Digital marketing is one of the most effective tools businesses can use to attract new customers and retain clients. As a roofing contractor, you rely on the sale of a service which is significantly more complex that the sale of a physical product. As such, marketing needs to be tailored to speak to prospective clients in such a way as to showcase your work, demonstrate expertise and show a backlog of happy and satisfied customers.
Digital marketing is a great tool for exactly this. When paired with a selection of traditional marketing strategies such as cold calling, billboards, spot ads on print, and radio etc. online marketing can catapult your roofing business to speak to a significantly greater qualified audience.
Similar to the tangible promotional tools above, there are a number of ways you can execute a digital marketing campaign and sometimes it’s a case of trialing a few methods before working out what works best for your unique business. Whether starting as a roofer or wanting to improve your marketing campaign as a marketeer, here are a few tactics to use to grow your roofing business online:
- Build a website and create social media accounts
66% of the world’s population as of 2021 now use smart mobile devices as a way of gaining and researching information online. This demonstrates how essential it is that your website and social media channels are found online and are mobile friendly. (1)
The first step is to create a bespoke website that truly represents your roofing business. Make it clear and obvious to users exactly what services you offer, your area of service, contact details, qualifications and expertise, examples of your work and testimonials from past customers.
Consider how best to enhance user experience, especially on mobile. Do you want prospective customers to be able to book appointments with you at their convenience and do things like request estimates and pay invoices? If so, you may want to consider integrating your site with industry specific software such as Jobber which has the functionality of a client hub accessible 24/7.
Make your website, relevant, engaging, user-friendly, and accessible with complete and up to date information. Your social media accounts must meet the same criteria. (2)
- Upload SEO-friendly content
Videos, blog articles, newsletters, white papers, and webinars are a few examples of content to include in your online accounts. To convince users to convert, your content must be relevant and useful. Research what it is your customers need most, and how you can service that need. Then produce free and valuable content on exactly this. You will gradually become known as an authority and expert in this area which will be helpful in people coming to you for business. (2)
Once people then approach you requesting an estimate, make it a business objective to convert as many as possible. The use of a roofing invoice template will help professionalize and standardize your approach so that you can more easily follow industry best practice.
Online search plays a significant role in a buyer’s purchasing journey, with most potential roofing clients likely to research online about roofing contractors before contacting a few of them. Make sure that you are visible in that information gathering phase as this is where you want to make yourself known so that customers approach you for jobs first.
- Utilize digital marketing trends
To reach more people and make your campaign more effective, understand your audience and know which platforms to focus on. Then, consider the type of content your target market prefers likes to engage with. A 2021 survey discovered users devour video marketing, and marketers are increasingly spending more on this. This does not necessarily mean big budgets. How-to videos done by yourself and shot with a smartphone, or a quick video visual of a job in progress, or the team at work will demonstrate authenticity and garner trust. (1)
- Publish your products and services alongside positive reviews
Expanding your online presence isn’t enough to compel users to choose your company over the others. Maintaining a positive standing is more vital, as most customers check positive reviews and referrals. A good rule of thumb is to encourage clients to leave feedback on your website or social media accounts. You may also offer incentives and discounts for customers who do so.
When faced with a negative review, respond professionally and take it constructively by addressing the issue and improving your service where appropriate.
- Focus on lead generation and customer retention
Lead generation is an essential digital marketing process that seeks to identify, attract and convert users to prospects. Research has indicated that most companies spend 70% of their marketing allocation on lead generation, while the rest goes to customer retention campaigns. (3)
Email campaigns, free downloadable content, and paid online ads are the most common strategies to use in your roofing business. Listing your business on lead generation sites is also an option if your company is willing to pay subscription fees.
- Avail of paid advertisements
Speaking of minimal spending, you may also subscribe to pay-per-click or PPC campaigns offered by social media platforms as part of your strategy. This method allows your business to manage your spending, as you only pay once a user clicks on the ads. Like your SEO efforts, you’d also have to base the PPC campaign on specific keywords to make it more valuable and targeted. Banner ads and influencer marketing may also be good options but expect to pay higher fees for these methods.
When launching a digital campaign, it’s imperative to check analytics or performance indicators to know which campaigns work and which don’t. Doing so enables your roofing business to realign the campaign and ensure you’re hitting the correct targets.
Conclusion
When used wisely, online marketing strategies can be a potent tool in business growth, no matter at which stage you are in your business. Whether a startup or an established roofing company, various digital marketing strategies can increase brand awareness, generate leads, convert users, and retain customers.
References
- “10 Digital Marketing Statistics and Facts for 2021”, Source: https://www.oberlo.com/blog/digital-marketing-statistics
- “Online Marketing Tips For your roofing Business”, Source: https://blackstormroofingmarketing.com/online-marketing-tips-for-your-roofing-business/
- “Smart Ways To Use Marketing To improve Customer Retention”, Source: https://cmasolutions.com/blog/smart-ways-to-use-marketing-to-improve-customer-retention/
- “How Digital Marketing for Roofers Can Generate More Leads”, Source: https://redesign.co/resources/digital-marketing-roofers/
