Struggling with lead gen for mini-split installs in the Houston suburbs

Man, lead generation for HVAC is kicking my ass lately, especially trying to push those Mitsubishi mini-splits on folks who think central air is all they need. I'm in the Houston suburbs where everyone's got that old R-22 system wheezing away, and I can't seem to get past the door-knock stage without sounding like a pushy salesman. Saw a thread on r/HVAC where guys were talking up Google ads, but I'm burning cash on clicks that go nowhere. Someone in the HVAC Techs Network FB group mentioned using NextDoor for local leads, but my posts there just get crickets. TBH, it's frustrating when you're quoting $4k installs and nobody bites. Watched a Tommy Mello video on upselling heat pumps, and it got me thinking about adding free audits to my pitches. Any tips for turning cold calls into actual service agreements?

those mini-split leads are the worst, i waste half my day chasing ghosts who just want a freebie diagnostic.

same here brother, feels like every lead is a dead end.

fuck the homeowners who lowball, just walk away and find real clients who value quality work.

i feel your pain, been there with ductless systems too many times.

sharktite fittings are trash for refrigerant lines, stick to brazing every time.

brazing takes forever, but yeah, those push fits leak under pressure.

anyone got a good script for closing the mini-split sale without sounding desperate?

customer called me crying about her cat stuck in the vent, turned into a full duct clean upsell lol.

lmao, pets are the best icebreaker, had a dog chew through flex duct once.

i hear ya, leads drying up faster than a bad evaporator coil.

sharktite debate again? they're fine if you torque em right, fight me.

hang in there, summer slowdown hits everyone.

we're all in the same boat, chasing leads like its our job.

those google ads are a scam, better off with yard signs at job sites.

yard signs got me three mini-split jobs last month, cheap and effective.

frustrated as hell with angi leads, all tire kickers.

angi is the devil, markups are insane for crap leads.

same struggle, but networking with plumbers helped me snag a few referrals.

plumbers? they steal more jobs than they refer, watch your back.

don't knock sharkbites, saved my ass on a rush job once.

rush jobs are where you make bank, upsell the warranty.

warranty upsell is gold, adds 20% to the ticket easy.

boss had me install without permits last week, what a crapshow.

permits? in houston half the time inspectors dont even show.

collecting on those leads is another nightmare, half pay late.

try facebook marketplace for leads, posted a before after and got calls.

marketplace works if you show real installs, not stock photos.

homeowners these days think theyre experts from youtube vids.

youtube experts are the worst, argue superheat numbers with me.

superheat wrong means callback city, measure twice.

i upsell by demoing the inefficiency on site, seals the deal.

on site demo? genius, wish id thought of that years ago.

proud of my setup now, hit 50 leads a month steady.

steady leads sound nice, mine fluctuate like the weather.

weather ties right into hvac, use that in your pitch.

had a laugh when a client thought mini split was a mini fridge.

lmao mini fridge, classic homeowner moment.

warning: never skip the load calc, had a unit undersized and client pissed.

undersized units are a headache, always over spec slightly.

funny story, guy wanted ac for his garage band setup, turned into full zoning job.

zoning upsell? nice, i charge extra for the dampers.

dampers add complexity but pay well if you quote right.

frustrated with suppliers jacking prices on r410a.

r410a shortage is bs, stock up when you can.

controversial take: ductless is overrated for big homes, stick to central.

central forever, but mini splits shine in retrofits.

retrofitting old attics is where i make my money on leads.

yeah the pe firms buying up hvac shops are ruining the game for independents.