You’ve done your part in getting a roofing client through the door. You’ve even checked out the job and served them an attractive quote. That’s a pretty hot lead, no question about it.
It’s all up to them now to offer you the job—just sit and wait.
Wrong.
In a perfect scenario, the client would reach out to you with a job offer. But that almost never happens. Potential customers can quickly lose interest or get snatched away by other roofers.
The key to converting such hot prospects is follow-up. Reach out to the client after writing them a roofing estimate. Try to solicit an actionable response and get the lead back in the game.
However, following up on roofing estimates is often easier said than done. Many contractors understandably dread follow-up calls.
Are you afraid of roofing follow-ups? Maybe you worry about seeming too naggy or pushy. Or perhaps you never know what to say.
That fear ends today. This article will guide you in making effective roofing follow-ups. It goes through these four talking points:
- The importance of effective follow-ups
- Mistakes to avoid in the follow-up process
- Best practices for effective follow-ups
- Why a structured follow-up system works
We’ll also share pro roofing follow-up tips along with some well-crafted roofing follow-up scripts.
Let’s get started.
The Lost Business Potential of Ineffective Follow-Ups
Does it feel like your customers sometimes play “hard to get”? It might seem like the customer is testing your resolve, but they could also be debating personal conflicts or struggling to understand your offer. And some customers are just difficult to work with.
Over half (60%) of customers will say “no” four times before finally accepting an offer. That’s why follow-up is so important. If you give up too quickly, you’ll likely lose a client. Up to 80% of sales require an average of five follow-up calls, yet about half of sellers never make a single follow-up attempt.
You might be losing money due to poor follow-up strategies (or the lack thereof) without even realizing it.
Let’s say your roofing company generates 50 qualified leads every month. In this case, a qualified lead is any new client you’ve given a roofing estimate.
Assume that you only convert 20% of leads without follow-up. If every roofing project earns an average of $1,000, you’ll only make $10,000 from a lead pool worth $50,000. In other words, you’ll lose $40,000 of potential revenue every month.
That’s how poor follow-up costs you leads, job opportunities, and potential earnings.
We can look at this from a competitive angle too. Over 90% of businesses never follow up on leads. A good follow-up strategy can position your company as a strong lead magnet and converter. You’ll essentially profit where so many other roofers fail.
RELATED ARTICLE — 4 Essential Elements of a Roofing Estimate (with Template!)
Things to Avoid in Follow-Up Processes
Follow-ups can be tricky. How do you re-engage potential clients repeatedly without coming off as too aggressive?
To get it right, you must know what not to do. Here are seven common pitfalls to avoid when following up on roofing quotes and bids.
Leaving Clients to Make Follow-Ups
Leaving follow-ups in clients’ hands is probably the worst mistake you can make. Even if a client desperately needs a roofing professional, they may not call you back. Some will, but most won’t.
Take the initiative yourself. Call up potential clients soon after sending them estimates.
Don’t sit around waiting for the phone to ring. You must put in the work to get paying roofing jobs, and that starts with following up on promising leads.
Waiting Too Long to Follow Up
You have a limited window to follow up on a roofing prospect. The clock starts ticking the moment you send an estimate. Make sure you contact the client within the first 24 hours.
Leads may start to go cold as that re-engagement window closes. The longer you delay or postpone a follow-up, the more time the client has to consider other offers. If your competitors are quick on their feet, they’ll likely snatch the contract.
Giving Up Too Soon
It’s unlikely to land a roofing contract after just one follow-up. Only 2% of leads convert after the first contact, whereas 95% of leads convert after the sixth follow-up attempt.
Following up on a roofing estimate can be discouraging and even frustrating at times. But keep at it. What’s the worst that could happen—the client says “no?” A bit of persistent persuasion can sometimes turn that “no” into a “yes.”
Reusing the Same Generic Pitch
Using the same old generic pitch on every follow-up attempt simply won’t work. Besides being boring, it might seem like an auto-generated message.
Personalize every follow-up pitch. For instance, address the client by name and base the messaging around their unique roofing needs. Also, reference previous conversations. Remind them what you agreed on earlier so they understand why you’re reaching out.
Bad Timing
Some contractors make follow-up calls at the worst time. Early morning, late evening, midday, and off-work hours are the worst times to call prospects. That’s according to data-backed research.
The best times for follow-up calls are mid-to-late morning hours and late afternoon hours. That’s when most people, especially those on a 9-5 schedule, are most receptive to follow-ups and cold pitches.
Sending Ambiguous Messages
Avoid follow-up messages that are not clearly defined. Ensure every follow-up attempt has a specific goal and call to action.
For instance, don’t say, “… I’ll call you again next week to see where we are with the roofing proposal.”
Say this instead, “… We could schedule a call next week to go over the roofing proposal in more detail. How does Tuesday 10 AM sound?”
The second message clearly specifies the next step and encourages the client to respond.
Also, try not to bombard the prospect with too much information. Keep the message brief and concise. Take the lead down the customer journey one step at a time; don’t rush them.
Making Too Many Follow-Ups
While it takes multiple follow-ups to convert a roofing lead, go easy on the follow-ups. Too many calls and emails can frustrate the prospect. Even worse, excessive follow-ups can ruin your brand reputation and push customers away.
So, how many follow-ups should you make?
It’s not really about the number but the frequency, intent, and response. Set follow-ups every couple of days to keep reigniting the prospect’s interest in your roofing service. However, schedule and craft each subsequent follow-up depending on how the previous follow-up went.
Read the customer’s behavior and response to your follow-ups. The idea is to maximize engagement without being spammy. So, ensure you have something meaningful and relevant to say every time you contact a potential client.
RELATED ARTICLE — How to Get More Roofing Leads
Best Practices for Effective Follow-Ups
You’ve learned what not to do when following up on roofing leads. But what really makes an effective follow-up strategy?
Perfect your follow-up game with these pro tips and best practices.
Use Multiple Follow-Up Channels
How you contact clients during follow-ups matters. Try different communication channels, including:
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Text messages
- Social media
- Snail mail
- Written notes
- In-person visits
Having a variety of options lets you choose the most appropriate communication medium. Voice call and email are often the go-to modes of conducting follow-ups. But some customers might be easier to reach using other means.
Be Consistent
Keep in mind that following up is a big part of how you interact with customers. So, make sure your follow-ups are consistent in terms of scheduling, messaging, and even tone of voice.
Start by setting clear objectives and expectations. What responses are you looking for, and what do you hope to get out of these interactions? Obviously, the ultimate goal is to score roofing jobs. The question is how you get to that goal.
Additionally, maintain a consistent structure in all your follow-ups. A good structure will guide you in delivering the relevant message and keeping things simple. You need guardrails to ensure your messaging is concise and on point, too.
Add Value in Every Follow-Up
Each follow-up should build upon the existing customer relationship. If done right, these interactions can foster trust, respect, and lasting connections. And that helps nudge the customer further along the buyer’s journey.
Craft follow-ups that make human connections. That’s the easiest way to add value in re-engagements. Don’t make it seem like you are just after the client’s money. Show that you acknowledge, understand, and value their needs.
Bring out the human side of your roofing business. Do so by making emotional connections with clients.
Automate Your Follow-Up Processes
Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to automate customer interactions. CRM, email clients, and other digital tools can drastically simplify estimate follow-ups. You can even have roofing contractor software with multiple functions and capabilities.
For instance, you can use modern systems to segment your leads. That should make it easier to write personalized sales pitches to each prospect. You can also set follow-up reminders, send automatic roofing follow-up emails or text messages, track follow-ups, and measure lead performance.
Follow Up Even After Losing an Opportunity
Getting a “no” from a potential lead is dissappointing. However, “no” is not always dismissive. It might be the client’s way of saying “I need more time,” “I don’t have all the information,” “I don’t understand the estimate,” or “I’m still weighing my options.”
So, follow up even after hearing a no. Find out what the problem might be and how you can solve it. If the estimate is too high, perhaps you can lower your margin or work out a fair payment plan.
If it’s a hard “no,” you can at least learn why you lost. Any reasons the client gives may help you improve your estimating and follow-up processes.
Know When to Quit
You can’t win them all. Know and accept when you’ve lost a roofing lead or bid. Seize communication when there’s nothing more you can say or do to convert a lead.
This usually happens when you’ve reached an impasse or the client decides to go another direction. Respect their decision and terminate the follow-up on a positive note.
RELATED ARTICLE — How to Get and Close (More) Roofing Jobs
The Benefits of a Structured Follow-Up Framework
Following up on roofing estimates is a systematic process. It’s important to have a structured approach that dictates the whole process, including when to follow up, who to call, what to say, and the objectives to pursue. A structured follow-up framework also promotes consistency and efficiency.
These are the four reasons why you need a structured follow-up framework for your roofing leads:
- Draw a clear lead conversion roadmap. A methodical follow-up process provides a clear roadmap to achieving predefined lead conversion goals. It ensures you stay on track to landing more roofing jobs.
- Eliminate repetition. It’s easier to manage and organize follow-ups when working with a system. That eliminates embarrassing blunders like getting pitches mixed up and repeating follow-up messages.
- Simplify follow-up tracking. Taking a structured approach helps you keep tabs on follow-up activities. You can easily tell the roofing estimates you’ve followed up on, how far you’ve gotten with each lead, and where to go from there.
- Ensure timely follow-ups. Scheduling is a crucial part of structured follow-ups. You can mark out follow-up activities on a calendar or timetable to ensure you never miss or delay a follow-up.
RELATED ARTICLE — 13 Roofing Advertising Ideas for Your Business
Free Sales Scripts
The key to effective roofing estimate follow-up is a well-crafted pitch. A good follow-up pitch should check all these boxes:
- Personalized message
- Clear call to action
- Open-ended questions to encourage response
- Specific objective
- Positive conversational tone
- Brief and concise wording
- Simple, easy-to-understand language
A follow-up pitch must do five things: express gratitude, explain that you’re following up on a roofing estimate, outline what happens next, and invite the client’s feedback. That’s the basic structure of a roofing follow-up pitch whether you’re reaching out via email, phone call, letter, or in-person visit.
With that in mind, let’s look at three examples of sales scripts you can use to follow up on roofing leads.
Script 1 (Email)
Subject line: Let’s discuss your last roofing estimate
Hi [prospect’s name],
Thank you for considering [your company’s name] for your roofing project. We’d be happy to replace the worn shingles and underlying deck for you.
I sent you a roofing estimate yesterday after the inspection. Hopefully, you’ve had time to look it over. I’d love to discuss those figures with you in more detail and answer any questions you might have.
Let’s do this over a cup of coffee. Does Thursday 4 PM work for you?
In the meantime, let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with. You can reach me via email or my cell [your phone number] at any time.
Looking forward to our meeting.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Script 2 (Email)
Subject line: Estimate review for your new roof
Hi [prospect’s name],
Thank you for taking the time on Monday to show me around the construction site where you’re building a new home. It’s always a pleasure being part of such an awesome project.
My team prepared a roofing estimate and sent it to you yesterday. I’m eager to hear your thoughts on the proposal and shed more light on the estimated costs and figures.
How about I call you on Wednesday at 10 AM to set up a meeting?
Don’t hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions.
I look forward to our call on Wednesday morning.
Best regards,
[your name]
[your title]
[your company name]
[your contact information]
Script 3 (Phone Call)
Hello [prospect’s name], this is [your name] with [your company’s name]. How are you doing this morning?
Thank you for reaching out to my company about your roofing problem.
I emailed you an estimate for the roof repair job, which I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. I’m sure you have some questions about the costs and figures—that’s actually why I’m calling.
I’d be happy to go over the estimate with you right now.
(Discuss the estimate if the client agrees. Proceed with the script if the client says now is not a good time.)
If you’re short of time, how about we schedule a quick meet-up or phone call? I’m thinking Monday at 11 AM, does that work for you?
Thank you so much for your time.
I look forward to seeing you on Monday. Until then, feel free to call if you have any questions.
RELATED ARTICLE — Scaling Your Small Roofing Business
Check Back for Updates
The process of converting a lead into a paying roofing client starts with that first follow-up. Don’t shy away from making the first call. Take control of the follow-up process; don’t leave it in the hands of customers.
However, there’s more to lead generation, nurturing, and conversion than simply making follow-ups. Keep checking this post and our blog for more guides and explainers on how to grow your roofing business.
RELATED ARTICLE — Roof Estimating 101: How to Estimate a Roofing Job
Convert More Roofing Leads with RoofSnap
If you’re going to follow up on a roofing estimate, it better be a good estimate to begin with. A reasonable estimate is the key to winning roofing bids and quotes. The challenge, though, lies in coming up with an accurate, fair, competitive, yet profitable estimate. Plus, crunching those numbers sure takes time.
RoofSnap offers a simpler, faster, and more convenient way to calculate roofing estimates. The solution is an all-in-one roofing software with robust tools for measuring and costing roofing jobs. This single platform will help you create professional-looking bids and quotes based on accurate figures.
Close more roofing jobs with RoofSnap. Get started with a free trial today.
