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Most U.S. homeowners are probably familiar with the rule of three: Get three quotes for every major home improvement project.

A recent survey confirms that almost two-thirds of homeowners are following that rule when it comes to repairing and replacing HVAC systems.

In the survey of 400 homeowners, some 66% said they would gather three quotes from HVAC companies before choosing one. Another 26% would get two quotes, while 6% would get more than three and just 2% would get only one quote.

Homeowners who said they would get two quotes were most likely to live in the Midwest, the survey found.

The survey was conducted in March by Clear Seas Research, the research division of BNP Media, parent company of The ACHR NEWS. The survey also included questions on pricing, the importance of online reviews, the factors that go into HVAC purchasing decisions, where homeowners tend to look for HVAC service companies, how those companies market themselves, and other issues surrounding contractor-customer relationships.

So what can HVAC contractors do to increase their chances of being among the three (or two) candidates contacted for a quote? And, once the quote has been offered, how to seal the deal? We asked three HVAC marketing experts to address those questions.

Get in front of the Homeowner

First, they agreed, contractors have to do some marketing work before the homeowner picks up the phone.

“You have to get in front of that customer, stay in front of them,” said Josh Crouch, founder of Relentless Digital, which offers digital marketing services to several types of home services businesses, including HVAC contractors. “Don’t wait until they call you. Stay in front of them regularly.”

“We have to win the customer before they start getting quotes,” said Crystal Williams, founder of Lemon Seed Marketing, which also works with home services businesses.

That advance marketing, experts said, could mean everything from billboard advertising and logos on company trucks to HVAC-oriented blog posts, YouTube videos, and a clear, detailed website explaining exactly what the company can do.

“You have to invest in that to be able to be one of the three that’s getting to put a quote in, right?” said Ben LeDonni, president of BNP Engage, a business-to-business marketing firm. “You have to be found to even be in the game.”

Good website content is particularly important, LeDonni said, because a percentage of homeowners will peruse a company’s site but then never call if they don’t see the particular services or products they need — even if those services and products are offered.

“One really good way to make sure you’re part of that race is to have the right content on the website,” LeDonni said.

Williams noted that the way a contractor should market to homeowners who haven’t dealt with that company before differs from marketing to those for whom the company has already completed projects. In the latter situation, she said, how well that relationship has been cultivated will dictate whether the homeowner contacts the company again for the latest project.

“When you’ve cultivated these relationships, and you’ve emailed the client, and you’ve done their tuneups for year after year, you’ve made the recommendation that they need to repair or replace, and you’ve gone through those things — you send them a Christmas card every year — these are things that you keep you top of mind,” Williams said.

Build Trust

Once a company has been contacted for a quote, experts said, the work continues. Listening to the homeowner’s concerns, offering options — whether for equipment repair or replacement solutions or for financing the project — returning calls, having helpful customer service representatives, and other ways of building trust are important for increasing the chances that the quote will be the one chosen.

LeDonni said the old adage that people do business with people they know like and trust is still relevant.

“I want to be as helpful and communicative as I possibly can, and check in and follow up,” he said.

“If they’re gonna get other bids, they’re gonna get other bids, and you’re probably not going to be able to close them today,” said Crouch. “So do you have a follow-up process?”

There are a lot of factors at play in customer decisions, the experts said, and it isn’t always the lowest bid that wins the job.

“People tend to try and compete completely on price,” said LeDonni. “But I think there’s a lot of value in your speed, your communication, and the information you provide.”

“You can’t race everybody to the bottom of the barrel,” said Williams.

Stay Flexible

Nor should contractors push homeowners toward the priciest solutions, said Crouch. Having options at different price points is part of the flexibility that helps foster that company-homeowner relationship.

ALWAYS BE MARKETING: It takes effort to be among the companies from which a homeowner chooses to obtain quotes for HVAC service, and even more work to increase the chances that your bid will be accepted. (Courtesy of Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC US)

“There’re people out there that, literally, they always push the highest-end option. But that’s not for everybody,” Crouch said. “Have options, let people buy, just like when they go to the dealership. Let them buy, show them what is possible, have easy, affordable payment options.”

Getting into the home, Crouch said, is also an opportunity to offer additional services, such as duct cleaning, that could help build trust. Or it might be the duct cleaning, or IAQ improvements, or system tuneups, that got that contractor into the home in the first place, said Williams, and that might lead to bigger jobs.

As the homeowner is trying to decide between quotes, Williams said, it’s important to follow up, offer more information, or perhaps ask to return after the would-be customer consults with a spouse. Be prepared to ask for the sale, she said, while also remaining flexible.

“You’re lucky to be in front of that homeowner,” Williams said. “So it’s our job to provide the flexibility. It’s our job to provide the options and work with them, because we want to always be able to put our brand in a positive light. And you don’t want to waste your marketing dollars that got you in the home.”