Considering a Paid Marketing Strategy? Know Your Options

Roofing contractors, it's time to ramp up your roofing social media. Whether you like it or not, the business world today requires a social media presence. Why? Because social media isn't just for saying hi. It's how customers make decisions—like who should install their new roof.Before even calling for quotes, most customers research online reputations by looking at social media profiles. Property owners use social media to make purchasing decisions and learn if you're a brand they can trust.For example, did you know 90% of Instagram's 1 billion users follow at least one business account, and 60% say they discover new products on the platform? Or that 78% of U.S. consumers made purchases through discoveries on Facebook in 2018?That means sharing news about new roofing technology, posting photos of successful roof installations, and engaging with customers online should be a crucial part of your marketing strategy. Here are some simple steps to help you make the most of social media marketing.Building an Online CommunityRoofing keeps you busy, but it's important to make time for social media. You can get started by setting aside 15-20 minutes each day to post, respond to comments, and engage with other people's posts. This organic marketing pays off over time by giving you a credible social media presence. Try these best practices for roofing social media success:Build your brand identity: Help potential customers recognize you anywhere they find you online. To ensure you have a consistent brand identity, ask yourself these questions: On each social media profile, are my company logos the same, is the wording similar in tone, do I use the same brand colors, and are photos of staff members consistent? Is my business contact information and website easy to find and up-to-date on all of my profiles? Create community: Follow and engage with a range of users, from home remodeling influencers to large roofing companies to individual customers. Always tag relevant partners (like GAF) in posts so they can share their favorites with their followers and increase your visibility. Additionally, you should get permission from property owners to post photos featuring their homes or buildings, or encourage them to share photos and tag your business page. When they share those photos with their followers, you get free marketing!Engage customers: Homeowners and building owners use social media to ask customer service questions, debut completed projects, rave or rant about experiences, and give advice to friends or colleagues looking for a new roof. Respond to all comments and queries, especially the unhappy ones. Taking responsibility and showing you're invested in customer service tells potential clients that you're serious about their satisfaction.Use hashtags: A hashtag is any word with the # symbol placed directly in front of it. People search by hashtags for topics they're interested in. You can weave hashtags into captions or compile them at the end of posts. Try using hashtags like #roofing, #roofersofinstagram, #roofingcontractor, #roofingcompany, #roofrepair, and #MyGAFRoof to get visibility. Hashtags are especially important for Instagram and Twitter posts. On Instagram, add 3-5 relevant hashtags. For Twitter, 2-3 targeted hashtags will do.Be socially conscious: Customers like companies that better their communities. Use social media to show how you give back, whether it's participating in charity efforts like local food drives or partnering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Team Rubicon. Remember to tag partner organizations.Choosing Roofing Social Media SitesEach day, 3.8 billion active users spend, on average, nearly 2.5 hours on social media sites. Different sites help you connect with different audiences, and you can tailor content—including blog posts, photos, videos, and news stories—to your demographic. Facebook and Instagram are effective places to start if you're new to social marketing. Here's more on the top sites for roofing social media:Facebook: 69% of U.S. adults are on Facebook. They write company reviews, engage with brands, and peruse business profiles to check credibility. To engage with these users, get permission to post before and after photos of roof installations, videos of your workers in action, testimonials from happy clients, and blog articles that will interest customers. Tagging businesses or people who are part of the post will help you build relationships while boosting your visibility.Instagram: 67% of people age 18-29 and 57% of people age 30-49 are active Instagram users. These are your current and future customers! Get permission to post before and after roofing portfolios, video highlights of company employees, video clips showcasing the roofing life in Instagram Stories, and news about upcoming events.YouTube: 73% of U.S. adults use this video site. Creating content for YouTube requires more time than a quick post to Facebook, but informational roofing videos can establish you as an industry leader and a go-to for DIY homeowners.LinkedIn: Use this professional networking site to engage with business peers, learn and share roofing industry thought leadership, and build business connections.Twitter: Post your company updates, retweet industry news, and connect with local media when participating in community events.Post, tag partners, use hashtags, and engage with customers, and over time you'll see the payoff. To get an extra boost, follow GAF on social media —Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube—and tag #MyGAFRoof in photos of your projects that use GAF materials for a chance to be featured on GAF's social pages.Building a social presence may feel like a chore, but by following some best practices and investing just a few minutes a day, you can build a strong social media presence that instills trust in potential customers.Once you have your social media in motion, you may want to look into using online reviews for roofing reputation management next. For more tips and solutions that can help you achieve your business goals, check out GAF's resources to grow your business.

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on many businesses, including roofing companies. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management revealed that 62% of small businesses have seen drops in revenues since the pandemic began. Using roofing marketing to increase your customer base has never been more important.The downturn in the economy has reshaped the business landscape for contractors in America, but here's how to increase market share so you can thrive during these challenging times.Get Clear About Your GoalsEven during a pandemic, it's important to set targets, advises business consultant Jon Paramore, who spoke to roofers during a webinar as part of GAF's Expert Value Speaker Series."Nobody gets on an airplane with a pilot who doesn't know where he's going," he says. "Tell people exactly where you're going, or they won't stay on your plane."Rather than diminishing sales goals due to COVID-19, consider mapping out a different direction by aiming high, he adds. You can then capitalize on the opportunity to seize a bigger proportion of market share."Ask yourself: How are you dealing with adversity? All the guys that are quitting or closing down have given you the opportunity to take more market share," he says. "2020 could end up being the greatest gift you were ever handed as a business person."Tap Into a Larger Pool of Job SeekersNow may be a great time to find and recruit incredible new team members, suggests Paramore."In 20-plus years, I've never seen this level of sales talent come into the market," he says. "Part of the reason is companies that were not able to withstand what we're going through right now furloughed some of their sales, marketing, and operations teams. These people are right there, ready to roll and hungry. You can benefit from just one of them joining your team."Show Up for Your CustomersWhether you send out email updates, a newsletter, or post short blogs on your website with photos of successful projects, customers appreciate positive messaging and your efforts to stay in touch. Set up a customer engagement strategy that includes offering promotions or tip sheets, and make yourself available by telephone or video conferencing to answer any questions potential clients might have.Relationships formed with people in your community help roofing company leaders stand apart from their competition, says Paramore."Empathy is what people are looking for right now," he explains. "Anyone can put on a good roof; what are you doing to be different?"Find small ways to help, such as easing the stress of not being able to go out to eat by dropping off gift cards and saying, "Have some pizza on me," suggests Paramore. Follow up by asking if they know anyone in their neighborhood who needs a replacement roof.Build Buzz About Your Company on Social MediaIn 2019, more than 240 million Americans engaged on social platforms. That's a big pool of potential customers, so why not market to them?Be active, authentic, and engaging on social by joining conversations, posting useful information for homeowners, celebrating your team, and sharing your core values. Doing this builds trust and shows you take your roofing business seriously. Bonus: It doesn't cost anything except your time.Using social media to build up virtual networks is another great roofing marketing tool. Paramore suggests connecting with real estate and insurance agents, commercial property brokers, and other tradespeople on LinkedIn."Tell them what you do and set up a networking event via Zoom for coffee and to talk business," he says. "Exchange referrals and see if you can help each other during these tough times. Ask your team to connect with 10-12 new people. It's really powerful."Build Strong Relationships.Rather than collecting new sales leads in your customer acquisition strategy, seek to build authentic relationships, advises Paramore.While it can be challenging to not make as many house calls due to COVID-19 restrictions, you can boost your potential client list virtually. Your roofing marketing strategy depends on strong relationships. The more you connect with and learn about past, current, and potential customers, the more word-of-mouth referrals or repeat business you'll get."You're not just 'a roofer'—you're a people developer that happens to put roofs on houses. So stop making your company a transaction business. Make it a people business," says Paramore.Strengthen your community goodwill by reporting on any volunteer work your team has done, and share kudos for other local businesses that are supporting people in your neighborhood, too.While you may have faced unprecedented challenges this past year, you can still find business success by becoming creative with your roofing marketing.

With nine out of 10 Americans using email, it's a great way for contractors to reach and engage with potential customers.Email can help your business generate qualified leads that could turn into customers—but shooting off random marketing emails could repel potential customers rather than attract them. That's why your business needs a lead nurturing strategy. A thoughtful strategy will allow you to engage prospects with relevant messages that encourage them to seek out your services or schedule a consultation for a roofing estimate.Here's how you can develop an effective email marketing strategy to keep your pipeline full of potential leads.Why Email Leads Are ImportantEmail marketing offers a variety of data points about how potential customers engage with the messages you send them. For example, do they actually open your emails? If so, what do they click on? What follow-up actions do they complete, such as booking an appointment? Setting up a booth at a local expo or hanging fliers in your neighborhood can't deliver these kinds of metrics.But to get customers' email addresses in the first place, you have to offer them something of value that will compel them to share their information.One strategy is to launch a blog that features content that helps property owners understand their roofs. Topics like avoiding roof water damage or winter maintenance tips can get eyes on your website. Once you create your blog, you can promote it on social media, encourage people to subscribe, and then send them email updates when you post new content.If a blog is too big a time commitment, you could start a monthly email newsletter filled with quick construction or home repair tips and special offers, such as a discount for new customers who book their project by a certain date. You can also share content from the GAF Roof Views blog with your audience.While you can collect customer emails in several ways, just remember that it has to be a fair trade. Your recipients should feel that the content you send them gives them the knowledge they need to solve a problem or better take care of their property. You should also give them the option to unsubscribe from receiving future email.How to Develop a Lead Nurturing StrategyTo develop a solid lead nurturing strategy, you need to understand the buyer journey, or how your customers typically come to make a purchase. At a fundamental level, the buyer journey includes three key stages:Awareness: In the awareness stage, a customer identifies a challenge they need to address and begins researching potential solutions.Consideration: During consideration, they research to gain a better understanding of their challenge and start comparing various specific approaches to solve it.Decision: Finally, they decide on the best approach and narrow down a list of companies or service providers who can best meet their needs.It's important to understand each of these stages as you develop your lead nurturing strategy, and align the content in your emails with the corresponding stage. You'll be able to better understand where your customer is in their buying journey by looking at the available metrics from your lead nurturing emails and campaigns.When you first get a customer's email, it might be best to send them a welcome message or some introductory content that showcases how you can be of service to them. For example, if you're marketing to a commercial client, this email might include information on the latest building and fire code updates in your municipality, or the latest trends in green building.If a prospect opens and clicks through the first couple of emails you send them, this may be a good sign to keep sending them messages on a weekly or monthly basis. Doing so should nurture the relationship and move them closer to a conversation with your sales team.Once they move into the later stages and get closer to making a decision, consider sending them emails that cover topics like how to set a budget for your project, how to compare contractors, and the pros and cons of different financing options for your project.It's also crucial to be mindful about how often you communicate with potential customers as you develop your email strategy. If you notice a large number of subscribers opting out or your email open rates begin to dip, it may mean you're sending emails too frequently or that the content just doesn't resonate with your audience. If so, make sure you've segmented your email list appropriately. For example, create separate lists for residential and commercial customers. And make sure your emails aren't too long, have an engaging subject line, and reflect tailored messages for different audience segments. The segments might include how well they know you, such as new customers and returning customers, or might reflect how you came to know them such as cold canvassing or referrals.Tips for Creating CTAs That ConvertSometimes your customers need a helping hand in moving from one stage of the buyer journey to the next. Calls-to-actions—or CTAs—are key parts of an effective email marketing strategy.CTAs tell your readers what step you'd like them to take next, such as "Learn more," "Schedule a consultation," or "Download our guide." An effective CTA strikes a balance between creating a sense of urgency without being too "salesy." For instance, an email CTA that urges prospects to "Book your project today" might be too presumptuous—especially if they've never done business with you before. They need more information to make their buying decision, so "Learn more" or "Schedule a call" might be more effective. However, sometimes potential customers just need a little nudge, so lead nurturing emails that contain CTAs with special offers or discounts, like "Get 10% off today" might help you close a sale.Whatever CTA you choose for a given email, it should be actionable and highly visible. Consider putting the text in bold or adding a special button that prospects can click. If you're using email marketing software, almost all of them offer this feature, so you don't have to worry about designing a CTA button yourself.Fine-Tune Your Email StrategyMarketing emails are an effective way to acquire and nurture leads. You just need to develop the right strategy, which starts with creating quality content that engages and informs potential customers. The next step is promoting this content so prospects see it and feel interested enough to subscribe with their email address.Fortunately, you don't need to be a marketing expert to master lead nurturing best practices. You can use your years of experience working with customers to develop relevant messaging that helps you attract more prospects and fill your pipeline for months to come.