Optic Marketing

A Guide to Billboard Advertising Costs in 2022

Are you an HVAC business owner looking to get more local customers for your business? Consider advertising on a giant billboard. Imagine how many people will see your company logo and learn about your business as they pass your billboard.

And if it’s lit up at night, people will actually see your ad 24 hours a day. Capture viewers with a short attention-grabbing headline and you’re sure to grow your business in a big way.

While driving on the road or walking in your city, one can’t help to notice a giant billboard above with your company name on it. By now your interest may be piqued.

And you’re wondering what it costs to advertise on one of those big boys? In this post, you’ll learn about billboard advertising costs and more about the benefits of advertising on a billboard. Let’s get to it.

Billboard Advertising Costs By Region 

The price you’ll pay for a billboard depends on the region where you live. Here’s what you’ll pay for a four-week period in five big cities:

• Los Angeles: In 2020 the average cost was $2,000 to 15,000
  • Now in 2022 going into 2023
    • Bulletins have gone up 25%
    • Lesser increases across various different units in the market
    • Transit Shelters/Digital Transit Shelters/Jr. Posters have seen a slight reduction in cost
    • Cost Revision: $2,250 to $18,750

• New York: In 2020 the average cost was $3,000 to $20,000
  • Now in 2022 going into 2023 
    • Bulletins have increased by around 35%
    • Transit/Jr Posters/Kiosks/Wall Units have seen a reduction in rate year over year
    • Digital Posters on high-arteries have seen a significant increase upward of 43%
    • Costs Revisions: $3,500 – $25,100

• Philadelphia: In 2020 the average cost was $1,500 to $12,000
  • Now in 2022 going into 2023
    • Bulletins – saw a minimal cost increase of around 17% with Metro skyrocketing to a 42% upcharge
    • Transit Shelter/Junior Posters and Bike Kiosks showed significant decreases
    • Cost Revisions:  $3,500 – $25,100

• San Francisco: In 2020 the average cost was $2,000  to $12,000
  • Now in 2022 going into 2023
    • Appears to be a very Strong Outdoor market
    • Digital/Static Posters and Bulletins have gone up from 36% in 2021 vs 2022
    • Junior Posters/Kiosks currently trending up also
    • Cost Revisions: $2,5000 – $16,800

• Chicago: In 2020 the average cost was $2,000  to $12,000
  • Now in 2022 going into 2023
    • Digital/Static posters have increased by approximately 30 – 35% in 2021 vs 2022
    • Junior Posters, Digital Transit Shelters, and Wall Art have gone down by various percentages
    • Cost Revisions:  $2,300 – $15,000

As you can see, each city has a wide range, so it’s easy to find a solution that suits your budget. Let’s take a look at other factors that determine billboard advertising costs.

The Factors: How Much Does It Cost to Advertise on a Billboard?

The price you’ll pay for a billboard ad depends on a few factors. One big one is the location. You’ve heard it before: location. location. location. Let’s take a look.

The Visibility of the Billboard

When your billboard is highly visible, the costs reflect that. That’s because more people will see your ad. This increases the likelihood of getting more business.

A highly visible spot could be near a traffic light where people in cars stop or on an open highway. You’ll pay more for a billboard on the right-hand side because it’s easier to see.

Another factor is the volume of traffic in the area. Is the billboard in a busy part of town such as a business district that gets a lot of traffic?

Or in an area that’s part residential with fewer vehicles on the road? Both can serve you well because a residential neighborhood could be your customer base.

Cost Per Thousand Impressions (CPM)

Billboard ad costs are determined by something called CPM which means cost per thousand impressions. A billboard along the freeway with 400,000 impressions in a month will cost $2,000.

But when a billboard is located in a spot that gets 30,000 impressions, billboard advertising costs will equal around $600 a month for your ad. These metrics are calculated by travel surveys and studies.

Want to know more about CPM? Ask your advertising company for the CPM data.

Billboard Pricing Is Typically Determined By Four-Week Intervals

Billboard pricing is based on four-week intervals rather than a month. This makes sense since some months have more weeks than other months.

Did a company give you a $1,500 annual quote? This means you’re paying for 13 four-week intervals.

Production Costs

Aside from renting the actual billboard, you can also have it produced. Production rates vary depending on the size of the billboard your ad is on and the materials.

Prices range from around $250 to under $800. Here are some production estimates for vinyl which typically run half a dollar per square foot.

• $64: Eight feet by 16 feet billboard
• $189: 10 feet by 36 feet billboard
• $336: 14 feet by 48 feet billboard

Of course, these prices are rough estimates as of 2020. But you’ll find they’re fairly close or on the mark.

Billboard Location

We talked about pricing in different U.S. cities. But pricing also depends on the area of the city the billboard is located. Let’s learn more about pricing using the New York City area and Los Angeles as examples.

New York City

In New York City, a digital billboard in Times Square will remain posted for a two-week period rather than four weeks. The costs to advertise in Times Square range from $10,000 to $22,000.

Want to put a billboard up in Soho? Then it will cost between $18,000 and $30,000 for four weeks. But think of how many people on foot and in their vehicles will see your HVAC company.

However, if you want to advertise your billboard on the highway, you’ll pay less for your ad to be posted on a state highway than you would on a freeway. On a freeway, you’ll have more eyes on it. More people means more traffic impressions.

Los Angeles

Want to post a billboard in Los Angeles? You’ll pay the highest prices in the hub of the famed Sunset Strip since so many people visit the area on foot and in vehicles.

Costs range from $25,000  to $55,000. But if you want your billboard on Sunset Blvd, you’ll advertising costs range between $15,000 to $35,000.

Want to target the trendy businesses of Melrose? Your billboard rental will cost around between $9,000 and $15,000. How about Hollywood Boulevard which houses many businesses and apartment buildings? Your costs will range from $7,000 to $13,000.

Put Your Name Up in Lights 

As you can probably imagine, pricing is often determined by size. If your billboard is 14 feet by 48 feet, that’s 77 percent larger than a billboard that’s 10 and a half feet by 36 feet. A larger billboard makes it easier to see your company name.

But imagine if people could see your billboard after dark? A lighted billboard means more impressions and more people reading your company name.

This will bring your company’s name to their minds when their AC or heating system fails. Or when they’re considering updating their HVAC system. Or when it’s time to schedule regular maintenance.

Look Up High: Billboard Advertising Costs Revisited

Now you know more about billboard advertising costs. Advertising your business on a billboard is a great way to get leads for your company and boost sales.

Optic Marketing Group, a full-service HVAC marketing company can help find the perfect billboard location for the best price. Ready to get more eyes on your HVAC business and advertise on a billboard? Contact us today to get started.

by Optic Marketing

Holiday Marketing Tips For Small Businesses

The Winter season is fast approaching and with that comes the need for homeowners and business owners to tend to their HVAC systems. Your HVAC service is just the kind of company to fit their needs!

The trick is to get yourself out in front of your target market. Believe it or not, your marketing tactics should change with the seasons. There are some alterations to make during the holiday season.

Presenting your home services is all about advertising in the right way. See below for several holiday marketing tips you can follow to market your HVAC company to your target market.

1. Out With the Old

Much like a child on Christmas day, there are some outdated digital marketing strategies that you need to toss out to make room for the “new toys”.

There’s no better time to audit your marketing plan than the holiday season. It’s a time for you to review the year you’ve had and make adjustments as necessary. What marketing tactics are you depending on that are killing your ROI?

For example, you might still be depending on organic social media marketing alone for your HVAC company. That no longer exists. If you’re looking for results on social media, you need to generate an advertising campaign or throw some money behind the organic posts to promote them. Social media platforms are far too congested to simply post without any budget to back them up.

Even the most successful companies find time to take a hard look in the mirror and change their marketing plan. That starts by tossing out what no longer works to find new ways of doing things.

By throwing out useless tactics, you can make way for such things as marketing automation or funnel ads.

2. Get Festive with Each Holiday

People want to work with personable HVAC businesses. They want to find someone that they can envision themselves building a business relationship with.

The holidays are a great way to show off the personal side of your brand. You aren’t just a stick-to-the-script type of company, you’re in the business of helping people with their HVAC issues and having fun while doing it.

The best part is that each holiday allows you to show off a different side of your company’s personality.

For example, Thanksgiving is a time to (as the name would imply) give thanks and show appreciation for your staff, your clients, and so forth. Christmas is a great time to spread holiday cheer to all to hear… you get the idea!

3. Incorporate More Video Content

Video content is the here-and-now of content marketing. It allows you to be more interactive with your clients and attract your clients to your brand. It also helps ensure that more of your followers/viewers retain the information that you give them.

So, for example, if you’re running a promotion for a free in-home check-up during the Christmas season, you can run a video to announce the offer.

Your clients will remember how to redeem the in-home visit, what they need to look out for, common HVAC issues during the holiday season, and so on.

Better yet, video content can be used on every digital platform you have. You can place customer testimony videos on your website, how-to videos on your Youtube page, live streaming videos on your social media platforms, and so on.

It’s important to diversify the content in your marketing plan. Some clients are more receptive to videos. Others are more receptive to blog articles. It takes a healthy dose of many different components to find the perfect balance during this season. That’s why it’s best to work with a full-service marketing agency who knows how to brand your business across all platforms.

4. Push More Giveaways

You might think “We’re an HVAC company, what do we have to give away?”. It’s that kind of thinking that prevents more HVAC services from connecting with their clients on a higher level.

There are several things you can give away to your followers and clients. You could give away Starbucks gift cards, promo items, swag with your company logo on it, coupons on your service, tumblers, gift baskets, and so much more.

Customers love free things. So much so, that they’re willing to do almost anything you ask of them (within reason) to put their name in the hat.

Nothing says “holiday spirit” like free giveaways! Simply advertise the items you’re giving away, set the guidelines of the contest (tagging three friends, leaving a comment, etc.), and set the date and time when the contest ends.

5. Plan Around the Holidays

Most importantly, you want to make sure you account for all the holidays that are upcoming. There are a lot of holidays in the last two months of the year, so be sure to consider them all.

Circle your calendar for Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve/Day.

First, you need to plan for giving your staff time off for the necessary holidays if you haven’t done so already.

These dates can also help you heighten your marketing and gear up for all of those holidays. You can think of things like social media posts, marketing ads, and so on based on the holidays that are coming up quickly.

Use These Marketing Tips to Your Advantage

Now that you have seen several amazing marketing tips you can use to spread holiday cheer and make your brand more personable, it’s important to use that to your advantage!

Be sure to read this article to learn more about how to make social media posts convert into revenue for your HVAC company’s marketing plan.

For more inquiries on Optic Marketing Group and our services, be sure to reach out via phone at (844)-700-4781 and we will be happy to assist you further.

by Optic Marketing

How to Grow Your Plumbing or HVAC Business With Multi-Media

Around 20% of HVAC businesses fail every year across America.

If you want to start an HVAC or plumbing business, you need to know how to make it succeed. You need to know what to do in order to reach your target market and bring in leads.

This is why HVAC marketing is so important. Having a digital marketing strategy can help HVAC and plumbing businesses step up their game, especially ever since 2020 occurred and businesses everywhere realized they needed an online marketing strategy.

But what is the best online marketing strategy? What do HVAC businesses need to do in order to bring in more leads and drive in more revenue?

Here’s a detailed guide on home services marketing, particularly around heating and cooling, and which kind of marketing can help propel your HVAC businesses.

Using Mass Media

If you want to grow your HVAC and plumbing business, you need to consider using mass media. You need to consider how mass media can help you reach your target market.

There are a lot of forms of mass media to consider and you want to spend your money wisely before going all-out in one particular medium.

Here’s why social media, TV, and radio can help you reach your target market and build your HVAC business.

Social Media Advertising

One of the best forms of HVAC advertising is social media. You can use social media in a lot of different forms to reach your target market.

One of the best ways to use social media is with Facebook advertising. With millions of people on Facebook, it makes it one of the best ways to promote your product or your services.

You can use Facebook advertising in multiple ways. For instance, you can do lead generation on Facebook and bring in hundreds of leads if you have an enticing lead magnet.

You can also use Instagram advertising that has the same strategies as Facebook. You can use it for lead generation or you can use it for conversion campaigns.

This is a great way to introduce your services and how they are valuable to your customers.

You can also try social media advertising when it comes to Twitter, LinkedIn, Tik Tok, and other forms of social media.

TV and Radio Advertising

If you want to extend your advertising beyond social media, you can also try TV and radio.

You can either pay for 30-second-commercial spots. It can also cost a lot more if you want to advertise during sports specials like the Super Bowl.

If you want to advertise on the radio, it just depends on the size of the audience and the location of where you’re at.

However, the same principles apply when you advertise on TV and radio as it does with social media.

You have to find your target market and figure out how to reach them. You have to understand their problems and see how you can help them.

This may mean you have to try and see what kind of copy is the best for your audience. You have to see what advertisements perform the best in your market.

Ultimately, there are a lot of ways to advertise in the mass media, but you have to figure out your budget and the best ways to reach your audience. You have to see what performs the best.

You don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on advertising and not realize what works. Find out what advertising platform is going to do the best for you and stick with it.

The Benefits of HVAC Advertising

When you do find what mass media advertising platform works the best for your HVAC or plumbing business, you’ll see how the benefits that come with it.

One of the best benefits is that your business will be more profitable. You’ll bring in more leads for your business, which can help drive in more customers.

Another benefit to consider when you’re advertising is you’re seeing what your target market is interested in with a particular season. You’re seeing if they need heating during the winter months or work on their AC during the summer months.

This can help give you an idea of what you need to advertise during the year. You have an idea of what people are looking for during the year and how to build trust with them.

Another benefit to consider with HVAC advertising is that you’re extending your reach as a business. You’re not just reaching people in your local area, you’re reaching people throughout the United States.

If you have the capacity and capability of working with people in a certain range, you can use mass media to help you reach those people in that range.

You don’t have to rely on foot traffic to get you the customers you want. You can advertise online or on TV to help reach people that may be 100 miles or farther away.

Now You Know How to Step up Your HVAC Marketing Game

When it comes to creating an HVAC marketing strategy, it can be challenging. You may feel overwhelmed by all the choices you make in marketing.

This guide gives your HVAC or plumbing strategy the confidence you need to make the best choice. You have an idea of what mass media advertising can do for you and how it can help bring in more revenue.

If you have more questions about HVAC or plumbing marketing, you can contact us here.

by Optic Marketing

Your Website Could Be Holding You Back: The Best Kept HVAC Website Secrets

Are you struggling to generate leads on your HVAC website? You might want to reevaluate your design and development. In fact, design has a 75% influence on a website’s credibility.

Websites that are slow lost $2.6 billion in revenue each year, too. Meanwhile, 90% of consumers won’t return to a website after having a bad experience. If your company website is slow, outdated, or just old, you could lose HVAC leads. Instead, consider these eight tips for improving your site. With a strong website, you can improve your entire HVAC marketing strategy. Then, you can draw in fresh leads and boost your business!

Keep reading to discover how to improve your website to increase revenue today.

1. Know Your Audience

First, it’s important to make sure your website is created with your target audience in mind. Otherwise, you might struggle to appeal to their needs.

The better you know your target audience, the more likely you can connect with them through your content.

Determine who your customers are based on psychographics and demographics. For example, you can research their:

• Age
• Location
• Gender
• Household income
• Marital status
• Buying behaviors
• Pain points
• Interests
• Language
• Education

You might want to create location-based content if you’re targeting people in different regions. Maybe you want to target homeowners over property managers. Either way, take the time to determine who your customers are.

Then, determine what they search for when looking for companies in the HVAC services industry.

You can use tools like Keyword Planner, Answer the Public, SEMRush, and Google Trends.

Once you determine what your customers search for online, you can create the content they already need. More people will find your website online. Then, you can generate high-quality HVAC leads.

You could save valuable time by focusing on your ideal audience as a result.

2. Speed Things Up

Remember, a slow website could cost you revenue. It could impact the user experience (UX), causing people to leave.

If people leave without exploring your content, your dwell time and clickthrough rate will drop. These metrics are essential to your search engine rankings. A higher ranking will help you reach more customers online.

If your ranking drops because your website is slow, you’ll miss a chance to generate HVAC leads.

Instead, run your HVAC website through Google’s PageSpeed Insights. If your website is slow, consider:

• Using better website hosting
• Compressing Javascript files
• Eliminating unnecessary third-party scripts
• Using page caching
• Enabling browser caching
• Reducing iframes and embedded content
• Deleting unwanted Javascript files
• Optimizing images
• Preloading custom web fonts
• Eliminating third-party scripts
• Using a content delivery system
• Creating fixed dimensions for images
• Minifying Javascript and CSS codes

Page experience directly impacts whether or not customers take action after visiting your website. You want to make sure that they have a delightful experience from the moment they arrive on your site that seamlessly guides them through to the end goal of contacting your business for your services. When you work with an agency like Optic Marketing Group, the team of expert web developers will make sure your website’s page experience is where it needs to be.

3. Use Minimalistic Design

Take a look at the content on your web pages. If each page looks cluttered and jammed with content, it could overwhelm visitors. Instead, consider minimalistic design.

Using minimalistic design trends can clean up your web pages. You can keep visitors focused on core pieces of content. That includes conversion buttons.

First, use white space to give your content room to breathe. Try to avoid unnecessary pieces of content or fluff in your text.

Instead, keep visitors focused on the value you can offer them.

As you make these changes to your website, make sure it’s easy for people to navigate between pages, too. Improve your navigation bar. Keep it focused on core pages.

Consider adding a sidebar or footer navigation as well.

4. Make Sure You’re Mobile

Consumers interact with brands twice as often on mobile devices than desktop devices. In fact, mobile conversions are 64% higher, too.

Run your website through Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. If your site isn’t optimized, it could impact your entire HVAC marketing strategy. You could scare away mobile users.

In fact, nearly 40% of people stop engaging with a website if it’s unappealing. About 70% abandon online carts due to poor design.

Google also uses mobile-first indexing to determine rankings. Work with a design and development agency to optimize your site. Then, you can boost online engagement and increase revenue.

5. Use Invest In SEO

Search engine optimization can help your HVAC website rank higher on search pages. It can also help you:

• Generate brand awareness and recognition
• Establish your credibility in the industry
• Rank you ahead of competitors
• Position you as a thought leader
• Build brand trust and loyalty
• Increase traffic to your website
• Boost leads, conversions, and sales
• Improve your ROI

SEO is an important component of any HVAC marketing strategy. You’ll need to optimize your content for keywords. Your website design and development can impact your rankings, too.

Work with an agency that understands Google Core Web Vitals. They can improve your technical SEO, improving your rankings.

6. Add Reviews

Establishing your credibility can help consumers trust your HVAC business.

First, add reviews to your website. Reviews will show prospective clients that people already trust your business.

Add other social signals to your site, including badges. If you’re part of a professional organization or have special credentials, let people know. You can build brand trust and generate more HVAC leads.

7. Consider Conversions

As you make these improvements to your website, make sure it’s easy for people to reach you.

For example, you can add an eye-catching button to the top of the navigation bar. Consider positioning the form above the fold. You can also use a chatbot to capture more leads.

8. Stay Secure

Don’t neglect your website’s security. Make sure you have an SSL certificate. You should see “HTTPS” before the domain name. Otherwise, talk to your web design and development team to improve your site.

Boost Business: 8 Essential Tips for Improving Your HVAC Website

A few small changes to your HVAC website can have a major impact on your marketing strategy. Keep these eight essentials in mind. Making these changes can help you capture more HVAC leads to increase revenue for the year!

Need help from a full-service HVAC marketing group? We’re happy to lend a hand.

Contact Optic Marketing Group for our marketing services today to get started.

by Optic Marketing

Voice Search Tips for Home Service Businesses

Voice search is finally making its mark on the digital marketing landscape.

Nowadays, 20% of all internet searches are voice-based. We're always on the move and we always have our mobile devices with us, not to mention the fact that Google voice search algorithms have progressed in a big way.

For home service businesses that rely on local SEO, voice search will continue to play a big role. Today, we're going to give you a few voice search tips that can help you boost your SEO and put you ahead of the competition.

Understanding voice search can give you a big edge over other HVAC and plumbing businesses. Keep reading and learn how it's done.

Fill Out Your GMB Profile

One thing to understand about voice search is that it's deeply tied to local SEO, which is so crucial for home service businesses. If your HVAC or plumbing business is going to have high visibility online, you need to fill out your Google My Business profile.

Without this profile, your business will be in no man's land. When someone performs a voice search, Google looks at GMB to get business names, addresses, contact info, business category, and ratings. The more thoroughly you fill out your GMB profile, the better.

Getting More Online Reviews

When someone performs a voice search, they might say, "what is the best HVAC installation company near me?". If your business is going to show up on the SERP, you need a high average star rating and lots of positive reviews.

Over 90% of people look at online reviews before buying a product or service, but reviews are also important for local SEO. Lots of good ratings, positive reviews, and responses to reviews will help you appeal to Google's voice search algorithm.

Conversational Keywords and Customer Intent

The way that voice search SEO works is a bit different. Searchers are using more conversational language when they perform searches, so you need to focus on long-tail and local keywords on your landing pages and in your content.

Most voice searches come in the form of questions, as mentioned above. The key to nailing your keywords is understanding the intent of the searcher. Optimize your content to address this intent and you'll be successful with voice search.

How Your Site Factors In

One of the best ways to optimize your website for voice search is to have an FAQ section. Having a dedicated page with conversational questions and answers will solve the problem posed above.

Also, since voice searches are always performed on mobile devices, you need to ensure your website is mobile-friendly. Simplicity is the key here, so make your navigation easy to understand, compress the size of your images, and integrate larger fonts and buttons.

Voice Search Optimization for Service Businesses

Voice search SEO isn't the future of digital marketing for service businesses—it's the present. These tips will help to optimize your business for voice search, but it's important to keep your ear to the ground and stay on top of the ever-changing SEO trends. 

To get help with SEO for your HVAC or plumbing business, look no further than Optic Marketing. As a full-service digital marketing agency for service businesses, we can help you take your company to new heights. Contact us today to discuss your digital advertising needs.

by Optic Marketing

Things to Do After Your HVAC Company Gets a Five Star Review

Over 90% of customers read online reviews before purchasing a product or service.

Running an HVAC company is all about bolstering your reputation. No matter where you operate, there are going to be other HVAC companies vying for the same group of customers. Good reviews help to establish your reputation and draw those customers away from the competition.

When you receive a five star review, you need to know what to do with it. In this post, we're going to tell you how to respond to business reviews.

You work hard to give your customers the best service you can. Now keep reading and learn how responding to your five star reviews can boost business.

Why Responding to a Five Star Review Matters

Getting a positive review isn't something every HVAC company is capable of, so you're already off on the right foot. Once you've got the perfect review in hand, you can focus on your five star review response.

It's important to respond to comments - good and bad - so that your customers know you're listening. Doing so will boost your customer retention and local SEO, which is an important part of establishing your business as the go-to HVAC company in your area.

Your response may also influence how potential customers perceive your business. As we mentioned earlier, a lot of people look at customer reviews before contacting a business. If you show that you're responsive to your customers, it'll show new customers that you care about their happiness.

Expressing Gratitude

There are a few different ways to bolster your five star review image. First and foremost, it's important that your response is genuine and relates to what the customer discussed in their review.

One good way to keep the positive vibes going is to simply express your gratitude for the review and their business. After all, your customers don't have to leave you a review. They're doing it because they enjoyed the service you gave them.

Thank them by name and let them know that you really appreciate their feedback. It's a simple, yet effective approach.

Highlight Your Team

You can take your five star review response one step further and highlight a member of your team that performed the HVAC service. A five star review will often single out a specific team member that provided excellent service.

By acknowledging the same team member in your response, you're showing that you read the review carefully. You can say something like, "Thanks for your review; we'll pass your compliments along to [insert employee]". Doing this on a regular basis will also boost employee morale at your company.

Mention Upcoming Offers

We mentioned earlier that review responses can help you boost customer retention. You can really dig into this by mentioning an upcoming promotion or program in your response to incentivize your happy customer to come back again soon.

It helps if the service you're advertising pertains to something the customer mentioned in their review. Otherwise, it may seem a bit blatant.

Know How to Get Five Star Reviews 

Once you know how to get a five star review and what to do with it afterward, you can go a long way to establishing your HVAC business as the best in the area. Responding to every single online review can be a lot of work, but it truly does pay off in the end.

If you need help optimizing your online reviews or any other aspect of digital marketing for your HVAC business, contact us at Optic Marketing. We're a full-service digital marketing agency that specializes in working with HVAC and plumbing companies.

by Optic Marketing

Google Local Service Ads or Google PPC Ads for HVAC Businesses

Did you know that Google's advertising business generates a whopping $150 billion in revenue?

This is a win-win scenario because Google offers valuable options for business to increase their exposure and gain loyal customers they wouldn't otherwise have. Two main options for Google advertising include local service ads and pay-per-click ads.

Are you wondering what ways you can get the most out of your marketing endeavors? Keep reading to learn all about how to use Google local service ads or Google PPC ads for your HVAC business.

Google Service Ads

Many HVAC Businesses love the fact that Google service ads appear at the top of Google search results. This can save you a significant amount of time. Instead of laboring over SEO, you can essentially cut the line.

Since these service ads operate based on location, your ad will only appear to people who are searching for HVAC products or services in your area. You can expect your ad to appear beside two others that are also relevant.

Aside from your business name, these HVAC ads will also display your business' accumulative star rating, the number of years you've been in business, your hours of operation, and your phone number. This allows potential customers to make an informed decision right away instead of clicking on the ad and giving you outlier data, for instance.

Rather than the number of years you've been in business, you can use that brief text for something else if you'd like, such as a miniature mission statement.

Google PPC Ads

Google PPC ads are yet another great marketing option for an HVAC company that wants more exposure and more lead generation. Since you only pay when someone clicks your ad, you can save money and get real results. Plus, the clicks will allow you to analyze the effectiveness of the ad.

If it isn't performing to your liking, you can tinker and tailor it so that the ad can meet your goals if not exceed them. As for placement, it's common to see Google PPC ads right below local service ads.

Placement is essential but it's by no means everything. Used together, these two types of ads can work wonders for your brand's exposure and general revenue stream.

You can start launching ads through Google's advertising platform but it's better to hire professionals. That way, you can have a more informed and overarching strategy.

Are You Ready to Use Google Local Service Ads and More?

Now that you've learned all about how to use Google local service ads and Google PPC ads for your HVAC business, you can decide which strategies work best with your goals.

Optic Marketing Group is here to help you launch your most successful marketing campaign yet. Our experienced professionals know the ins and outs of SEO, ad functions, audience targeting, and so much more.

If you're ready to take your brand to the next level, then be sure to contact us right away. We're looking forward to working with you.

by Optic Marketing

4 Tips on Training Your Technicians to Sell

Your HVAC company can't thrive without well-trained HVAC technicians.

America is home to over 200,000 HVAC technicians. If your company is going to stand out among the many other local HVAC companies, it's important to give your customer the best service. 

Part of this is ensuring that your employees come from reputable technician schools. The better they are at installing and repairing HVAC equipment, the more reputable your company will be. 

If your company is going to thrive and grow, however, you need your technicians to sell your products and services. In this post, we're going to give you 4 important tips on training your employees to sell. 

Cross-selling or "upselling" is an essential part of business growth, so keep reading and teach your employees how it's done.

1. Incentivizing Sales

The easiest way to get your technicians to buy into a sales role is to incentivize it. Provide a commission or financial reward to the technicians that are able to make sales on the fly.

Individual rewards should entice some of your more outgoing technicians to make sales, but you don't want to alienate the ones who don't perform as well. You can also offer team incentives when sales are made or new clients are brought in. This can help boost cohesion and morale.

2. Training Technicians on Building Rapport

Train your technicians on how to build a rapport with the customer. If your techs are going to make sales, they need the customer to trust that what they're telling them is correct. 

Demonstrated expertise will take them most of the way. Being accommodating and friendly will bring them the rest of the way. Instruct your technicians to ask customers lots of questions and have them almost tutor them by explaining in simple terms what they're doing and why they're doing it.

3. Pointing Out Future Problems

If your technicians notice any other HVAC issues while on the job, they should always bring it to the customer's attention. Without being pushy, inform the customer that a future problem could arise that they can either fix now or in the future. 

Some customers may want to have the problem dealt with immediately. By leaving it open-ended, however, your tech can establish a quality lead for the future and grow your business with return customers.

4. Handling Objections

An important part of doing sales work is handling objections. When your customers object to services you're providing or, more commonly, the price of the services, your technicians need to know what to do.

Instilling confidence in your team of technicians is the first step. If the objections are financial in nature, your technician should be able to outline all of the financing options that your company has available.

Your technicians should also be able to espouse your company's virtues - why you're better than the next company. This comes naturally when you develop a good culture in your HVAC business.

Creating Technicians Who Sell

Some technicians will no doubt show some resistance to the idea of having to upsell customers. However, if you're able to train them in these areas and incentivize them to put in the extra effort - sometimes requiring them to leave their comfort zone - it'll pay huge dividends.

Having technicians who sell will have a positive impact on your business, but you still need to appeal to the right customers in the first place. At Optic Marketing, we can help your HVAC or plumbing business identify and appeal to your niche audience. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business thrive.

by Optic Marketing

Branding Strategies for HVAC Contractor

Branding Strategies for HVAC Contractors

Would you like to know about several branding strategies for HVAC contractors? Read on to learn what you need to know on the subject.

Keyword(s): Branding Strategies

Everyone will need to hire an HVAC contractor at some point in their life, especially if they own a house or building. HVAC systems not only keep an interior at a consistent temperature, but they help stop mold from developing. So why exactly do you need to know branding strategies as a contractor?

Without a branding strategy, you may find yourself falling behind your competitors. It'll take some investment, but it's essential if you want to earn new customers.

Here's a branding guide to get you started.

What Is Branding?

Branding refers to the promotion of a company or product through advertising or design choices. It can take the form of commercials, new logos, and how you interact with your customers.

This brand helps your business stand out from the crowd. As such, you want it to be distinctive and represent what you stand for.

Branding Strategies

Building a brand for any company takes time. Many HVAC contractors overlook branding because they believe the quality of their work should take priority. And they're not exactly wrong.

However, a brand sends a message to the public and helps you stick around in their minds.

Develop a Logo and Slogan

One of the first branding tips you'll get is to develop a unique logo and slogan. Both draw attention to your brand in different ways.

Consider some of the most recognizable logos and brands around. Apple's logo is a simple apple shape, but people know exactly what company it represents. Nike's slogan, "Just do it", is also easily recognized by its customers.

Stay Consistent

Stay consistent with your business's message. If you market yourself as an HVAC contractor for the everyman, then you should avoid pushing a customer to look at more expensive options. Likewise, don't claim to be the fastest option for HVAC repairs if you're not.

Targeted Marketing

It's impossible for your business to reach everyone, especially if you operate locally. Instead, figure out who your best customers are and go after them. Chances are good that you'll generate more business from homeowners, which will also help you generate new customers.

Social Media Presence

The best branding advice you can get is to use social media. Whether you're trying to stay connected with your current customers or to generate new ones, social media is where you should put your efforts.

You can share your special offers, give tips on saving energy, and show photos and videos of your work. Most social media networks also offer easy advertising and managed ads.

Talk to a Branding Expert Today

Trying to negotiate the world of branding strategies as a Tampa HVAC contractor can prove tricky, as it's difficult to distinguish your business from all of your competitors. However, it's also necessary if you want to create a lasting impression on old and new customers.

Optic Marketing Group is here to help shape your visual identity. We listen to your goals and vision to help develop marketing strategies that'll work. Contact us to learn more and tell us about your business.

by Optic Marketing