Prospecting Property Owners: How to Connect with Key Decision-Makers on Commercial Properties

Introduction

Landing long-term contracts starts with talking to the right decision-makers. For businesses that provide services like commercial HVAC, solar, janitorial, landscaping, and grounds maintenance, this means connecting with property owners, facilities directors, and other leaders at property management companies.

These key players control budgets, manage priorities, and select the providers who keep their properties running efficiently and compliant with regulations. But there’s a vast difference between buying a generic list of “property owner leads” and engaging with qualified contacts who are actively seeking your products and services.

Today, we’re sharing five strategies based on real results. That’s right—this isn’t conjecture; it’s a proven approach backed by three customer case studies spanning small to mid-market companies that are generating millions of dollars in sales opportunities with the strategies and tools I’m about to share.

If you’re building a commercial services company and you’re looking to connect with property owners and other decision-makers at commercial properties to secure new contracts—this short guide provides actionable steps you can take to accelerate revenue today.

Creating Your Ideal Decision-Maker Profile

Building an Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is the first step to a successful prospecting process. The reason for this is simple: you need to know who makes purchasing decisions that align with your products and services to target and engage them effectively.

If you’re new to building an ICP, ask yourself these questions:

1. What types of commercial properties best align with your services? Offices? Hospitals? Mixed-use buildings? Or Manufacturing, just to name a few.

2. Who are the primary decision-makers for these properties?

3. What are their job titles, roles, and responsibilities? Do they align with your services?

4. What challenges do they face in managing these properties? Can you solve them?

5. How will your products or services address those challenges?

Comfort Systems USA Sales Director Brian Ruffner discovered that “the size of the building and whether it was owner-occupied… were the best indicators of whether a customer would be a good fit or not.” By identifying these key factors, they were able to create an ideal customer profile that directed their sales team’s efforts toward the most promising opportunities. Using Convex to strategically target the right decision-makers strategically has enabled them to double their sales over the past four years.

By creating a well-defined ICP, you equip your sales team with the focus needed to connect with the decision-makers whose responsibilities and pain points align best with your services. Once you understand which property decision-makers are the right fit, you can bypass gatekeepers and target the individuals who oversee the areas your solutions impact most.

Here’s a breakdown of the primary decision-makers and how understanding their specific roles can add value to your outreach:

• Property Owners: These individuals or businesses are responsible for the financial and operational decisions that impact a property’s performance. They’re often interested in working with commercial service providers who can offer streamlined, cost-effective solutions for building maintenance, from HVAC and energy management to cleaning and janitorial.
• Property Managers: Tasked with the day-to-day operations, property managers need service providers who deliver quick, reliable responses. They look for partners who support efficient operations, whether through regular maintenance, tenant services, or energy solutions that lower operational costs.
• Facilities Directors: Handling the technical side of property operations, facilities directors need providers who understand building systems and complex maintenance. They value services that ensure efficiency and cost savings, such as backup generators, elevators, or solar solutions.

By understanding each role’s responsibilities and pain points, you can present your services in a way that directly addresses their needs and adds real value.

Use Property Intelligence for Precise Targeting

Instead of purchasing generic lists of names to reach property owners, leverage property intelligence tools like Convex to pinpoint properties that align with your Ideal Customer Profile. Property intelligence provides in-depth data, from ownership details and permit history to recent property upgrades and aerial imagery, allowing you to zero in on properties where your services will be most relevant.

For instance, if your ICP includes properties with older HVAC systems, Convex can identify facilities directors or property managers responsible for these buildings. It can even show you which accounts are actively searching for topics like HVAC service, repairs, maintenance, and upgrades.

Or, if your target is properties with renewable energy needs, you can connect with property owners looking to upgrade to solar or implement energy efficiency solutions. This approach streamlines your outreach, ensuring you connect with the right decision-makers at the right time with the right message.

Here’s how it works:

1. Log in and Check Signals: Start by logging into Convex and checking the “Signals” category—our proprietary buyer intent data—to see who’s in-market and ready to buy. These signals provide intent scores based on various factors, helping you prioritize high-value prospects.

2. Search for Properties, Accounts, and Contacts: Use Atlas to search for properties or accounts that align with your products and services. This could be anything from a specific property type (e.g., hospital, airport) to individual contacts, job titles, account names, or tenant information. Convex’s property intelligence includes key insights such as permit histories, building age, square footage, ownership, transaction details, and equipment data, making it easier to identify and close new leads.

3. Leverage Generative AI for Personalized Outreach: With just two clicks, use Generative AI—trained on buyer signals, firmographic data, and your company’s contact data—to send a personalized email or draft a phone script. The AI uses data like job titles, decision-maker information, and property history to craft targeted messages that resonate with prospects.

4. Automate Follow-up Reminders and Manage Leads: After outreach, set up follow-ups or reminders and track the lead in your CRM. Convex allows you to export lists of prospects, assign stages, tag coworkers, and assign dollar values to leads, offering light CRM functionality for lead management. Integration with CRMs like Salesforce or HubSpot ensures seamless pipeline tracking.

In Dayton, Ohio, Mechanical Services and Design (MSD) used Convex’s step-by-step process to create over $42 million (and counting) in the sales pipeline within 18 months by focusing outreach on high-value property contacts.

Engage Decision-Makers Through LinkedIn and Social Media

Today, social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, are invaluable for reaching property owners and facilities managers in the commercial building sector. LinkedIn allows you to connect with industry contacts and filter by job title, location, and industry, ensuring your outreach aligns with the decision-makers you need.

When reaching out, personalize each message (which we cover in the next section) to the role and property type. Mention specific challenges that property managers and facilities directors might face, like maintaining HVAC systems, energy efficiency, or waste management solutions. By addressing their specific priorities, you’re more likely to capture their interest and open the door for meaningful discussions about your services.

Direct Outreach with a Personal Touch

For commercial services businesses, direct outreach to property decision-makers can be highly effective as long as your approach is personalized. Craft each message to showcase how your services can solve their unique challenges.

For example, if you’re contacting a facilities director who oversees multiple buildings, discuss how your services support streamlined maintenance or energy savings. For a property manager handling tenant-heavy locations, highlight how your solutions enhance tenant satisfaction and keep operations running smoothly. Showing that you understand their specific needs increases your chances of a positive response.

Here’s a simple outreach message to give you an idea of what’s working on LinkedIn today:

Hi [Name]! I noticed we’re both part of [Networking Group in Cincinnati]—small world! I wanted to reach out, especially since we both work in [related industry/property management/services].

Over the past few years, our company has been focused on helping facilities managers improve air quality and stay compliant by updating HVAC systems. I saw your recent post on LinkedIn where you mentioned you might be considering options in this area, and it got me thinking…

Given the needs of [Property/Building Type], I’d love to share how we’ve helped other organizations streamline maintenance and cut costs. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to jump on a 10-minute call to tailor some ideas to meet your goals and budget.

Let me know if that sounds good!

[Your name]

Outreach with this level of personalization is effective at cutting through the noise because it shows you’ve done your homework. You know who they are, you share something in common, and you’re in it to help them.

Now that you have a great outbound process in place, “build a net” that catches anyone in the market for your services. This includes targeted ads, retargeting, and other paid options that will give you an edge over competitors.

Expand Your Reach with Paid Advertising

Paid advertising on LinkedIn, Google, and Facebook can increase your visibility among property managers, property owners, and other commercial real estate professionals. Use targeting options by job title, location, and industry to make sure your ads reach the right audience.

For example, Google Ads with search terms like “commercial HVAC services” or “solar solutions for commercial buildings” will connect you with decision-makers actively searching for services.

Retargeting ads can also keep your brand in front of decision-makers who visited your website but haven’t “taken action,” helping ensure they remember your services when they’re ready to move forward.

Paid ads may seem like a costly endeavor, but even a small budget will allow you to capture more opportunities and convert more leads because they show that you’re invested in getting their attention.

Track, Analyze, and Refine Your Prospecting Strategy

To keep your outreach efforts delivering consistent results, tracking key metrics is essential. By examining data on website visits, lead conversions, and ad engagement, you’ll gain a clearer picture of what’s working and where you might need to tweak your approach. Here’s how to ensure your strategy stays both effective and data-driven:

• Measure Website and Ad Engagement: Pay attention to metrics like site traffic, conversion rates, and ad engagement. Are your visitors taking the next step on your website? Are your ads getting traction with the right people? Monitoring click-through rates (CTR) and cost-per-click (CPC) for Google and LinkedIn ads will reveal which messages capture attention, allowing you to make the most of your ad spend.
• Track Outreach Effectiveness: Using tools like Convex, you can evaluate the success of your outbound messages and property intelligence. Look at which outreach efforts engage property owners, facilities directors, and other commercial property decision-makers most effectively. Convex’s insights on buyer intent and engagement levels show you which leads have the highest potential, helping you focus your efforts where they’re most likely to convert.
• Fine-Tune Targeting with Performance Data: As your data grows, look for trends that reveal where your message lands best. Are certain titles or property types more responsive? Are some regions showing stronger engagement? Use these insights to refine your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), making each interaction more aligned with the needs of your most promising leads.
• Use A/B Testing for Ads and Email Campaigns: Experimenting with different messages, visuals, or subject lines allows you to see what resonates most. For instance, testing an ad centered around “HVAC compliance updates” versus one that emphasizes “energy savings through solar” might reveal which approach appeals more to facilities directors.

This approach not only maximizes ROI but also positions your commercial services business as a proactive partner on which decision-makers can rely.

Customer Case Study: North By Northwest Landscaping

North by Northwest Landscaping (NXNW) in Austin, Texas, transformed its sales approach using Convex, and PropertyIntel- two tools that integrate to identify qualified leads and send proposals as early as the “first touch” with no site visit. This shift took them from a “mom and pop” operation to competing with national brands with offices in Austin.

With Convex identifying high-quality leads, PropertyIntel mapping properties, and Aspire generating tailored proposals, North by Northwest developed a proactive, no-guesswork sales process that connects with decision-makers from the first touch.

By shifting their sales strategy to include these tools, NXNW’s win rate increased from 2% to 15% in the past year, with revenue soaring from under $1 million in 2016 to $15 million last year, and $1.8 million in commercial contracts secured for the next three quarters.

Conclusion: Prospect with Precision

Connecting with property owners, property managers, and facilities directors doesn’t have to be a guessing game. By defining your Ideal Customer Profile, using property intelligence for targeted prospecting, and personalizing your approach, you’ll be well-positioned to reach decision-makers who value your services.

Say, “Goodbye” to generic lead lists and large complex databases of names; following the steps in this guide will empower your team to focus on commercial properties that are actively seeking solutions, allowing you to build valuable connections and grow your business in the commercial services industry.

Ready to put these strategies to work?

Schedule a demo of Convex today to see how you can turn targeted insights into new contracts and long-term partnerships.