How to get sales.

Mr Sales

I am a new to Roofing Sales. I have been doing this for 7 weeks now.
I have sold everything under the sun, but never roofs before this.

I work for a LOCAL, non storm chasing company, with 5 very very good crews, however they have just switched from a general contractor to strictly ROOFING now, so they do not have any other sales people or sales experience. They have always just gone off of referals and done quality enough work where they can just rely on that.

Most everyone on these forums seems to say getting business is the EASIEST thing and keeping their crews happy is the hardest. Well for us its opposite, our crews are happy and great, but we just need more business. We do 3 -4 roofs a week, and we want to do 6 - 9 roofs per week.

What are some other ways I can drum up sales besides what I am currently doing. I have made a web site, business cards, done some advertising, and now I am just Pounding pavement and knocking doors (where I see weather damage)

Anyone know any other creative ways out there?

Grumpy

Do yourself a favor and work a couple days with the crew. Get to know what they are doing and more importantly WHY, then you can explain this to the customer and will understand that a roof is more than square feet and linear feet. Every job is different.

5 crews? 9 roofs a week? How is that even enough? How many men per crew? What is your average size job? That math aint adding up in my head.

Are you asking how to get leads?

Where are you located? What roofing company do you work for?

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

Mr Sales

I guess I did not give enough detail. We have 5 crews working now, but we have another 4 crews that are on standby. When we do not have enough work they also work for other companies doing re-models, and other things. So we can handle 9 a week and I want to get us to that point.

Yes I guess what I am asking is how to drum up business. I am getting frustrated at door knocking because my goal is to get up on 3 roofs a day for inspections. I have 3 canvasers, and 2 full time sales people doing the bidding and such.

Most days I am at 1 or two, and I am just looking at other ways at getting leads, and contracts signed. I have tried google a bit, PPC, and also door hangers and home repair magazines. Any other info or tips is much appreciated. The company is www.Anyweatherroofingexperts.com

Thanks
Jesse

ps - I have done a bit of work with the crew as well just to gain more understanding. Mostly the tear offs however because I am a great talker and business man but clumsy on a roof so I am learning that measuring is about as far as I like to go. I have been in an office all my life and that is where I shine.

Grumpy

A roof takes you a week to replace? What size roofs are these?

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

daviddeschaine

Hello Mr Sales,

Here is a copy of one of our roofing sales books,
the book is simple, and we have used this same one
to help sell millions of dollars worth of roofing installations.

http://www.roofingbusinessmastermind.com/Free/RoofingSalesBook.pdf

You May Have To Download the latest version of Adobe Reader

http://get.adobe.com/reader/

Talk Soon,

Dave Deschaine

http://www.roofingbusinessmastermind.com/main.html

__________________
David J. Deschaine
http://www.startmyroofingbusiness.com

http://www.roofingbusinessblueprint.com

Mr Sales

I re-read my post to see where I implied that it takes a week to do a roof and I am not seeing it. The average roof (17-26 square) takes about a days time to tear off and replace.

I would like to go from doing 4 roofs a week to 9 roofs a week.

Grumpy

You said in one reply you have access to 9 crews and your goal was to do 9 roofs per week. Therefore I assumed a roof takes you a week to install.

__________________
-Grumpy
Chicago Gutters Chicago Roofing

RemStar

Using your math Mr.Sales, Your goal should be to booking 45 roofs per week instead of your current 20.
(9 crews... 1 roof per day(avg)) X (5 days in a week) = (45 Roofs req. per week)

RemStar

The best way I find to drum up business is by taking advantage of the direct mail system offered by the post office. Run a advertising campaign though the use of unaddressed ad mail and you will increase the number of calls you get for a short time. This also increases peoples awareness of your company name so if the suddenly need a new roof a later on when they open the phone book they recognize your company and are more likely to call. Cost is approx $6000 to send 20,000 pieces of ad mail.(can be less if you design the ad yourself and get printed online.) The last one I did was from Vistaprint.com and the hole promotion cost me $4500.

Another technique would be to take out some advertising on a bus benches in areas that need roof repairs. This will cost you about $250-$400 per bench every month.(depending on your area).


The very most important thing is to make sure you have a large ad in the local phone book. Any money you save by getting a smaller ad in the phonebook will translate directly into lost sales. Now, I dont beleive everyone calls the biggest ad so I take out a half page ad and a couple pages back I have a 1/8 of a page ad.

I really think that people place to much value on thier internet ads and it does not generate the majority of a roofing contractors buisness. People still turn to the directory if they want to get a contractor. If you were going to hire someone...say a lawyer, would you google lawyer for your area, or open the phone book to find one?

RemStar

The best way I find to drum up business is by taking advantage of the direct mail system offered by the post office. Run a advertising campaign though the use of unaddressed ad mail and you will increase the number of calls you get for a short time. This also increases peoples awareness of your company name so if the suddenly need a new roof a later on when they open the phone book they recognize your company and are more likely to call. Cost is approx $6000 to send 20,000 pieces of ad mail.(can be less if you design the ad yourself and get printed online.) The last one I did was from Vistaprint.com and the hole promotion cost me $4500.

Another technique would be to take out some advertising on a bus benches in areas that need roof repairs. This will cost you about $250-$400 per bench every month.(depending on your area).


The very most important thing is to make sure you have a large ad in the local phone book. Any money you save by getting a smaller ad in the phonebook will translate directly into lost sales. Now, I dont beleive everyone calls the biggest ad so I take out a half page ad and a couple pages back I have a 1/8 of a page ad.

I really think that people place to much value on thier internet ads and it does not generate the majority of a roofing contractors buisness. People still turn to the directory if they want to get a contractor. If you were going to hire someone...say a lawyer, would you google lawyer for your area, or open the phone book to find one?