Serving your community by running an HVAC business is rewarding, but real growth takes more than effort—it takes strategy. Whether you’re just starting out or expanding, sustainable success comes from putting your services in front of the right people, in the right places, at the right time. Here's how to build a solid foundation, drive consistent leads, and scale your HVAC company with confidence.
Build your local reputation
Own your local market before and improve your local reputation by getting a steady stream of reviews flowing. Your current clients are your first and best source of steady work and referrals, and reviews. Setting up automated referrals and reviewing emails gets the positive mojo for your business flowing.
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67% of consumers check at least three different review sources before deciding on a business. (The Scorpion Pulse)
Get clear on your ideal customer
If you've been operating for a while, you likely know your typical customer and your ideal neighborhoods. But to grow, you need to stay strategic by defining your ideal customer profile.
To build your ideal profile, start by determining where your ideal customer is:
- Zip codes with a household income above your community’s average income
- Neighborhoods that are 12-15 years old with aging HVAC units, or where you’re seeing the most installations in
Next, dive into who your ideal customer is by listening to your calls to find out:
- If homeowners or landlords call more
- What gender are your callers?
- What age are your callers?
- What types of services are they calling about?
Once you’ve done your research, dial in your answers, then realign your marketing to reach and resonate with more of those exact customers.
Own your local search results and review sites
You need to have a strong online presence because most of your ideal customers start their search online. If you’re not showing up, you’re invisible. Make sure your business gets found by:
- Building a fast and mobile-friendly website that's clear about your services.
- Claiming and maintaining your profiles on Google (Google Business Profile), Yelp, and Meta for Business.
- Asking happy customers to leave reviews on Yelp, Google, Facebook, and the Better Business Bureau not only builds trust but improves visibility.
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Pro-Tip: To see a major impact, focus on asking customers for reviews on one platform each month
Climb to the top of local search
Local SEO helps your business appear when someone searches for "AC repair near me." To climb higher:
- Use location-specific keywords ("furnace repair in Plano") on your website.
- Keep your Google Business Profile updated.
- Build backlinks from other local businesses or sponsorships.
- Publish local content like blog posts and FAQs that answer real customer questions.
Pro Tip: Use Google Search Console or a keyword researcher like AhRefs or SEMrush to find out the most popular HVAC inquiries in your community
Build a digital marketing strategy that brings in real jobs
Expanding beyond your local market means using digital marketing to attract new customers. Using the right mix of digital marketing strategies, from paid advertisements to organic posts to help your business stay top-of-mind for customers when they’re in need of emergency support.
Social Media
Stay top-of-mind so your community thinks of your brand when they need HVAC services. Using Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are an easy way to get in front of your ideal customer, but you need to have relevant, high-quality content ready to share across these channels. Keep your content fresh by:
- Highlighting happy customers and before/after installs
- Promoting seasonal offers
- Featuring maintenance programs
- Amplifying clips from your recent TV commercials
Pro-tip: Start by building out one social media audience before scaling to several channels.
Paid Ads
Google helps you reach customers who need HVAC services now. While Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and YouTube Ads help your brand be the first HVAC company your community calls. Investing in digital ads can get expensive, so before going live with your ads, make sure your target is set up to only deliver to the zip codes where your business services are.
- Google Search Ads: Build campaigns that target urgent searches like "AC repair near me."
- Google PMAX Ads: Delivers ads to your ideal customers anywhere they are at any time.
- YouTube: Help drive awareness for your HVAC business by running your TV ads or other short videos on YouTube.
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram): Keep your business top of mind for homeowners before bad weather hits by running relevant messages across your Meta accounts.
Pro-tip: If you’re leading up to the first freeze or warm day, always increase your budget to capture as many jobs as your team can handle
Build real-world connections that scale
Growth doesn’t just come from ads. It comes from relationships. The best HVAC business operators have built strong industry connections and teamed up with local influencers like Realtors, builders, and property managers. A single connection can lead to dozens of installs or ongoing maintenance jobs.
Pro-Tip: Join an industry group like ACCA or ASHRAE to stay informed and build referral pipelines.
Get extra exposure with local public relations
Building relationships with your local news station is a must. Becoming the go-to resource for all things home services helps build your business’s credibility and gives you solid content to share on your social media channels. Get started by offering helpful content to the editorial staff and pitching your ideas. If you’re investing time in local public relations, always keep in mind that your content needs to be timely and relevant.
Some solid pitch ideas include:
- Preparing your home for winter (Just before the first freeze)
- 3 steps to make sure your home is more efficient (in Spring, near Earth Day)
- Staying cool in the heat (Leading up to a hot streak)
- How to get better indoor air quality (If you’re dealing with nearby fires)
Pro-Tip: If you’re running Google Ads and are going to be featured on the local news, increase your advertising budget to ensure you’re able to capture more demand.
Grow smart: expand with intention
Once demand outpaces capacity, it’s time to expand—but do it strategically.
- Add coverage areas by opening new locations or offering mobile services.
- Launch new services like duct cleaning or energy audits to appeal to new customer segments.
- Invest in better equipment and training. Faster diagnostics and repairs mean happier customers and more referrals.
The bottom line
Growing your HVAC business isn’t just about doing more—it’s about doing the right things in the right order. Build a strong brand, rank locally, market smart, and nurture your reputation. That’s the formula.
If you want a growth partner who understands HVAC marketing inside and out, Scorpion is ready to help. We’ll reverse-engineer your goals and build a plan that drives real results.
