Roofing is a cutthroat industry, and it takes a lot to make it. But with new technology and improved tools, it’s easier than ever to impress homeowners and reach your goals.
Make your mark in the roofing industry by being competitive, whether that means vamping up your social media strategy or evaluating your equipment investments.
1. Market Your Roofing Business the Right Way
Marketing plays a large roll in landing more business. Referrals can keep your roofing business afloat, but developing and implementing a sound marketing strategy can help it rise above the competition.
Social Media Marketing Tips
Having a website isn’t enough anymore. Sure, you can slap the web address on business cards and other marketing materials, but what really impresses potential customers is social media activity.
With an average of 1.56 billion people using Facebook daily (as of March 31, 2019), it’s no surprise that more and more business owners are exploring Facebook advertising and marketing opportunities. Here are some tips to help you make the most of a Facebook business page for your roofing business:
- Post once a day
- Reply to comments on your posts
- Share relevant posts
- Ask customers for recommendations
Don’t rule out more visual social media platforms like Instagram, either. Instagram is a great place to share your crew’s progress on the latest roof replacement job. Showing your workers in action demonstrates your team’s dedication, building trust before you even meet with a potential customer.
Marketing Materials
A strong online presence is ideal for leads exploring your business, but it’s handy to have print marketing materials for your roofing business, too.
Showing up with business cards is great, but that’s what everyone does. Leave a lasting impression with quality print marketing booklets, brochures, and other resources potential customers can reference when talking with their partners or even thinking about referring a friend.
When considering print materials, be sure to include these features:
- High quality images
- Brief descriptions of your services (roof repair, replacement, etc.)
- List of notable equipment and tools and their benefits to the homeowner
- Short testimonials
Learn more about marketing your roofing business.
2. Stay Connected with Customers and Leads
Achieving business success boils down to building and nurturing relationships, even in the roofing industry.
A relationship with a customer doesn’t end when the job’s done. Maintaining relationships with customers increases the likelihood of more business, not just in referrals.
When you stay in touch with your customers, and it comes time for any roof repairs (often because of crazy weather) or even roof replacement again decades down the road, your company will be top-of-mind. Sending something as simple as a holiday card can make a huge difference.
Keep the conversation going with your lead after you or your rep leave your initial meeting. This is the early stage of your business relationship. Build trust with your prospect by updating them on their estimate or roofing project progress. Provide added value by sending them relevant roofing industry news and updates.
And, as mentioned above, don’t forget to address questions or comments on your social posts. You never know what leads may come from those interactions!
3. Hire Skilled Laborers
Although no formal education is required to become a talented roofer, hiring trade school graduates can create a steeper competitive edge for your business. They bring fresh perspective to the industry and are often more equipped physically for performing manual labor given their sharper coordination and flexibility. They can become even more efficient workers once they’ve trained with your more experienced roofers. Investing just a few short months in training can lead to long term success.
If you want to keep your business running for decades to come, stay up to date with what attracts and keeps skilled labor. Millennials are more prone to apply to companies that offer ongoing training to benefit employees and the companies themselves, while more seasoned roofers want to focus more on landing contracts and getting jobs done. Both types of roofers are essential to a well-rounded, successful roofing company.
4. Use Innovative Roofing Equipment
Reliable, affordable roofing equipment is a must-have if you want to run a successful roofing business. But that’s basic knowledge.
Stay one step ahead with advanced, innovative equipment that helps your crew work smarter, not harder.
Supplying your crew with tools and equipment that not only helps them do their job well but also benefits the homeowner can further elevate your business success. Most roofing companies use tarps that often don’t catch all the stray fascia, old shingles, roofing nails, and other debris that can be dangerous to workers and homeowners alike. Then they waste time on the ground at the end of the day, tossing all spare debris onto the tarps and using the rest of their energy to drag them to the on-site dumpster.
The Equipter RB4000 can eliminate the hassles of cleanup, so your crew can spend more time on the roof and get home sooner. The RB4000 is a self-propelled roofing trailer with a 10’ catch span. The dumpster container holds up to 4,000 lbs of debris and can be easily driven and emptied into an on-site dumpster.
Not only does the RB4000 cut back on your crew's physical stress, but it also brings high customer satisfaction–the homeowner won't be coming home to a nail-strewn lawn.
Beat the Competition: Work Smarter
At Equipter, we seek to help both startup roofing businesses and long-standing companies succeed. We believe this can happen by working smarter, not harder.
From developing a marketing strategy to hiring skilled labor to investing in high quality roofing equipment, it’s easy to outshine your competition in the roofing industry.