Challenge: Help a small HVAC company compete with the big retailers

Shawn Abramowitz, a local sales manager at KESQ in Palm Desert, knew he was in for an uphill battle when he began working with a small HVAC company. The SoCal market heavily favored the nationally-​known brands, and so persuading area residents to make a change would require a top-​notch ad campaign.

“This is primarily a [national brand] market in the HVAC world, and [my local client] needed to brand themselves as ‘the last AC you will ever buy,’” said Abramowitz. “Since we live in an extremely hot market during the summer, the HVAC business is huge and [the nationally-​known company] had a grip over all of our residents.”

A previous attempt by the small company at billboard advertising did not go as well as intended, so Abramowitz used his six years of experience in media sales combined with AdMall to find a different avenue in which to reach the widest possible audience.

“Branding was key, and so was a ‘call to action’ campaign,” said Abramowitz.

Solution: Shift the business’s advertising platform  

Since the billboards didn’t drum up any business during the many months they were on display, Abramowitz used AdMall’s AudienceSCAN data and found out that HVAC system shoppers were more likely to pay attention to television ads than any other advertising platform. Once he presented his findings, the company was eager to adopt the new strategy, and so the changes were quickly implemented.

“[My client’s ads] are seen everywhere across all four of our stations (FOX, ABC, CBS, CW),” said Abramowitz. “It will take more time for them to beat the Goliaths in the market, but they are confident it will happen.”

Result: A smart, targeted ad campaign and a happy client

As a result of the $30,000 advertising sale, Abramowitz concluded, “The client is extremely impressed with our campaign and our willingness to explore new options in regard to their schedule.”

It’s always been tough for small businesses to keep up with large chains, that have more sway and influence. With the help of AdMall, though, Abramowitz and others are able to show smaller stores that it’s not about how much you spend, but how you spend it that makes all the difference.