Does Your HVAC Company Use LinkedIn? What You Should Know

HVAC companies use dozens of online channels to raise brand awareness, generate high-quality sales leads and, ultimately, sell their products or services. Of all the online channels available, though, LinkedIn ranks at the top of the list. If you own or work for an HVAC company, you can't ignore the value of LinkedIn. The popular business-focused social media network is the perfect channel on which to promote your heating and air conditioning company. With that said, however, there are a few things you need to know about LinkedIn in order to use it effectively.

What Is LinkedIn?

Founded December 2002, LinkedIn is a social media network aimed at business owners, executives, employers and professionals. It doesn't focus on a specific industry. Rather, LinkedIn is open to professionals across all industries, many of whom use it in their daily work activities.

Because it's aimed at business owners, executives, employers and professionals, LinkedIn is distinguished from other social media networks. Granted, some of these individuals may use other social media networks, such as Facebook or Twitter, but LinkedIn offers the largest audience of professionals. As a result, it's a highly effective marketing and sales channel for HVAC companies.

The Impact of LinkedIn for HVAC Companies

Research shows more B2B companies prefer to distribute their digital content on LinkedIn than any other online channel. While 77% of B2B companies use Facebook and YouTube for content distribution, an astounding 94% use LinkedIn for this purpose. Why has LinkedIn become such a popular marketing and sales tool for HVAC companies exactly?

With LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach prospective customers who are interested in gathering information to buying your heating and air conditioning company's products or services. All other social media networks attract a generalized audience, resulting in a combination of both consumers and other business owners or professionals. LinkedIn, however, takes a different approach by focusing on the latter type of audience. By including LinkedIn in your HVAC company's marketing and sales strategy, you'll reach more prospective customers, or sales leads.

Here are some of the positive ways that LinkedIn can impact your HVAC company:

• Raises awareness for your HVAC company's brand
• Informs and educates your HVAC company's audience about its products or services
• Creates a new stream of sales leads
• Allows you to identify and network with partners in your HVAC company's niche or complimentary market such as roofing or lighting
• Helps foster a positive reputation for your HVAC company
• Promotes higher customer retention rates
• Easy and low-cost way to attract new customers

Set Up a Company Page

To effectively use LinkedIn as a marketing and sales tool, you'll need to set up a Company Page under your HVAC company's brand name. A Company Page is similar to a Facebook Page, only it's designed for LinkedIn. On Facebook, companies can create a Facebook Page to promote their products or services and engage with their audiences. On LinkedIn, companies can create a Company Page for this purpose. Neither of the two social media networks allow companies to use a personal profile for commercial purposes. So, if you're looking to use LinkedIn to promote your HVAC company's products or services, you must set up a Company Page.

While logged in to your personal LinkedIn account, click this link to create a Company Page. You will then be required to enter some basic information about your HVAC company. After completing the given instructions, your HVAC company will have a new presence on one of the largest social media networks.

Create High-Quality Content

A Company Page is only beneficial if it offers value to the network's users. Therefore, you should get into the habit of creating and publishing high-quality content – not always sales messages - on your Company Page. To create new content, simply click the "Start a post" button on your Company Page. You will then be able to enter your content into the post creation box. High-quality content is important because it provides users with an incentive to visit your Company Page and engage with your HVAC company on LinkedIn.

Connections

LinkedIn connections are an important part of building long term relationships with prospects, sales leads and even customers. For instance, those that subscribe to SalesLeads receive notification of identified projects going on in their area. After you call the contact that you receive form the Project Report, you can look them up on LinkedIn and send an invitation to connect. You can even personalize the message by stating you left a message on their phone and understand they are searching for an HVAC solution. Let’s connect.

Consider LinkedIn Ads

In addition to a Company Page, consider using LinkedIn's paid advertising service to increase your HVAC company's visibility on the professional-focused social media network. Known as LinkedIn Ads, it offers a near-limitless amount of traffic and visibility.

LinkedIn supports two main types of ads: cost per impression (CPM) and cost per click (CPC). With CPM ads, you'll be charged a small fee for every 1,000 views your ads receive. With CPC ads, you'll be charged each time a qualified LinkedIn user clicks your ads. Available ad formats in LinkedIn Ads include campaign manager ads, sponsored content ads, sponsored in-mail ads and text ads. As with any digital advertising, be sure to focus as the expense of clicks can add up quickly.

In Conclusion

You can, and should, use other channels in your HVAC company's sales strategy. Considering that LinkedIn is designed specifically for business owners and professionals, though, it offers an unparalleled level of continuous performance.