Offices have gone paperless, and a mobile-first strategy drives the digital direction for many businesses with aggressive growth goals. Don’t be fooled, however: Print is not dead. Marketing tools have evolved over time, but proven old-school tactics need not fall by the wayside.
For HVAC contractors, traditional print collateral such as brochures and direct mailers continue to play an important role in the essential marketing processes of customer retention and capturing new leads. These printed materials offer a refreshing personal touch that is difficult to convey in the digital realm. Print pieces for point-of-sale displays, service promotions, trade shows, stationery, door hangers and print advertisements can help tell your brand story efficiently and effectively.
When professional, branded design and strategic content strategy are executed, print collateral such as brochures and direct mailers are tangible keepsakes and visually appealing tools that help you accomplish several worthwhile goals.
A brochure instills trust in your company. It educates customers about who you are and provides specific information about your services and equipment. A brochure proactively answers questions while also serving as a cost-effective, visible reminder that helps your brand stay top of mind when a potential customer needs HVAC services and is unsure whom to call.
You should tailor the content and design of your brochure to match your business’s personality. The HVAC market is flooded with competition. Use this opportunity to make a strong, memorable impression. The tone, size and layout of the brochure depend on its purpose and its audience. If you want a brochure to tell your company story, ensure it shares personal details such as your goals, history and guarantees, and how your company is different than competitors. An eight-page booklet is an example of an appropriate format for a company overview that feels professional and polished.
Another popular focus for a brochure is to introduce your service offerings or to detail your maintenance plan options. A trifold is a smart choice for promoting service agreements. A common pitfall is trying to squeeze too much content into your brochure. White space is an essential design element to make print collateral legible and inviting — so don’t overdo it. That’s one reason you may need more than one brochure, each with its own focus.
Some brochures are intended to drive immediate action. Others are designed to plant a seed so customers will remember your business when the right time comes (when their furnace isn’t keeping their home warm or they’re ready to replace their aging air conditioner). No matter what your brochure’s goal, make sure it’s high quality so customers will consider it worth keeping. Your print collateral should be bold and customized to ensure it delivers its message.
Direct mail is a form of marketing that increases the likelihood people will remember your company when they need HVAC service. It’s also a great way to drive traffic to your website and raise awareness for events such as trade shows, seasonal specials and more. Direct mail can be a standalone campaign, or it can complement other tactics, such as billboards, social media, digital display ads, etc.
These pieces help you put your brand in front of people in your service area who don’t already have a relationship with your company. Well-written and beautifully designed mailers stand out from junk mail. They inspire potential customers to call or visit your website to schedule an appointment or take advantage of a limited-time offer. If they know a friend, neighbor or family member in need of your services, they might pass along your postcard. Or, perhaps they’ll file it away to refer to it when they need HVAC services in the future.
To keep your direct mail piece from going straight into recipients’ recycling bins, ensure it’s personalized, clean and compelling — not generic. Keep the message concise and focused, with a clear call to action. Do not make false or deceiving promises.
When you’re considering ways to grow market share within a geographic area, don’t overlook direct mail as a strong option.
To know if your print collateral efforts are working, it’s important to track results. To do this, set up a call-tracking phone number or a vanity website URL you use only in your brochure or direct mail piece. Another option is to provide a code the customer must provide to redeem a special discount promoted on the mailer. This will help you identify how many leads it generated.
Once you’ve captured a new customer with help from your print collateral, it’s up to your team to provide quality workmanship and outstanding customer service so that he or she sticks with your company. Continued marketing efforts — both print and digital — will help nurture your new relationship to become a lasting one.
The ultimate measurement of success for a digital marketing campaign is conversions.
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Offices have gone paperless, and a mobile-first strategy drives the digital direction for many businesses with aggressive growth goals. Don’t be fooled, however: Print is not dead. Marketing tools have …
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