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After completing HVAC training and gaining experience in the field, some HVAC professionals choose to either start their own business or work for themselves as an independent contractor. In 2020, about 8.6% HVAC mechanics and installers were self-employed.
If you are running your own HVAC business, you might decide to use social media to promote your services and connect with customers.
How often should you post? What kind of content should you post? What platforms should you use? Here are 8 tips for HVAC contractors who want to use social media to create a positive brand image and build relationships with reliable clients:
1. Build Your Business First
Your HVAC business should provide quality service first and foremost. Social media is one way to market your HVAC services, but it cannot replace technical expertise, great customer service or integrity—all the qualities that can make a successful HVAC business.
If you follow through on great business practices, your customers are more likely to speak well of you on social media. You can certainly use social media to highlight your unique skills as an HVAC contractor and reach more clientele. Just remember that your business practices must align authentically with your social media personality. Even the best social media strategies can’t fix a bad business!
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2. Post Consistently and Regularly
Generally speaking, you will likely want to post enough to stay relevant and consistent, but not too much that you start to annoy people.
But you also don’t want to go long stretches of time without posting, either. If a potential customer lands on your page, and it has had no activity for 6 months, they might wonder if you are still in business!
The right frequency of posting will be up to you, but it should be regular and consistent, depending on what works for your business.
3. Post Valuable Content
In addition to how often to post, you will want to think about what types of content to post.
This is part of developing a social media strategy. For example, is there anything that you or your business is excellent at doing? Part of your strategy could be focusing on certain topics that are good for your business, such as HVAC upgrades, installation or other specialties.
There are so many different types of content to choose from that it’s a good idea to mix it up. For example, you could post some fun things like:
- Memes
- Helpful tips and tricks or how-to videos
- Product features or a special deal
Contests and giveaways are a great way to boost engagement. Employee profiles or job site photos could lend a personal touch. Coupons and discounts can be a good way to keep people following you. Just make sure to mix your content up and don’t post the same types of things all the time.
4. Map Your Content Ahead of Time
Another part of having a social media strategy is planning your content ahead of time. Rather than posting on the whim, create a content calendar to help you organize and schedule your posts.
Scheduling content ahead of time can help you save time in the long run. It can also be beneficial if the time comes when you want to run a campaign or promotion. You can plan ahead to capture people’s attention weeks beforehand, and then continue the momentum once the promotion is live.
5. Use Visuals and Video
Posting visuals and videos makes for an attractive and compelling feed. Photographs of real-life scenarios or smiling faces can allow followers to see the quality and professionalism of your HVAC work firsthand.
Photographs, infographics, videos and other graphic elements are a catchy way to display your HVAC knowledge and expertise, humanize your business and create a memorable brand.
HVAC is necessary to modern life, but it’s probably not the first topic the average person thinks about when they want to be entertained.
6. Use Hashtags
Using hashtags on Instagram is one way to optimize your content. In other words, hashtags can help people find your business on social media when they are searching or browsing. Hashtags are used to categorize content by topic.
Do some research to find out what kind of hashtags are relevant to your business. Then, when you post something on that topic, use the hashtag so the post will show up in that hashtag’s category feed.
7. Answer Customer Questions
People might only search for HVAC businesses online when they need help or have an emergency. Take advantage of this by posting helpful solutions on your social media.
You could even think about some of the common HVAC equipment issues you hear about from customers, and then post answers to those questions on your page.
For example, you might know that people ask things like “Why is the temperature uneven in my home?” Answering customer questions thoughtfully can build trust and showcase your professionalism.
8. Respond
If you post something and your audience or customers respond, engage back! Replying to a comment is a great way to make a follower of your page feel acknowledged, and it could begin to build a bond of trust.
Even responding to negative comments in a productive way can showcase your professionalism.
Choosing Platforms
Instagram and Facebook can be good platforms to use for HVAC contractors because they tend to have favorable demographics: millennial HVAC customers and their baby boomer counterparts.
Whether you are starting an HVAC business now, aiming to improve your social media marketing, or embarking on HVAC training with your sights set on working independently later, taking the time to learn how to use social media to your advantage is better than having no plan. It’s worth it to spend the time developing a strategy that is in line with your goals, personality, and business practices.
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