Ashlei Rolloff

The State of B2B Marketing 2026

A Newsletter for HVAC, A/E/C, and Technical Marketers in the U.S. & Canada

You’re the marketing leader at an HVAC manufacturer, engineering firm, or construction company. You know your market. You understand technical buyers. You’ve built campaigns that actually move the needle.

But something’s shifting, and you feel it.

Your Playbook Is Aging Out

Your buyers aren’t finding you the same way they used to. Engineers are asking AI chatbots instead of Googling. Contractors want proof, not promises. Facility managers are drowning in vendor noise.

Meanwhile, you’re juggling tighter budgets, faster decision cycles, and the pressure to prove marketing’s impact in a skeptical environment.

Sound familiar?

The Complexity Trap

Here’s what’s really happening: marketing complexity is eating strategy for lunch.

Everyone’s talking about AI this, personalization that, omnichannel everything. But complexity without clarity kills conversions. And when your message gets lost in the noise, your competition wins the contract.

The real enemy isn’t technology. It’s the assumption that more tools equal better results.

What Actually Matters in 2026

I’ve been digging into the data, and here’s the truth: eight shifts are reshaping B2B marketing for technical industries. Master these, and you’ll outmaneuver competitors still stuck in 2023 thinking.

Eight Shifts That Matter

1. AI-Powered Personalization & Zero-Click Discovery

By 2026, 25% of search traffic will bypass Google entirely. Your buyers are already asking ChatGPT about HVAC efficiency ratings and asking Claude to compare engineering software.

What this means: Your content needs to feed AI engines, not just rank on Google.

Your move: Structure your content for AI discovery. Think FAQ formats, conversational tone, and data that answers specific technical questions.

2. ABM Gets Surgical

Account-based marketing isn’t new, but precision targeting just got scary good. We’re talking individual account insights that tell you exactly when a facility manager is researching new HVAC systems.

Your move: Double down on intent data and AI-driven account intelligence. Stop spraying and start sniping.

3. Agile Planning Beats Annual Roadmaps

With construction spending volatile and HVAC retrofit cycles unpredictable, rigid annual marketing plans break. The smartest technical marketers are moving to 6-8 month planning cycles that adapt to project timelines and seasonal demand shifts.

Your move: Build marketing playbooks for different market conditions. When commercial construction slows, pivot to retrofit messaging. When energy costs spike, emphasize efficiency ROI.

4. Hybrid Teams Win

Nearly half of B2B companies are adopting hybrid models, part in-house team, part specialized agency support. This isn’t cost-cutting; it’s strategic flexibility.

Your move: Identify where you need deep expertise (like technical content) versus where you need consistent execution.

5. Budgets Are Growing (But Smarter)

83% of B2B leaders expect budget increases for 2026. But every dollar needs a clear ROI story now.

Your move: Tie every marketing investment to revenue impact. No more “brand awareness” without conversion metrics.

6. AI ROI Is Real

In North America, 92% of early adopters see ROI from their AI investments within the first year, with many seeing returns in under six months. For every dollar invested in AI, North American companies are seeing an average return of $3.71. This isn’t theoretical anymore.

Your move: Pilot AI in proposal development, campaign optimization, and customer journey mapping. Start small, measure everything.

If you’re interested in learning how to prompt engineer or build custom projects to handle repetitive tasks, reach out or join us in our monthly AI Education webinar starting October 1st. https://nerdherdpro.com/ai-education/

7. Regulatory Compliance Drives Premium Pricing

The EPA’s R-410A refrigerant ban hits January 1, 2026, forcing every HVAC system installation to use A2L refrigerants with lower global warming potential. New SEER2 and HSPF2 efficiency standards are already in effect. California’s 2025 Energy Code mandates heat pumps for new construction starting January 2026. These aren’t suggestions, they’re compliance requirements with real deadlines.

Your move: Make regulatory readiness part of your value story. Engineers and facility managers need partners who understand compliance timelines and can specify compliant equipment. Share data on efficiency gains and rebate opportunities, not just promises.

8. Interactive Content Wins Attention

Calculators, configurators, and interactive tools don’t just engage, they capture buyer intent data while building trust with prospects.

Your move: Build tools that help prospects make better decisions while revealing their priorities.

Lead or Follow

Here’s the reality: your competition is reading the same trends. The question is who acts first.

Companies that adapt to AI-driven discovery, precision ABM, and interactive experiences will own their markets. Those that don’t will wonder why their brand feels invisible to buyers.

Your 2026 Vision

Picture this: Six months from now, your content appears in AI search results when engineers ask technical questions. Your ABM campaigns target accounts with surgical precision. Your sales team uses interactive tools that build trust while revealing buying intent.

Your CEO asks how marketing contributed to the 23% increase in brand consideration and market presence.

That’s not wishful thinking. That’s what happens when strategy meets execution.

Where to Start

The window for strategic advantage is open, but it won’t stay that way forever.

This week:

1. Map out every task your team does. Get curious about what AI could automate or streamline
2. Build your 2026 budget presentation with ROI metrics front and center
3. Start planning your AHR Expo invite strategy – work with sales to identify which target accounts deserve VIP treatment

1. Map out every task your team does. Get curious about what AI could automate or streamline
2. Build your 2026 budget presentation with ROI metrics front and center
3. Start planning your AHR Expo invite strategy – work with sales to identify which target accounts deserve VIP treatment

This quarter:

1. Lead with ROI and bottom line impact when presenting budget plans to management
2. Build content out on a quarterly basis using 90-day sprints, according to the annual content calendar to allow flexibility to pivot throughout the year
3. Identify your top 20 target accounts for precision ABM

1. Lead with ROI and bottom line impact when presenting budget plans to management
2. Build content out on a quarterly basis using 90-day sprints, according to the annual content calendar to allow flexibility to pivot throughout the year
3. Identify your top 20 target accounts for precision ABM

This year:

1. Transform from broadcast marketing to precision engagement
2. Build measurable ROI into every marketing effort – tie each effort back to helping achieve overall business objectives or scrap it if it doesn’t
3. Create competitive advantage through early technology adoption – this is a huge opportunity to demonstrate impact, reduce costs and get promoted

1. Transform from broadcast marketing to precision engagement
2. Build measurable ROI into every marketing effort – tie each effort back to helping achieve overall business objectives or scrap it if it doesn’t
3. Create competitive advantage through early technology adoption – this is a huge opportunity to demonstrate impact, reduce costs and get promoted

The companies that master these eight shifts won’t just survive 2026, they’ll define their industries.

The question isn’t whether B2B marketing is changing. The question is whether you’re changing with it.

If you have been in the industry for awhile, what would you add to this?

Sources & References

1. TechRadar – How AI-powered personalization is creating new opportunities for brands
2. Hyve Agency – AI search and the projected decline of traditional B2B traffic by 2026
3. Intent Amplify – Elevate your 2026 B2B strategy with cutting-edge ABM trends
4. SalesGlobe – Business-to-business sales strategy in a volatile economy
5. Sagefrog Marketing Group – In-house, agency, or both? What early 2026 data reveals about B2B marketing
6. Forrester – B2B marketing budgets 2026: Markets are volatile, but planning needn’t be
7. Licera Inc. – B2B marketing budgets 2026: Navigating volatility with strategic confidence
8. ITPro – AI adoption is finally driving ROI for B2B teams in the UK and EU
9. Deloitte / Wall Street Journal – Looking to improve B2B customer trust? Demonstrating sustainability can help
10. Sink or Swim Marketing – Top 2026 marketing trends you need to know now
11. arXiv – AI-enabled multimodal advertising frameworks

1. TechRadar – How AI-powered personalization is creating new opportunities for brands
2. Hyve Agency – AI search and the projected decline of traditional B2B traffic by 2026
3. Intent Amplify – Elevate your 2026 B2B strategy with cutting-edge ABM trends
4. SalesGlobe – Business-to-business sales strategy in a volatile economy
5. Sagefrog Marketing Group – In-house, agency, or both? What early 2026 data reveals about B2B marketing
6. Forrester – B2B marketing budgets 2026: Markets are volatile, but planning needn’t be
7. Licera Inc. – B2B marketing budgets 2026: Navigating volatility with strategic confidence
8. ITPro – AI adoption is finally driving ROI for B2B teams in the UK and EU
9. Deloitte / Wall Street Journal – Looking to improve B2B customer trust? Demonstrating sustainability can help
10. Sink or Swim Marketing – Top 2026 marketing trends you need to know now
11. arXiv – AI-enabled multimodal advertising frameworks

Originally published in Ashlei Rolloff’s HVAC Leaders newsletter on LinkedIn.

Quick answers

What is changing in B2B HVAC marketing in 2026?

Buyers are finding vendors in new ways. Engineers ask AI chatbots instead of searching Google, contractors want proof, and facility managers tune out vendor noise. Marketing teams face tighter budgets and more pressure to prove impact.

What is zero-click discovery?

Zero-click discovery happens when a buyer gets an answer from an AI assistant or a search result without visiting your site. Technical brands need clear, structured content so AI tools cite them in those answers.

Which B2B marketing shifts matter most in 2026?

The article covers eight, including AI-powered personalization and zero-click discovery, account-based marketing aimed at fewer accounts, agile planning over annual roadmaps, hybrid teams, and budgets that grow with tighter accountability.

Keep reading: demand generation and SEO and AI training for HVAC teams.

It’s been a minute since I published here and that’s been intentional.

Over the past few months, we’ve been building something at Nerd Herd. A service designed specifically for HVAC marketers who are ready to make the leap from task executors to strategic leaders. More on that soon. But first, let’s talk about what’s changing and why it matters now.

A Turning Point for B2B Marketers (Especially in HVAC)

AI is changing everything but not in the way most people think.

We’ve moved past the hype cycle of “AI writes blogs” or “AI saves you 10 hours.” That’s table stakes now. The real story is this:

AI is becoming a tool that masks strategic gaps for marketers.

It can generate content that sounds good. Decks that look polished. Even strategies that seem plausible. But when the foundational thinking isn’t there, those outputs crumble under scrutiny.

This is especially dangerous in HVAC.

Why?

Because we’re selling technical products to technical buyers. If your messaging isn’t rooted in real business context or if your strategy doesn’t reflect the complexity of your market, you don’t just miss the mark. You lose trust. With reps, with engineers, with leadership.

Where AI Does Belong in Marketing Strategy

Here’s what most marketers haven’t been taught. AI is a multiplier. It makes good thinking faster. It does not make weak thinking stronger.

Used well, AI can:

• Generate multiple strategic angles based on different buyer personas or revenue goals
• Reverse engineer the logic behind a competitor’s campaign or go to market play
• Speed up research across regulatory changes, refrigerant shifts, or emerging HVAC trends
• Map content to funnel stages based on buyer behavior (not gut feel)

• Generate multiple strategic angles based on different buyer personas or revenue goals
• Reverse engineer the logic behind a competitor’s campaign or go to market play
• Speed up research across regulatory changes, refrigerant shifts, or emerging HVAC trends
• Map content to funnel stages based on buyer behavior (not gut feel)

But it can only do this if you understand what good looks like.

If you don’t know how to pressure test a go to market strategy If you can’t spot flawed logic in a messaging framework If you’ve never tied content back to actual revenue metrics

AI won’t save you. It will mislead you.

What This Means for Your Career

If you’re a marketer in the HVAC space right now, especially early or mid career, this is your moment.

You don’t need 15 years of experience to start thinking like a strategist. You need reps. And you need frameworks.

That’s why we’re building something new at Nerd Herd. It’s designed to help marketers:

• Learn how to prompt AI strategically (not just creatively)
• Act like an in house strategist without waiting for permission
• Use AI to master HVAC complexity faster than their peers
• Build credibility with executives who don’t get marketing yet

• Learn how to prompt AI strategically (not just creatively)
• Act like an in house strategist without waiting for permission
• Use AI to master HVAC complexity faster than their peers
• Build credibility with executives who don’t get marketing yet

We’re not quite ready to share it but it’s coming in the next 90 days.

If that sounds like something you want in on, you can sign up here to be the first to hear about it.

Because this shift is already happening. And the marketers who learn how to work with AI, not just use it, are the ones who will rise faster, lead sooner, and make marketing matter more.

– AR

Originally published in Ashlei Rolloff’s HVAC Leaders newsletter on LinkedIn.

Quick answers

How is AI changing B2B marketing in HVAC?

AI now produces content, decks, and plans that sound credible. When the strategy underneath is weak, those outputs fall apart under scrutiny from technical buyers, so strategic thinking matters more than ever.

Where does AI belong in a marketing strategy?

Use AI to speed up research, drafting, and analysis once the strategy is set. Positioning, audience, and priorities should come from people who understand the market and the buyer.

How can HVAC marketers stay valuable as AI spreads?

Build strategic skills such as positioning, buyer insight, and planning, then use AI to execute faster. Marketers who move from task execution to strategic leadership become harder to replace.

Keep reading: AI training for HVAC teams and the B.U.I.L.D. marketing framework.

How Nerd Herd Uses AI to Work Less, Achieve More, and Challenge the 40-Hour Workweek

For years, we were told that success comes from grinding longer hours, pushing harder, and outworking everyone else. That if we weren’t exhausted, we weren’t doing enough.

That thinking is outdated.

At Nerd Herd, we believe in working smarter, not longer. That’s why we operate on a four-day, 35-hour workweek, without cutting productivity, revenue, or results.

How? We let AI do what AI does best, so our people can do what humans do best, solve problems, think creatively, and drive real impact.

Here’s how we use AI to cut the noise, eliminate busywork, and focus on what actually moves the needle.

Use AI as a Strategic Partner, Not a Shortcut

The conversation around AI is often framed the wrong way. Many people worry about AI replacing jobs, automating creativity, or making work impersonal. But the real power of AI isn’t in taking over high value tasks, it’s in taking low value tasks off your plate.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, professionals are expected to keep up. At the same time, hustle culture is fading, and new generations are redefining what it means to build a successful company. The old playbook won’t cut it anymore. So, how do we move forward in a way that balances efficiency, speed, and sanity? How do we integrate AI without sounding like every other company churning out ChatGPT-generated content? At Nerd Herd, we don’t use AI to replace our thinking, we use it to sharpen our expertise, accelerate decisions, process large amounts of data, and eliminate the time-draining tasks that hold back real progress.

This is what AI looks like when it’s used well:

• AI doesn’t write our marketing strategy, it gathers insights in seconds, so we spend more time refining what actually works.
• AI doesn’t replace our brand voice, it learns it, helping us create content that sounds exactly like us (without starting from scratch every time).
• AI doesn’t eliminate sales conversations, it automates the follow-ups, organizes lead data, and ensures we’re spending time on the right prospects.

• AI doesn’t write our marketing strategy, it gathers insights in seconds, so we spend more time refining what actually works.
• AI doesn’t replace our brand voice, it learns it, helping us create content that sounds exactly like us (without starting from scratch every time).
• AI doesn’t eliminate sales conversations, it automates the follow-ups, organizes lead data, and ensures we’re spending time on the right prospects.

It’s not about doing less work, it’s about making every hour count.

How We Use AI to Cut Through the Noise and Get Results Faster

1. Smarter Decision-Making with AI-Powered Insights

Before AI, market research was a slow, manual process. We’d spend days digging into customer trends, reviewing competitors, and analyzing past campaign data. Now? AI processes all of that in minutes.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Spotting trends before they go mainstream – AI scans search data, industry forums, and competitor strategies to predict what HVAC buyers actually want before they start looking for it.
• Identifying the best-performing content – AI analyzes engagement, conversion rates, and audience behavior, so we double down on what works and drop what doesn’t.
• Refining messaging to the right audience – A CEO of a $300M HVAC company and a marketing manager at a $50M firm have very different priorities. AI helps us tailor content that speaks to each decision-maker’s unique concerns. We leverage our team of brand and technical copywriters to review the copy for industry accuracy, positioning and quality. You still need a human for this part.

• Spotting trends before they go mainstream – AI scans search data, industry forums, and competitor strategies to predict what HVAC buyers actually want before they start looking for it.
• Identifying the best-performing content – AI analyzes engagement, conversion rates, and audience behavior, so we double down on what works and drop what doesn’t.
• Refining messaging to the right audience – A CEO of a $300M HVAC company and a marketing manager at a $50M firm have very different priorities. AI helps us tailor content that speaks to each decision-maker’s unique concerns. We leverage our team of brand and technical copywriters to review the copy for industry accuracy, positioning and quality. You still need a human for this part.

The result? Less guesswork. More strategic, high-impact decisions.

2. AI-Enhanced Content That’s Actually Worth Reading

AI-generated content gets a bad reputation, and honestly, most AI content deserves it. It’s bland, generic, and often sounds like it was stitched together from a dozen Google searches.

That’s not how AI should be leveraged.

We use AI as a first-draft builder and a research assistant, not a writer. Here’s how:

• Faster brainstorming and content structuring – AI helps us outline key points so we can skip past the daunting blank page and get straight to refining ideas.
• Consistent tone and brand voice – We train AI on our brand voice so every LinkedIn post, email, or article sounds like Nerd Herd, not a robot.
• Data-backed storytelling – AI pulls relevant statistics, competitor insights, and industry trends, making sure our content isn’t just opinion, it’s backed by real information.

• Faster brainstorming and content structuring – AI helps us outline key points so we can skip past the daunting blank page and get straight to refining ideas.
• Consistent tone and brand voice – We train AI on our brand voice so every LinkedIn post, email, or article sounds like Nerd Herd, not a robot.
• Data-backed storytelling – AI pulls relevant statistics, competitor insights, and industry trends, making sure our content isn’t just opinion, it’s backed by real information.

At the end of the day, AI doesn’t replace creativity, it eliminates the time-consuming grunt work that slows it down.

3. AI in Sales: More Conversations, Less Admin Work

Sales teams shouldn’t be wasting time on manual data entry, endless email chains, or chasing the wrong leads. AI helps us cut the admin work in half, so our sales efforts are focused on actual conversations that move deals forward. We also know how to approach conversations based on personality types without the guess work. Yes, there is a tool for this too…

Here’s how:

• Lead scoring & prioritization – AI analyzes lead behavior and engagement patterns to flag the highest-converting prospects first. See Linkedin Sales Navigator Premium for a tool to do this within.
• Smart email management – We use Fyxer.ai to filter and categorize emails, draft replies in our voice, and eliminate the time spent sorting through inbox clutter.
• Automated follow-ups that don’t sound automated – AI helps us craft personalized outreach and email follow ups based on the call we just finished, so every meeting is left with action items clearly defined. AI tools help us get 80% of the draft down on “paper” before we review for the 20% that does need human touch before hitting send.

• Lead scoring & prioritization – AI analyzes lead behavior and engagement patterns to flag the highest-converting prospects first. See Linkedin Sales Navigator Premium for a tool to do this within.
• Smart email management – We use Fyxer.ai to filter and categorize emails, draft replies in our voice, and eliminate the time spent sorting through inbox clutter.
• Automated follow-ups that don’t sound automated – AI helps us craft personalized outreach and email follow ups based on the call we just finished, so every meeting is left with action items clearly defined. AI tools help us get 80% of the draft down on “paper” before we review for the 20% that does need human touch before hitting send.

It’s not about cutting sales efforts. It’s about cutting the distractions that keep salespeople from actually selling and business owners from growing their businesses.

4. Running a 35-Hour Workweek with AI-Powered Efficiency

Most businesses assume that cutting hours means cutting productivity. That’s not true, as long as you’re cutting wasted time, not real work.

We use AI to automate the busywork, so the time we do spend working is focused, intentional, and productive.

Here’s what that looks like at Nerd Herd:

• AI-powered project management – Our systems auto-assign tasks, track progress, and send reminders so we’re always on top of deadlines.
• Meeting summaries in seconds – Instead of scrambling to take notes, AI transcribes and highlights key takeaways, making follow-ups faster and more actionable.
• SOP creation at scale – We use AI to draft and standardize our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), so every process is repeatable and easy to follow.

• AI-powered project management – Our systems auto-assign tasks, track progress, and send reminders so we’re always on top of deadlines.
• Meeting summaries in seconds – Instead of scrambling to take notes, AI transcribes and highlights key takeaways, making follow-ups faster and more actionable.
• SOP creation at scale – We use AI to draft and standardize our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), so every process is repeatable and easy to follow.

When technology does the repetitive tasks, humans can focus on the work that actually matters.

AI and the Future of Work: Adapt or Die…

The future of work isn’t about working more. It’s about working smarter.

And in any industry, where relationships, expertise, and strategy still drive business, AI isn’t a threat, it’s a tool that makes any sales and marketing team sharper, faster, and more effective.

Here’s what companies that embrace AI will do better:

• Make data-driven decisions instead of relying on gut instinct.
• Automate repetitive tasks so their teams can focus on high-impact work.
• Rely on the expert advice of other subject matter experts to help brainstorm in areas your not an expert in.

• Make data-driven decisions instead of relying on gut instinct.
• Automate repetitive tasks so their teams can focus on high-impact work.
• Rely on the expert advice of other subject matter experts to help brainstorm in areas your not an expert in.

At Nerd Herd, we aren’t just using AI, we’re proving that AI-driven efficiency lets us work less and achieve more.

And that’s a future worth investing in.

Want to See How AI Can Give You Your Time Back?

If you’re still stuck in the 40-hour grind, wondering why your team is busier than ever but not seeing better results, it’s time to rethink your approach.

I would be happy to grab coffee virtually and share my experience if you are curious how to implement these tools for your business.

Reach out at info@nerdherdpro.com or visit www.nerdherdpro.com.

Originally published in Ashlei Rolloff’s HVAC Leaders newsletter on LinkedIn.

Quick answers

How does Nerd Herd work a four-day week?

Nerd Herd operates on a four-day, 35-hour workweek. AI handles repetitive tasks so the team spends its hours on problem solving, creative thinking, and client results, with no cut to productivity or revenue.

How should teams use AI at work?

Treat AI as a strategic partner for research, drafting, and repetitive tasks. Keep people on the judgment calls, relationships, and creative work that drive impact.

Will AI replace marketing jobs?

AI takes over busywork. People who learn to use it well get time back for higher-value work, which makes them more productive and more valuable to their teams.

Keep reading: AI training for HVAC teams and careers at Nerd Herd.

AHR Orlando 2025 is well under way, and before we start to think about AHR Las Vegas 2026, I’m taking a moment to jot thoughts for next year. If you’re in HVAC marketing, you already know this isn’t just a trade show, it’s the event where the industry converges to see what’s new, connect with partners, and gain insights that shape the year ahead. But if you don’t go in with a plan, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos.

While navigating Orlando for two previous AHR Expos, I’ve gathered the best tips to help you be more efficient and strategic when you hit Las Vegas next year.

1. Plan Your Show Strategy Like a Pro

📌 Make a show list – Before you even step onto the expo floor, make a list of the booths and people you need to see. Organize it in your phone by hall and booth number so you can work through it efficiently. Once you meet someone, check them off, that way, you know who to follow up with later.

📌 Allow buffer time – You’ll run into people, this industry is like a family and as you build your network, there will be lots of hallway chats. That’s part of the magic of AHR. Plan for at least 15-30 minutes between stops to allow for quick, unexpected conversations without throwing off your schedule.

📌 Download the AHR app early and familiarize yourself with bus schedules, educational sessions, and booth locations. With Vegas’ massive layout, this small step will save you a lot of time.

2. Dress for Comfort & Efficiency

👟 Wear comfortable shoes. Heels? That’s a rookie move. Stick with stylish flats or tennis shoes. Everyone gets a pass on sneakers with dress pants at AHR, it’s about survival, not fashion. You can still look AMAZING by dressing up with a bright blazer or dress with a fun and loud pattern.

🎒 Bring a backpack. Skip the one-shoulder purse or tote bag. After a few hours of carrying samples, flyers, and giveaways, your back and shoulders will thank you.

3. Stay Fueled & Hydrated

🥤 Expo food isn’t great. Bring snacks and a refillable water bottle to stay energized. Liquid IV packets are a game-changer if you’ve had long nights (or early mornings).

☕ Get coffee at your hotel. Lines at the expo can be brutal, and starting your day caffeine-deprived is not the way to go. Most hotels will have Starbucks in the lobby or near by.

4. Network with Purpose

🤝 Connect on LinkedIn before the show with key manufacturers, reps, and marketers in your space. AHR is about relationship-building as much as it is about the latest HVAC tech.

📇 Follow up after the show. A quick email or LinkedIn message within 48 hours keeps the conversation going. If you made a solid connection, consider setting up a recurring check-in every month to build long-term relationships.

💬 Networking is a two-way street. Ask, “How can I support you?” when meeting new people, it’s a small shift that makes a big impact.

5. Walk the Show with a Marketer’s Eye

📌 Look for inspiration – Pay attention to booth designs, marketing materials, and promotional giveaways. Which stands are drawing the biggest crowds? What messaging is resonating?

📌 Attend at least one booth happy hour. Mondays are a great time for these before evening dinners start.

6. Keep Track of What Works (and What Doesn’t)

📂 Create a running AHR document – Keep notes on: ✔ Restaurants you liked ✔ Transportation tips ✔ Booths you found valuable ✔ Lessons learned for next time

🛫 Attending ASHRAE Winter Conference? Put it on your radar now, it’s worth checking out.

🏆 Consider attending the HVAC Tactical Awards. It’s growing every year and a great event to experience at least once. This is a premiere event where blue collar goes black tie.

Originally published in Ashlei Rolloff’s HVAC Leaders newsletter on LinkedIn.

Quick answers

How should HVAC marketers prepare for AHR Expo?

Make a list of the booths and people you need to see, organized in your phone by hall and booth number. Check people off as you meet them so you know exactly who to follow up with.

What should you wear to AHR Expo?

Dress for comfort and efficiency. You will walk the show floor for hours, so prioritize comfortable shoes and practical layers.

How can marketers get more from walking the show floor?

Walk the show with a marketer’s eye. Note which booths draw crowds, which messages land, and what competitors launch, then track what works for your own next show.

Keep reading: demand generation and SEO and content marketing for HVAC manufacturers.