The best-performing HVAC marketing channel isn’t digital. It’s a magnet.
Not a metaphor. A literal magnet.
Stuck to the HVAC unit.
Company name. Phone number. Maybe a filter replacement checklist if you’re feeling generous. That’s it.
Why does this beat most digital tactics cold?
1. Contextual relevance:
When something breaks, the customer walks over to the unit. Not Google. If your details are right there, you’ve just removed all the friction. No searching. No comparing. No clicking through aggregators or drowning in SEO spam. They call you.
2. Zero competition environment:
Every other marketing channel competes for attention. The magnet is the only game in town, at the precise moment your customer is looking to solve a problem.
3. Long shelf life and LTV:
That magnet sticks for years. Different homeowners. Same unit. Still your number. Still generating calls. It becomes part of the infrastructure.
4. Practically free CAC:
Cost per magnet? Around 50 cents.
Install cost? Zero......you’re already there.
Response window? Years.
ROI? Comical.
Let’s model it quickly:
• Cost per magnet: $0.50
• Magnet retention rate (3+ years): ~80%
• Conversion rate per magnet: 1 job every 2–3 years
• Average service ticket: $350–$500
• Lifetime customer value: Thousands with maintenance, system replacements, and referrals
Most HVAC firms chase digital leads through PPC, SEO, CTV......all of which absolutely have their place. But the magnet doesn’t compete with those. It quietly sits there, waiting. And when it works, it works hard.
If you’re in home services and not using magnets, you’re missing a 1000% ROI channel sitting right under your nose. Literally.
And if you’re investing in a home services business, ask how many units they touch each year, and whether those units have your brand locked in place for the next decade.
Because magnets aren’t marketing. They’re infrastructure.