Running a plumbing or HVAC company already means juggling technicians, emergency calls, equipment orders and customers who swear the leak “just started yesterday.”
Marketing often gets whatever time and budget are left over.
FortisBC Could Cover Up to Half of Your Next Direct-Mail Campaign
But if you’re a FortisBC Trade Ally Network member, you can use your vendor ad accruals (advertising allowance) to launch your campaign. This means that FortisBC may reimburse up to 50% of eligible advertising expenses—subject to your annual ad allocation, available funding and final approval.
That could turn a $10,000 direct-mail campaign into approximately $5,000 in net marketing costs, thanks to the 50/50 cost share.
There is a catch: the campaign must follow FortisBC’s requirements and receive written approval before anything is printed or mailed, as per the pre-approval guidelines.
That’s where PostNow comes in.
The FortisBC Rules You Need to Know
FortisBC ultimately decides whether a campaign and its expenses qualify. The major requirements include:
- You must be an eligible Trade Ally Network member.
- The campaign must receive written pre-approval before printing or distribution.
- Advertising must include eligible FortisBC-approved messaging.
- The correct Trade Ally brand-approved assets, like an official TAN logo, must be used .
- Applicable Technical Safety BC contractor information must be displayed.
- Claims require invoices, proof of payment and proof of performance/campaign documentation.
- Reimbursement requests must be submitted within FortisBC’s required timeline.
- Funding is limited and is not guaranteed.
Multi-drop campaigns also require careful coordination between approval, invoicing, printing, distribution and reimbursement deadlines. PostNow will help structure the campaign, while your company remains responsible for obtaining FortisBC approval and submitting its reimbursement claim.
Why Direct Mail Works for Plumbing and HVAC
Homeowners don’t think much about their plumber or HVAC contractor until something leaks, plugs, breaks or stops heating.
Direct mail helps put your company in their head before that happens.
PostNow can target neighbourhoods based on location, housing characteristics and household demographics. Instead of advertising across your entire region, you can focus on areas that fit your services, technicians and growth plans.
One postcard creates awareness. A coordinated series builds recognition—and recognized companies are more likely to get the call when the basement starts making expensive noises.
What a $10,000 Campaign Could Look Like in 2026
Rather than spend the entire budget on one large mailing, we recommend a four-drop campaign sent over approximately eight to twelve weeks. This will maximize the impact of your market development funds.
The campaign would repeatedly reach roughly 5,000 to 7,000 targeted households, producing approximately 20,000 to 28,000 total household impressions.
PostNow’s current all-inclusive pricing for 5,000-household Neighbourhood Mail campaigns starts at:
| Format | Per drop | Four drops |
| 5.5 × 8.5-inch postcard | $1,909 | $7,636 |
| 6 × 12-inch postcard | $2,059 | $8,236 |
Pricing includes template design edits, printing, targeting, mail preparation, transportation and Canada Post postage. A complete $10,000 strategy can add custom creative development, larger quantities, upgraded formats and response tracking.
Run the Numbers: Direct Mail Calculator for FortisBC Members
Want to map out the math before committing a single dollar? You can test different campaign scenarios using PostNow’s Direct Mail Campaign Calculator. Simply plug in your target neighborhood size, postcard format, and number of drops to see your total costs in real time.
It takes the guesswork out of budgeting, letting you align your mailings directly with your FortisBC co-op dollar allocation so you know your gross investment—and your estimated 50% net cost after reimbursement—before you ever submit a campaign for pre-approval
Multi-Drop Scenarios: Which Offers to Include in your Flyer with Each Drop
Drop 1: Get in the Door
Start with a simple, low-friction offer from the ones below:
- Plumbing or heating inspection
- Drain-cleaning promotion
- Furnace or gas-appliance maintenance
- Water-heater check
- Seasonal tune-up
The first offer does not need to produce the biggest invoice. Its job is to create a new customer relationship and uncover additional service opportunities.
Drop 2: Focus on a Common Problem
The second postcard targets a recognizable homeowner frustration:
- Slow or recurring drains
- Aging water heaters
- Uneven heating
- Rising energy costs
- Older gas appliances
- Equipment that is becoming less reliable
A small problem today has a remarkable ability to become an emergency at 10:30 on a Sunday night.
Drop 3: Promote the Bigger Upgrade
The third postcard introduces higher-value services such as eligible high-efficiency equipment, dual-fuel systems, water-heating upgrades or other approved heating solutions.
This is where the campaign moves from maintenance calls toward larger replacement and installation opportunities.
Drop 4: Create Urgency
The final postcard gives homeowners a reason to act:
- A seasonal deadline
- Limited-time service credit
- Priority scheduling
- A bundled maintenance offer
- An expiring promotion
By this point, the homeowner has seen your company several times. You are no longer another random contractor—you are the company they recognize when something finally needs attention.
Let PostNow Handle the Heavy Lifting
PostNow can manage:
- Campaign strategy
- Neighbourhood targeting
- Offer development
- Postcard copy and design
- Co-branded collateral/shared logo postcard designs
- Approval-ready campaign artwork
- Printing and mailing
- Staggered mail drops
- Production and distribution documentation
You keep the technicians working, FortisBC TAN can help you with dealer co-funding, and we’ll help keep your company in front of the homeowners most likely to need your services.
Talk to PostNow about building a FortisBC-ready direct-mail campaign for your plumbing or HVAC company. Contact Vic Fletcher, our Business Development Specialist:
Office Phone Number: 1 866 482 2412
Cellphone Number: 604 250 0040
Email: vic@postnow.ca
Glossary Terms & FAQ: Clearing the Air on Co-Op Marketing Terms
What Are Vendor Ad Accruals?
A “bank account” of ad credit you earn over time based on how much equipment you buy from a supplier or manufacturer. The more furnaces, heat pumps, or water heaters you buy, the more marketing money the vendor sets aside for you to claim later.
What Are Market Development Funds (MDF)?
Pools of money set aside by large manufacturers or utilities (like FortisBC) to help local partners (like your trade business) grow the local market.
What Is Dealer Co-Funding / 50/50 Cost-Share?
A “split the bill” arrangement between you and the funder, trade network, utility, or manufacturer. You pay for half the campaign, and they cover the other half, given certain conditions are met.
What Are Brand-Approved Assets & Pre-Approval Guidelines?
The strict design rules your campaign must follow to get reimbursed. This includes using approved logos, specific colors, required contractor numbers, and submitting your design for written approval before printing.
What Is Proof of Performance (POP) Documentation?
The paper trail you must submit after the campaign drops to prove you actually printed and mailed what you promised. This usually includes PostNow print invoices/receipts, final sample postcards, and official Canada Post receipts.
What Is Co-Branded Collateral?
The physical marketing pieces (postcards, flyers) that feature both your company’s logo and the utility’s/manufacturer’s logo side-by-side (printed according to the guidelines).