15 Little-Known Roofing Sales Strategies [Beginner To Advanced]

You might be a pro on the tools and know everything about roofing there is to know – but can you convince someone who’s on the fence to change their mind and pay for your services?

Roofing sales require more than a free quote sent off in a generic email while you wait for a “yes” or “no”. If you want to avoid those dreaded months where the calendar is empty, read on to discover 15 little-known roofing sales strategies you can start using TODAY.

Prepare to flood your pipeline with sales.

Between 2015 and 2020 the roofing industry has grown by 2.7% every year.

That means more customers, more sales, and more revenue for roofing businesses that know how to close a sale. Because the truth is, a growing industry doesn’t benefit all roofers – it benefits those who know how to move someone from “I’m curious about your services” to “shut up and take my money”.

If you’re like most roofers you have a sales strategy already. Once you get a lead you offer them a free quote or estimate, head out on-site to make small talk, put together a quote then wait for a “yes” or “no”.

Sound familiar?

We hate to break it to you, but that approach won’t elevate you above your competitors. But some strategies will give you an edge – scratch that, 20 strategies can give you the edge.

These roofing sales strategies don’t just focus on product or price, because landing a sale requires more than that. And if you’re ready to become a selling machine, read on to discover how.

$100 billion.

That’s the global market value for the roofing industry. And as construction projects continue to grow year-on-year that figure is only going to increase.

We’re not saying you’ll become a billionaire overnight with the right sales strategies – but we are saying there’s a clear, obvious market for your services. And when there’s no issue with demand, that makes roofing sales much easier.

It’s tough to sell a service to someone who doesn’t need it. But when there are hundreds, or even thousands, or people in your local area who need roofing help, those sales become a whole lot easier.

After all, every house has a roof. This means at some stage, every homeowner will need to hire a roofer. But it’s not enough to just talk about your business, make a little chit-chat, and expect people to hire you for the job.

To be a great roofing salesman, you need to follow a step-by-step framework just as you would if you were installing a new roof. You can’t rush to the final step, and you need to nail every strategy properly if you want to turn more roofing leads into customers.

Read on to discover the 15 little-known sales strategies you can use to get more work and grow your roofing business.

Your strength as a roofer is on show 6 feet above the ground, not trying to close a lead who’s on the fence and giving you the impression they’d rather be elsewhere.

Unfortunately, most roofers tend to stick with what they know and assume their work will speak for itself. This is the old ‘If you build it, they will come’ attitude. Only…they never come.

You’re great at assessing risk, managing your time, ordering materials, securing permits, and of course, working on roofs. But closing sales feels like a weak link.

As a result, the sales pitch for most roofers follows this common roadmap:

• Offer a free consultation
• Head to a lead’s home and make chit-chat
• Inspect the job and offer a quote
• Then wait for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’

If we just predicted your sales pitch it’s not because we’re psychic. We’ve just seen enough roofers who stuck to the same script, then wondered why their calendar was empty week after week.

If you’d prefer to hire a full-time salesperson to tackle this part of your job, go for it. That salesperson can do the hard yakka while you focus on roofs – but it’ll cost you a full-time salary and plenty of extra admin time.

The truth is, nothing is stopping YOU from becoming your own rockstar salesperson, and we’ve rounded up the 15 strategies you need to be using to break out of your rut and have leads throwing their money at you.

Need a roofing marketing recap? Read our jargon-free guide to roofing marketing.

7 to 17 seconds.

That’s how long you have to make a first impression on your potential customers. We’re going back to basics with this tip, but the foundations of any sale are laid long before you start talking about price or products.

Whether you’re on the phone with a lead, or on-site providing a free estimate, the way you look and carry yourself will contribute to your success in closing the deal.

Is your branding professional and consistent across your uniform and vehicles? Do you answer the phone with the same warm, friendly greeting and focus on giving people your time? Do you have additional resources or info if your lead has a question or wants to hear from other customers?

Converting more roofing customers starts by letting your look and attitude lay the foundations of a sale.

If you want to sell yourself, stop selling yourself.

Confusing, we know. But the truth is, your customers HATE being sold to. That’s why ad blockers are used by 47.2% of ALL internet users because people hate ads and they hate having businesses rammed down their throats.

To sell your services you should aim to educate your lead. If they have a question about the cost of terracotta tiles vs metal roofing don’t launch into a pitch about how your terracotta tiles are the cheapest in the city. Explain honestly the difference between each option, and let your lead come to a natural conclusion about which roofer to hire.

If you’ve fully answered their questions and offered tons of value (don’t be afraid to offer DIY roofing tips either as this builds trust) then you’re more likely to land the sale.

A great roofing contractor or expert knows what problems their leads have, not what services they’re asking about.

For example, let’s say your lead is asking about storm-resistant roofing options. You could point them to hail-resistant and tile-retaining storm clips and hope they convince themselves to spend their money on you…

Or you can unpack their question and see that the storm isn’t their focus – but their home is. They love their house, they love the car in the garage, they love their beautiful carpets and upholstery.

Their main concern is a storm damaging the roof and water making its way inside to damage the home they love. If you approach the sales pitch from this angle, reminding them that your roofing business can help protect their greatest asset, you’ll have more success than simply pointing them to your services and hoping for a conversion.

This strategy follows on from the previous one. It’s one of the oldest sayings in the book but features tell while benefits sell.

What that means is you should focus on the benefit, or positive outcome of your roofing service, not the service itself. For example, if a lead was curious about replacing their entire roof you wouldn’t focus on the type of pop rivets you use or what angle their new roof will be installed on.

Instead, focus on the benefits of a new roof. This could be to increase the value of their home so it’s worth more money if they decide to sell. Or cheaper power bills thanks to the heating/cooling efficiency.

If you’re keen to make the sales pitch jump from features to benefits, here are a few simple translations we’ve gathered for you.

Information is your best friend when it comes to closing a sale.

If your services or products come with warranties, make sure your prospect knows about them! This could be a roofing workmanship warranty, a roofing material warranty, or another type of warranty entirely. Whatever your warranties cover, give people the numbers so they can picture how long the protection lasts.

If you offer lifetime warranties on asphalt roofing and the lifespan of asphalt roofing is 25 years, then help people see just how loooooong 25 years really is. That’s two and a half decades. Imagine where YOU were 25 years ago and think of everything you’ve accomplished since then.

The same feeling you’re having right now – looking back and realizing how long 25 years really is – is the feeling you should be instilling in your prospects when you talk about warranties.

Most warranties are business-related. They’re either provided on the manufacturer’s end or your end, and they’re your way of saying “My business will carry the risk for you”.

Guarantees, on the other hand, are typically personal.

A guarantee is your way of saying “I will carry the risk for you”.

For example, if your roof replacements come with a 25-year structural guarantee then your customer can sit comfortably for decades knowing they’re in safe hands. But when every other roofer in your area offers the same guarantee (because they have the same suppliers) you can disappear in the crowd.

An additional guarantee could be “100% Satisfaction Guarantee – Or Receive a FREE Roof Clean” or “On-Time Guarantee or Receive $300 Off Your Next Service”.

These guarantees come from YOU backing YOUR roofing business to deliver the goods and be on time. And while these are only two examples, guarantees help your leads see that you are willing to carry the risk for them, which helps them hire you with confidence.

You know your roofing services inside and out – but every customer will have a unique problem for you to try and solve.

If you approach each lead with the same sales pitch, covering the same topics, you’ll get the same answer most of the time – “no thanks”.

Take the time to listen to your lead. What problem do they have? What concerns are on their mind? What obstacles stand in the way of a “yes”?

Your customer may want to focus on sustainable roofing materials, or they may be after the lowest possible costs. While many roofers talk up their cost-saving services, you may find yourself speaking to a homeowner or business who wants the premium products you offer, to reflect their status.

If you go in thinking “every client wants to hear about how I can save them money” you would blow that sale.

Keep your specialty services in mind, but be prepared to react to your lead’s needs, whether they ask about roofing tiles, the cost of a replacement or your recommendation for a roof to suit their home’s architecture.

Did you know it costs 5x more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing customer?

It’s great to go out and bring in new business, but don’t forget to use your current clients to generate more sales. A loyalty program can help build long-term relationships with clients and bring them back year after year.

You win because you get their repeat business. They win because your loyalty program gives them discounts or incentives.

No customer wants to go through the hassle of finding another roofer if their current roofer (i.e you) rewards them for making a booking. So consider offering a little sweetener, whether it’s 5% off the next service or a complimentary gutter check with each service, to drive sales up.

No one likes an annoying salesman, but as a roofer, it’s important to know that following up is part of the sales pitch.

If you’ve sent out an estimate and had a couple of emails back and forth with a lead, don’t consider their silence as a ‘no’. They may be busy with life, still comparing roofing quotes, or just thinking about their options.

You don’t want to hammer them with 15 phone calls and 7 emails, but follow up to make sure your customer has all the info they need and has made a concrete decision. A simple email can work wonders, along the lines of:

These types of follow-up messages ensure you never leave a “maybe” on the table. You want a yes or a no, so don’t be afraid to follow up until you get one.

Stories have been part of the way humans communicate for thousands of years. That’s why 55% of people who love a roofing business’ story will use their services in the future.

You might have all the stats and info memorized, from energy efficiency ratings to the amount of time before a roofing nail comes loose, but avoid only focusing on the numbers.

You can tell stories about your existing customers to inspire action and drive sales, and the easiest way to do this is with customer videos and testimonials. Hosting videos on your website homepage can warm up leads and make it easier to sell to them. Or, use your face-to-face time during your free estimate to tell a story about a family who faced the same problem as your prospect – and how you solved it for them.

It may sound counterintuitive, but you can drive a sale by offering more, or alternate, services.

For example, let’s say your prospect called you out to provide a quote on roof maintenance. An upsell would be to convince them a full roof replacement would provide better value, as it would mean fewer repairs and more money in their pocket. While a cross-sell would be to recommend an alternate service that would solve their problem, as well as the original service they were after – for example, roof maintenance AND a roof clean.

And if you’re worried your prospects won’t respond well to an upsell, the possibility of making a sale to an existing customer is 60% to 70% higher than selling to a new customer.

Here are a few simple tips to make your upsells and cross-sells look more appealing:

• Keep the upsell price increase low
• Use urgency so your prospect knows it’s time-sensitive
• Pitch ideas, not services
• Installation

“You’ve got problems turning leads into sales.

How long does that stay in the ‘problem’ category before it becomes catastrophic? Realistically, your business won’t survive unless you up your sales game. It could be all over before too long…

There is hope though, and it’s the guide you’re reading RIGHT NOW. Read to the end to master every sales skill in the book.”

Apologies for going from 0 to 100 there, but that was an example of the P.A.S Method – or Problem, Agitate Solution.

This advanced sales strategy is about finding your prospect’s #1 problem, stirring it up so they realize the enormity of the problem, then presenting your roofing business as the solution. If a prospect is asking you about the lifespan of a competitor’s inferior product, take their problem (that they want long-lasting roofing materials) and stir it up.

You could explain that an inferior product is likely to break sooner, causing expensive repairs, leaving them out of pocket, and pulling money from where it’s needed most. BUT…your products are superior, will last longer, and actually save the customer money over time.

With the P.A.S Method, you’re playing on the emotions of your prospects and showing them that only you can provide the remedy.

It’s worth noting you shouldn’t manufacture fake problems or try and convince people to hire your roofing services out of fear. But when there is a legitimate problem, don’t be afraid to stir it up, then soothe it with your own services.

“Be yourself” is on the Mount Rushmore of vague advice, but when it comes to increasing your sales, this strategy works.

Remember, your leads want to do business with a human – not a generic roofing company. When you head out on-site to conduct free quotes and consultations, be yourself and let the real you into your sales pitch.

If you’ve got a common interest, it’s OK to leave the roofing chat for a while and bond over your commonalities. And if the pitch starts to go sideways, don’t pack up and leave in a huff. You never know when a hesitant lead will turn into a confident customer, and by projecting the authentic version of yourself you’ll give yourself every chance to land a sale.

Whether it’s chatting about your kids, the local sports team, or offering some home improvement tips on your way out the door, the real you will be the most successful you.

Is your prospect stuck on the fence?

Sweeten the deal with something free. It’s a mistake to assume you devalue your service by offering it for free. For a start, you won’t need to offer your $20,000 full roof replacement for free.

Your freebies should be small inclusions that help you land bigger sales. This is so effective thanks to the psychology of reciprocity. When you give something away, your prospect feels inclined to do something for YOU in return.

That’s why you end up buying the snacks at the supermarket after you try a free sample.

If you’re concerned about losing money by offering something for free, consider adding freebies to future services. For example, all your new customers this month receive a free ‘Roof Health Check’ as part of their next service. This could be as simple as you jumping on a ladder and seeing if any tiles have come loose, but the thought of getting something for free can help tip a customer over the edge.

You’re a roofer, so you know a lot about roofing. Shingles, asphalt, polymeric roof tiles – you’re an expert across the board. But that doesn’t necessarily make you a natural salesperson.

Do you know who is a natural salesperson?

A roofing marketing agency.

If you value your time then bringing onboard a third-party pro or agency can free you up to focus on your craft, while someone else focuses on bringing in new sales. You might think a professional agency only focuses on your Google rankings or bringing in leads, but an agency provides an entire customer-conversion approach that turns leads into sales week after week.

From using SEO to bring in more traffic to adding conversion features that have people booking you through your website, marketing agencies bring a wide skill set to fill your calendar while you do what you do best.

And sure, we’re a little biased since you know…we are a marketing agency.

But having generated over $200 million in leads for trade businesses, including roofers, we’ve got a proven system for driving roofing sales.

Selling your roofing services is a long game.

You can get lucky and have someone land on your site, request a quote, and book you all within a few hours. But you’ll also have prospects that need days or even weeks to come to a decision.

Using the 15 little-known roofing strategies in this article can help turn a “no” into a “yes”, especially if you focus on the benefits over the features, focus on educating overselling, and focus on solving your prospect’s problems.

Your future customers will always have roadblocks to overcome. From price to timing, getting distracted by the kids to your competition, but by following our roofing sales secrets you’ll start closing more business than ever.

Interested in boosting your sales but short on time? Claim a FREE consultation with a Tradie Digital expert to find out how we can supercharge your sales today