team efficiently and effectively is another thing. That process is called nurturing, and you need to make it a priority.
You need to interact with your homeowners on their terms and sell to them in a way that is comfortable for them. An automated email message and automated text message do just that.
These two autoresponders are triggered once a user completes the intake form. It will ensure that your leads get immediate confirmation of their request and allow you to open up two-way communication with them. Your sales team can hit the ground running.
Automation is essential. Your customers want to get the conversation started. If you don't contact them first, they may be lost. 50% of leads will work with the company that contacts them first.
With tools like ActiveCampaign and SalesMessage, your business will give your clients an incredible customer experience, standing out from the crowd.
5. Tracking your leads
Building this lead generation system is vital, but tracking the leads and measuring data are equally crucial. Ensure that all of the lead data you're capturing is sent to a single place. Whether it is a Google Sheet or something more advanced like HubSpot, Jobber, MarketSharp or your sales CRM, you want all of your leads tracked in a single place.
Not only can you track the information from your interactive intake form, but you can also record and save every phone call with CallRail. With our clients, we know every single phone call that's generated, including a recording of the call.
The data empowers you. You know where every lead came from, what ad generated the lead, and how much that lead cost you in marketing and advertising expenses.
Generate more leads for your HVAC business
Using these lead generation tactics, you can create a unified campaign—from Google Ad copy to the landing page design to automated messages from your sales team.
We have plenty of experience generating leads within the HVAC industry. We helped Orzech Heating & Cooling realize a 452% return on their Google ad spend, while lowering the cost to acquire those leads. We did it by developing and implementing this effective lead generation strategy that we just shared with you.
If you want to get more leads and lower the cost of acquiring those leads, we're always ready to help you. Contact us today to talk about achieving your business goals.