Publisher's Page

THE HVACR MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE

TERRY Tanker Publisher ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

HEATHER Langone Managing Editor hlangone@hvacrbusiness.com MEGAN LaSalla Art Director mlasalla@hvacrbusiness.com

BRUCE Sprague Circulation Manager bs200264@sbcglobal.net BARBARA Kerr VP Operations bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com ADVERTISING STAFF ERIC Hagerman VP Sales Tel 216-409-3246 ehagerman@hvacrbusiness.com TERRY Tanker Publisher Tel 440-731-8600 ttanker@hvacrbusiness.com

HVACR Business, founded January 1981, is a monthly national trade magazine serving contractors, mechanical engineers, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors, trade associations, and others in the heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industry primarily in the U.S. The editorial focus and mission of HVACR Business is to provide business owners and managers with the very best business management concepts available. Critical topics covered include leadership, management, strategy, finance, sales, marketing, training, education, staffing, operations, human resources, legal issues, customer service and more. We are dedicated to helping contractors master these key management skills and provide them with the resources necessary to build strong, profitable companies. Every effort is made to provide accurate information, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy of submitted advertising and editorial information. Copyright©2022 by JFT Properties LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced or retransmitted in any form or by any means, including, but not limited to, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or any information storage retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Unauthorized copying may subject violators to criminal penalties as well as liabilities for substantial monetary damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorneys’ fees. This publication should not be utilized as a substitute for professional advice in specific situations. If legal, medical, accounting, financial, consulting, coaching or other professional advice is required, the services of the appropriate professional should be sought. Neither the authors nor the publisher may be held liable in any way for any interpretation or use of the information in this publication. The authors will make recommendations for solutions for you to explore. Any recommendation is always based on the authors’ research and experience. The information contained herein is accurate to the best of the publisher’s and authors’ knowledge; however, the publisher and authors can accept no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information or for loss or damage caused by any use thereof. Subscription Rates: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: U.S. and possessions: 1 year $48; 2 years $75; 3 years $96; Canadian and foreign, 1-year $108 U.S. funds only. Single copies $8. Subscriptions are prepaid, and check or money orders only. Subscriber Services: To order a subscription or change your address, write to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039 or call (440) 731-8600; or visit our Web site at www.hvacrbusiness.com. For questions regarding your subscription, please contact bkerr@hvacrbusiness.com. HVACR Business (ISSN 2153-2877) Copyright ©2022 is published monthly by JFT Properties LLC,31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039, Phone: 440731-8600. Periodicals postage is paid at North Ridgeville, OH and additional mailing offices. (USPS 025-431) POSTMASTER: Send address changes to HVACR Business, 31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104, North Ridgeville, OH 44039.

31674 Center Ridge Road, Suite 104 North Ridgeville, OH 44039 Tel: (440) 731-8600 Web site: www.hvacrbusiness.com (ISSN: 2153-2877) www.hvacrbusiness.comwww.HVACRBUSINESS.comwww.hvacrbusiness.com

BY TERRY TANKER PUBLISHER’S PAGE

Top 5 Keys to Marketing Success

Over the last five years and more specifically the last two, I’ve seen a dramatic shift in the expectations of advertisers. And, for those of you who advertise a little or a lot, I don’t want you to make the same mistakes that I tend to see with larger B2B national programs. Specifically, wildly unrealistic beliefs that an ad placement or two should and will produce immediate sales. Much of this paradigm shift is related to the internet where the only important metrics are ultra-low cost and high impression rates.

1. RESEARCH: UNDERSTANDING YOUR MARKET & THE METRICS

What many advertisers neglect to understand is that they cannot apply one metric to all programs across the board — but they try. The most common — applying eMedia metrics to print programs. This is a one-way road to disappointment and failure. Also, selecting vertical industries naturally, increases cost because waste is reduced. The internet has taught many to expect instant gratification yet eMedia is only a small part of a total communication strategy.

2. THE RIGHT STEPS TO FOLLOW: DISCIPLINE AND FOCUS

Let’s start here because in the age of instant gratification, discipline and focus separate success from failure. Setting the focus on a specific goal or set of goals without deviation in good and bad times is essential for established brands, especially those entering new markets. Discipline is where most programs fall apart. Too many advertisers simply want to jump in and hit a quick home run. It doesn’t work that way. It’s knocking out a lot of singles that build your brand and win customers.

3. CONSISTENT MESSAGING

If there’s one thing that distinguishes great, well-known brands, it’s consistency. It’s about delivering your message consistently to potential customers over time. In the case of many capital goods products, customers rarely need the product you sell at the time that you send the message out. And nothing could be truer than the equipment and services you, the HVACR contractor, sells. Customers and prospects will respond to your brand when they are ready, and when it fits their needs and timing. That makes the consistency and continuity of your messaging essential. You want to be the lead company in consideration when the customer is ready to buy. The HVACR industry has a secret weapon to help bridge this gap — service and maintenance contracts.

4. COMMUNICATION FREQUENCY

Without frequency of

Deliver Ongoing, Consistent communication, programs have no hope of success. Over the Messages That Emphasize Quality. years, more research than I can count has been conducted on the importance of frequency to build brands. I won’t engage in the tedium here, but if you would like specifics, let me know and I’ll send you some of the basic research papers published on this subject. For now, just remember that frequency is a key ingredient for marketing success.

5. QUALITY OF PRODUCT OR SERVICE.

This should be common sense but you would be surprised at how many companies don’t emphasize the quality of the product or service they are capable of delivering. This is critical to offset the “I want it now” culture of speed and instant gratification. Poor products and services will trump any marketing message you produce. In my opinion, the best advertisement ever created was for the business-to-business publishing house McGraw–Hill. A rather gruff gentleman is pictured. The copy reads: I don’t know who you are. I don’t know your company. I don’t know your company’s product. I don’t know what your company stands for. I don’t know your company’s customers. I don’t know your company’s record. I don’t know your company’s reputation. Now, what was it you wanted to sell me? The Moral: Sales start before your salesman makes the call — with advertising. Until your customers and prospects can answer these simple questions about your brand, you’ve got more work to do to build it. u