How to Get More HVAC Leads: 6 Strategies That Work

April 16, 2024

More leads equal more business. But what can you do to get HVAC leads in a sustainable way?

There’s a lot you can do to attract leads. However, some methods are more worth your time and effort. Lead-generation strategies that bring in high-quality leads at scale can help you boost sales without draining your resources.

This guide offers six effective strategies to help you get more HVAC leads. Read on and find out what you can do to create an active lead pipeline and set your company up for serious growth.

The Importance of HVAC Leads

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that one in every five HVAC businesses fails annually.

Ultimately, you need to build and maintain a steady flow of customers to be successful. That’s where lead generation comes in.

HVAC leads are potential customers. They are people who show interest in your services and are worth nurturing to convert to a sale.

Potential leads might:

Visit your website.
Sign up for your newsletter.
Take your business card.
Follow your business on YouTube or other social media sites.
Request a quote.

If you know how to get HVAC leads, you can increase your sales to hit your growth targets. You can drum up enough business during slow seasons. And above all, you can thrive in a competitive market.

However, acquiring high-quality leads can be tricky for HVAC contractors. You have to build trust in your brand to make your lead-generation efforts work. You also must be visible online and locally to outrank and outperform your competitors.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How to Get More Customers for Your HVAC Business

How to Get More HVAC Leads: 6 Strategies That Work

We’ve established that leads are critical to growing your HVAC business. Now, you need some ideas on how to generate them.

Here are six strategies that will help you get HVAC leads:

1. Make Your Website Search Engine Optimized and User-Friendly.

A professional website is a must for getting found online. Roughly one-third of Americans look for local businesses online several times a week.

Your website should be optimized for search engines to attract local traffic and generate leads. That means you should have:

Natural use of keywords: Use keywords that match search intent in headings and your text.
Optimized metadata: Use meta titles and descriptions for your web pages and blog posts.
Fast page-loading speeds: One in four visitors expect web pages to load in less than four seconds. You can improve page-loading speed by compressing images, caching web pages, and eliminating unnecessary plugins.
Optimized URLs: Your URLs should be readable and reflect the page they link to. For instance, your AC service page might look like this: www.yourHVACbusiness/services/air-conditioner-repair
Mobile-friendly design: The website should be easy to navigate and use on any device.

You also need a user-friendly website to get HVAC leads.

Can people find the information they’re looking for quickly? Can they get the help they need right away? Is the layout uncluttered? Does your website build trust?

Roughly 70% of websites don’t have clear call-to-actions. Other major problems include unclear navigation, confusing structure, and bad design.

Here are some ways you can ensure your site is user-friendly and primed for leads:

Use clear navigation. Your navigation bar should have color contrast and easy-to-read text. Also, include call-to-action buttons where you want site visitors to take an action, such as requesting a quote, contacting your business, or visiting a service page.
Include trust signals. As an HVAC company, you should list all relevant certifications. You should also make customer reviews prominent on your home page.
Offer live chat. Turn visitors looking for HVAC help into customers with a chat feature.

2. Use Link-Building to Rank Higher.

Natural links from high-authority sites in your industry will help your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).

You can boost your website traffic exponentially with link building because it has a positive impact on your rankings. If you rank above your competitors in local search results, your chances of getting a call for service skyrocket.

As an HVAC contractor, you can post helpful tips on social media — influencers in your industry might share your content. You can post guest blogs on industry websites. You should also ensure your company is listed in local directories.

Creating helpful long-form content can also encourage links back to your website.

Just keep your links as organic as possible. Don’t spam forums or comments with links back to your website.

3. Offer Value on Social Media.

A big part of getting leads is trust. And what better way to build trust with your audience than to offer them something for nothing?

That’s where content marketing comes in. You can offer helpful content on your website. Examples include blog posts and videos filled with:

Useful tips for saving energy
How to keep HVAC equipment in good condition
Insights on the latest innovations in the industry
Anything else that would be useful to your audience

Additionally, through social media, you can expand your reach, attract more visitors, build your brand, and keep a steady stream of prospects moving through your lead pipeline.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Create a channel on YouTube focusing on home energy savings.
Share posts on Facebook showing people what to do if their system shuts down or starts to show symptoms of a problem.
Keep an active Instagram page for your business featuring your skilled techs, well-kept equipment, and helpful brand.

To bring it all together, link your social media posts to relevant pages on your website. For instance, if you create a video on preparing your air conditioner for summer, link to your AC maintenance services page.

That way, all your content can be used to not only build trust in your brand but also to keep those leads coming in.

4. Ask for Reviews.

Online reviews are one of the best ways to get leads for any local business.

The reality is that people do look at reviews when deciding on a service provider. They want to know that other customers have had a positive experience before trusting your brand.

In an industry like HVAC, where residential customers might pay hundreds for a repair or replacement and commercial customers might spend thousands annually, you can expect your audience to do their research before deciding on a service provider.

Many people will even look at more than one review site before making a decision. A recent survey found that 36% of consumers use two review sites, and 41% use three or more.

With positive reviews, you can convert web and mobile searchers into leads more easily.

One of the best parts about this lead-generation tactic is that once you have those 4- and 5-star reviews and impressive customer testimonials online, they keep working for you. The same positive impression works repeatedly, driving more and more people to your HVAC business.

But there’s one caveat. You do need to offer excellent service to keep getting great reviews.

5. Level Up Your Service Quality.

And that brings us to our fifth strategy: improving your service level.

Chances are you tell your technicians to be friendly, professional, and helpful. You might even have customer service training for new hires.

But, if you don’t have a clear process for ensuring exceptional service, you’re missing out.

Here’s why: When your HVAC techs offer that wow factor, customers won’t just leave a review. They’ll rave about your business to their friends, family, and online community.

Nextdoor, Yelp, Facebook — when people ask for a good AC repair contractor or who installed their friend’s new HVAC system, happy customers will speak up about your company on these platforms. Their good word is worth its weight in gold when it comes to marketing. People tend to trust word-of-mouth marketing far more than traditional advertising.

6. Connect with Your Local Market.

If you want to get leads in a local market, don’t underestimate the power of offline human connections.

Make your brand known in your areas with:

Well-kept service vans with your branding on the side
Business cards and flyers in local establishments, such as local coffee shops, cafes, and libraries
Promotional flyers mailed to your target audience

You can also connect with local property managers, realtors, and business owners. Reach out by phone and email. Introduce yourself, offer your services, and hand out your business cards.

You’re guaranteed to get some business this way. Meanwhile, you can learn more about your market and their needs when you talk with them. Then, use this information to improve your marketing and service level and drive even more leads your way.

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: The Ultimate Guide for HVAC Leads Generation

How You Can Start Getting More HVAC Leads Right Now

Ready to put the wheels in motion and start generating leads for your HVAC business? You can start building your lead pipeline right now. Here are four things you can do today:

Optimize your social profiles. Make sure you have on-brand images and copy and links to your website.
Gather ideas for improving your service level. Ask your techs for input on what they notice in the field. See if they have ideas for boosting customer service.
Make a review request a part of your service calls. Send out an automatic email or SMS message to your customers with a review link.
Create a list of three local business owners to contact. If you provide residential HVAC services, call three property management companies or realtors. If you have commercial services, call three business owners in your niche.