Trade Show PR, Remixed: Influencers Take Center Stage at AHR 2025

AHR Expo is the HVAC industry’s largest trade show, making it one of the most critical points of contact with contractor audiences and other key decision-makers. To successfully reach them, a global HVAC solutions provider partnered with Godfrey to elevate its presence at the 2025 event. Godfrey’s plan: influencers.

From 2024 to 2025, the HVAC industry saw a significant rise in influencer impact, with more industry professionals turning to trusted voices on social media and digital platforms for insights than ever before. Recognizing this shift, Godfrey recommended reimagining traditional trade show strategies and making influencer engagement a central PR focus at the show.

While Godfrey has collaborated with influencers for years, 2025 marked a turning point in how deeply they were embedded in B2B media strategy. Of the 46 media engagements secured at AHR Expo, over half were attributed to influencers — which was a first for the Godfrey team and a clear signal of industry evolution. This fundamental shift in B2B media relations demonstrated the speed at which influencers are becoming key players in shaping brand perception and extending audience reach.

With the ASHRAE Winter Conference, a premier HVAC educational event, taking place concurrently with AHR Expo 2025, it was a prime opportunity to showcase industry-leading products and highlight the company’s thought leadership while engaging directly with key decision-makers.

To fully capitalize on the moment, Godfrey developed a bold strategy that not only amplified the booth presence but also strategically leveraged influencers to drive meaningful conversations and secure opportunities throughout 2025, and into the future.

The success of that strategy began with a data-driven approach to guide influencer selection:

• Audience Research: Identified where contractors and other key audiences seek reliable industry information.
• Comprehensive Social Channel Review: Assessed follower/subscriber count and engagement rates across key platforms.
• Credibility Assessment: Pinpointed influencers gaining traction and trust within the HVAC community.
• Authenticity Focus: Prioritized influencers with real industry experience, many of whom are/were contractors passionate about HVAC advancements.

Once the Godfrey team selected influencers that aligned with this criteria, they began the conversations. Unlike traditional media outreach, connecting with influencers required a more agile and personalized approach.

To foster genuine relationships, the Godfrey team:

• Engaged influencers directly through Instagram DMs, initiating casual and authentic conversations.
• Leveraged existing influencer connections to facilitate introductions and establish trust with new influencers.
• Relied on their deep knowledge of the HVAC landscape and evolving industry trends to speak in a candid way about what mattered most to influencer audiences.
• Tailored outreach strategies to align with influencer preferences and content styles.

Beyond demonstrating that it could meet influencers on their terms, whether through flexible coordination styles, casual communication or real-time responsiveness, Godfrey understands a deeper truth: relationships open the door, but substance keeps it open. No matter how well-connected or friendly the interaction, media-savvy influencers still prioritize the value and clarity of the content they’re sharing with their audiences.

That’s why Godfrey’s support didn’t stop at logistics. The Godfrey team again leveraged their industry knowledge and understanding of each influencer’s audience to equip subject matter experts with a comprehensive message house and talking points designed to ensure consistency, confidence and clarity across every engagement. Whether an influencer was conducting a booth-side interview or recording a podcast segment, the experts were prepared to deliver meaningful insights that aligned with audience needs — making each interaction not only seamless, but genuinely impactful.