HVAC business reaches out with social media, email, Web

  • By <I>Juergen Kneifel</I>
  • Sunday, February 17, 2013 3:04pm
  • Business

Preventive maintenance is money well spent when you’re taking care of a home heating system.

Similar to cars that need the routine oil changes, furnaces require periodic cleaning, filter changes and tune-ups to maximize their efficiency. This attention to maintenance will pay off in the long run by extending the useful life of the furnace.

This basic service has become the fundamental building block to Cascade Heating and Air Conditioning’s growth strategy. Matt Swetman and Jeff Alfstad are partners with Cascade Heating and Air in Lake Stevens. The duo launched their business in May 2011 with the goal to build a profitable enterprise that also fit well with their collective 25 years of expertise in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).

Starting a business during challenging economic times assumes a fair amount of risk. But this team is determined to chart a course with sound marketing strategy and a commitment towards sustainability by building a solid customer base.

At the start of heating season this last October, Cascade Heating and Air advertised their furnace tune-up service on Groupon, Living Social and Amazon Local. Certificates were sold online at $59 apiece, a 50 percent savings off the typical service call, to generate leads that connect new customers with Cascade.

Since all three online sources reach geographically defined targeted audiences, Cascade was successfully reaching the market that they serve; namely all of Snohomish county and pockets of north King county.

“With the certificates, we are not really making any money. Our goal is to build a client base. We’re not out to make a buck — we’re out to make a customer,” Swetman said. “The few units that we’ve run into that have required more attention were 15 to 20 years old and had been neglected.”

Swetman went on to say that roughly 5 percent of the units they service as a result of the certificates actually require greater attention or repair. In other words, this strategy is not at all a bait-and-switch. It’s more about prospecting and getting to know customers and their needs for reliable service both now and in the future.

The certificates directed customers to register their service appointment on the company’s website, CascadeHVAC.com, for scheduling. This provided opportunity for Alfstad and Swetman to coordinate inspections and tune ups in geographic clusters for greater efficiency.

“We sold over 1,200 certificates in the past six months,” Swetman said. “Since we’re in the field with customers, our website became the platform to help with coordination and to gather vital contact information and email addresses in order to follow through with our customers.”

“When we finish the furnace tune up, we always apply a business contact sticker to the furnace. If a customer ever needs to look us up, then our information is right on the unit and easy to access,” Swetman said.

However, since many homeowners wait until a unit fails before requesting a service call, these stickers typically only serve those customers in a time of crisis. A proactive plan that includes reaching out to the customers with reminder notices before their furnace fails is a great idea, especially if it can be done efficiently and at a reasonable cost.

With the help of Constant Contact, an online marketing company that caters to small businesses, Cascade plans to do just that: provide customers with follow up email reminders when it’s time to schedule their next periodic annual tune-up.

Dana Pethia, Constant Contact’s regional director for our area said, “Most small business owners are experts in their field, not in marketing. We make the marketing piece, which they know they need to do, super easy so they can focus on their areas of expertise. Our online marketing tools help increase their productivity and marketing effectiveness.”

According to recent research from the Direct Marketing Association, every $1 spent on email advertising to an existing client base has an return on investment of $40.56. Constant Contact is using this data in their current advertising campaign that is targeted to small business owners in our region.

“We plan to utilize Constant Contact once we have our database fully functional. Being in a business relationship with a company that specializes in the communication strategy (timing, frequency and content) will free us up to focus on our strengths without dedicating an inordinate amount of time to the marketing,” Swetman said.

There’s no doubt; building a business is hard work. And finding the right mix to generate leads and engage with customers while building a market share will take strategy and sacrifice. Cascade Heating is building a strong foundation by getting into households by making a solid first impression.

Juergen Kneifel is a senior associate faculty member in the Everett Community College business program. Please send your comments to entrepreneurship@everettcc.edu.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Business

Lily Lamoureux stacks Weebly Funko toys in preparation for Funko Friday at Funko Field in Everett on July 12, 2019.  Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Everett-based Funko ousts its CEO after 14 months

The company, known for its toy figures based on pop culture, named Michael Lunsford as its interim CEO.

The livery on a Boeing plane. (Christopher Pike / Bloomberg)
Former Lockheed Martin CFO joins Boeing as top financial officer

Boeing’s Chief Financial Officer is being replaced by a former CFO at… Continue reading

Izaac Escalante-Alvarez unpacks a new milling machine at the new Boeing machinists union’s apprentice training center on Friday, June 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists union training center opens in Everett

The new center aims to give workers an inside track at Boeing jobs.

Some SnoCo stores see shortages after cyberattack on grocery supplier

Some stores, such as Whole Foods and US Foods CHEF’STORE, informed customers that some items may be temporarily unavailable.

People take photos and videos as the first Frontier Arlines flight arrives at Paine Field Airport under a water cannon salute on Monday, June 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Water cannons salute Frontier on its first day at Paine Field

Frontier Airlines joins Alaska Airlines in offering service Snohomish County passengers.

Amit B. Singh, president of Edmonds Community College. 201008
Edmonds College and schools continue diversity programs

Educational diversity programs are alive and well in Snohomish County.

A standard jet fuel, left, burns with extensive smoke output while a 50 percent SAF drop-in jet fuel, right, puts off less smoke during a demonstration of the difference in fuel emissions on Tuesday, March 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Sustainable aviation fuel center gets funding boost

A planned research and development center focused on sustainable aviation… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Pharmacist John Sontra and other employees work on calling customers to get their prescriptions transferred to other stores from the Bartell Drugs Pharmacy on Hoyt Avenue on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bartell Drugs location shutters doors in Everett

John Sontra, a pharmacist at the Hoyt Avenue address for 46 years, said Monday’s closure was emotional.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.