Published on March 19th, 2024
This roofer’s guide gives you the top 15 roofing marketing tactics you’ll need to stand out from the competition and win new customers.
Newsflash:
As a roofer, you’re in a competitive market where it’s hard to stand out.
Most roofing companies are stuck running the rat race of paying for leads and bidding on the same jobs as a dozen other companies.
Although you might be selling something similar to the other guys, your marketing is how you can stand out and stay on top of leads’ minds.
Then, when the opportunity arises, you’ll be the go-to company to call.
Feel free to skip to the section that you’re most interested in:
- Traditional Marketing Tactics
- Digital Marketing Tactics
- Referral Marketing
- Event Marketing
- Online Review Management
- Centralize Your Roofing Marketing Ops With A Roofing CRM
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Traditional Marketing Tactics For Roofers
Yes, we’re kicking off this marketing guide with tactics that roofers were doing 50 years ago.
Traditional marketing may sound “old school”.
However, these tried-and-true tactics continue to deliver results.
Plus, because everyone has their eyes set on digital marketing, you might find some of these to be more affordable than ever.
- Billboard Ads
Billboards stand tall on busy highways, which makes them impossible to ignore.
They’re basically ads for drivers.
This means you can pay for billboard ads in areas you serve and get in front of your ideal customers.
Remember to use captivating visual elements with punchy copy, your value proposition, and a call to action…
Which should be your phone number and website.
Simplicity is key here!
A cluttered billboard with too many words or complex visuals will make your billboard easy to ignore.
- Print Advertising
Print media – including newspapers and magazines – continue to have a significant presence in many households across America.
According to the USPS, 88% of people take the time to look through print advertisements.
Think about it:
You work on people’s homes.
And what gets delivered to homes every week?
That’s right. Newspapers and magazines.
Deploying engaging ads with crisp images and enticing offers in local newspapers or community magazines is far from dead for roofers.
Plus, since newspapers are mostly read by locals, your print media ads will help increase your local brand awareness.
- Radio & TV Spots
Radio and TV ads can reach a lot of local people quickly, including those who might not use the internet much.
In other words, these ads are great for reaching older homeowners who aren’t swiping on TikTok.
TV and radio ads can also be played at specific times, like during weather reports, when people might be thinking more about their roofs.
- Door Knocking
Nothing is more direct than knocking on a lead’s door for a face-to-face interaction.
Yes, you’ll need to get used to rejection, but at the end of the day, it’s a numbers game.
On the bright side, door-knocking allows you to get extremely targeted with whom you pitch your services.
For example, you can walk through neighborhoods that were recently hit by storms or through neighborhoods that were built 25-50 years ago that need a new roof.
When you go to their homes, you can talk about what you do and answer their questions on the spot.
Remember to be nice, polite, and not too pushy. (You don’t want to burn any bridges by annoying a homeowner who might have had a bad day.)
However, what you can do is leave your business card or a flyer.
That way, they can call you later when they need roofing services.
- Direct Mail
Direct mail is a great way to reach leads right in their homes.
The key is to target specific areas that are more likely to need a roofer – not burning through your marketing budget by mailing the entire town.
This is also a great way to stay top of mind and present special offers, discounts, and free roofing inspections.
Stick with minimalistic designs, clever call-to-action phrases, and tempting offers to drive the best response rates.
Digital Marketing Tactics For Roofers
Digital marketing tactics are usually more flexible, less expensive, and offer more precise targeting than traditional marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Many roofing leads go straight to Google when they know they need roofing work done.
They search for keywords like “roofer near me” and click on one of the top results.
There are 2 main things you want to rank with SEO:
- Your Google Business Profile to show up on Google Maps and local searches)
- Your website for when anyone searches for a roofing service + [your service locations]
Both are important.
You’ll want to fully fill out your Google Business Profile with your service locations, services, contact info, and photos. Then, you’ll be able to improve your local rankings by encouraging past customers to leave you Google reviews.
On the other hand, your website will need to be optimized around local keywords that leads would search for your services and have a good user experience to rank on Google.
7. Email & SMS Marketing
Email and SMS marketing are powerful communication channels for engaging existing clients and helping you generate new ones.
There are a bunch of things you can do with SMS or email, like:
- Send offers for discounts, new services, and special promotions.
- Remind customers of scheduled appointments or follow-ups.
- Share tips on roof maintenance, seasonal care, and signs of roof damage.
- Send text alerts about upcoming weather conditions that could affect roofs, like heavy snowfall, hail, or storms. Then, offer your services for pre-emptive checks or post-storm repairs.
- After a job is completed, follow up to ask for feedback and testimonials.
- Inform your customers about referral programs and offer incentives like future discounts.
- New service announcements
But be careful about overdoing it. Your customers probably don’t want to hear from their roofer every week.
The beautiful thing about being able to communicate with clients via email or SMS is it gives them options.
If you’re looking for an email and SMS marketing platform, consider VipeCloud’s CRM.
8. Content Marketing
Content marketing isn’t necessarily a specific marketing tactic.
Why?
Your content IS your marketing.
And your content could be anything…
- Emails
- Blog posts
- YouTube videos
- TikToks
- Flyers
Regardless of the content you create for your marketing campaigns, you need to make sure your content:
- Aligns with your brand values
- Resonates with the pains your customers have
- Is memorable, so your company stays top of mind
- Answers questions that your prospects would ask before hiring you
Here are some content ideas you can try in social posts, advertising, videos, blog posts, your website, or any marketing material:
- Roof maintenance tips
- Weather alerts
- Solutions to common roofing problems
- Customer stories
- New roofing technology
- Why homeowners should choose you over competitors
9. Social Media Marketing For Roofers
“Social media marketing” covers any social media platform.
But you probably shouldn’t waste your time and money maintaining a presence on every platform.
You’ll get the best ROI with Facebook because it has over 3 billion users worldwide, and over 65% of its users are over the age of 35.
Which is perfect because the average first-time home buyer in the US is 35 years old (2023).
From a tactical perspective, Facebook is perfect for roofers for 2 reasons:
- It acts as a search engine and business directory for local leads looking for roofers
- People often use Facebook to check out a companies reviews before buying
Additionally, you can use any of the content marketing tactics we mentioned in the previous section on Facebook – or any other social media platform.
10. Google Ads
For immediate visibility, Google PPC ads are going to be your best bet.
These appear on search results pages when leads search for roofing services in your area.
In other words, you can get your business in front of ready-to-buy roofing leads.
PPC ads can get expensive.
But the good news is you pay only when someone clicks your ad – hence the name Pay-Per-Click.
11. Online Directories
We’ve mentioned a few online directories already, but there are more directories that roofing contractors should create accounts on to improve their online visibility.
Here’s a more complete list:
- Google Business
- Yelp
- HomeAdvisor
- Angi
- Better Business Bureau
- Thumbtack
- Local Chamber of Commerce websites
- Nextdoor
If you want to increase the chances of leads finding you on these platforms:
Create accounts, get your business listed, make sure your profiles are fully filled out, and try to encourage past customers to leave positive reviews on these directories.
12. Referral Marketing For Roofers
Referrals are likely already your #1 source of new clients.
So why not implement a system that helps you get more referrals?
To create a referral program, consider offering cash rewards or service discounts to existing clients who bring in new business.
A typical setup might include:
- Monetary reward – Paying a fixed sum per confirmed referral.
- Service discount – Offering a percentage off their next project when they refer someone who concludes a contract.
By structuring your referrals this way, you motivate your satisfied customers and make them feel valued and appreciated.
And most importantly of all: Deliver exceptional service and follow up with happy clients so they remember to send you referrals.
Remember: Transparency is key here. Ensure all elements of the program are clearly communicated from the jump (tracking mechanisms, the reward-claim process, etc.).
13. Event Marketing For Roofers
Your roofing company is a local business.
Which means your network is crucial for getting customers.
Attending events means you can:
- Engage directly with your community to increase brand awareness.
- Meet similar businesses that could become potential referral partners.
- Showcase your services in an educational format to build trust
Here are some types of events that your company should start making appearances at (the more local, the better):
- Home improvement shows – These attract homeowners looking for inspiration and advice on refurbishments, including roofing solutions.
- Roofing industry conferences – Roofing conferences will help your company stay on top of trends and new technology.
- Local community events – Participating in local fairs or sponsoring sporting events helps you become more known in your community.
However, just attending these events isn’t enough – you need to get your name out there with your own booths, live demos, freebies, contests, and by building rapport with other attendees.
The purpose here isn’t to generate immediate leads but to create long-lasting impressions that could turn into business opportunities down the road.
Every handshake counts!
14. Online Review Management For Roofers
We’ve touched on online reviews a bit already, but your online reviews need special attention.
Today, online reviews are as powerful as personal recommendations.
Positive reviews can set you apart from competitors, build trust with prospects before they reach out to you, and make your business more visible in search engines and social platforms.
On the other hand, negative reviews, if left unmanaged, could leave long-lasting scars on your roofing business’ reputation.
Here are some tips to manage and respond to your online reviews:
- Monitor all major review platforms. Customers will express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction on the platforms we mentioned in the “Online Directories” section.
- Quickly respond to reviews. Time is of the essence when it comes to addressing online feedback – especially the negative ones. Try to respond to online reviews as fast as possible.
- Write personalized responses. Each comment deserves an individual reply rather than a copy-paste response. Address the reviewer by name and directly reference their specific concerns or praise in your reply.
- Resolve issues offline if possible. If you know a customer is unhappy, try to resolve their problem before they get a chance to leave a review.
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. Ask satisfied clients to share their experiences online. Make it as easy as possible by sending them a link to where you want their review to be.
15. Centralize Your Marketing Operations With A Roofing CRM
Coordination is crucial for your roofing operations.
You might be running various marketing campaigns at the same time.
Tracking and analyzing the results will be near impossible if you don’t have a system in place to track where leads come from and which leads convert to customers best.
We recommend using an all-in-one roofing CRM that connects all of your marketing, sales, and customer data in one place.
Using a CRM like VipeCloud, allows you to:
- Track and organize all of your leads’, prospects’, and customers’ contact information.
- Automate and manage your email and SMS communications.
- Create workflows and manage tasks to make sure your sales teams follow a standardized process for managing the sales process.
- Use generative AI to create marketing content.
- Create reports for you to analyze what is or isn’t working in your marketing.
- Capture leads with sign-up forms.
On top of those marketing features, you can also use VipeCloud to manage your operations with:
- Operations pipelines to track jobs
- A mobile app for your employees to keep data up-to-date on the go
- Estimating software that allows you to break down costs and track whether a prospect accepts an estimate.
If you’re currently overpaying for a CRM or trying to manage everything in spreadsheets, consider trying VipeCloud’s 15-day free trial.
Or, if you’d like to talk to a human to see how our CRM can improve your marketing, schedule a demo with us.
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