Homeowners don’t pick the company with the biggest ad budget, they choose the one they find first, that stands out online, and makes it easy to book. When you do that, you get better leads, higher-value jobs, and more revenue. That was the central message of the recent ACHR News + Scorpion webinar: HVAC and Plumbing Marketing 101: How to Stand Out, Get Hired, and Get More Jobs.
Led by Scorpion’s Andrew Adams and Josh Smith, alongside home services leaders Josh Hembree of Hembree Heating and Air and Patrick Fee of Mr. Drain Plumbing, the webinar offered practical guidance on how contractors are navigating shifting consumer expectations, rising ad costs, and the need for faster follow-up.
Here’s a breakdown of the biggest takeaways for HVAC and plumbing businesses looking to grow their revenue and win more jobs—without wasting time or marketing dollars.
Speed Is the New Standard
Consumer behavior has changed. People expect fast, reliable answers, especially when they’re dealing with unexpected home emergencies.
- 54% of homeowners decide on a provider within 4 hours
- 90% expect a response within 24 hours
- 78% of buyers choose the first company that responds
For Josh Hembree, that meant creating a culture around speed:
“If a lead comes in digitally through Scorpion, we have a 15-minute response time. If it isn’t answered in time, I’m alerted. It’s that important to us.”
Josh Smith of Scorpion reinforced this with data:
“Home services leads convert 21x more often if they’re responded to in under five minutes.”
Reviews Matter More Than Ever
Before a customer ever calls, they read your reviews. In many cases, those reviews are the first impression, and they can make or break a decision.
Patrick Fee put it this way:
“Reviews are the first touchpoint. We’re not just training techs on service, we’re training our entire team to deliver five-star experiences from the first phone call.”
Mr. Drain now has over 1,000 reviews in just 18 months, thanks to automated follow-ups and a team culture focused on asking for honest feedback—no incentives, just service.
Show Up Where It Counts
If your website is outdated or slow, it’s working against you. Consumers form quick opinions based on your digital presence.
Josh Smith advised businesses to invest in:
- A fast, mobile-friendly website that reflects your brand
- Search engine visibility through both SEO and paid ads
- A digital strategy tailored to seasonality and lead quality, not just volume
“Any marketing spend is wasted if the rest of your business isn’t set up to convert that lead. That’s why what happens after the click matters so much”.
Know Where Your Revenue Comes From
Both Hembree and Fee highlighted the power of integrating marketing and operations platforms. Using Scorpion’s integration with ServiceTitan, they can now track exactly which leads turn into revenue.
“I can follow a lead from click to call to booked job to revenue. That’s changed how I invest my marketing dollars seasonally and strategically,” said Hembree.
Patrick agreed:
“We’ve been able to outperform larger companies with bigger budgets by being data-driven. I couldn’t do that without the data Scorpion gives me back in real time.”
Don’t Try to Do It All Yourself
Both business owners were adamant: trying to manage marketing in-house, especially in a digital-first world, is a losing game.
“Would you diagnose your own health instead of going to a doctor?” Patrick asked. “It’s the same idea. I’ll stick to plumbing. Scorpion handles my marketing so I can focus on what I do best.”
Be the Business People Remember
You can’t win the job if you’re not remembered. That’s why Patrick and Josh both emphasized video, social media, and storytelling to stay top of mind—before and after a customer’s immediate need.
“People want to do business with people they know. Even if I can’t meet every customer personally, they can get to know me through video, through content, through our brand,” Patrick shared.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
The insights in this blog are just the beginning. For the full conversation, including actionable tips and real-world examples, watch the full webinar on-demand.
Want to see how Scorpion and RevenueMAX can help you grow your business with better data, better lead quality, and better results? Talk to our team.