HVAC Lead Generation: Permit History and Aerial Imaging Tools

I’ve reviewed the marketing strategies of dozens of agencies offering “HVAC lead generation” over the past few months. And, to be honest, they all sound the same: set up a website, optimize for SEO, add a form or scheduling tool and run some ads.

This isn’t bad advice—I’d tell that to any new business—but it’s basic, especially for commercial HVAC contractors who have access to tools that can build a lead generation machine based on data.

Imagine being able to send a custom HVAC proposal based on actual equipment data to a potential client on your very first contact (“first touch”) without ever stepping foot on the property. That’s the advantage of combining equipment asset data, permit history, and aerial imaging tools.

Most often, you won’t want to move quite that quickly in your sales outreach, but having the ability to gather key data upfront and deliver accurate, detailed results can shorten your sales cycle dramatically. These tools allow you to identify high-value prospects, assess their needs, and provide targeted solutions from the moment you “make contact,” – giving your company a competitive edge in today’s market.

Plus, integrating these data points with customer relationship management (CRM) solutions can streamline the sales process, automate tasks, and provide insights to manage and nurture leads and customer relationships.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

How Lead Generation Works for Commercial HVAC

Traditionally, lead generation for commercial HVAC companies has been a blend of two methods. Inbound and Outbound.

Inbound Lead Generation

Imagine you’re sitting at a café. You didn’t know you were going to stop in, but as you walked by the smell of fresh coffee and the promise of a quiet spot to work drew you in.

That’s how inbound lead generation works. It’s the art of attraction—using content, social media, and search engine optimization (SEO) to pull customers toward your HVAC services without having to advertise, send cold emails, or call them out of the blue.

Inbound is subtle but effective over a longer time horizon. It creates an environment where potential clients discover your business on their own terms, often while solving a problem they didn’t even realize you could fix.

Outbound Lead Generation

Now, outbound lead generation is the opposite. Think of it like hiring someone to stand outside that same café and hand out flyers, inviting people inside. While inbound is passive, outbound takes a proactive approach.

Outbound means you’re directly reaching out to potential customers, whether that’s through an ad, a phone call, an email, or even old-school direct mail. There’s a certain boldness to outbound—it’s not about waiting to be found; it’s about putting yourself out there and making sure people notice you.

To build a solid lead-gen engine, you should try to strike a balance between both. That way, you can keep the business flowing and also ensure that people searching for commercial HVAC services can find you, and this is where lead generation tools can make all the difference.

Lead generation tools automate much of the work, so your team can focus on moving leads through the sales funnel instead of hours of manual work.

The Outbound Lead Generation Process

Outbound lead generation is usually taken care of by business development and outside sales teams who are out there actively prospecting.

Typically, a sales person would identify a target market segment, in this case commercial properties, develop messaging to communicate the value of your services, and reach out directly to potential clients.

This method can be effective, but it also requires a lot of time and resources. One way to streamline this process is by using data-driven tools like permit history and aerial imaging.

How to Use Permit History for HVAC Sales

If you’re doing major HVAC work on commercial properties, you’ll need to grab some permits- and so does everyone else. This provides an excellent data source for predicting when an HVAC system might need service, repairs, or even upgrades.

However, looking through all of the property records for commercial buildings in your county can take time and effort. In a moment, we’ll show you a tool that does it automatically for you.

How Aerial Building Images Help Contractors See HVAC Systems

Aerial building images captured by satellites or drones provide valuable insights for sales in the HVAC industry. When working on large commercial properties, getting an up-close view of the HVAC system is key—but it doesn’t always mean you need to be on-site. That’s where aerial building images come in.

Whether captured by satellites or drones, these images give you a detailed look at rooftops and HVAC layouts without ever leaving your office.

Gathering this data can be nearly automated with tools like Convex. So, it’s fair to say that the right lead generation software makes it 10X easier to streamline your sales efforts while also delivering better results.

Lead Generation Tools and Software

Poor-quality data and intelligence often hamper a sales team. If you can’t see what systems your potential customers have or what they want and need, you’ll take “shots in the dark” until you figure it out.

This is where a powerful marketing tool can supercharge your outreach and eliminate the guesswork. Let’s take a look at some of the best:

Property Intelligence Software with Permit History and Aerial Imaging Tools

One of the most powerful tools for HVAC companies is property intelligence software. These platforms allow you to track permit history, understand property needs, and capture leads without ever stepping foot on the job site.

Convex’s Atlas is a great all-in-one solution built for commercial services like HVAC. It uses a combination of sales intelligence data to help you find decision-makers and property data and permit history data to find properties that need HVAC services, system upgrades, or even replacements.

Comfort Systems used Convex to double revenue over the past four years. Our solution enabled their sales team to perform targeted property searches of equipment asset data, warranties, and contracts, saving hundreds of prospecting hours and improving pipeline efficiency.

Because of this, new hires are hitting their performance goals in just two to three months instead of the six to nine months it used to take. That’s why Comfort Systems has made Convex a key part of its growth strategy.

For more details, you can check the full case study here.

Pipeline Managers, Customer Relationship Management, and Email Marketing Tools

Most customers don’t buy on the first touch. They take some time to research and review your proposal and run it by other decision-makers up the chain of command. This is where pipeline managers like Salesforce and Hubspot and email marketing tools like Constant Contact and Mailchimp can automate your email campaigns, segment your audience, and track results.

• Pipeline managers allow you visibility into the sales funnel.
• Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) gives you the ability to segment your audience and drop leads into a nurture campaign.

Landing Page Creation and Lead Capture Tools

You’ll need a highly converting landing page builder to run digital marketing campaigns. Platforms like Unbounce, Instapage, and Leadpages help you build custom landing pages to capture leads. Plus, a live chat tool can provide instant customer support and boost lead-gen.

• Drag and drop editors so you can build pages that match your brand.
• Lead capture forms to collect contact info seamlessly.

Which Tool to Choose

Choosing the right lead gen tool can be overwhelming, but focusing on your needs can simplify the decision. To give two examples, Convex’s property intelligence can find customers and provide you with the necessary data to personalize messaging to them so it cuts through the noise. Live chat tools can provide real-time customer communication to capture leads and engage them.

As you’re making a decision, here are some to consider:

• Core Objective: What is the core objective of your sales process? Is it prospecting, finding new leads, or closing deals? This will be important as you consider each tool.
• Sales Process: What does your sales process look like? Do you need help finding leads? With lead capture or email marketing?
• Target Audience: Who are your target customers? Are they commercial property owners or individual homeowners? This will greatly affect your decision as commercial and residential markets operate very differently.
• Integration Options: Does the tool integrate with other tools you are currently using?
• Ease of Use: Something your team won’t have to learn a new language.
• Training and Support: Tools with good customer support in case you get stuck.
• Scalability:
• Cost: Is it in your budget? Or does it generate an ROI that it would quickly pay for itself?

Each bullet point on the list is a vital consideration when deciding which tool to use for lead generation. Your results will reflect this decision.

How to Measure Lead Generation

Measuring the success of your lead generation strategy is crucial if you want to improve and scale your efforts. Without tracking, you’re essentially flying blind. Fortunately, measuring lead gen performance is fairly straightforward. Here are the key metrics to pay attention to:

• Number of Leads Captured: How many leads are entering your funnel from all your sources? This is a great indicator of how well your campaigns are attracting attention.
• Conversion Rate: It’s one thing to capture leads, but how many are converting into actual customers? Knowing your conversion rate helps you determine the quality of your leads and the effectiveness of your sales process.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Are your tools and strategies paying off? Calculate the ROI by comparing your lead generation spend with the revenue generated from those leads. If your ROI is positive, you’re on the right track. If not, it’s time to optimize your approach.

Tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot can help you track these numbers. Once you have this data, you can make informed decisions to fine-tune your lead generation campaigns and get the most out of your efforts.

Automating Lead Generation with Software

Let’s face it—manual lead generation can be time-consuming. That’s where automation steps in to make life easier. Automating your lead gen process can help you save hours, increase efficiency, and ensure no lead is left unattended. Here are some key areas where automation makes a difference:

• Email Follow-ups: Manually following up with leads is a thing of the past. Tools like Mailchimp and Constant Contact allow you to automate email sequences so that leads stay engaged even while you focus on other tasks.
• Lead Capture from Landing Pages: With tools like Unbounce or Instapage, you can create landing pages that automatically collect lead information. Once they’ve submitted their contact details, these platforms can automatically send that data to your CRM or email marketing tool.
• Customer Interactions: Live chat tools like Intercom or Drift make it easier to capture leads in real-time. They automate conversations with potential customers, helping you engage them the moment they show interest.

If you’re looking to connect multiple platforms and streamline your workflows, Zapier is a fantastic option. It integrates with hundreds of different apps, allowing you to automate tasks like sending follow-up emails, updating CRMs, or creating tasks for your sales team—giving them more time to focus on closing deals.

In Conclusion

As you well know, using the right lead-generation tools can drastically improve your business. Whether it’s property intelligence platforms like Convex, email marketing tools like Mailchimp, or landing page builders such as Unbounce, integrating these tools into your sales process will help you capture more leads and close more deals.

Take a bit to explore these tools, demo, and trial (when available) to see how they function and how they could work for you. There’s a good chance that at least one or two of these options will improve your lead-generation process and help you take your business to the next level.

Ready to take HVAC lead gen to the next level with tools that will save time and get results?Schedule a demo of Convex today!