HVAC Marketing has taken on some new perspectives as a result of the Covid 19 Pandemic. Think of the Pandemic as a disrupter in both the marketing and sales functions. It has forced us to reinvent our businesses in many ways and adapt our sales and marketing outreach. What it means is that we need to market a little differently than before.
First, the desire for a healthy lifestyle has become the mantra for many families. We want to protect ourselves not only from the Covid virus – but from other types of pathogens, both airborne and waterborne.
Second, we know that Americans are concerned about the air they breathe. That’s a tremendous opportunity for dealers in terms of new prospects for their dealerships. This newfound obsession with health is a big influencer in terms of the decision to purchase any kind of HVAC system.
Target your best prospects
From a marketing perspective, homeowners who value health is a targetable group. A dealership can acquire a mailing list of Homeowners who are concerned about their health. Email addresses and cell phones can be appended to that list, where they are available. That gives HVAC dealers the ability to reach out to these prospects through multiple marketing channels.
Third, there has been a huge uptick in home ownership. Many of these new homeowners are prime targets for upgraded HVAC systems. This is not only for heating / air conditioning but for air filtration systems, including air purification and UV protection
Again, from a marketing point of view, dealers can obtain a list of New Homeowners in their area. The key is selecting single family homes only, refining by home value, in their specific market area.
Fourth, there has been a tremendous emphasis on upgrading homes – and what is in those homes – not only for fashion but also for health. People are not only installing new HVAC systems, but upgrading to UV protection, adding air filtration units. This gives HVAC dealers a real chance to up their sale.
Dealers can select a list of Homeowners in their market area by home value, age of the home, and composition of the household. Dealerships that focus on the Hispanic market can target Hispanic homeowners. Again, email addresses and cell phone numbers can be appended to this list, where they are available.
Retention is the new acquisition
All HVAC dealers need to refocus their attention on customer retention. In the marketing world we say retention is the new acquisition. We all know that it costs less to keep a customer than getting a new one.
HVAC Dealers need to look at their customer list and communicate with their past customers. AC systems have a shelf life. They need to be updated and upgraded to be the most efficient they can be. A solid CRM (customer relationship management system) is really important here. This gives you a change to build solid relationships with the customers and become their go to. This is not only for HVAC, but for service, air filtration or generators. We’ve seen many dealerships expand what they offer.
In addition to using CRM for relationship building, the entire conversation about retention has many other focal points. These include customer service – both in-person and virtual, upgraded call centers, and a rethinking of how sales people get paid.
Shifts in marketing channel
In terms of marketing channel, we have seen a couple of shifts through the Pandemic period. There has been some new movement into the digital area – with email and digital ads.
The response to digital was a little higher early on in the pandemic.
Email, which can be a useful marketing tool, needs a lot of repetition and large numbers to generate the kinds of leads dealers need. While we have seen some digital fatigue, don’t be afraid to try email marketing. Even though people’s in-boxes have been inundated with messages, you can still make an impact if you do it right.
Direct mail, especially postcards and self-mailers, have been very successful in HVAC marketing for dealers. Just make sure you do your due diligence in terms of making sure the target, creative and offer match. Remember, the fewer pieces in a mail box means your piece has a greater chance to stand out and be noticed!!
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Dale “Data Dale” Filhaber is President of Dataman Group Direct in Boca Raton, FL. Dataman Group provides marketing lists for direct mail, telemarketing and email. She can be reached at [email protected] or at 800.771.3282