By Shawn Whiteley, Senior Regional Manager at American Standard

What homeowners say about your HVAC business matters. This is especially true when it comes to what they are saying on social media. After all, a contractor’s reputation continues to be their most invaluable asset in a referral-based HVAC industry.

Chances are that your company, and the products you sell, already are being discussed on this impactful platform that engages 77 percent of U.S. adults. By taking control of and building your social media presence, it’s possible to manage and improve your reputation, generate a new client stream and increase current customer satisfaction.
Here are three ways you can develop a social media presence to support and grow your business.

Listen and Respond to Your Customers

No matter how big or small your social following may be, your responsiveness to posts and messages impacts how your business is viewed. Your prospects and clients are regularly visiting their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube accounts, and they expect your business to do the same. It’s important to engage by replying to messages, liking and commenting on relevant posts and reposting content that supports your business mission.

Social media has become the preferred platform for customer service requests – i.e. for product questions and complaints – and research shows that the average user expects an answer within four hours. At American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning, we launched our Facebook business page to reach these target consumers and to serve as a digital resource for current customers.

Generate Authentic Content

Posting authentic, educational and personal testaments from happy customers (with their permission, of course), provides a recipe for success. Mixing up the content with photos, HVAC guides, contests, relevant news in the industry and links to your website can help test which content types receive the highest level of engagement (likes, shares, retweets, etc.) and conversions (requests for your services). If you’re not social media savvy and just starting, consider using a third-party to help create content for your social media pages. It can be an excellent investment to get your brand’s social profile up and running.

Share Your Expertise

Authenticity on social media is essential. Your customers will be more apt to engage with your brand if they feel confident that your company is an expert in the space. An excellent way to position your brand as an expert is to share DIY tips and tricks both inside and outside of the HVAC space, and engage your followers with new and easy-to-follow information. For instance, share a post detailing how your followers can prepare their homes for winter, like sealing windows and balancing heat between rooms. When there is something a homeowner can’t do, like a seasonal service tune-up, they are more likely to contact you because you’re the expert who has been educating them along the way.

Create a stronger sense of community within your client network by growing your social media presence and becoming attentive to customer needs. This attention to the customer is expected to pay off, according to a Walker study that found by 2020 consumers will prioritize customer experience before price and product as the key brand differentiator. By utilizing these social media tips, you can elevate your business’ online reputation, connect more easily with homeowners, and enhance your customer experience.

About the Author

Shawn Whiteley is the Senior Regional Manager for American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning, a brand of Ingersoll Rand. In his role, Whiteley oversees sales and share growth in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. He has a long-tenure with Ingersoll Rand having been with the company for fifteen years in various roles across the southern United States. Whiteley currently resides in Edmond, Oklahoma with his wife and two daughters.