When it’s 98° or 12°, people don’t browse. They call. If you can’t be found and can’t answer, you lose.
What feeds the HVAC lead machine Start with intent. Then widen. Keep the phones staffed.
- **Google LSA:** HVAC is a top LSA category. $25–$80/lead in many metros. Get background checked, upload insurance, stack 150+ reviews. Respond fast inside the app to boost ranking.
- **Exact‑match Google Ads:** Campaigns for AC repair, furnace repair, system install, mini‑split, and branded. Keywords: [ac repair near me], [furnace repair], [hvac company], [mini split install]. $50–$200/lead depending on market/season. Close 30–50% when emergencies hit.
- **GBP (Maps):** Photos of techs, trucks, and installs. Post weekly promos: “$79 tune‑up,” “Same‑day AC repair until 9 pm.” Get 10+ reviews/month. Reply to all.
- **After‑hours coverage:** Calls double after 5 pm in heat waves. Use rollover to a trained answering service or in‑house rota. Offer “After‑hours diagnostic $X.”
If your contact rate is under 70%, fix routing. No IVR maze. Calls to humans in 3 rings.
Offers that move the needle Stack offers by season and capacity.
- **Emergency repair:** “Waived diagnostic with repair.” Conversion rises 12–20%. Include in ad copy.
- **Maintenance:** “$79 tune‑up” in shoulder seasons. Use it as a lead magnet into memberships.
- **Replacement:** “$1,500 off new system” or “0% for 60 months.” Finance ads pull strong. Show monthly price on page: “From $92/mo.”
- **Memberships:** $19–$29/mo. Priority service, tune‑ups, filters. Smooths demand and boosts lifetime value. Members call you first.
Build landing pages per service. Above the fold: phone, SMS, next‑available slots, trust badges, 5 review snippets, financing. No stock photos. Use your techs.
Ad structure that prints booked calls - **LSA hygiene:** Enable HVAC, AC repair, furnace repair, mini‑split. Turn off duct cleaning if it ruins dispatch. Dispute spam weekly. - **Google Ads:** - Separate campaigns by intent (Repair vs Install). Different bids and schedules. - Use call extensions and call‑only ads during peak. - Schedule ads heavier 7 am–10 pm in heat waves. Pause install if techs overloaded. - Negatives: “thermostat manual,” “cheap filter,” “jobs,” “salary,” “window ac.” - **Facebook/Instagram:** Great for tune‑ups, IAQ, mini‑split installs, financing. CPL $20–$60. Lower close but high margin on installs. - **Performance Max caution:** Use only with tight conversion tracking and brand protection. Otherwise it soaks budget into junk.
Numbers that matter:
- LSA: $25–$80/lead → 70–90% contact → 60–80% book → 30–50% close on repair, 20–35% on install.
- PPC: $50–$200/lead → similar downstream if phones answer in 3 rings.
- Social: $20–$60/lead → nurture heavy. Close 10–20% on installs.
Follow‑up that makes the board sing - **Missed call text back:** “This is Maria at Polar Air. Saw your call. Is it not cooling? I can have a tech today 2–4 or 6–8.” - **First 5 minutes:** Two calls + one SMS. Offer two time windows. Don’t ask for novels over text. - **2‑hour proof:** MMS photo of a tech and truck with “On the way to a neighbor now. We can swing by at 3.” - **24‑hour rehash:** For quotes. “We can lock 0% for 60 months if we finalize by Friday.” - **Membership push:** After any repair, auto‑text: “Add our $19/mo plan and never pay a diagnostic again.” 15–25% uptake.
Scripts win:
- “What’s the model, any error codes?”
- “Breaker tripped?”
- “We can be there 2–4 or 4–6. Which works?”