When it rains, it pours
It’s that time of year. Winds pick up, rain pours down, and roofs are left in shambles. Roofing contractors must take advantage of this season, where they can provide excellent service to old customers and have the opportunity to meet new ones. Establishing trust before roofing season is just as important as being ready to take calls after the hurricane hits.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), hurricane damages cause over $100 billion in damage annually in the U.S. Shockingly, more than 60% of these damages are related to homes. Water damage and roof damage account for a significant portion of this staggering figure. Don’t miss out on a chance to make your business profitable while assisting those in the community to get a roof back over their heads.
Here’s your guide to preparing to get leads this hurricane season:
Early Hurricane Season (June – July)
My sales professor would often say,
If you learn three things from this class, here’s what they are: prepare, prepare, prepare. Don’t wait till the hurricane strikes to start marketing! Most lead generation efforts take time, often at least a few weeks to be effective. Even if you are reading this in the eye of the storm, there is still time to get roofing leads and garner a larger customer base – just jump to the next section!
- Local Service Ads: If you are not running local service ads yet, now is a great time to get started. Roofing leads with local service ads can range from $15-$250, and having a company that knows what they are doing to get you the best and most affordable leads is important. You can set up your local service ads account yourself or have 99 Calls do it for you. We have some tips and tricks up our sleeves.
- Set Up a Scheduling Feature: Consider implementing a scheduling feature. Whether it’s a dedicated secretary, an answering service, or a streamlined system, efficient scheduling ensures you never miss a lead. Prompt responses build trust and increase your chances of converting inquiries into customers.
- Hire a Good Crew: Having a good reputation, not to mention having a job you enjoy, can often revolve around the people you hire. Hiring an experienced crew pays off in the long run. As you’ll see, happy customers and steady employees often turn the tide of lead flow. Plus, an experienced crew is often faster, meaning you can complete more jobs!
- SEO & Listings: Make sure your SEO and listings are ready to go. This is a long-term marketing strategy with a lower volume than paid advertising, but with lower costs as well. 99 Calls creates, optimizes, and manages websites and listings below industry rates for roofing. We would manage your Google Business Profile, Bing profile, Yelp profile, manta, Houzz, and more.
- Get Your Data Ready: Have a spreadsheet of past customers ready to go. This is going to help later.
Mid Hurricane Season: (August – September)
When it rains it pours! Here’s when it’s all go go go!
- Deploy Missed Call Text Back: If you’ve set up scheduling, kudos! But if not, fear not. Implement a missed call text back feature. When leads call and reach your voicemail, an automatic text message ensures they don’t seek services elsewhere. It’s a simple yet effective way to capture potential customers.
- Stay Organized: Amidst ringing phones, scorching sun, and the rhythmic pounding of nails, organization is your lifeline. Staying organized now sets the stage for a successful season, making it simple to track leads, appointments, and follow-ups diligently. One way to do this is to keep all your customers in a CRM system. This ensures they receive timely updates and are guided through every step of the hurricane roof repair process. (And yes, consider our app—it streamlines the entire process!)
- Knock or Doors: Post-hurricane, empathy is key. Have a sales team ready to go door-to-door, but with a gentle touch. People are dealing with a lot, and the last thing they need is a pushy salesperson. Be prepared for closed doors, but also be ready to offer fair prices and make sales through boots on the ground.
- Post on Social Media: You’d be surprised what posting on social media can do for a roofing company during hurricane season. Showcasing your services on social can make the stressful process of calling around to find a good roofing company easy for customers. Plus, posting on social media doesn’t cost a dime. Just take a short video of your team at work, and share it!
- Turn on Google Ads: While it may be too late to do SEO or LSA to get leads right now, Google PPC ads only take 1-3 weeks to start getting leads! Appear among the first results of Google, and track your success daily. Receive hurricane roofing leads fast for roof leaks, wind damage, and more with Google PPC ads. Haven’t run Google ads before? Give one of our managers a call and we’d be happy to set up a Google account with your company.
- Contact Past Customers: Stay top of mind with email blasts and text messages to past customers through drip campaigns. If a roof your company previously worked on a roof that got damaged during the storm, fix it at a discount! If the area was hit by the hurricane, they are likely not the only ones suffering from roof damage. When neighbors see a diligent roofing company loyally working on a past customer’s home, they will know who to call to fix their roof too. They may even walk right up and ask for an estimate! We offer database reactivations with drip campaigns with our lead generation packages. Just one lead can cover your cost!
Post Hurricane Season (October – November)
As the hurricane season winds down, it’s time to take a breather and savor the fruits of your labor. But don’t kick back too much—there’s still work to be done, especially when it comes to maintaining your online presence.
- Ask for Reviews: Positive reviews are like gold for your business. They boost your visibility through Local Service Ads (LSA), online listings, and search engine optimization (SEO). More visibility often means more leads! 99 Calls can provide you with a custom review link for your Google Business Profile. Total Business Solutions Plan: If you’re on our comprehensive plan, sending reviews to leads via the 99 Calls app is a breeze. Just click a happy customer’s name and the CRM does the rest!
- Expand Your Services: When lead volume dips during the off-season, consider diversifying your offerings. Here are some ideas:
- Chimney Services (Northern States): Metal roofing and chimney services can supplement typical roofing leads. Don’t let the slowdown dampen your business.
- Exterior Painting and Gutter Services (Southern States): In warmer climates, exterior painting and gutter maintenance can keep your crew busy even when roofing demand wanes.
Conclusion
Hurricane season isn’t just about weathering the storm—it’s an opportunity to grow your roofing business while serving your community. By following these steps, you’ll position your company in front of customers and build long-term success.