Old-school networking is dumb. Not too many HVAC contractors want to hear the brutal truth, but old-school networking wastes time you could be perfecting your craft and allowing online marketing to generate leads. Everything from trade shows to meetups is a fake work ethic that converts at about 0%. Instead of wasting your time, you should invest in HVAC marketing, including website design, SEO, and reputation management.
In this episode, you will learn:
- The Cost of Wasted Time
- Why Online Marketing Works Passively
- The Importance of Brand Longevity
The Cost of Wasted Time
One thing you can’t get back is your time. If you spend time at trade shows, meetups, and networking events, you lose money by the second. Things get even worse if you fail to market your company online correctly, but you lose valuable time either way. You could be spending those hours doing more jobs, investing in more online resources, and requesting more reviews.
We’ve been marketing on behalf of HVAC companies for more than a decade. Hundreds of contractors come to us to improve their online presence and generate more business. Most of them have failed to produce results from traditional networking methods and now feel like they need a significant boost. The one thing we stress is not to waste time.
Online Marketing Works Passively
Most people have heard of passive income, which is making money while you sleep, vacation, etc. For the most part, fake online gurus use the phrase to mislead people into thinking they can earn money without working. It’s primarily a farce used to rip people off in various industries. Despite the negative connotation, online marketing does work passively. Of course, that doesn’t mean you don’t work for your money, but it does mean that you earn more jobs while you’re working.
When you establish your HVAC company online, people see it all the time. They see your brand on social media, search engines, and online directories. You might be repairing an AC unit in the city while someone from a nearby town reads one of your company’s Google reviews. By earning an online presence, you begin to benefit from it at all times, not just when you’re actively online.
The Importance of Brand Longevity
When you introduce yourself at a trade show, Jim from Mesquite might remember you for the next 5 minutes. After that, he’ll forget you exist and drive back home to work on his brand. The point is that old-school networking yields short-term results if any results at all. In contrast, marketing your company online wins long-term benefits in the form of branding. Your Google listing isn’t going away (unless you violate guidelines) and therefore has a greater lifetime value than your handshake.
You might question how you can solidify your brand without talking to people in person. But here’s the thing; you are talking to people in person, your customers. Those are the essential connections you can make. Some HVAC contractors from the meetup group won’t help you impress your future customers. You can only do that by performing excellent services and showcasing the feedback online. Invest in digital marketing in 2021, and stop wasting your time on old-school networking.
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