By |Published On: December 10, 2015|

For roofers, the process of finding roofing leads is comparable to other industries. You must identify your target audience, determine how your prospects make buying decisions, and present a compelling case for them to trust your roofing expertise. The rest should take care of itself.

From then on, you can find more roofing leads through referrals and by using testimonials on your website. But let’s start from the beginning.

How are you going to generate qualified roofing leads who are actually interested in getting their roof done?

Who is your target audience?

Simply, your target audience is someone in your service area who needs a new roof.

Prospect characteristics might include having a house built between 1985 and 1995. According to U.S. News and World Report, wood shake roofs last around 30 years, fiber cement roofs about 25 years, and asphalt shingles a couple of decades.

In order to find qualified leads based on the years the homes were built, you can use a searchable real estate database product (such as Criss+Cross Plus Real Estate from Haines Information Products) to pinpoint a prospect list in your market.

How does your target audience make buying decisions?

Many homeowners who need a new roof may be unaware there is a problem. And let’s face it – replacing an aging roof is a critical but potentially costly home improvement that people often put off as long as possible. Informing your audience of their problem is a great way to get the buying process started.

Imagine receiving a postcard saying your roof is 20 years old and could cost $XXXX if it’s not taken care of soon. What’s next? I’d probably go online and see if that information is true and read up on the most efficient way to get a roof done.

Googling roof-related terms would get my research started. If I’m fortunate, I may find blogs posted by a local company showing expertise in the field.

Here is where your work starts.

Write a few blog posts on your website showcasing your roofing expertise. Your articles could be about why a roof begins to fall apart, how snow and ice can damage a roof, or the negative financial effects of NOT getting your aging roof replaced. Make them localized to your service area too.

Now that you have shown your target audience that you are an expert in the field, how do you convert these prospects into roofing leads?

Remember that postcard?

It’s a tangible way to put your best offer and further credibility statements about your company directly in your prospects’ hands. Include a free onsite roof inspection, complimentary estimate, and discount. A good idea might be to offer an incentive, such as $200 for every referral that turns into a customer once they have bought from you.

You can even have a table at the local hardware store offering free advice on roofing. Another route is to have signups for free consultations on your website. These prospects have read your blogs. You might as well keep them on your website and capture their contact information.

Not sure if direct mail still works? Find out here why it’s very much alive and thriving as a lead-generation tool.

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