Nowadays, there are so many marketing strategies, it is hard to keep track of them all. Commercial roofing contractors are constantly bombarded with them. They get explanations of how a particular marketing strategy is “guaranteed” to get them the roofing leads they need.

Of course, there is no such thing as a guaranteed marketing success. But when different marketing strategies are carefully considered based on past data, blended together, and well-timed in their execution, there are much greater opportunities for not only bringing in leads, but also ones of higher-quality. When it comes to marketing, though, there is one critical thing that roofing contractors are not told, but that is essential to keep in mind.

The One Secret Ingredient Behind the Best Marketing Strategies for Roofing Companies

This key tenet is the following: “All marketing strategies and plans for executing them should be tailored to the commercial roofing industry itself.”

In other words, a marketing campaign should be geared toward the dynamics of the commercial roofing industry itself; namely the following realities or trends:

• Decision-making about restoring or replacing a commercial roof is typically a long, drawn-out process
• Because building owners can spend potentially tens of thousands of dollars, they are not likely to make decision about their roof in the moment or on the spot
• Marketing strategies and content should be geared toward telling a building owner specifically about how a contractor offers value, why his products are solid performers, and the benefits of all of this for the building owner
• There is no one-size-fits-all marketing solution for getting the attention of prospects
• Marketing strategies that have “proven records” in other industries are not a surefire guarantee of effectiveness in commercial roofing marketing

If a marketing professional or a marketing and advertising firm is trying to sell you on a particular marketing strategy or method, keep an eye out. It is advisable to see how beneficial the terms of the contract the marketing service or strategy would require would be for you.

If you would be forced to be locked into the contract for a year or longer, or if the contract would call for a huge baseline amount of something (e.g., thousands of “impressions”, or how many times an advertisement or promotion for your roofing company is seen), that company may not be acting in your interest. Also, marketing firms that are not willing to customize their service offerings or support to your needs or industry are to be avoided. They likely will not be the best marketing advocates for your company, either.

A Few Examples of Ineffective Roofing Marketing in Action

Here are a few quick real world examples in which the core principle mentioned above is not being implemented.

• A marketing firm offers to sell a contractor mobile banner ads. Banner ads run the gamut of the advertising world. They are diverse, and for the most part, they are not a good fit for the commercial roofing industry. Why? Mobile banner ads are about compelling consumers into impulsive purchases or buying decisions. With a commercial roof, however, thousands of dollars are at stake, and building owners likely will not rush in making up their mind about the roofing contractor they will choose. Because of the cost burden dynamics of commercial roofing, the buyer decision-making process is slower than other markets, and mobile banner ads’ “in the moment” are not conducive toward generating sales.

• A roofing contractor is given the option of taking a “spray and pray” approach with his direct mail campaign. Direct mail is one of the most effective marketing methods for roofing contractors. But using an unqualified mailing list for a direct mail campaign is likely to lead to only frustration and wasted precious advertising dollars. Why? Because the list is so untargeted. With a spray and pray approach, your direct mail pieces might get into the hands of people who do not want your services, such as local government offices (these locations often have very strict “no solicitation” policies). To better understand this, think of it in other ways—would a home remodeling company get many leads if its direct mail went to locations like small businesses or corporate headquarters? In that context, it is easy to see why targeted direct mail campaigns are so important.

• A marketing firm offers to design a top-of-the-line, customized mobile app for a roofing company. On the surface, this may seem like a great idea. After all, the more people you can get to download your company app and use it, the better, right? However, generally speaking, a roofing company with a mobile app likely will not be that productive or cost-effective. Here is why. In both the residential and commercial roofing industries, people look for roofing companies in two cases: when their roof is on their mind, or when it has problems that need caretaking. They are not likely to use an app store to find a roofing company for their needs. And if they go with a roofing company and download the company’s app while they are engaging that company’s services, after the job is finished, they likely will no longer use the app. In turn, that can translate into a big loss for the roofing company, in terms of dollars and time spent on having the app developed. After all, the company will not be getting any value from the app if customers do not continue to use it after their roofing job is complete.

Want a Marketing Firm that Understands the Commercial Roofing Industry?

At Top Roof Marketing, we have spent hundreds of man-hours looking at data and researching what works and does not work for the commercial roofing industry. Because we have handled so many marketing campaigns for commercial roofing companies of all sizes, we understand what is truly effective in this market space.

The premium we place on our clients’ success and satisfaction is huge, too. You will be hard-pressed to find a full-service marketing firm that is as dedicated to your needs and accountable for its services as our team is.

To learn more about how Top Roof Marketing can help you position your roofing company for success, give us a call today at (800) 795-2187. We look forward to earning your trust and business, starting with our first conversation about your needs!

Roofing leads—they are one of the staples of the roofing industry. Aside from getting new work from referrals, quality leads are a big part of how roofing contractors draw in new business.

But in crowded markets such as big metropolitan areas, there are many roofing companies that are vying for attention. That can make it a little difficult for a roofing company to stand out from its competitors. The competitiveness of the roofing industry is well-reflected on a national scale as well. According to a recent market research report from IBIS World, there are almost 100,000 businesses in the United States roofing industry, in which over 286,000 people are involved. In the face of these statistics, what should a local roofing company do to draw more leads to its services?

A time-proven strategy for bringing in and cultivating leads is developing and maintaining a marketing funnel. In a nutshell, a marketing funnel is a carefully-constructed system for drawing in prospects to your company, engaging and educating them about your value, making a connection with them, and then converting them into paying customers.

The Marketing Funnel: A Great Approach for Attracting Solid Roofing Leads

Another way to think of a marketing funnel is in steps. In a simplified model, it is a process that details the customer lifecycle and what a customer is at different stages, which is simply illustrated in the following:

A lead is when a potential customer has a need for roofing services and first learns of your company and its value. This first step is of market education, in which a prospect becomes informed about your brand and is looking for someone to take care of their needs. It involves using strategies and marketing methods to attract prospects who are looking for a roofing service provider, but have not decided upon someone for their needs.

The second stage, when a lead moves from being just a cold potential buyer to someone who is aware of your company brand and what it has to offer, is when someone becomes a prospect. Selling the lead on the merits of your company, and showcasing your expertise and ways you have helped other customers, becomes the focal point here. In the roofing industry, an effective marketing campaign would incorporate marketing materials and digital communications that clearly demonstrate your expertise and background, show clear images of work done, and illustrate how you are an effective answer for a consumer’s project demands.

The third stage is when a lead chooses a service provider and becomes a buyer. This third component of the sales funnel involves keeping the customer as a repeat buyer, or someone who keeps coming back to you for servicing. For roofing contractors, this stage is a different dynamic from other markets, as once a roof is taken care of, it will likely not need major work done again for decades. However, to ensure that the customer does not have any major problems with their roof, the customer needs an ongoing roof maintenance program to keep issues at bay. That is where a roofing contractor can keep a customer as an ongoing, loyal brand consumer.

However, a customer may also have other roofs to service, and they may also give additional work to a contractor in the form of helpful referrals given to friends. So, in other words, this stage will not require marketing materials or campaigns, but actually involve keeping the customer happy with the quality of the service and workmanship provided. As the old chestnut goes: “A happy customer is a customer for life.”

Every customer proceeds through this lifecycle, and it is invaluable for understanding how the roof market works and how to grow your customer base to new heights.

Every Stage Tailored toward Sales Conversion

In the end, a marketing funnel is a blend of effective planning, strategizing, and information delivery. At every stage of the marketing funnel, there are key methods for strategically connecting the prospective buyer to compelling information and selling points that drive them more towards sales conversion. In each step, the customer is given just enough information to further capture their interest and move them toward hiring a roofing company for their needs.

The information is presented in a way that is crisp, compelling, and exactly tailored to the customer at the stage they are at. In short, effective marketing strategies deliver exactly the right amount of information in a compelling manner to the customer to where it satisfies their needs at that point, whether it is becoming educated, being helped to make a decision about a service provider, or being compelled to use a service provider over and over again.

Expert Commercial Roofing Marketing Firm for Your Needs

Because roofing contractors are constantly busy working on new projects or chasing down leads, sometimes an effective lead generation campaign can be enhanced with the help of a professional marketing firm. A professional marketing team will have a solid track record for results, be truly committed to its clients’ unique needs and desires, and be prepared to offer marketing services that are carefully tailored to each client’s unique demands.

At Top Roof Marketing, we take every one of our clients’ needs very seriously. We are also the only nationwide marketing firm dedicated solely to meeting the marketing needs of commercial roofing contractors. Each client marketing campaign is carefully backed by hundreds of hours of research and marketing campaign creation and operation. We can afford to do this at unrealistically low prices because our due diligence always applies to the same market.

Should you want a free consultation, don’t hesitate to reach us at (800) 795-2187. An online portfolio is available for showcasing what we’ve worked carefully on for our clientele, along with testimonials of how we’ve helped our clients achieve success.

Marketing is a key cornerstone of any successful business. That is especially true for roofing companies, which have traditionally relied upon testimonials and strong word-of-mouth outreach for landing new customers.

While the power of word-of-mouth and great roofing company reviews remain as strong as ever, the ways people interact and communicate have taken on new dimensions. Social media, email communications, texting, and other avenues—these have emerged as new ways for people to engage with each other and obtain information. The businesses that have adapted to these new measures of communication, or are taking measures to do so, are positioned for stronger market gains as a result.

For professionals looking to engage in effective roofing contractor marketing, we offer three immediate steps below that can help in being more successful.

Three Quick Steps for Quality Roofing Marketing

1. Get active on social media, especially Google+

There are many things that are demanding of a roofing contractor’s time. Social media sure can seem like a waste of time. However, it’s quite the contrary: social media can help you get more marketing exposure, attract new prospects, and enhance your company’s reputation—all for absolutely free. If anywhere, get active on Google+ first. Google+ has been shown to have a substantial impact on how often and where your roofing company pops up in search engine results. If you don’t have a website, or a great roofing website, now’s the time to get one up-and-running.

Post quality content, such as photos of the work you’ve done in stages, and publish the content with website links on Google+ and other social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn. In time, people will come to your page and begin following you. Don’t be afraid to take it slow at the beginning: many roof contractors update their social media platforms weekly and enjoy the benefits of acquiring new leads, getting testimonials from satisfied customers, and strengthening their business promotion efforts.

2. Take an honest look at the marketing efforts you have in place and run the numbers

This may seem like an obvious step. It is, but many roof contractors become entangled in meeting their customers’ needs and chasing down new leads, leaving this critical step on the back burner. Time is valuable, though. All efforts should be directed toward maximizing a roofing company’s resources and efforts for greater profitability in the smallest time frame possible. Organizing your time and resources, in turn, will greatly help in cutting down on and managing your costs, improving your overall profit margins.

If you haven’t been keeping track of statistics for your marketing efforts, now’s the time to begin doing so. Talk to friends who own or are a part of successful, been-around-the-block roofing companies and get their thoughts—they can help greatly in getting you organized in this department. Plus, don’t be afraid to talk to a professional marketing firm for your needs and insightful roofing marketing ideas and strategies. Truly professional and capable marketing firms will offer free consultations for your needs, and they may offer “out-of-the-box” suggestions that you’ve never considered before. Above all: aim to maximize your resources and time as much as possible.

3. Educate yourself! Knowing your industry inside-and-out is critical for long-term success

Obviously there are tons of marketing tools and resources at your disposal. But which ones are the most effective? Take time to inform yourself of what’s available so that you’re at least familiar with what can be used. Once you’ve invested the time, you can begin leveraging these tools for your roofing business’ promotion. Being knowledgeable of the marketing tools available will also help you sniff out any too-good-to-be-true or suspicious marketing “strategies” or “trends” offered by fly-by-night roofing marketing companies.

There is another upside to this suggestion as well. As a whole, the construction industry has long been one of the key cornerstones of the U.S. economy. That is true of the roofing industry as well. However, despite the roofing industry’s economic importance, many contractors have not taken advantage of these marketing tools. In the end, that spells lost opportunities for getting quality leads for absolutely free—and more time grinding out other business promotion efforts that could be more successful if integrated with these up-to-date marketing techniques.

Quality Roofing Marketing Services at Your Disposal

For marketing professionals who actually know the roofing industry and are completely committed to your needs, give us a ring at Top Roof Marketing. We are the only nationwide, full-service marketing firm that focuses only on commercial roof contractors. We share your passion for showing how quality workmanship and roofing services can be of value to customers. And we’ve come up with highly successful marketing strategies based on hundreds of hours of research and marketing campaign creation and operation.

Should you want a free consultation, please call us at (800) 795-2187. If you’re wondering what we’ve done already, take a brief look at our testimonials. We’ll be happy to share how we can help you achieve greater gains.