Marketing for roofing companies is absolutely essential, whether the business works with residential customers, commercial clients or a combination of both. While no amount of marketing will ever replace excellent workmanship, work of the highest quality won’t mean anything if customers don’t know the company exists.
Enter marketing, along with its partner, strategy.
Here are some tips for building a solid and effective marketing strategy for your roofing company. Many are “old school” in nature, but when used in conjunction with more modern online marketing techniques, they can provide the extra personal touch that helps a client choose your business over a competitor.
Know your Audience
One of the most fundamental rules of marketing in any industry is to know your target audience. Interestingly, residential customers tend to fall in one of two camps:
The Procrastinator
These are the people who wait until their roof is in very poor condition because they’ve put off getting a new roof or getting the existing one repaired. Marketing to the Procrastinator is all about education: The practical benefits of a new roof, such as leakage protection and energy savings.
Procrastinators often put off roof repairs due to the perceived cost, therefore your marketing should reflect the cost-effectiveness of your work and the value-for-dollar you offer.
The Beautifier
This customer is focused mainly on increasing the curb appeal and ultimately the value of their home. Marketing to the Beautifier should speak about the quality of your work and your ability to provide a selection of beautiful roofing materials that will add value and elegance to a home.
Establish a Consistent Visual Brand
Your roofing company should have a single logo that you use consistently on all materials seen by customers. This branding should be prominent on any vehicles you use, on all your documentation and on signs along the job site. It seems like a small thing, but it creates an image of professionalism and credibility in the eyes of prospects and can be an effective form of passive advertising.
Keep in mind that if you do use branding on the job site, it must be kept as clean as possible to avoid having your business name and brand associated with a messy site.
Learn from your Clients
When beginning a new job, ask clients how they found out about you. This information can be invaluable for determining which marketing methods are working well and which are not.
For example, if a lot of your clients seem to come from Facebook, it might be worth investing a little more in that area in future.
Keep in Touch
Keep a database of your customers and leads to whom you’ve provided estimates. Touch base with them once or twice a year with value-focused content, such as an information guide or checklist.
This helps keep you “top of mind” for those leads who may not have yet made a decision about hiring a roofing company.
Contacting your clients a week or two after you finish a job to make sure they’re satisfied is also a great way of reinforcing great service, showing you care about the quality of your work and increase the chances that they will refer you to others.
Partner with Related Businesses
Create and nurture relationships with local realtors, banks, and landscapers.
Set up mutually beneficial marketing efforts such as displays, business cards or brochures in your respective offices for the benefit of clients looking for information.
Creating a “collection” of services is a convenience for customers, and creates a sense of credibility. (If a bank they trust associates with your business, the client is more likely to extend that trust to your business, and vice versa.)
Whether you prefer “old school” or modern techniques, marketing for roofing companies is absolutely essential. Neglecting them will make it difficult, if not impossible, to grow your business. Just remember that marketing must be a continuous process, not an event. Making use of the techniques described above will give you happy customers, a continuous stream of business, and an edge over your competitors. For more information visit our website!