Optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing is crucial for a service-based company to maximize local search visibility, engage potential clients, and drive conversions.
There is no better way to get you piece of your local market with this low-hanging fruit approach.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get the most out of your GMB listing:
Claim & Verify Your Listing
If you haven’t already, claim your business on Google My Business and verify ownership. This process may involve receiving a postcard at your business location with a verification code. This is easy to do and has to be completed in order to get your business listed on google.
Complete Every Section
Business Name: Ensure your business name is consistent across all online listings.
Category: Select the most relevant category for your service. You can choose multiple categories if applicable.
Address: Input your exact address. If you serve customers at their location (like a plumber or electrician), make sure to set your business as a “Service Area Business” and define your service areas.
Hours: Update your operating hours. Include special hours for holidays or events.
Phone Number: Provide a local phone number for better local ranking.
Website: Link to your official website.
Add High-Quality Photos
Showcase your work, team, and office/premises. Regularly update photos to keep the listing fresh. Google has reported that businesses with photos receive 42% more requests for driving directions and 35% more click-throughs to websites.
Optimize the Business Description
Describe your services clearly and concisely, emphasizing what sets your business apart. Utilize relevant keywords without stuffing. Once you finish describing your services, read it out loud to make sure it flows elegantly and doesn’t sound like you are cramming a bunch of top ranking keywords together in incoherent sentences.
Encourage Reviews
Ask satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on your GMB listing.
Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows prospective customers that you value feedback and are engaged with your clientele.
This is an easy way to out earn your competitors and capture market share.
Answer Questions
The Q&A section allows users to ask and answer questions about your business. Regularly monitor this section and answer queries to ensure accurate information is provided.
Use Google Posts
Share updates, promotions, events, or news about your business. Google Posts appear on your GMB listing and can help engage potential customers.
Add Services & Products
List out all the services and products you offer, with descriptions and prices if possible.
Utilize Messaging (if available)
Google allows some businesses to communicate with customers directly through the GMB listing. This can be an effective way to answer queries or provide quick service.
Analyze & Act on Insights
Google provides insights on how customers found your listing, what actions they took, and where they came from. Regularly review these insights to adjust your GMB strategy and improve visibility.
Utilizing these 10 different actions will be sure to put you in the top 10 service companies in your location and specific industry.
I strongly believe that right now is the best time in history to start a service-based business over something like an e-commerce business.
There are so many obstacles for e-commerce brands right now that include things such as:
Huge increases in full shipping container prices $2,000 -> $25,000.
Large increase in cost of ads on google, facebook, and instagram.
Long shipping delays from overseas.
Right now there is so much pent up demand for services in every industry you can think of, whether it be pool cleaning, plumbers, power washing, pest control, movers, etc.
This is especially true in cities where many individuals have moved to recently such as parts of Florida, Texas, and Tennesse.
It is shocking to hear some of the lead times for many of there service based businesses when you call them for a quote and an estimated time of arrival.
Many of these businesses have so much demand that they are able to charge whatever they want and still have back logs of up to weeks until someone can get to you.
I saw big opportunity in the Residential Firewood Delivery Space in my hometown. Most firewood guys were not raising any of their prices based on the what the market could comfortably handle.
Starting from Zero.
So how did I grow so fast in the first 90 days? I made sure I had the systems, software, and the supply in place.
$80,000 in residential deliveries is a decent amount of firewood. I made sure that I have the entire system down from the time someone clicked on one of our ads to the minute we showed up at their house for delivery.
Below is what the flow chart looks like:
Google Ads -> Phone call/order online -> Monday.com CRM -> Designated delivery time and money collected -> Driver assigned -> order completed and marked fulfilled.
How we did it: Ads + Referrals + word of mouth = $80,000 month (by the way we only spent $3,000 in ads that month).
We also were diligent to collect every bit of data from our customers that we could. By the end of the winter season. we had over 800 customers information that we can readily market to month after month.
This business is somewhat seasonal in nature, but we realized it doesn’t have to be. By getting peoples email addresses we are able to now incentivize purchases throughout the year during the off season at a better price, so that we can alleviate some of the fulfillment during peak season.
This will allow us to capture more customers who call in during peak season and provide them with a faster service time as well.
All in all, the secret is in getting the customer data. The data allows you to communicate with your customers and get order after order. You can also use your list to ask for reviews, referrals, and spreading the word.
We were able to get 75, 5-star reviews and dozens of referrals within the span of 3 months. This propelled us naturally on google in terms of our ranking. We now do better than firewood companies that have been around for over a decade.
Please feel free to leave me any questions or comments on this article.
It’s hard to get cheap leads for HVAC. We all know that. A typical HVAC lead cost has gone bonkers. It’s gotten harder and harder to do HVAC lead generation.
But It’s also no secret that the HVAC industry is booming. In fact, according to a recent study by IBISWorld, The market size of the Heating & Air-Conditioning Contractors industry in the US has grown 3.6% per year on average between 2017 and 2022.
That’s great news for HVAC companies, but it also means that competition is heating up and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to get HVAC sales leads at a good price.
HVAC companies need new, creative ways of generating leads that cost less and yield better results.
In this article, we’ll explore 15 different ways that HVAC businesses can do lead generation in the coming years.
Some of these methods are traditional, while others are more innovative; but all of them have been proven to be effective in generating new business opportunities.
1. Have a strong online presence.
If you want your HVAC business to thrive in 2022, you need to have a strong online presence on search engines like google.
This means having a website that’s well-designed and easy to navigate, as well as a strong social media presence. In addition, you must have s strong search engine optimization (SEO). That is a non-negotiable.
There are other search engines like duck-duck-go, Mozilla, and firefox, but the most important at this time is going to be google.
Make sure your website is up-to-date with the latest HVAC industry news and trends, and post regularly on your social media channels.
This will help you reach potential customers who are interested in HVAC contractors. Remember everyone who comes to your site could be a potential HVAC lead for you.
You can also connect with local businesses and organizations to promote your services. Get involved in the community by sponsoring events or donating services/products.
This will help you build relationships with customers and generate exclusive HVAC leads.
2. Use social media For Lead Generation.
There’s no doubt that social media is one of the most effective ways to reach potential customers.
HVAC contractors can use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to connect with customers and promote their services.
Facebook in particular can be extra effective for being an HVAC lead generator.
Make sure you post regularly on your social media channels and use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience. You can also run social media ads to target specific demographics.
Make sure your website and social media profiles are up-to-date and accurately reflect your business. This will help you attract online leads from social media.
3. Connect with local businesses and organizations
Another great lead generation avenue for your company is to connect with local businesses and organizations.
Get involved in the community by sponsoring events or donating services/products. This will help you build relationships with customers and get HVAC leads.
This can generate more leads for both residential and commercial HVAC leads.
You can also connect with local businesses and organizations on social media. Post regularly on your social media channels and use relevant hashtags to reach a wider audience.
You can also run social media ads to target specific demographics for an HVAC lead.
Make sure your website and social media profiles are up-to-date and accurately reflect your business. This will help you attract more online leads from social media.
4. Do your Marketing Research.
The quickest way to get an HVAC lead is going to be through lead generation online through paid ads.
Try and stay away from HVAC lead generation companies to do your marketing and lead generation for you. This is true for both residential and commercial HVAC leads.
Once learned, HVAC lead generation is one of the most valuable things for an owner to run or manage. Generating quality leads is the difference between a company struggling and a thriving local business.
Using a service life AHrefs or Ubersuggest to figure out what people are searching for online is invaluable.
Once you find what keywords your customers are searching for through these keyword search services you can use them for your HVAC advertising.
Google and Facebook are still our #1 choice for digital marketing for your HVAC website. An HVAC company’s marketing team or owner must focus on local SEO and focus on the target audience.
You don’t want to be forfeiting valuable leads using digital marketing in a larger search area when you can first target a service area that is local to you.
New customers can be right around the corner!
5. Sponsor events or donate services/products
Sponsoring events or donating services/products are great ways to get involved in the community and start HVAC lead generation for your business.
By sponsoring events, you can reach customers who are interested in HVAC. You can also donate services/products to local businesses and organizations to help them promote their services.
This will help you build relationships with customers and essential buy HVAC leads for your HVAC services.
6. Participate in tradeshows and industry events
HVAC businesses can also participate in tradeshows and industry events to build relationships with customers and lead generation.
By participating in these events you get the chance to talk one-on-one with customers who are interested in working with an HVAC company.
You can also connect with other HVAC business owners at these events so that you can form strategic partnerships.
This will help you connect with more clients down the road and further the lead generation of your HVAC company.
7. Provide content marketing that’s helpful and informative
One of the best ways to generate exclusive HVAC leads for your business is to provide content marketing that’s helpful and informative.
By providing useful content, you can attract customers to your company. This will generate quality leads.
You can also use content marketing to connect with other HVAC business owners. This will help you form partnerships or create a Hire Me page on your website. By connecting with other businesses, you can create leads for your company.
Make sure your content is well-written and accurate. This will help you attract exclusive leads for HVAC and convert them into customers.
8. Create a lead magnet or freebie to attract leads
One of the best ways to generate quality leads for your business is to create an HVAC lead magnet or freebie.
In this particular case, a lead magnet is a piece of content that attracts HVAC leads and encourages them to subscribe to your email list.
You can create HVAC leads using a lead magnet such as creating an ebook, whitepaper, or checklist. You can also offer a free trial of your HVAC service. This will help you attract more HVAC leads and convert them into customers.
9. Lead Generation through paid advertising
Generating HVAC leads through paid advertising is a great way to reach customers who are interested in HVAC contractors.
You can use a variety of paid advertising platforms to reach these customers, including Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, and LinkedIn Ads.
Make sure you target your ads to reach the right demographics. This will help you get more HVAC leads and convert them into customers.
10. Use telemarketing to contact potential customers
Telemarketing is a great way to generate HVAC leads for your air conditioning and heating services. You can use telemarketing to contact potential customers who are interested in an HVAC service.
By contacting customers through telemarketing, you can get exclusive leads and convert them into customers.
Make sure you target your telemarketing efforts to reach the right demographics. This will help you get leads and convert them into customers.
11. Reach out to past clients for referrals
One of the best ways for lead generation for your business is to reach out to past clients for referrals. By reaching out to past clients, you can connect with future customers who are interested in an HVAC service.
Make sure you reach out to past clients who are happy with your HVAC service. This will help you generate leads and convert them into customers.
12. Develop partnerships with other HVAC businesses
Developing partnerships with other HVAC businesses is a great way to generate HVAC leads for your business.
By partnering with other businesses, you can connect with customers who are interested in an HVAC service. You can also exchange leads with other businesses to generate leads for your business.
Make sure you partner with businesses that offer complementary services. This will help you generate leads and convert them into customers.
13. Attend HVAC training courses and webinars
Attending HVAC training courses and webinars is a great way to generate HVAC leads for your business. By attending these courses and webinars, you can learn about the latest HVAC trends and technologies.
You can use HVAC training courses and webinars to connect with other HVAC businesses.
By connecting with other businesses, you can generate warm leads for your HVAC business that may be out of that particular person’s HVAC services area.
14 . Lead Generation through email marketing
Email marketing is a great strategy for lead generation for your business. You can use email marketing to contact customers who are interested in HVAC.
By contacting customers through email, you can get leads and convert them into customers.
Make sure you target your email marketing efforts to reach the right demographics. This will help you get leads and convert them into customers.
15. Offer HVAC packages to your customers
Offering HVAC packages to your customers is a great way to generate HVAC leads for your HVAC business.
By offering HVAC packages, you can connect with customers who are interested in HVAC services. You can also offer discounts on your HVAC packages to attract more customers.
Make sure you offer HVAC packages that meet the needs of your customers. This will help you generate more profitable sales.
Conclusion
The ability to get HVAC leads for your business can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. It will end up being priceless for you if you can master the flow of leads into your company.
There are many different ways to do lead generation, including paid advertising, telemarketing, reaching out to past clients, developing partnerships with other businesses, and attending HVAC training courses and webinars.
You can also use email marketing or offer HVAC packages to your customers. By using these methods, you can connect with customers who are interested in HVAC.
Generating solid HVAC leads through online marketing at a good price and driving them to your HVAC website is an essential part of lead generation for any HVAC company.
Make sure you use the right methods to reach the right demographics and convert them into customers at an acceptable HVAC leads cost. Remember, you need qualified leads.
If you are getting HVAC leads online, you may get plenty of unwanted leads that you will need to effectively and quickly sort through to find the gold.
Making sure that you get exclusive HVAC leads from your efforts will be well worth the time.
Remember, lead generation is key for growing your business in every aspect whether it be hiring, online marketing, or HVAC sales leads. You always need valuable leads coming in.
We all want the growth hack that will take our existing business and shoot it to the moon. “Growth levers” is a term I constantly hear coming from the online world. I like that saying, don’t you?
Let’s unpack the quickest way to pull these growth levers so that we can scale your business as fast as possible.
The 5 Questions to Ask Yourself That Will help you grow and scale your business.
Let’s go over these 5 questions so that you can achieve growth and scale for your business. These apply to both new businesses and small business.
1. Should I do Homework or Planning Before Starting A Business?
The obvious answer is YES. Make sure to take a good look below at the following questions to determine if what you are doing is likely to be worth your time and investment. These are just a couple examples.
Are there enough customers?
Can this company scale quickly and efficiently?
Can I charge enough for my product to afford ads and fulfillment?
How is my timing of a launch?
Should I partner or not?
These are just some of the many things you need to be thinking about and evaluating as you are doing your homework.
The list is endless of people who never do their homework in the beginning and are destine to fail from day one. Don’t be one of them!
2. Should I bootstrap my Business or Raise Money?
That depends on your desired outcome.
Do you want to be a founder that is in charge of a large team, lots of responsibility, and fast growth? Then you may want to raise money.
That money will help amplify the following:
Increase the number of leads from advertising dollars.
Afford to hire a great team from the get-go.
Launch with a large amount of SKUs (if you are a product-based company)
Start off with a bang in your sales numbers due to large Ad budget and customer service in place.
On the other hand, if you want to boot strap you will be choosing to take the safer and longer path to growth (in most cases).
Boot-strapping a business will look like this:
Could be months or years until your product gets traction from building a customer base and low ad budgets.
Potentially less stress as less people are depending on your for leadership and a paycheck.
In most cases you will use your own money. Many founders claim they had to max out their credit cards to get going.
Going this route you really have control over which direction you want to take and you are not forced by a board or shareholders pressuring you to make the next move.
Between bootstrapping and raising money, I think the answer is clear – Raising money will allow you to grow and scale the fastest. But be careful.
3. Do I Need Systems and Technology In Place to Scale Fast?
More often then not, the answer is almost always yes. This is in both product based business and service based businesses.
If you start to grow and scale, that means your sales numbers are going up (naturally). If you have not put teams in place to handle the influx in sales, you will have a disaster on your hands.
Bad reviews, wasted ad dollars, upset customers and closing your doors from terrible cash flow could destroy you immediately.
Here is what you need to have in place before you are ready to pull on a growth lever for sales.
Customer service team.
Sales team Inbound and outboard (most likely).
Fulfillment whether that be ecommerce or service based. Someone has to fill the packages and go on service calls.
ERP system to effectively track all aspects of your business. Leads, orders, deliveries, SOPS, financials, invoicing, you name it.
*These are just a few and can cost you a TON.
4. Do I Need To Build a Team Beforehand or Can I Hire as I go?
Waiting to hire a team after you open the flood gates would be a complete disaster waiting to happen.
You need to get a team in place immediately that is skilled enough to handle the new requirements that are suddenly being placed on your and your business.
In order to hire effectively, you need a system and process for finding the right talent, interviewing them, and on-boarding them so they are ready to rock.
With that being said, you don’t always have to put the burden on hiring a team on yourself. You can look to outsource things like marketing and sales to other agencies that don’t need a hand-holding.
5. Where Is the Best Place to Get Leads For My Business?
That all depends on what your business is. Clearly there is no one-size-fits-all in this loaded question.
Here is a good rule of thumb to think about when it comes to service-based businesses vs. Product-based businesses.
Examples of Service-based businesses:
Pool cleaning
Christmas lighting
Firewood delivery
Power washing
Waste management
gyms
For these types of businesses we have found that google advertising and local paper, magazine, and mailers tend to work best. Also a good referral system in place is a huge asset you need to get implemented ASAP.
Examples of Product- Based Businesses:
Ecommerce
Retail Stores
Grocery
Thrift Stores
Dealerships
For these types of businesses there are so many options to go with. Google works great, Facebook, Instagram, influencer marketing, road signage are just a few. For each type of business listed above, you are almost certainly going to have a different blend of marketing channels.
Ex) Dealerships do well with word of mouth and referrals. Ecommerce can do well with google, Instagram, meta and influencer marketing.
It is up to you to get testing and figure out what channel will work best for your business. Good luck out there!
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