social media killing my hvac rates? feeling the squeeze

man, been running my small hvac outfit for 8 years now and social media is making it tough to raise rates without pushback. customers scroll tiktok and see some diy mini split install with blueridge units that looks easy, then they lowball me on quotes for proper r-410a systems. i get it, everyone wants a deal, but im not installing cheap crap thatll leak in a year. saw a post in hvac techs network where a guy said his instagram reels on trane xr installs actually helped justify higher prices by showing the quality work. tried posting some superheat checks on jobsites but engagement is crap, feels like a waste of time. anyone else dealing with this bs where social media undercuts your pricing?

social media turned every homeowner into a mini hvac expert overnight, hilarious how they quote youtube vids back at you.

goddamn frustrating, spent all morning arguing with a client over rates cuz he saw some cheap carrier infinity knockoff online.

post short clips of you fixing botched diys, that builds trust and lets you charge what youre worth.

yeah man, same here, feels like were racing to the bottom.

how do you respond when they bring up those videos?

use it to your advantage, quote the full job with warranty and compare to the diy risks.

focus on linkedin for b2b, got my commercial gigs up 20% from there alone.

post the messy attics you clean up from cheap installs, scares em straight.

i feel ya, social media makes every job a negotiation battle.

controversial take: ban social media from the shop, clients dont need to see the sausage making.

nah, embrace it, i use stories to show real time superheat adjustments, clients eat it up.

never post rates online, let the work speak and charge premium for quality like mitsubishi hyperheat.

watch out for fake reviews on there, had a competitor tank my google profile last year.

total crap, insurance rates spiking cuz of all the diy disasters we clean up.

screw these lead gen sites too, they flood with bottom feeders from social.

homeowners think theyre pros after one video, pisses me off every time.

yeah, the pe firms buying up shops are using social to undercut locals, its bullshit.

dont fall for it, stick to your guns on rates or youll burn out fast.

psa: those diy vids never show the code violations, cite nec 210.8 when quoting.

corporate hvac chains blasting ads everywhere, killing small guy margins.

this social media rate war is gonna put half of us out of business soon.

hang in there brother, focus on referrals from happy clients, socials a distraction.