Marketing for Roofing Contractors: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

By Maruicio Cardenal.

The ability to install a quality roof is an important part of building a profitable roofing business, but it’s only one part. Marketing for roofing contractors is nearly as important as the work itself.

Without marketing to promote and feature your work, all that skill and effort will be for nothing. That said, marketing is not a process to be handled carelessly. What follows are 6 common mistakes to avoid when building your marketing strategy.

Racing to the bottom of a price war.

A roof is one of the most costly purchases any homeowner can face, and as such, a lot of thought – not to mention procrastination – goes into the decision to purchase a new roof or repair an existing one.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of undercutting your competition to attract cost-conscious customers. The trouble is, low-balling your pricing actually devalues your business.

Instead of focusing on how inexpensive you are, focus your marketing on the value for money. While you may not have the lowest price, you offer more value for the money. In other words, cost-effectiveness.

Not having a marketing strategy.

This is probably the biggest – and most common – mistake roofing contractors make in the marketing efforts. They haphazardly “market” without a clear idea of what they’re trying to achieve, or a timeline in which they want to achieve it. They treat it like a one-time thing, rather than a continuous process that never stops.

As a result, their marketing brings in few leads and ends up being a waste of time and money. Invest the time in mapping out exactly what you want to achieve with your marketing.

Plan out your content, such as blog and social media posts over an extended length of time, and allow some flexibility to make adjustments as necessary along the way.

Not differentiating your business.

The market gets more and more crowded every day, and the internet has opened up even more choices for consumers who are looking for a product or service. This increased competition makes it all the more essential that you clearly communicate why your roofing business is different.

As we’ve discussed, the price won’t do it.

Quality of work is not enough either. Finding that unique selling point (USP) is an often overlooked, but essential tool in building your roofing business. Maybe you specialize in energy efficient, “green” building techniques.

Perhaps you focus on a specific type of roof repair. Whatever it is, it has to be communicated clearly and consistently to your prospects to help you stand out.

Underestimating the power of word of mouth (referrals).

The explosion of rating and review sites has made “word of mouth” marketing incredibly powerful. These days, what customers tell each other about you is as important as what you say about you.

Too many roofing contractors fail to see the value in these referrals, or they fail to engage in the conversation, especially when there’s an issue.

Roofers don’t realize that many prospects will first check these review sites before even contacting them. Being proactive and engaging with customers (whether satisfied or not), goes a long way to improving your reputation.

Not claiming your Google Business listing.

Google My Business is a free tool that puts your business on Google Maps and helps your website rank higher in search results. Not claiming your listing means you’re missing out on a tool many, many prospects use to find local businesses. The fact is, prospective customers often contact businesses off the Google business listing. If you’re not there, you’re losing prospective customers.

Not marketing when leads are strong.

This is related to the lack of a marketing strategy. Many roofing contractors only market when leads are running dry. This “emergency marketing” rarely works effectively, and sometimes doesn’t work at all.

Marketing is a continuous process, not something you do only when you need the business. By constantly marketing, you’re able to take advantage of opportunities whenever they come up, not just when you need them.

These may be common mistakes in the world of marketing for roofing contractors, but with diligence and a solid marketing strategy, they’re easily avoided.

Learn more and sign up for a FREE, no-obligation, 30-minute strategy session.

Source: Roofing Marketing Pros