As the temperature drops and the snows start to fall in parts of the country, many homeowners are putting their roofing projects on hold until the spring. Roofing contractors in cold-weather regions often find themselves with some extra downtime in the winter, but just because there are fewer jobs doesn't mean there's nothing to do. Instead, now is the perfect time to think about strategies to help grow your business or perfect your craft.
Here are some of the best ways to make sure you are ready to hit the ground running when roofing season picks up.
Make Improvements to Your Business
If you've put off updating your website, now is the perfect time to make those tweaks. You could add some powerful client testimonials, post a few blog posts outlining new safety protocols, or freshen up your landing page.
You could also set your business up on different social media platforms to expand your digital outreach. If you already have social accounts set up, think about how you can use them to engage with potential customers in your community. You might provide helpful tips about roof maintenance, post short videos explaining how to spot leaks or do visual inspections from the ground, or showcase past projects with beautiful graphics. You can use social platforms to remind people that you're still open to new business and eager to discuss future projects.
Now is also an excellent time to gather new leads so you can have a full client list when you're ready to resume work. Reach out to people who have interacted with your social media or call up past customers asking if they or anyone they know require roof repairs. If you live in a storm-prone area, you can use GAF WeatherHub to see where storms have previously hit so you can proactively call people who may have sustained roof damage.
Finally, now is a good time to consider making roof financing a part of your business model as more and more customers expect flexible payment options when making large purchases. Research different financing companies and payment solutions that can enable you to offer this option to your customers.
Upgrade Your Skills
Investing in yourself can yield huge returns in improvements to your business and your craft. Learning more about your trade not only helps improve your knowledge, it can also make you stand out from the competition.
Continuous skill development comes in many forms, from formal courses to interactive workshops. GAF Virtual Training provides contractors with on-demand opportunities to learn more about their trade and boost their business skills. A variety of GAF CARE webinars and videos are available online, including sessions on how to close a sale, leverage social media, allocate your marketing budget, and locate roof leaks. More intensive courses include a six-part series on understanding your business' key metrics so you don't get lost in the numbers.
You can also sign up for GAF's Learning Portal for quick information sessions or in-depth courses on hundreds of areas of interest to roofing contractors. Class topics range from installation techniques and commercial roof types to selling your services virtually and excelling at bidding for jobs.
When you're prepared, your confidence will show through as you prospect for new customers. Filling your downtime today by investing in continuous learning—even if that means doing one small activity each day—can help grow your business by giving you even more tools at your disposal.
For more tools and inspiration to help you achieve your business goals, visit our Roofer Certification resources.
