Category: <span>Customers</span>

Category: Customers

NRCA Urges Consumers to Recognize National Roofing Week 2018, Identify Local Contractor in Preparation for Summer Storms

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Rosemont, Illinois – The National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) is urging communities to recognize the significance of roofs to every home and business during National Roofing Week, which takes place June 3-9. NRCA also is reminding consumers National Roofing Week comes at the beginning of summer storm season and encourages them to prepare for severe summer weather by identifying a local roofing contractor before a storm hits.

Severe summer weather often is followed by fraudulent contractors who show up and attempt to prey on the emotions of homeowners and business owners whose roofs have been badly damaged by a tornado, hail storm or hurricane.

During National Roofing Week, NRCA is urging consumers to research and find a reputable local roofing contractor ahead of the storm. Having this information in advance will protect storm victims from also becoming the victims of a fraudulent contractor.

“National Roofing Week comes at a time when knowing your local roofing contractor is more important than ever,” says Reid Ribble, NRCA’s CEO. “Homeowners and business owners should protect themselves by putting their roofing contractor’s phone number on their refrigerator or in their cell phone in case of emergency.”

The roof is one of the most important components of a structure. It is the first line of defense against natural elements such as rain, snow or wind, yet it is often taken for granted until it falls into disrepair. During National Roofing Week, NRCA also encourages its members to participate by engaging in their communities and informing the public about the essential role roofs and professional roofing contractors play in every community.

NRCA will recognize National Roofing Week by highlighting the work, training and good deeds of its members and their employees on its various social media outlets.

Additional information about National Roofing Week can be found at www.nrca.net/roofingweek. To find a local roofing contractor in your area, visit NRCA’s consumer website at www.everybodyneedsaroof.com.

NRCA is one of the construction industry’s most respected trade associations and the voice of roofing professionals and leading authority in the roofing industry for information, education, technology and advocacy. It represents all segments of the roofing industry, including contractors; manufacturers; distributors; architects; consultants; engineers; building owners; and city, state and government agencies. NRCA’s mission is to inform and assist the roofing industry, act as its principal advocate and help members in serving their customers. NRCA continually strives to enhance every aspect of the roofing industry. For information about NRCA and its services and offerings, visit www.nrca.net

Digital Content Marketing Has Rapidly Changed the Way Companies Acquire Business

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By Ken Kelly, Kelly Roofing.

Forget everything you knew about marketing. There’s a new trend sweeping the world and shaking the foundation of what we all know works. It’s called content marketing, and it is for real.

Content marketing differs from traditional marketing in its customer communication approach. Traditional marketing relied on disruption and attention-grabbing tactics. Content marketing focuses on providing benefit to the consumer during his or her time of research and helping the customer make a good buying decision.

Companies that understand content marketing start by changing the structure of their business. They no longer have one department for sales and another department for marketing. In order to deliver excellent UX, or user experience, these departments and positions are being combined into a new trend called “smarketing.” Smarketing departments and smarketing managers ensure that the company’s message is unified through all channels at all customer contact points. Let’s look at specific ways smarketers are using content marketing to succeed.

Traditional vs. Content Marketing

Quantity of leads vs. quality of leads. It used to be all about the number of leads marketing was able to drive into the company. It was then up to the sales team to work its magic and pressure the customer into a decision. Well, not anymore. Today’s customers do 63 percent of their large-purchase research prior to engaging with a company. Content marketing provides customers the information they are looking for, thus focusing on only those who are about to buy.

Marketing budget increase vs. competition score. Considered fact, it is a wide-held view that increasing the amount of money spent in marketing directly increases the company’s sales. Not true. There are market limits. An easy example would be trying to increase sales in your service and repair department. If it’s not raining, roofs aren’t leaking. It doesn’t matter how much money you dump into marketing. If there isn’t a need, sales will not increase. Content marketing focuses on winning every one of those customers who do have a leak, when they have them. Save your money and increase your win rate by directly targeting those customers at a time of need with helpful information that the customer will find truly beneficial.

Volume vs. targeted user. Not a week goes by where we don’t receive a spam email from some SEO expert promising to increase our website’s performance. Given the opportunity, they really can make it look as though your site is better, bigger and generating more traffic. But, is traffic really leads? Or, better yet, does increased traffic directly equate to an increased number for jobs won? Not in this case, no. So, when you review your KPIs, or key performance indicators, with your marketing team, don’t get excited when you see traffic increasing. Content marketers would look at only one metric: did it help us win more jobs? The key isn’t to blindly rank higher or increase Web size. The key is to target specific customer types so that they find exactly what they are looking for.

Amount of content vs. quality of content. I used to think it was important to provide customers all the information they could possibly need on our website. The concept was simple; if they have everything they are looking for, the customers won’t need to go elsewhere. However, it didn’t take long for my own consumer behavior to change my opinion on this. We are all busy and time is an increasingly more valuable resource. Consumers don’t want to go looking for things. They want it served up in a way that is easily digestible and actionable. Essentially, less is more. Content marketing is all about being concise and giving customers exactly what they will find useful. This concept doesn’t stop at websites either. Make sure your entire marketing message is concise and easy for the customer to benefit from.

Social activity vs. social media demographics. If you’re like many people trying to use social media for promotion, there is an air of confusion where to invest resources. Mastering social media is all about knowing your client’s demographics. Women tend to enjoy Pinterest. Google+ has an active user base of 73 percent males. Business owners focus their time on LinkedIn. Each of these social media streams has a different style of communication. To create a content marketing strategy, target your potential customers by creating specific campaigns that speak directly to each of their needs in the area they spend time.

Specifications vs. A/B testing. A high-quality content marketing strategy ignores jargon, specifications and promotional brochures. Content marketing focuses on quality original content, good design, frequent updates, and concise, omni-channel, responsive and truly beneficial deliverables that customers use to educate themselves on the path to good decision making.

Contact us vs. strong call to action (CTA). Every site has a “contact us” page, and it should. This is reserved for more general communications. Smarketing managers are using content marketing principles and making it easy for the customer to do business with their companies. One simple way is by creating strong CTAs. Each piece of content should have a link to gain more information or to enlist help. There is an entire science behind consumer behavior that goes into creating great CTAs. Everything from color, font, typeset, wording, images, layout, placement and size should be studied and considered when creating CTAs.

Note: This article is a condensed version of the one first published in Roofing Contractor Magazine and the full article can be viewed here.

Technology and the customer experience

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By Heidi J. Ellsworth.

 

Consumers are demanding a customer experience that uses technology.  How your company embraces technology will make a big difference in your marketing opportunities for the future.  Amazon, iTunes and Google services are used by consumers everyday no matter which industry you are working in.  So why would roofing customers not look for technological solutions when they are looking for roofing services?

It is becoming more apparent, that the selling model is changing.  The days of demanding that the husband and wife both be present for a sales call is changing.  In fact, in the very near future some of the sales calls may only be online.  Consumers are finding your company in all different ways and demanding a different customer experience that uses technology.   Through referrals, social media and the Google searches, they are taking the time to educate themselves on roofing and the companies that provide roofing services.  It is a changing dynamic.

 

So, how do you adapt to this ever-changing reality?  I say, common sense.  If anything, the explosion of the use of technology is pushing the need for common sense more than ever.  But the basis of common sense is understanding your audience.  Take the time to understand how they are looking for roofing services and what their expectations entail.  It cannot be all technology, we know the importance of relationships but we also cannot live in the unrealistic world of “how it used to be.”  Sales and marketing needs to promote your entire business and needs to highlight how the company is delivering amazing service.  Technology must be a big part of the service process.  If the culture of your company and the business processes are not current with recent technology, customers will know.

 

Now is the time to evaluate how your company is incorporating technology and whether it is making for a better customer and employee experience.  Both groups need to be happy and we all realize that it will not be easy.  Taking the time to educate both customers and employees is crucial when it comes to adapting technology or when making significant changes.  As you review the following buyer behaviors, understand that by embracing technology for the ease of your customers and betterment of the employee experience, you are doing some of the best marketing you can for an improved customer experience for your business.

 

  1. Consumers are doing their research

The day and age of consumers being clueless about roofing is for the most part over.  Don’t get me wrong, there are many consumers who do not research before buying and hope for the best.  But as information continues to not only be obtainable but promoted, consumers are becoming more educated.  In fact, it is your manufacturers who are reaching out to the end user, whether it be residential or commercial, and working on not just advertising to them but educating them on what they deem as the best roofing solution.  You need to be ready for the educated consumer and have your sales team and production team prepared to work with them.

 

  1. They are researching your company 
    This statement may seem antiquated, but if you do not have a website, you need one. Consumers are looking for information on your company and it will start with your website.  But, it will not stop there.  They will check social media, reviews and industry information.  This is where being a part of an association can make a large difference.  Showing how your company is involved and validated by the industry is very important.  Make sure your online reputation and resources are up to date and spotless.

 

  1. They are self-qualifying 
    In the past we have talked about qualifying customers. Today, they are self-qualifying.  They are educated enough to look at your website and online resources and understand if you are a good fit.  This is why it is so important to know your customers and understand the audience you want to attract to your business model.  Then, make sure you are sharing the information that will convince the end-user that your company is a good fit.  The traditional way of obtaining 3 bids is dying on the vine due to time.  Consumers want to spend their time online qualifying the right contractor.  It might come down to two but very easily it can come down to that one company that really told the story online.  If the customer experience continues to be great, they will most likely not shop around and pay potentially higher prices for quality work.

 

  1. They want to be educated not sold 
    Time is what it is all about and if the sales process pressures the consumer, they are as likely to back away. They want to be educated so they feel they are making a good decision.  There is also a strong impression within the younger generations that a processed sales procedure is not good.  They see it coming and they rebel against the process.  They want to feel respected which means your sales team taking the time to provide strong, honest information about the roofing process.  As much of that information that can be online ahead of the sale, the better to close the sale.

 

  1. Referrals are golden but reviews are the last word
    Reports show that an overwhelming number of people are influenced by online reviews. That is why the customer experience from the first touch, all the way to the final inspection is so important.  You need that customer to not only write a complimentary review but to be an active advocate or brand ambassador of your company.  They will spread the word about how you are the roofing company to use.  That will not happen if the roofing experience is bad during any part of the experience.  Make sure all of your employees understand how important it is to deliver the highest level of customer service, no matter what their position in the company.

 

We have been seeing the growth of marketing technology in the roofing industry for the past couple of years but get ready for an explosion in 2018.  We are now looking at exponential growth as consumers start to demand the use of technology and like-minded sales processes in the buying process.  As you work on your 2018 marketing plan, be sure to include technology and how you are going to use it as a marketing tool.

 

Note: This article first appeared on RoofersCoffeeShop.com and can be viewed here.