Entrepreneurs in the home services industry are often so busy with managing day-to-day operations and coordinating with fellow contractors that marketing efforts and planning often get pushed aside for another day. But the best in the industry know that roofing company marketing is an indispensable part of getting new customers.
Never used digital marketing before? Not a problem. Even if you’re starting from zero, you can get the right tools, guidance, and roofing marketing ideas you need to grow your roofing business or contracting services.
This guide will focus on the 10 best ways to use your time and resources for roofing contractor marketing efforts to get the most return on investment (ROI).
- 1. Email marketing
- 2. Referral program
- 3. SEO-optimized website
- 4. Manage your online reviews
- 5. Paid advertisements
- 6. Be active on Facebook
- 7. Get listed in online directories
- 8. Connect on LinkedIn
- 9. Try content marketing
- 10. Stay current with seasonal specials
- Learn more about marketing for your roofing company
We’ll help walk you through the basics and give you all the tips you need to get started with roofing company marketing to take your business to new heights.
Ready to find more leads and get expert home services and construction marketing advice, all in one place?
1. Email marketing
If you think your current customers and prospective customers don’t want to receive emails from your company, think again. People check their emails frequently and love to be up to date with offers, tips, and information.
Email marketing gives you an opportunity to connect and build trust by providing helpful tips, discounts, trends, and industry updates. Emailing also offers one of the highest ROIs of all digital marketing initiatives — email marketing averages $36 earned for every $1 spent. To get started:
- Focus on collecting email addresses from your client list.
- Offer folks a small discount, a free guide, or other incentives to sign up for your email list.
- Commit to sending at least one monthly email newsletter.
The connections you build from email marketing will help you convert qualified leads into loyal customers, and members of your target audience will begin to trust you as an industry authority.
2. Referral program
Even in the age of digital technology, people listen to what others have to say about your services. Word-of-mouth advertising might seem out of your control, but businesses of all sizes create referral programs to encourage their customers to spread the word about the good work they do.
Nowadays, referral is a two-part process:
- Ask satisfied customers to provide feedback, reviews, or testimonials.
- Post the feedback in your emails, social media posts, and web pages.
By providing quality service and publicizing positive feedback, you create strong reasons for someone to refer your business when their friend or family member looks for a good roofer.
3. SEO-optimized website
Many small businesses, especially in the home services industry, think a cell phone is all that’s needed to connect with people in their communities. But more people than ever before look online to find information about products and services. To stay in the game, your business needs its own website.
When you build your site, be sure to incorporate SEO for local searches. Short for “search engine optimization,” SEO is the marketing term to describe the steps needed to ensure Google and other search engines find your website when people look up your services.
Your website should also be easy to navigate, quick to load, and optimized for mobile devices. Your web pages should also naturally incorporate keywords or phrases — search terms people use to look up your services.
4. Manage your online reviews
It’s frustrating when a customer goes online and posts a negative review about your roofing business, especially when you go out of your way every day to provide the best service you can. But people care about reviews. That’s why it’s important for roofing company owners to manage their online reviews.
To do this, you must first claim your business on online review sites like Yelp! and Google My Business. This will let you reply to reviews and check that all listed business information is accurate.
People want excellent customer service and communication with their roofing contractor, and you can demonstrate your service by professionally replying to every review:
- Thank folks who leave positive reviews.
- Respond thoughtfully to neutral and negative reviews. Acknowledge the reviewers’ concerns and, if appropriate, ask them to contact you and give you the opportunity to make things right.
5. Paid advertisements
If your budget permits, invest in creating ads online. Many customers discover roofing companies by looking up queries like, “roofers near me” — “near me” queries are examples of local searches. Folks who search these terms are more likely to become customers, and you can target them with paid advertisements.
Google Ads and Facebook are great places to start. To get the most out of paid advertisements, make sure you target specific demographics and search terms.
6. Be active on Facebook
If you have before and after pictures of the beautiful roofs you’ve completed, don’t just leave them on your phone to give yourself a pat on the back. Show the world! Upload photos of your work on Facebook to show your contacts how much they would benefit from your work.
Your roofing marketing posts shouldn’t be on a personal social media page. Your business should claim a Facebook Business Page, which you’ll also need if you want to run paid advertisements.
Like with a business website and email newsletter, post frequent updates about industry news and new products on your social media page. The combination of your photos and status updates will make you more appealing to online visitors.
7. Get listed in online directories
Potential clients also use listing sites to look for reputable local roofers. Make sure your business is listed on sites like Angie’s List, the Better Business Bureau, Home Advisor, and industry association lists.
8. Connect on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional social media platform you should be using as part of your digital marketing plan. The site is designed to connect professionals and provides opportunities for people that hire you to let others know they trust your work. Don’t forget to ask for recommendations and endorsements!
9. Try content marketing
People don’t know the difference between flashing and fascia, but you do. Invest in content marketing by writing an informational and educational blog. Start a YouTube channel or hire a freelance copywriter to help answer some of your customers’ frequently asked questions or provide maintenance tips to help people keep their roofs lasting longer.
The content you post online will position you and your team as industry leaders and experts in your work.
10. Stay current with seasonal specials
Do you have a plan to get noticed during the holidays? Roofing company owners may have a slow time once winter arrives in certain parts of the country, but you can still gain new customers with seasonal deals announced through your email list and social media pages.
Learn more about marketing for your roofing company
Bring these roofing marketing tips together with a digital marketing plan for your business.