Category Archives: Sales

  • plumbing heating and air alliance member
  • contractors of america best digital agency
  • expertise.com best seo agencies in fort worth

6 Helpful AC Services Telemarketing Tips to Consider for 2023

AC Services Telemarketing

AC services telemarketing may seem old-fashioned, but it can still help with HVAC sales in 2023. Telemarketing produces results if you’re persistent. While HVAC telemarketing can help you convert leads, it will take time, resources, and human resources. 

One of the reasons you must be persistent with cold calling is that it takes an average of 8 attempts to reach a prospect. As an AC service business owner, you probably don’t have the opportunity to spend hours on the phone. The good news is that spare time isn’t necessarily needed. 

If you are ready to start converting more customers via AC company telemarketing, check out the following list of tips to make your efforts more fruitful. And for loads more helpful information about marketing your AC business online, get in touch with us here at HVAC Webmasters

1) Invest in VOIP

VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. As the name implies, it’s a phone service that uses an internet connection rather than an actual phone line. There are many advantages to ditching your old phone service in favor of VOIP, but let’s focus on the one that will help to telemarket.

VOIP can help automate some calls. Then, when someone does pick up the phone, you can have the call routed directly to you or an associate. As a result, cold calling is much more efficient and frees up your time for more important things. 

Besides making cold calling more manageable, VOIP is affordable. Some of the basic packages are free, and smaller businesses will likely only need the basic packages, so there is nothing to lose. 

As the proprietor of an HVAC business, you probably don’t have cause to know that telemarketing is regulated very strictly. The laws for telemarketing vary by state. 

There are laws on call length, when you can call, the numbers you can dial, and how you record calls. There are also stiff penalties for companies that violate any of these laws. You can review a general guide of the laws and requirements for telemarketing and consult with your attorney.

3) Curate Your Call List

It will take some time, but the smart move is to put together a call list carefully. As much as possible, you will want to avoid calling people who have not expressed any interest in your services. 

Please make sure you carefully curate a call list and start with the numbers of people who have voluntarily given you their contact info. However, if you make lots of calls, you will probably need to populate your call list with completely cold prospects. 

Ensure that you aren’t contacting anyone on the national Do Not Call registry in these cases. Also, consult with an honest lawyer at all times.

4) Keep A Customer Profile

Every lead should enter your CRM system so you can recall previous conversations and preferences. For example, keep track of past services, areas of interest, names, and addresses. Also, take note of and archive any information that will be helpful for you or an associate to close a sale. 

Many VOIP services offer a feature that displays a detailed list of information when you contact a lead. However, keeping a data index is still helpful if VOIP is not an option. Indexes will allow you to personalize your pitch and increase the lead’s likelihood of making a purchase. 

5) Monitor Performance

If you delegate telemarketing to employees or a call center, it’s essential to ensure optimal performance. Don’t be afraid to step in on low-quality calls. In addition, it’s your job to train employees and provide a sales script and constructive feedback for progressive improvement.

Every call will be different, but the message or sales script should have a general philosophy or guide. Ensure that anyone handling your cold calls understands the message you want to send and stays focused.

6) Don’t Get Discouraged

It is common to get discouraged when making cold calls. You will hear the word “no” quite well, so prepare for that. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged by the customer’s reaction, even if it’s vile.

There is a negative connotation around telemarketing in general, but perseverance is key to success. Remember that telemarketing is all about being persistent. For example, you can’t sound timid when calling back leads. People will sense any hesitancy and reject your entire premise.

Of course, not everyone needs AC services now, but most people will need them at some point. As a result, make sure that you are reaching those people. That means being persistent and keeping up with your cold call efforts. 

Consult With an Attorney Before Cold Calling - HVAC Webmasters Does NOT Provide Legal Advice.

Increasing Telemarketing Conversions Through Brand Synergy

You’ll find that you convert more cold calls if your brand exists online in other formats. For example, does your HVAC company appear on Google search results from SEO efforts? Can consumers find your business on Facebook, HomeAdvisor, and other popular platforms for home service providers?

Part of establishing a rapport over the phone is finding familiarity. When people know of your brand, whether they can recall the source or not, they are more likely to give you latitude with your sales pitch if you call as a complete unknown, the chances of quick rejections skyrocket.

As a result, make sure to invest in your digital marketing strategy in 2023. Your AC services telemarketing will improve.

  • plumbing heating and air alliance member
  • contractors of america best digital agency
  • expertise.com best seo agencies in fort worth

5 HVAC Sales (Tips, Gimmicks & Techniques) That Work in 2024

Blog Cover for HVAC Sales

What is HVAC Sales?

HVAC sales is the process of selling heating, air conditioning, and ventilation products or services to prospects and existing customers through relationship building and brand promotion.

Sales Presentation Graphic for HVAC Webmasters

HVAC Sales Strategy

Sales and marketing go hand-in-hand, so it’s essential to have a solid HVAC marketing strategy and a streamlined and structured sales process.

Your sales strategy should have a defined goal of closing the deal after a lead passes through the carefully crafted nurturing funnel.

In the following post, HVAC Webmasters outlines HVAC sales tips you can use in 2024.

As a marketing agency working with hundreds of HVAC contractors throughout the United States, we know something about the industry.

You might think of sales as gimmicks, but the following are HVAC sales gimmicks that work.

HVAC Sales Ideas for 2024

You’ve tried everything, and you’re still not closing enough deals.

The good news is that several techniques can boost your sales process immediately.

Check out some of the best HVAC sales tips for 2024:

1) Bundle Services

Bundling services is a common sales tactic for many industries, but it can be instrumental in the HVAC business.

Think about how often your customers call you for a standalone service: furnace repair, A/C maintenance, vent cleaning, etc. 

The great thing about HVAC service is that it is always needed. So why not sell your customers on maintenance services?

Signing up existing customers for seasonal check-ups, tune-ups, and repairs is a great way to generate year-round income and offers your customers a valuable service at the same time. 

Maintenance packages are a great way to increase sales because it takes the burden of HVAC maintenance off the customer’s shoulders.

So, the next time you complete a standalone job for your customer, think about selling them on maintenance packages tailored to their specific systems. 

2) Create a Sales List

Whether you are selling an HVAC product or service, it never pays to go in half-cocked. No matter your specific pitch, you must ensure that it does not land on deaf ears.

Carefully curating a sales list is especially important for HVAC contractors because only a select few of the population will be interested in HVAC services. 

There are a few ways to create a sales list.

Here are some of the most effective:

  • Social Media: You already have your business on social media, so why not start leveraging it to drum up leads? Your followers are likely people interested in HVAC service, so you can pull names, numbers, and contact info from your social media outlets. 
  • Online Contact Forms: Make sure you follow up with people who willingly give their contact information on your website. These are likely to be your hottest leads. 
  • Past Customers: Take a look at old invoices. If you haven’t heard from a customer in quite a while, chances are they are due for some HVAC service. 
  • Paid Leads: If you have the budget, paying for exclusive leads can be a great way not only to build up your sales list but give sales, in general, a shot in the arm. 
  • Trade Shows: Trade shows are an excellent way to get leads and build a solid sales list. HVAC trade shows are especially fruitful if you want/do a lot of B2B HVAC work. 

Creating a sales list of likely customers is excellent, but what do you do once you have your list?

3) Reaching Out

How you reach out to your sales list is essential. For example, suppose your sales list includes retirees or senior citizens in general.

In that case, you may want to consider a phone call instead of an email. The opposite is advisable if you are dealing with younger, first-time homeowners. 

Basically, be mindful of who you are reaching out to. That being said, reaching out the wrong way is better than not reaching out at all.

Following up with your customers is extremely important and can significantly increase your sales numbers. 

If you are having trouble with what to say when you are reaching out to people on your sales list, here are a few pointers:

  • Loose Script: We advise against having a universal HVAC sales script because people can tell when they are pitched. Instead, we recommend having a flexible script that you can change up from customer to customer. 
  • Know your Customer: It can be time-consuming, but knowing your customers’ needs before reaching out to them can seriously boost sales. Take some time to research the customer’s area, how old they are, and services they have paid for in the past. Knowing what kind of HVAC services/products leads are likely to need beforehand will make your pitch more alluring. 
  • Talk About the Problem: Sales are usually not closed in the first outreach. So it can be helpful to avoid trying to sell anything when you first talk to a prospective customer. Instead, talk about the problems that can arise if they don’t invest in your HVAC product/service. This will get them thinking and qualify them even further as leads. 

4) Upselling and Cross-Selling

Upselling is when you convince customers to upgrade their HVAC system or product to a higher-end, more expensive model.

Cross-selling is when you sell them on a product/service related to one they are already paying for.

For HVAC sales, it’s good to employ a healthy mixture of both techniques. 

Again, this can include bundling maintenance services.

Or, in the case of upselling, you can advise the customer that an upgraded furnace blower or AC unit would save them money on their utility bills. 

If you are coming to a customer’s house to clean out their ducts for the winter, consider selling them on a furnace or heater tune-up as well.

Look at every service you render as an opportunity to make another sale. 

5) Give the Customer Options

Often, people don’t close HVAC sales because they are not presented with attractive options.

For example, the customer may need a new AC but ultimately decide to do without because of the limited options in their price range.

Therefore, as much as possible, present options that will attract many customers. 

This could mean having multiple options for energy-efficient models for those conscious of their impact on the environment.

It could also mean having high-end units for people looking for the latest and greatest HVAC systems.

And, of course, it never hurts to have multiple service/product options for people with different budgetary limitations. 

While offering customers multiple options is a significant first step, it doesn’t mean anything unless you are willing to present them clearly and attractively. 

HVAC Sales Closing Techniques

Getting 17 at the blackjack table doesn’t mean you win the hand. Likewise, guessing a curveball and getting it doesn’t mean a home run.

The reality is that you can put yourself in a position to close a sale and still not get the job done. However, a few sales closing techniques can further increase your odds.

Check them out below:

Assumptive Closer

The assumptive closer is all about assumption, which, as the old saying goes, don’t worry about that here.

Essentially, as the salesperson, you assume the deal is already done, which leads you to ask questions about the delivery time, quantity, etc.

The assumptive closing tends to work well if the prospect has already demonstrated interest in proceeding.

Of course, there are cases where they will refuse to play along, but they are ready and willing in most cases.

Query Closer

The query closer asks prospects a series of questions like do you feel this service meets your current needs?

You have laid the framework for a boxing close if you can produce an affirmative for most of your questions. 

In other words, it becomes illogical for the prospect to refuse service when they’ve already logically agreed it’s best for them.

The Helpful Closer

Consider the helpful closer for salespeople who prefer a softer and less manipulative tactic.

Repeatedly describe the prospect’s process of becoming a customer without pressuring them to complete it.

You must be consistent and vary your terminology because you’ll outline the same operation multiple times.

You will find that many prospects feel most comfortable with this approach since they want to feel like it’s their decision, not yours.

Best of all, you can go home with a clean conscience as you did not engage in manipulative tactics and instead relied on the quality of your services or products.

Final Thoughts on The HVAC Sales Process

Fine-tuning your sales process is an essential component of the long-term sustainability of your heating and cooling business.

While learning the nuances of each part of the sales cycle requires hands-on experience, this guide can help you navigate the landscape while avoiding common pitfalls.

We recommend working with an experienced sales consultant to help streamline your process in 2024.

Callback

Hello! If you have any questions, leave your info below and we'll call you.