Marketing

Roofing Social Media Management – Top 5 Fails

Roofing Social Media Fails

Many roofers love to see images and video of roofing “fails”. Whether it’s a ugly repair job done by a homeowner, or a botched install by a “chuck in a truck”, these type of posts often get a lot of attention.  While roofing fails can draw a crowd, unfortunately, social media account fails have the opposite effect.  After reviewing thousands of social media accounts over the past few years, I have seen a number social media account “fails”.  While the buck ultimately stops with the business owner, sometimes the fail is caused by an employee, family member or social media manager who is running the account.  If used properly, social media accounts can be a very effective and economical way to generate roofing leads. When not managed properly, they can waste valuable time and money, besides missing out on connecting with potential customers.

While there are numerous mistakes that can be made when running a social media account, here are the top 5 fails I have seen in the roofing industry, in no particular order:

1 . NOT POSTING FOR THEIR CUSTOMER

roofing customer profile

While this should be obvious, many roofing businesses on social media don’t seem to know who their audience is. Roofing business social accounts will often post images and videos that will draw a lot of attention from other roofers (through love or hate), but these same posts have little or no meaning whatsoever to a homeowner.

It is important to research your target audience (age, gender, location, economics, residential, commercial, etc.). If you take the time to develop a customer persona (avatar), you will have more clarity when deciding what images, video, and text should be posted. Don’t fall into the trap of posting what you personally enjoy or what other roofers will like. If you want to do that, create a separate influencer account aimed at roofers. For the social media account for your roofing business, create posts with your potential customer in mind.  

2. NO POSTING STRATEGY

Another social media mistake some make is not putting much thought into what, when, and how they post. They will post various images or video throughout the week or month, seemingly without any rhyme or reason. These social posts may not even include any descriptive text or hashtags.

Planning and consistency are important for effective social media outreach. After developing a customer persona (mentioned above), creating a social posting calendar can help in organizing a variety of post types and content. With proper planning, content for a whole month (or more) can be created from just a few roofing jobs. When and how often you post can help improve the chances that a customer will see your post.

3. NO SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

There are some who may actively post quality content, but never make the effort to interact with their audience. They post, and then disappear from their social account until they login to post again. Comments (negative or positive) are ignored, and they don’t even check their DM’s. Basically, they aren’t very “social” on their social media account.

If you are going through the work of creating high-quality content aimed at your audience, you need to do everything possible to prompt them to see your content. Be active on the social platforms you are posting on. Respond to comments, and definitely be checking your inbox regularly (although you may have to weed through the marketing spammers). Interact with your potential customers on their accounts, and on other primary accounts they are following. Responding to their posts with genuine comments can help build a relationship not only with that account owner, but also their followers.

4 . TOO MUCH SELLING/SPAMMING

spamming customers

Some fall into the trap of always using social to only promote their business. Their posts mostly consist of asking people to hire their roofing company. Their “engagement” on other social accounts is what most would describe as “spam”. They are more focused on trying to force an instant sale, than on first building a relationship of trust. They are constantly bombarding others with their sales pitch.

There are many creative ways to use social media to build brand awareness and trust rather than annoying customers by always trying to get them to hire you. Try to provide genuine interaction with customers without including any sales pitch. Contribute valuable input when posting or responding in social groups and on other business and personal social accounts. Building trust through relationships takes time, but is a much more effective sales strategy in the long run.  Many top marketers recommend that only 20% of your social posts should involve promoting your business and the remaining 80% should be used to educate and entertain your prospective customer.

5. NOT STUDYING ANALYTICS

One final mistake is to be working hard to consistently create and post content, and taking the time to engage with your audience, without knowing the effectiveness of what you are posting. Social media business accounts (along with some personal/creator accounts) provide helpful analytics which many business owners have never looked at, much less studied. Likes, comments, and views can easily be seen under a post, but they don’t necessarily give a complete representation of the impact a particular post has.

Don’t just focus on vanity metrics, or even “going viral”. There are other important metrics to study including impressions/reach, saved posts, shares, and the demographics of your viewers. You may be discouraged that a post doesn’t get many likes, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. You may have more potential customers checking out your business than you think. Most people aren’t going to be actively liking and commenting on posts from their local home improvement contractors. Don’t be discouraged by that. Instead, focus on increasing reach/impressions in your local area to draw attention to your business and build brand awareness.

Need help developing a solid social media strategy for your roofing business? CONTACT US

Roofing Company Page Listing

ROOFING CONTRACTORS: WANT TO IMPROVE SEO AND INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS ?

Get a custom landing page on The Roofer's Helper website!

roofing marketing

This Special Offer includes:

Landing Page Benefits:

–Increased visibility for your company in search engines.  (Our company profiles often show up on page 1 in Google searches!)

–Brand Exposure on The Roofer’s Helper. (The Roofer’s Helper gets 125,000 web visitors a year from both contractors AND homeowners)

–*LIFETIME LISTING (*Listing may be removed if your company goes out of business or if the links provided are no longer active)

This marketing service is available WORLDWIDE to roofing contractors, and other home improvement-related businesses who offer roofing services.

CUSTOM LANDING PAGE LIFETIME LISTING: $125 USD (One time payment)

Fill out the application form below to let The Roofer’s Helper know more about your business.  If your application is accepted, we will contact you regarding billing and completing the listing setup.  

Providing detailed information about your business will better help us create your profile.  This can include owner information, company history, services, service areas, certifications, etc.  

Landing Page Application Form








    *We try to respond within 48 hours to all inquiries. Please check your spam/junk folder if you haven’t received a response within that time frame.

    20 Proven Ways to Get Roofing Leads

    This is one of the most-asked questions by roofing contractors: “How do I get more roofing leads?”  It’s a loaded question, as there are many methods to generate solid leads.  Often, the bigger problem is that contractors are already getting leads in various forms, but don’t know how to capitalize on them.

    Another common complaint is cold-calling or door-knocking  While not for everyone, if done well, it is still an effective means of acquiring new customers.  Still, there are many ways to generate roofing leads without door-knocking or having strong sales skills.

    Research and get references before handing over your money to marketers.  Marketing dollars can disappear quickly with no return.  Some marketers are scammers, while others may just be inexperienced or incompetent.  While not every advertising campaign will be successful, you need to make sure the company/individual you hire is trustworthy.

    Here’s a list of proven paid and free lead-generation sources.

    Branding

    Branding is an under-rated, but powerful source of leads.  A roofing brand that includes a good business name, quality logo, catchy tagline, and is backed up by a variety of well-designed marketing materials can generate countless leads.  Your advertising should center around your brand.  Invest in brand-building for long-term results.

    A High-Quality Website (plus SEO)

    Many times contractors overlook the power of a well-designed, SEO-optimized website because they are looking for the phone to ring immediately.  A quality website will bring in qualified leads consistently over the long-term.

    A website with an attractive home page, an about page, a services-offered page, and a contact page is a minimum requirement.  roofing leads from your websiteA call to action along with contact information on every page is very important.  SEO (search engine optimization) will give your website an edge that other roofers may not have.  Search algorithms are constantly changing, so SEO is not a once-and-done thing.  Make sure the company you hire to do your SEO uses “white-hat” techniques (methods Google deems non-spammy).  Otherwise, your site could be severely penalized.

    Don’t forget user experience.  Your website should load quickly, and be easy to navigate.  Make sure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly (adapts to various screen sizes and devices).  A well-designed website is a great form of advertising because it is promoting your business 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Also, in contrast to social media, your website is an asset that you own and have full control over.

    Door Knocking

    Although knocking on doors is difficult for some, taking an effective sales pitch to key neighborhoods is still a useful tool for lead generation for many companies.  Some roofing companies depend on door-to-door sales more than anything else.  Getting proper sales training will greatly increase your chances of signing up jobs.

    Door Flyers

    Well-designed flyers can be very effective in advertising your roofing services.  If you hate cold-calling/door-knocking, this is a gentler alternative.  Targeting the right neighborhoods is the key to getting the most bang for your buck.

    Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

    One way to get your company to the top of search engine results is through PPC (pay-per-click) advertising.  Google is the #1 search engine to use, but good results can also be had from Bing and Yahoo.  Costs per lead will depend on the competition from other roofers also trying to advertise.

    Home Improvement Networks

    There are multiple popular referral/review networks that connect homeowners with contractors such as HomeAdvisor, Angi, Thumbtack, Nextdoor etc.  Be aware that while some contractors are satisfied with these services, many others have had very negative experiences due to shared leads, poor customer support, billing issues, etc.  Due your research before signing a contract.

    Google PPC Ads

    PPC (Pay-per-click) ads can help bring traffic to your website or help get the phone ringing.  PPC ads can be costly, especially if not set up properly.  Make sure you hire a marketing company you can trust in order to get the best results from Google ads.

    Google Local Service Ads

    If your company passes the screening process, you may be eligible for Google Local Service ads.  Your company can get a Google Guaranteed or Google Screened badge, and potentially show up at the top of the Google search page.

    Referrals

    A happy customer can be one of your best roofing lead sources.  Don’t be afraid to leave some business cards and/or flyers with a satisfied customer and ask them to refer you.

    Reviews

    Reviews are a type of referral that can also provide leads for your roofing company.  Google and Facebook are two of the most common places for customers to leave reviews.  While some customers may leave a review on their own, many more will gladly leave positive feedback if you would simply ask them.  Sharing a link to the review page will make the process easier.

    Get Featured on The Roofer’s Helper

    Getting your company featured on The Roofer’s Helper not only exposes your brand to over 200,00 followers on social media, but also provides a custom landing page with company info, images, links, and contact information.  These landing pages will help boost your SEO and overall web exposure.  On top of that, your company will be featured in The Roofer’s Helper Directory. Find out more here: Get Featured

    Google Business Listing

    An often-overlooked powerhouse for roofing leads is the free Google Business Listing. Not only can you show up at the top of searches (even though your website might be on page 10), but potential customers can get all your contact information, see reviews, and more.

    Positive Online Reviewsroofing leads through reviews

    Often, one of the first things a potential customer will do when deciding on a roofing contractor is to look online for reviews.  Ask loyal customers to leave a positive review for you or to email you a review for your website.  Don’t forget to highlight your positive online reviews on social media and your website.

    Facebook Ads

    Facebook ads allow you to hyper-target your audience, so you can help determine where your leads are coming from.  You can choose how much you want to spend, and specify who you want the ad to be seen by (age, location, etc.).  If setting up an ad campaign seems too daunting, you may want to hire a marketing agency to run the campaign for you.

    Yard Signs

    Yard signs are all over the place because they are effective.  Make sure the sign is easy to read and provides basic contact information.

    News Media

    If you have donated to charity or done something else newsworthy as a roofing company, let your local newspaper or television station know about it.  They may just choose to run your story, for free!  roofing leads from the newsOther ways to possibly get featured are providing roofing-related information such as reasons to get your roof inspected, how to avoid a roofing scam, preparing the exterior of your home for winter, etc.

    Vehicle Advertising

    Vehicle wraps, or some other type of advertising on your vehicle will bring brand awareness everywhere you go, whether you are on a roofing job, parked at a local diner, or driving down the street.

    Community Sponsoring and Events

    Help sponsor a local sports team, or advertise at a community event such as a charity walk.  Having your business name fully or partially featured on a shirt or banner can help bring in roofing leads, while also benefiting your community.

    Many communities have annual events where local businesses can set up booths.  This is a great opportunity to feature your business and get a chance to interact with potential customers.   Have people sign up with their emails.  You could offer a particular service or a gift certificate to the winner.  You could also choose to offer all contestants a consolation prize such as 10% off any roofing service.

    Social Media

    Social media is a great way to promote your brand, and it’s free!  Currently, two of the best social media platforms to advertise your roofing company are Facebook and Instagram.  If you choose to start a social media account, be sure to use the business analytics settings to see how your posts are doing.  roofing leads through social mediaThis will help you maximize your time and effort in order to attract quality roofing leads.  Also, it is important to post regularly (at least once every week or two at minimum) to let prospective roofing customers know the account is active.

    Real Estate Agents

    Teaming up with real estate agents can be a win-win for both parties.  Many times a roof needs to be repaired or replaced before a home sale can be completed.  Roof inspections can be a great way to get your foot in the door to sell a new roof to either the seller or the buyer.

    Contractor Networking

    Connecting with other home improvement contractors is an excellent way to generate roofing leads.  Often plumbers, carpenters, electricians, etc., get asked if they know a roofer, just like you may often get asked for a reference for another home improvement contractor.   Building a good relationship with contractors and other home-related businesses can help bring in a steady source of roofing jobs.

    Need Help?

    Contact us and we’ll do our best to refer you to an agency that can meet your marketing needs.

    How To Start a Roofing Company – Roofing Business Resources

    Table of Contents

    If you want to start a roofing business, you must realize that running a profitable roofing company is a lot more than knowing how to find a leak or replace a roof. Just because you can do a great job installing shingles, managing a crew as a foreman, or selling roofs, doesn’t guarantee that you will be effective at running a roofing company.  Being a successful roofing business owner involves discipline, organization, both business and general roofing knowledge, patience, perseverance, people-skills, and a number of other traits.  A majority of roofing businesses fail within the first few years of business. This is usually not because the owner wasn’t skilled in their roofing craft, but because they were not skilled in running a business.

    On this page, and throughout The Roofer’s Helper website, you will find valuable tips and helpful information to get your business off the ground.

    There are basically 3 steps for how to start a roofing business:

    1. Plan your roofing company. This is a major step, and will help guide the direction of your business.
    2. Register your business with proper government institutions.  You need to make sure your business is operating legally in your area.
    3. Promote your business.  A solid marketing and sales strategy is critical to attract new customers.

    1. PLAN YOUR ROOFING BUSINESS

    Develop a Business Plan

    Before diving in to any business, you should develop a business plan.  Roofing equipment and vehicles can cost a lot of money.  Don’t forget about insurance costs, not only for you, but for any employees.  A business plan doesn’t have to be anything complicated, but is something that will help organize your goals and priorities and help you make wise decisions.  It is important to know how much you will need to spend to get started, and how much you will need to make (after expenses) to support yourself.

    Not everyone wants to have a multi-million dollar roofing company with hundreds of employees.  If your goal is to have a small to medium sized  business, then the goals you set will be much different from a business plan for a large corporation.

    Either way, you need to have a solid plan set in place that will help you achieve the goals you set for your business.

    The larger you want your company to be, the better you need to be as a business owner, as the responsibility will be greater.  It is not wrong to dream big, but if you are a new business owner, it is best to start small and work your way up. 

    Finding a mentor can be a huge asset when starting your roofing company. The ability to learn from another successful roofing business owner can save you time, and help you avoid many costly mistakes.

    Research

    When starting your business, an important part of planning is research.  Depending on your location, a running a successful roofing business can potentially be difficult.  You may want to find answers to these questions before starting your company:

    • What is the competition?  How many other roofers are in business in my area?  What are they charging? Would commercial roofing be a better option than residential?
    • What types of roofs are in your area?  Are these the types of roofs you want to repair/replace? Is there a certain type of installation/repair you can specialize in?
    • How old are the homes in your area?  Is there a great need for new roofs, or mostly repairs?
    • How many homes are in your proposed service area? Are there enough potential jobs to sustain a full time business?
    • What are the economics of your area?
    • If a full-time roofing business can’t be supported, are you willing/able to offer additional services (snow removal, painting, siding, windows, etc.) in order to produce a full-time income?

    Below are some additional points to consider in the research/planning process:

    • Set short and long-term goals – Plan your roofing business before you spend a dime.
    • Decide what services you will offer – Decide the scope of your business.  How many different services and options will you offer customers?
    • Find a niche – What will be your specialty?  What will set you apart from the competition?research online how start a roofing company
    • Choose a business name – Put some thought into deciding your company name.  You could always change it later, but a name change could hurt your business.
    • Decide what you will charge for your services – What you charge will vary depending on location, economics, products used, and your skill level, among other things.  You can’t just set your prices based upon what some other roofer charges 1,000 miles away.

    Financial Considerations

    It can be scary to start a roofing business from scratch.  Even if you already have experience as a roofer, or in managing a roofing company, you will need to consider the time it will take to get your business off the ground, and to make the income you will need.  Often a new business will take longer to grow than you planned, and may bring in less income than you planned.

    It is generally advisable to not quit your job and then start your roofing business.  If your business doesn’t make it for whatever reason, you may regret letting go of the job you had.

    A safer financial decision is to keep your day job (if possible), and start your roofing company slowly.  This can be difficult, as you will have to work around your normal work schedule, but a lot can be done on weekends, evenings, or mornings, depending on what your work schedule is like.  Another option is to at least keep a part-time job (such as an evening shift) to help provide funds to pay the bills while your roofing business is growing.

    Another possible option is to obtain financing.  You may want to consider a business loan depending on what your needs will be for equipment, vehicles, and a business location.  Once again, be careful that you don’t get over your head in debt.  Be sure to get a loan only for what you absolutely need to get started.

    how to set roofing business goals

    Get Organized

    As soon as you start your roofing business, you will need some sort of organizational structure so you can keep your customer communications and roofing-related paperwork in order.  You won’t necessarily need a full office when starting out.  An office desk dedicated to your business paperwork would be helpful.

    Get a daily planner or use your smartphone to schedule estimates, jobs, and other work-related appointments.  An easy way to lose customers is to arrive late or even forget a scheduled appointment.  A schedule will help you plan your day, week, and month, so you can make best use of your time and your customer’s time.

    There are many helpful software programs that can be used for accounting, estimating, customer communications and more.  Some software is especially designed for contractors.  You probably don’t need to invest in expensive software right away.  This would be a consideration as your business grows.

    • Set up an office- this can even be a home office
    • E-mail- have an email dedicated to your roofing company
    • Business phone- if you don’t have a separate phone, make sure you answer your personal phone in a professional manner.
    • Roofing Estimate and Bill forms- You can order custom forms online, or create your own.
    • Roofing Software – Track leads, sales, jobs, create estimates, and more in a single program.  Try JobNimbus for Free!

    Equipment needed when starting a roofing business

    You can’t start a roofing company without roofing equipment.  Equipment will probably account for the largest portion of your startup costs.  Starting out, you don’t necessarily need all brand-new equipment.  You will save thousands of dollars in startup costs by purchasing a used truck, used ladders and ladder rack, and other miscellaneous tools. tools needed for roofing business startup Another tip is to only buy tools as jobs require them.  This will help keep you from going into debt for tools and equipment you may end up never using.  Some of the tools and equipment you will need will vary according to what roofing services you plan to specialize in.

    Hiring

    When just starting out, you will be able to work solo, or with a small team.   If you are going to grow, you will need to hire additional laborers, sales staff, and office staff.  The larger you want to grow, the more employees you will need.  Obviously, the more employees you will have, the higher the payroll will be, so a good sales team, along with solid marketing is key to bring in enough work to meet payroll requirements and continue to grow.

    Suppliers

    Pricing can vary among roofing supply companies in various regions.  When starting your roofing company, you’ll want to save every penny possible.  It pays to shop around and take advantage of competitive pricing.  You may notice a significant cost difference in materials when comparing prices at big box home improvement stores and roofing supply warehouses.  You may even notice price differences from one city to another because of local competition.

    A good supplier can help keep you aware of roofing trends and new products. Many suppliers will offer a credit line, product discounts, customer management, online ordering, and more.

    • Build a relationship
    • Know your costs

    2.  REGISTER YOUR ROOFING BUSINESS

    Make it legal

    how to register a roofing businessMake sure you are following proper protocol in your region.  This means having necessary insurance, following tax codes, getting proper licenses and permits, etc.  This applies even to a part-time roofing business.

    Some steps (not necessarily in order) to starting your roofing company legally:

    1. Select your business structure (sole-proprietor, LLC, Corporation, etc.)
    2. Register your roofing business name
    3. Register your business entity
    4. Register as a roofer or home improvement contractor with your state (US)
    5. Open a business bank account for your roofing company
    6. Taxes- either get an accountant, or do research on filing yourself
    7. Liability Insurance
    8. Worker’s Compensation
    9. City Licenses and Permits
    10. OSHA
    11. Health Insurance

    Register A Roofing Company In: The United States

    Click on a state to find out how to start a roofing business in your area:

    Register A Roofing Company In: Canada

    Register A Roofing Company In:  The United Kingdom

    3.  MARKETING YOUR ROOFING BUSINESS


    In order to grow your roofing company, you will need to work hard, have people skills, and be patient.  You will also need to market your business effectively.  Success and profit won’t come overnight.social media marketing for a new roofing company

    Customers


    Beside employees, dealing with customers can cause a great amount of stress.  Learning how to communicate well with customers can help boost sales and increase word-of-mouth leads.  Good customers can be one of your greatest sources of free marketing!

    Advertising/Marketing

    roofing company marketing ideas

    After you start a roofing business, you need to market it.  Some low-cost advertising to get started can include a basic 1 or 2 page website, setting up a free business listing for your roofing company on Google and other online directories, social media accounts, business cards and a few yard signs.

    Resources

    The Roofer’s Helper on Instagram– Giveaways, the best and worst of roofing, business features, and more!

    Helpful roofing-related websites

    Roofing education and training websites

    How To Market Your Roofing Business

    As it is with many businesses, the “fun” part is often the field work, while the difficult part is the paperwork and other behind-the-scenes stuff.  Marketing, especially in the age of the internet and social media, is a necessary part of running a successful roofing company, whether you think it is fun or not.

    Marketing and advertising can be very expensive.  Whether you are new roofing company, or a roofing veteran, the last thing you want to do is to go into debt trying to get some customers.  You also don’t want to waste valuable time and money utilizing poor marketing techniques.  Fortunately, there are a number of low cost, or even free roofing marketing tips and tricks to help get the phone ringing and bring in more roofing customers.

    Many of the following marketing and advertising ideas can be implemented without hiring a marketing company.  You can successfully advertise without spending a fortune.  Before you take out a loan to purchase a massive billboard or radio ad, check out these marketing ideas that can help you get more roofing jobs:

    A Quality Website

    A great looking website doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars.  With some basic computer skills, you can even set up your own website for just the cost of hosting fees.  A good website doesn’t need to be complex.  Keep it simple.  A home page, an about page, a services offered page, and a contact page are all you really need to get started.  Ranking in the top search position in Google is another story.  This can often be quite difficult depending on the competition from other roofers in your area, and also battling against the large advertising pockets of major home improvement lead companies that are also competing for the top search positions. The key is to have the website set up properly and use specific keywords closely associated with your business in order to rank high in your local search engine results.  SEO (which is mentioned next) will play a huge part in ranking well.   More on setting up a Website.

    SEO

    A basic website is foundational, but will only be effective if people visit it. An SEO-optimized website can be an incredible source of roofing leads and can potentially lead your roofing company to dominate your market.  SEO (Search Engine Optimization) utilizes various techniques such as proper website structure, quality content, targeted keywords, links to your site, and more in order to improve your chances of being found in a search.  While the cost to maintain SEO can be expensive, the long-term results can often be more cost-effective and productive than any other form of marketing.

    A Catchy Tagline or Logo

    A creative tagline or logo associated with your business name can help personalize your business and is a great marketing tool to attract customers.  Sometimes the tagline or logo becomes more memorable than the actual business name.  Find out more about business names here .

    Door Flyers

    Well-designed flyers targeted at the right neighborhoods can be very effective in advertising your roofing services.  Targeting is the key.  Don’t waste your time placing flyers in neighborhoods full of renters..  Create flyers for specific roofing services and place them at homes that could use those specific services.

    Reference Incentives

    Offer current customers kickbacks for referrals they give you, if the referrals turn into paying jobs.  A 20 dollar bill is a small price to pay for a guaranteed job.  Free gutter cleanings may also be a incentive.

    Free Online Listings

    Many local and nationally-based websites will allow you to post a free business listing.  Take advantage of Google Business listing, which is like a mini-website.  You can also set up free listings on Yellow Pages and other similar websites.  Check with local community websites to see if they offer free business listings.  You may consider an placing an ad listing on Craigslist, although results may vary depending on your location.

    Positive Online Reviews

    People are drawn to positive reviews. Ask loyal customers to leave a positive review for you on your Google business listing and/or Facebook page.  Google is preferred, as many more potential customers will see it. It is also a good idea to provide them with a link to the review page to make the process easier. Make sure you also display some of your best reviews on your website!google reviews for roofers

    Facebook Ads

    While you may need some help creating an ad, Facebook is an excellent option to advertise your roofing services.  You can choose how much you want to spend, and specify who you want the ad to be seen by (age, location, etc.).

    Yard Signs

    You see them everywhere.  They work.  Make sure the sign is simple and clear, and displays only the most important information.  Name, short business description (unless your business name is enough), phone number, and website should be enough.

    News Media

    An excellent way to get your company seen is through a television or newspaper story.  Let local media sources (big and small) know when you are doing something newsworthy, such as giving away a free roof, donating to charity, etc. Also, you can provide useful homeowner information that a media source may deem worthy to publish such as the importance of insulation and venting, ice dam prevention, how to know when to call a contractor for repairs/replacement, etc.  These types of stories are published all the time.  Your business name could be mentioned on television or in a newspaper or magazine, which would promote you as a local expert.

    Vehicle Advertising

    When you doing a roof job, neighbors often wonder who the contractor is.  You will leave no doubt if you have clear contact information on your vehicle.  You could use something as simple as magnetic signs on your truck, or decide to pay for lettering or even a full, graphic-heavy wrap.

    Charity Giveaway

    Charity auctions are a great way to get positive exposure while helping a good cause.  Offering a free service such as gutter cleaning, or a gift certificate are both good options.

    Prize Drawing

    This is a great option for your local county fair or community day.  Have people sign up with their emails.  You could offer a particular service or a gift certificate to the winner.  You could also choose to offer all contestants a consolation prize such as 10% off any roofing service.

    Community Sponsoring

    Help sponsor a local sports team, or advertise at a community event such as a charity walk.  Sponsoring costs can add up quickly, so weigh your options before verbally committing.  Having your business name fully or partially featured on a shirt or banner can help bring exposure to your business, while also benefiting your community.

    Social Media

    If you are already involved in social media such as Facebook, and don’t have a business page, what are you waiting for?  Use your connections with friends and family to promote your roofing services.  Facebook and Instagram are currently the best social media platforms to use to promote your business although TikTok and YouTube effective as well..  In addition, social media advertising is also an option that can bring solid leads.  Social media advertising must be done properly, or it can quickly drain marketing funds while providing little or no results.

    Connect with other contractors

    When you need help with something out of your skill set, reach out to other contractors for assistance.  Have a list of contractors you can refer to homeowners such as electricians, plumbers, masons, handymen, etc.  Make sure you tell the contractor when you refer them.  These fellow contractors will be happy to get a recommendation, and will hopefully do the same for you.

    Build a referral network

    Get to know as many real-estate agents and insurance agents as possible.  They have access to an incredible amount of homeowners who will need roof repairs and/or a new roof, and can be a great source of leads. You could potentially offer a finder’s fee when they refer a paying customer to you.

    Build an email list

    If your customers are willing, use their email address to send reminders such as yearly roof inspection or other services.  If you enjoy writing, you may consider creating an email newsletter.  You could include tips on roof, gutter and home maintenance that may lead to new jobs.

    Diversify

    If you are mainly a shingle contractor, and business is slow, you may need to consider offering other services such as flat roof repair, gutter work, or another service you may feel comfortable doing.

    The previous suggestions showed some lower budget options.  If you have more money to spend, a nice video can be used in a number of ways- website, social media, and even local television.

    How To Choose a Roofing Company Name

    Choosing A Roofing Business Name

     Roofing-related company name ideas:

    Roofing Company Name Ideas

    Roof Cleaning Business Name Ideas

    Gutter Business Name Ideas

    Here are a number of ways (in no particular order) to help you decide on a roofing company name :

    1.  Create a Business Plan:  With a clear business plan including your long-term goals, narrowing down your choices for a business name will be easier.  Find out more about getting started on a business plan here.

    2.  Choose a Business Structure:  Sole-proprietorships and Partnerships often are not considered legal entities, and may have less restrictions on name registration.  Structures such as LLC’s and Corporations will have more requirements.  More on business structures here.

    3.  Choose a Specialty:  For example, if you have decided you will specialize in slate, then it might make sense to have the word “slate” in your business name.  “Joe’s Slate Roof Repair” or “Elite Slate Roofing”.  When people see your business name, there will be no doubt that not only are you a roofer, but that you specialize in slate.  More on choosing a niche here.

    4.  Reach a Broader Audience:  If you have a variety of skills, or are not sure which direction your business may go, you may not want to limit your business name to a specialty.  Perhaps you are a “jack-of-all-trades” who can do construction, electrical, plumbing, gutters, siding, or more.  Maybe you think in the future you might want to branch off into offering additional services.  Certainly “Joe’s Slate Roof Repair” could also do bathroom renovations, but nobody would know that just looking at your name.  That type of information would either have to be portrayed in your marketing materials, or else passed along by word-of-mouth.  In this case, you may want to advertise more as a general contractor who mainly does roofing.  You could choose a more general business name such as “Joe’s Home Services” or “Elite Contracting”.

    5.  Consider Your Target Audience:  What type of customer is your primary target?  If you are in an affluent area, a name such as “Affordable Roofing” probably won’t attract the wealthier clientele.  In this case you would stick with a strong general business name, such as using your own name, or using a name that indicates quality and prestige.  If you are in a lower income area, you may wish to choose a name that indicates value or affordability such as “Affordable Roofing” or “Budget Roofing”.

    6.  Use Your Own Name:  Do you want your own name in the business name?  “John Smith Roofing”  “Walsh Commercial Roofing”.  Using your own name adds a personal touch that may appeal to customers.  You will most likely have less restrictions in registering your business name if your full name is used (“John Smith Roofing”).  If just part of your name is used (“Walsh Commercial Roofing”), you may still have to file a fictitious name and/or a DBA (doing business as).




    7.  Use a Simple Name With A Catchy Slogan:  You may also choose a simpler business name and focus on a catchy slogan that will define your business.  “Your Roof Repair Expert”, “Philly’s Roofing Pro” or some other phrase can be a tagline associated with your business.  While “John Smith Roofing” may not sound too fancy, a tagline associated with your business name can give you a big boost.  You can see how having “John Smith Roofing– Philly’s Roofing Pro” on your business card, advertisement, or plastered on the side of your roofing vehicle may have a greater effect than just “John Smith Roofing”.

    8.  Choose a name near the front of the alphabet:  An old-school technique for deciding on a business name would be to choose a name that would show up alphabetically near the front of the traditional phonebook.  Examples for this would be “ABC Roofing” or “Apex Roofing”.  This technique may not be as beneficial, as it used to be with the innovations of modern marketing strategies utilizing social media and search engines such as Google.

     

    9.  Choose a name that easy to remember:  Using a short simple name may be more beneficial than a long, difficult-to-spell name.

    10.  Don’t just settle on any business name, thinking you can just change it later on:  Obviously, you could change your name at some point down the road, but doing so could hurt your business.  Previous customers may have a hard time finding you.  You may miss out on referrals as your old business name is no longer used.  You will have to spend time and money changing all marketing materials, your website, and branding to reflect your new name.  It is better to take your time and decide on a name you will be happy with years down the road, rather than one you will be regretting a few years into your business.  Not all businesses fail or struggle because they decided to change their name, but that possibility should definitely be something you should consider now, rather than later.roofing business name

    11.  Make sure your business name is legal: After choosing your name, you will need to register with the proper institutions.  You should make sure the name you are choosing isn’t trademarked, or used by someone else in the area.  Registering your business name may not only be necessary on a local level such as with your city, but also with other government agencies for tax purposes.

    12.  Choose a good website address to complement your business name:   While it would be ideal to have your business name as the actual web address (ex. WalshCommercialRoofing.com), it isn’t necessarily crucial.  Other options could be “Walsh Roofing”, or some other variation not even including your name such as “DenverCommercialRoofers.com”.  You could even choose a web address that reflects your specialty such as “OxfordSlatePro.com”.  The key with choosing a website name is to keep it easy to remember and easy to spell.  If your website is set up properly, customers will have no problem finding you, no matter what the web address is.

    Five Keys to Selling A Roofing Job

    Trying to sign up a roof job, especially when you are new to the roofing business, can be intimidating.  If you are a new roofing company owner, you will quickly find that filling your schedule with jobs may take some effort. Here are a few tips to help give you a better chance at lining up some new customers.

    First Impressions

    Whether with a cold call, or responding to a request for an estimate, the first impression you give a customer can go a long way in the process of selling a roof job.  You may get an emphatic “NO!” before you open your mouth just based on appearance alone.  Roofers already tend to have the reputation of being rough, dirty, and shady.  You can really set yourself apart by presenting yourself as the opposite of that stereotype.  You don’t have to wear a suit and tie, but make sure your appearance is somewhat neat and tidy.  This is crucial with a cold call.  If you are only doing roofing sales, neatness will be much easier.  If you are mixing jobs with calls, you may have a tougher time staying clean.  Save the tar-stained shirts or pants for days you are only doing jobs, if possible.

    A smile and friendly tone will help break the ice with the potential customer.  If  you know you are not good with words, there are plenty of resources to help you with your communication skills.

    A neatly written or typed estimate can also help with professionalism.

    Honesty

    A pet-peeve of mine in the sales industry is the cut throat “a-sale-at-any-cost” mentality.  In my opinion, I would rather under-promise and over-deliver, than to exaggerate my skills and not follow through.  The pressure, especially when you may need work, is to promise more than you are able to really do, and at a lower price, just to get the job.  This is a dangerous practice.  You could potentially get in over your head, and not be able to deliver a product that the customer deserves and has paid for.

    If the customer asks you to perform a certain roofing service, be honest about your skills in that area.  Don’t be afraid to tell them you aren’t an expert in that particular area, and that if you completed the job, it may not be “museum” quality.  Customers appreciate honesty.  You would be surprised at how many customers told me they appreciated my honesty in telling them my strengths and weaknesses.  Many have asked me to go ahead with jobs even after I was trying to talk myself out of them.  Don’t be so eager to take on a job that you know you can’t complete, or that you can’t do well, without giving the customer an honest set of expectations.  Trust me, your customers will appreciate this, and you will get referrals because of it.

    Be honest about the condition of your prospective customer’s roof.  Don’t tell them they need a new roof when you can clearly see the roof has plenty of life left in it.  That is unethical and just plain dishonest.  You wouldn’t want someone doing that to you.  You might get away with it, but beware.  It could come back to haunt you.

    Don’t forget to be honest about the timeline of the job.  If you know you can’t do a job this week, don’t make a promise you’ll do it this week just to sign up the job.

    Knowledge

    It is important to be organized and knowledgeable when dealing with a customer.  Know your pricing.  Know your roofing lingo.  Be confident, but honest when talking about the best way to complete a roof job.  I realize some knowledge comes from experience, so it may be difficult to be knowledgeable with an area of roofing you are not familiar with.  This is where a previous trait I mentioned, honesty, can come into play.

    I know of one roofer who used the line “That’s my specialty!” when any potential customer asked about a certain service.  In other words, every type of roofing service he was asked about was his specialty.  He had the “fake it until you make it” mentality.  I don’t know if that is the best sales method.  It would definitely help for you to learn as much as you can and get as much roofing-related experience possible so that you can best advise your customer.  If you do choose to have a specialty, put as much effort as possible into learning all you can, so you can truly call yourself an expert in that particular area.  Many customers (but not all) can easily spot when someone doesn’t really know what they are talking about.

    Value

    All customers want to know they are getting a good deal.  There are a number of ways to give the customer value without having to lose money.  One way you can add value is by throwing in extras, on top of what the customer has requested, at no cost.  This could be telling them you will clean all gutters at no extra charge after doing a roof job, or that you will be using a premium shingle at the same cost you would charge for a standard shingle.  Don’t lie about your pricing.  You don’t have to pull numbers out of your hat.  For me, I always charge the same for 3-tab shingles as I do for architectural shingles.  I prefer installing architectural, and they have a better warranty.  When the customer finds out I charge the same price, they will see they are getting a better value by choosing the architectural.

    I generally try to present my estimate with a firm price, so that the potential customer has confidence they are already getting a good price.  I generally don’t like to play games with my pricing, but there are a few exceptions.

    One exception deals with my minimum charge.  I have a few different standard “minimum charges” depending on what the roof-related work is (my minimum is less for gutter cleaning than for regular repairs as gutter cleaning takes less skill).  I have adjusted those minimum charges when the job is particularly easy, or small, thereby giving the customer value.

    Giving the customer value doesn’t mean that you should always start with a higher price and then give “discounts”, but this technique is common practice in some cultures.  In some parts of the world, it is understood that you will go back-and-forth before settling on a price.  This is similar to going to a car dealer, with both the salesman and yourself knowing that you are not going to pay full price.  This is a somewhat common practice at yard sales.  You don’t pay full price for that used toaster.  You offer much lower and then come to an agreement with the seller.  If you are aware of this when dealing with certain cultures, you can adjust your prices accordingly, so when the potential customer argues with the price, you can lower it to a price you are both happy with.  I realize this is not a common practice in the US, but when dealing with certain cultures, you will find that you may be insulting them if you stay firm on your price.  I lost a few jobs early in my business when dealing with customers from other parts of the world, because I was naive and stubborn (and a little insulted) when my prices were being questioned.

    Communication

    Communication with a potential customer can make the difference between signing up a job or never hearing from them again.  Starting with the first call, make sure you are effectively communicating with the would-be customer.  Make sure you get all necessary contact information, and that you have the correct address.  Set up a clear time to meet for the estimate, if the customer will need to be there.  If you are going to be late, have the courtesy to contact the customer and update them on your status.  Repeat phone numbers, addresses and times back to the customer to confirm the correct information.

    After the initial contact, a follow-up is an important step in keeping the communication lines open with the customer.  A follow-up text, phone call, or email can all be appropriate ways to open the door for action from the customer.  Personally, my style is not high-pressure.  I don’t like to look desperate for work.  If you did things right with the other four steps I mentioned, you shouldn’t have to strong-arm a customer into submission.

    Be patient.  Not hearing back from someone doesn’t mean an automatic “NO” to your proposal.  I recently had a customer contact me after 2 years (yes, 2 years!) to tell me they were finally ready to have the work done.  I was able to re-write the estimate at a higher amount because of additional work they also now ready to have done.

    These five attributes will definitely help you sell more jobs.  Keep in mind, that no matter what sales technique you use, you won’t sell every job.  In fact, if you are signing up just about every job, your prices may be too low.  Pricing will be discussed in another post.

    Now, go out and sign up some customers!

    Get Featured on The Roofer’s Helper

    ROOFING CONTRACTORS: WANT TO INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS AND IMPROVE WEB PRESENCE?

    Get Your Roofing Company Featured on The Roofer's Helper Website and Social Media!

    roofing marketing

    Our Featured Company Promotion includes:

    • Your Company Profile

      An SEO-optimized company profile on our website (with images, video, and links)

    • Lifetime Directory Listing

      A lifetime listing in our Roofing Contractor Directory with a direct link to your website.

    • Social Media Feature

      A company mention on The Roofer's Helper social media channels.

    • Social Media Guide

      Strategies to maximize the effectiveness of your social accounts.

    Featured Contractor Benefits:

    –Exposure to 125,000 web visitors a year. (The Roofer’s Helper gets traffic from both contractors AND homeowners)

    –Increased visibility for your company in search engines.  (Our company profiles often show up on page 1 in Google searches!)

    –Social Media shoutout to over 500,000 followers.

    –No Yearly Fees! One-time payment for a LIFETIME LISTING (*Listing may be removed if company and/or website is no longer active)

    This marketing service is available WORLDWIDE to roofing contractors, and other home improvement-related businesses who offer roofing services.

    RH FEATURED CONTRACTOR LIFETIME LISTING: $175 USD

      (One time payment)

    Check out some recent featured contractor profiles, then fill out the form below to apply for your own lifetime listing!

    Featured Contractor Application Form

    Fill out the application form below to let The Roofer’s Helper know more about your business.  If your application is accepted, we will send an invoice to your billing email and contact you regarding completing the listing setup.  

    Providing detailed information about your business will better help us create your profile.  This can include owner information, company history, services, service areas, certifications, etc.  








      *We try to respond within 48 hours to all inquiries. Please check your spam/junk folder if you haven’t received a response within that time frame.