EPIC 2026 Recap: What Getting 1% Better Means for HVAC Marketing in 2026

The Main Event of HVAC delivered exactly what the industry needed.

At EGIA’s EPIC 2026, contractors, distributors, and partners from across the country gathered to talk about growth, resilience, and what it really takes to win in the year ahead. Mediagistic was proud to be a highly visible sponsor, from the lanyards around attendees’ necks to sponsoring the closing keynote on the main stage.

And the message that echoed throughout the week was simple: You don’t need a massive overhaul to win in 2026. You need to get 1% better. Every day.

A Bulletproof Industry… With Smarter Expectations

Mediagistic’s VP of Product & Innovation, Christopher St. Jean, and VP of Growth Marketing, Eddie Childs, both presented during breakout sessions at EPIC, engaging contractors on where technology, AI, and marketing strategy are headed next.

After the conference, St. Jean shared a takeaway regarding a fundamental truth about the industry that cuts through much of today’s noise: “Consumer confidence ebbs and flows, but a broken AC doesn’t care about the economy. That was my biggest takeaway from presenting at EPIC 2026 last week. While we worry about buying cycles, the fundamental truth of the HVAC industry remains bulletproof: when the system breaks, homeowners will call for help.”

In other words, tariffs and inflation may drive prices up. AI may disrupt nearly every aspect of how businesses operate and how homeowners search. But a broken AC doesn’t care about the economy. That reality remains the industry’s north star.

The HVAC industry has always been resilient. When systems fail, homeowners call. That fundamental truth hasn’t changed. What has changed is how they choose who to call. Search behavior is evolving. AI is influencing discovery. Response time expectations are shrinking. Attribution matters more than ever. Contractors are no longer competing just on reputation; they’re competing on speed, visibility, and experience.

Resilience is in this industry’s DNA. But in 2026, resilience must be paired with operational precision.

Lessons from the Main Stage

The conference featured powerhouse speakers including James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, and entrepreneur and investor Lori Greiner. In particular, Clear’s core idea should resonate deeply with contractors: Small improvements, compounded daily, create massive change.

Not one big marketing campaign. Not one lucky season. Not one viral post.

Just steady, disciplined improvement across the fundamentals:

• Better visibility in search
• Faster lead response
• Smarter database follow-up
• Clearer revenue attribution
• More consistent customer experience

Those marginal gains stack. And in HVAC, stacked gains equal stacked revenue.

Introducing mgAI Suite at EPIC

At EPIC 2026, we also introduced mgAI Suite, Mediagistic’s newest innovation designed to help contractors apply that 1% philosophy across their marketing and customer journey.

AI in HVAC is not about replacing people. It’s about tightening gaps and creating consistency. Smarter search optimization. Intelligent lead handling. Automated yet thoughtful follow-up. Clearer insight into what is actually driving booked jobs and revenue.

The contractors who win in 2026 will not be the ones chasing every new tactic. They will be the ones who improve the right systems consistently and allow those gains to compound.

Strengthening the Mediagistic + EGIA Partnership

EPIC also highlighted the growing partnership between Mediagistic and EGIA. Through Contractor University and EPIC, EGIA continues to deliver world-class education that strengthens contractors’ operational and leadership capabilities.

Our role complements that mission. We focus on ensuring contractors pair operational excellence with modern, data-driven marketing systems that produce measurable growth. When strong business education meets disciplined marketing execution, the results are powerful.

2026 Is Already Underway

The takeaway from EPIC 2026 is clear: HVAC remains resilient, but the market is evolving. The edge in 2026 belongs to the contractor who commits to steady improvement across marketing, sales, and operations.

A little better at lead handling.
A little better at follow-up.
A little better at visibility and measurement.

Those small gains stack. And over the course of a year, they transform businesses. If you’d like to explore what we launched at EPIC or discuss how to apply the 1% principle to your HVAC marketing strategy, connect with the Mediagistic team. Let’s make 2026 the year your growth compounds.