Are you looking to generate more roofing leads? Follow these eight ideas, tips and online lead generation strategies to keep your schedule booked and grow your roofing business.

#1. Build a conversion-based roofing website

Your website is the focal point of your roofing lead-generation efforts online and off. Even leads who find out about your roofing company from a word-of-mouth referral will likely check your website to get a feel for your services.

In fact, your roofer website is more often than not your first impression. It needs to be professional, modern and easy to use.

For roofers, it’s also vital that websites be conversion-based. The purpose of your website, after all, is to convert visitors into leads. The design needs to clearly communicate value, have easy-to-find contact info and use a strong call to action to motivate people to act.

Also, today if your roofing website isn’t mobile responsive, you’re at a huge disadvantage.

Your roofing website should be clean and well branded. You may only have two employees, but your website can look as sharp as any corporation’s. For example:

These designs are neither expensive nor time-consuming to design, so there’s no reason to let an outdated design hobble your lead generation.

#2. Dominate local search results

To drive traffic to your website, you’ll want to show up for roofing contractor searches in your area. There are three ways to dominate the search results.

The first is pay-per-click advertising. These ads are run through auction-based systems, like Google Adwords and Bing Ads. The main advantage here is that you show in the top positions (reserved for paid ads) and that you can control the ad copy and landing page. For example, you might want to run an advertisement for roofing repair after a big hail storm. Your ad and the page it goes to on your website can match that offer. You can even target the ad so it only displays in the area with the most roof damage.

Next, you need to set up and rank for Google My Business. This is the maps listing and review platform Google uses for geo-targeted searches. It’s a free listing you can optimize with your descriptions and by getting customer reviews.

Then you have the organic website listings. These are also free clicks, with ranking gained by optimizing your website for keywords, gaining links, getting social media traffic and adding content to your blog.

If you do each of these tactics effectively, you can show up in three places on page one:

#3. Use retargeting ads

There is one type of advertisement that deserves special attention. It’s called retargeting (aka remarketing).

These are the ads that “follow” you around as you browse the internet. It’s common advertising today, and you’ve likely noticed it.

Retargeting ads are important for roofers when you’re going after people taking their time to hire a contractor. A roof (unless damaged) lasts decades. Some leads may take months — even over a year — to decide on a roofer.

Retargeting ads become a type of brand advertising that keeps your name in front of them as they work through their decision.  Often they won’t click on the ad, but they’ll see it. This makes for an inexpensive way to stay with them.

Every good salesperson understands the need to be persistent. Retargeting automates this process online, giving you more touches and driving leads back to you so you can close the deal.

#4. Develop a unique value proposition

As a roofing contractor, you may think you just do what every other roofer does. You’re part of the crowd.

But this thinking turns you into a commodity. Winning business over your competition becomes a matter of luck.

Roofers that win in their marketing space know to develop a unique sales proposition (USP). They give leads a reason to choose them. A USP does three important things:

1. It identifies a specific benefit you offer
2. It clearly communicates how you solve your customer’s problem
3. It separates you from your competition by offering something they don’t/can’t

The unique aspect of your roofing offer may be subtle, but it’s vital if it makes a strong emotional connection to the lead. A well-crafted USP will stop them in their tracks and make them think: “These guys get what I need. Problem solved.”

For example, this roofer focuses on the metal roofing solution:

USPs are content that can be tested and modified. Often, slight changes to your offer or ad copy wording can make significant differences in conversion rates.

Of all your content, your roofing USP is the most important. Take to the time to develop a strong one.

Another good example is offering eco-friendly roofing solutions with the added value of lower energy bills and more environmentally friendly roofing materials. This roofer uses an infographic to detail their value offering:

#5. Build a strong reputation

It used to be that marketing was primarily what you said about your own business. But today on the internet, it’s as much what consumers tell each other about you.

Most contractors now realize how important online reviews are to their local lead generation. Many leads will check review sites like HomeAdvisor, Top Rated Local®, Facebook or Google, and largely base their decision on who to hire based on comments from previous customers.

The best way to manage your business reputation is to realize that everything you do impacts it. It starts and ends with how you treat your customers. Every way you exceed expectations translates into high ratings with online reviews. Every time you fail to meet them, it can cost you later.

Closely monitor what people say about your business on the main review sites. When things don’t go exactly as planned and you get negative comments (it happens to everyone eventually), respond to the review and seek to rectify the problem. You can turn these negatives into positive reviews.

If you have a platform where you either have some bad reviews or no reviews, use email follow-ups to request that clients leave you a review.  This template, for example, links to a review site if they like you, and opens a feedback form if they had a problem.

When you get outstanding reviews, highlight them as testimonials on your website.

The simple reality today is that people trust what friends and other consumers say about businesses more than what businesses say about themselves. Reviews are very influential.

Consider this in how you conduct yourself and manage every roofing job. Ask: What will this client tell their friends about me? It will impact your lead generation.

#6. Create a roofing video

Video is fast becoming the most effective way to communicate value and motivate new roofing leads, yet few roofing contractors take advantage of it.

It’s worth it to create one professional video commercial you can use on your roofing website and optimize for YouTube search.  Here’s a good example for a commercial roofer in the Dallas area:

For this type of commercial, invest in working with a professional video production team. But keep in mind that you can also create lower-budget “how-to” videos that work well to introduce your business and make an initial connection. For the audience taking their time and educating themselves on how to select a new roof, your content builds trust and puts you at the front of the list when they decide to hire a roofer.

#7. Use partnership marketing

Not every roofing lead is going to come from your online marketing.  You want to make as many connections as possible in your local area.

Among the most beneficial for lead generation is partnering with other businesses, particularly home improvement contractors.

For example, you should be good buddies with a landscaper who has a strong local reputation.  Same goes for lawn care or handyman.

With partnership marketing, you agree to give each other referrals.  This way, every customer they have becomes a potential lead for you, and vice versa.  It’s cheap and effective local lead generation.  Make the effort to meet other business owners and develop friendships.  This one is all about personal touch.

#8  Plan for the Long-Haul

Marketing a business can’t be done in a panic. There is no such thing as effective emergency marketing.

Rather, the best marketing is approached like a marathon. The pace is planned, with the flexibility to adjust built-in.

When you start campaigns, make sure you have the budget in place to sustain your effort. Realize that you won’t get maximum results with every effort. You may try something that bombs. The pay-off is now you know it bombed — so you can try something different.

Learn about your competition and plan for what will be required to run the race with them. Avoid half measures. You can’t “try” a little marketing, hope it succeeds, then when you have proof it will succeed you go full in. You have to be prepared to go full in from the start; otherwise, you’ll never get into a competitive position.

From your efforts will come a better understanding of your customers, competition, and your roofing contractor business itself.  Marketing software built for roofers will help you organize and track your marketing and customer databases.

Here are more tips from roofing marketing executive Bobby Shell:

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Originally published on 3/30/18