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    Secret 10: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 10: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 10:

Face time, not air time: So many people think that your commercials and phone calls count in building a relationship with customers.  What builds a relationship is your face time, not air time.  I love the concept of the old General Store of the 1800’s.  The owner knew the children’s names, birthdays, anniversaries, special dates, special family moments.  They made it their business to learn everything they could about the family and then use it at the right time.  Today should be no different. We’ve gotten so far away from those general rules of engagement that we often forget they still exist.  The difference is that they’re now more important than ever.  Next call you make, have a card that asks some questions like the birthday (just the day, who cares about the year), anniversary, etc.  Find out the family member’s names casually and make notes.  Look for an opportunity to really create a remarkable moment.  When’s the last time they got a birthday or holiday card from their HVAC company.  Be the one that does it and you’ll watch your word of mouth referrals soar.  Imagine sending your database a card on their birthday each year.  Imagine the buzz that can create when they talk to their friends and neighbors.  Don’t just think about it, do it!  For decades I have preached the importance of remembering someone on their birthday.  It’s the most precious tool in establishing a relationship with your customer, and one that you need to implement today.

Secret 9: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 9:

Repetition is the key to effective marketing:  So often I see companies make the biggest mistake in marketing of failing to repetitively advertise to the same people.  In the HVAC business, it’s similar to what I call a “Flat Tire” Business.  The customer rarely calls you until something is broken or not working properly.  Therefore, awareness of your brand is extremely important.  You can’t always rely on timing and as a result you have to be repetitive.  We all know the GECKO from the GEICO commercial because we’ve seen it a million times.  Could you imagine if they spent all that money and ran the ad only one time and tried to measure results?  When you commit to a marketing campaign, stay with it long enough to measure the results, and the results will not be promising if you do not have repetition as a key component.  This means mailing to the same people often, regardless of your budget.  I’d rather mail to 500 homes 10 times, then 5000 homes once.  You’ll own the 500, while the 5,000 will forget your name within a day.

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    Secret 8: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 8: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 8: 

Set a Goal to increase your average ticket:  As soon as your done reading this, I want you to take some time to set aside and determine what your average ticket is.  Take the total sales for the last 12 months and divide it by the number of customer’s that bought.  This is your average ticket.  Now set a goal at how much you want to increase that ticket this year over last.  This can easily come without a price increase.  It can come in the way of packaging, bundling, and IAQ product sales.  The bottom line is that if you don’t have a quantifiable goal, you’ll never have a target to go after.  And you can’t hit a target that doesn’t exist.  Remember “HOPE” is not a strategy.  You have to set concrete goals and have a concrete plan of how to get there.  Yogi Berra, the legendary coach of the New York Yankess once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else”.
 

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    Secret 7: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 7: The 20 Secrets of Creating the Most Powerful HVAC Business in the USA!

Secret 7:

Do Something Remarkable:  For many decades, I have preached that if you’re truly going to make a difference and have an impact on your customer, you have to do something remarkable.  So what can you do that is remarkable in the HVAC industry?  Here’s an example – Sometimes our day can get backed up and we run behind.  Always be sure to let the customer know when you may be late, but don’t stop there.  Stop by a Starbucks and get 3 or 4 $10 gift cards to have with you in your truck.  Present one to them when you walk in the home as your way of apologizing for your tardiness. Explain that the last call took longer than expected, and you felt bad for making them wait.  You’ll be surprised how this turns the call around from an upset homeowner, to your best friend in 30 seconds.  It lets them know you care, and have gone out of your way to show them your word means a lot to you.  It builds credibility and establishes trust.  And nobody is buying anything from someone they don’t trust.

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