Finding New Roofing Customers

 

The easiest customer to obtain is the one you already have. It’s been pretty thoroughly covered in the business world that it’s better to retain an existing customer than to replace them with a new customer. It takes less time, effort, and money. Sometimes, however, you are faced with the task of finding new customers. Maybe you want to grow your business more than your current customers allow. Maybe some of your customers have gone out of business, or something else happened that caused you to lose customers despite your best efforts. Whatever happened, you are now working on finding new roofing customers. What are the best ways as a contractor to make yourself available to potential customers, and to find those potential customers?

 

A large majority of building owners who purchase a new roof have it installed by someone they found online. Most companies don’t have a roofing contractor that they are loyal to, they’re willing to search the market and give different contractors a shot at the business. That means you need to be found when they are looking? If you know the common terms someone might search for in your geographical area, build pages on your website around those search terms. If you’re a coatings contractor out of Santa Fe, then you should have a page on your website titled something along the lines of “Silicone Coatings Contractor Santa Fe” Then, describe the benefits of silicone coatings and your process on that page. The key is to target specific keywords while still providing value. You don’t want your page to feel like spam. 

 

Another great way to be found is to claim your online business listing. Add your location to Google Maps, claim the spot in the yellow pages, and join any local construction directories you can find. Making sure your correct info is available is key to being found.

 

When a potential customer has a question, they Google it. The results will be answers to their question. So, if your customers repeatedly ask you the same few questions, add a FAQ page to your website, and put the answers out there for anyone to find! Providing accurate, useful information is a great way to find new customers. Another strategy for the FAQ page is to put questions on there that you think someone who is interested in your services might ask. These answers should provide info that you think someone utilizing your services should know. 

 

 

While the first two recommendations were online, this one is a “real world” option. The personal touch is something you provide once you know who the potential customer is and have contacted them. You can create a personal touch by sending a thank you note to a prospect after a phone call. Maybe they mentioned a birthday coming up so you send them a gift card. Any of these things will “wow” them and help them to remember you.

 

A personal touch can also apply to someone you have a relationship with who isn’t a customer yet. Perhaps you met a potential customer at a trade show and they have yet to pull the trigger on your services. Send them a gift for Christmas, or an email with a link to an article that applies to their industry. Anything you can do to give a preview of the type of service you’ll provide once they’re a customer is a great thing.

 

 

This recommendation requires a larger upfront investment than the others. A Paid Per Click (PPC) campaign involves advertising on Google, Facebook, or another large website where you are charged for clicks provided. Because these require a larger financial investment, you should avoid these if you aren’t experienced and don’t have the time to learn and follow up.

 

Finally, take good care of your online reputation. Respond to negative – and positive – reviews online. Especially with negative reviews, always wait at least a day before responding to avoid typing when angry. Of course, if it’s a very public review that demands an immediate response, then you can table this rule. If you post videos on YouTube and receive negative comments, address them on the site. As you address the comments, speak to their concern and then encourage them to call into your office. Taking the discussion offline is a good way to avoid further damage from an angry customer. 

 

Finding new roofing customers can be a difficult task. Making yourself presentable online and impressing potential customers in the “real world” are both crucial to finding new customers. As you increase the size of your customer base, you’ll also see an increase in revenue. Increased revenue means a more successful business.