Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry M
You guys that do roofs all the time, or you in the yellows under roofing contractors or just under pressure washing? People here in the Midwest are sooooo uneducated about algae streaks and will have their roofs replaced because of streaks, even if the shingles themselves are in good shape.  It makes me sick and I can't stop it, a huge bank is being re-roofed in my town because of streaks and a guy I know is having his house done because of streaks. My customers see my before/after pics and say they didn't know you could clean that off. I was thinking about having a good sized ad in the yellows next year under the roofing contractors heading. To catch people who are thinking of having their roofs replaced. The heading of the ad could say "What Roofing Contractors Don't Want You To Know". And then go into my low pressure roof cleaning speel. I'm sure it would really P some roofers off and they would probably bad mouth me and sick the EPA on me but do you guys think this could work. I would also be under the Pressure Washing heading too. |
Hello Barry,
I worked as a roofer for years, and then as a Sales Manager for Motorola.
I had 14 salespeople I was responsible for.
We sold Business 2 way radio.
I got into roof cleaning 14 some years ago when I got tired of the corporate world.
I started Apple Roof Cleaning by going door to door, offering free non pressure roof cleaning demonstrations.
Of course, we made it a point to always demo the front center of a roof, LOL
All my advertising in the early days had "Free Non Pressure Roof Cleaning Demo's" as the headline.
In my experience, it is a mistake to think you can just drop an ad in any publication, and succeed in this business.
You MUST be able to sell, and more importantly, to CLOSE.
I strongly believe in PDC ... that is Personal Direct Contact, and that means knocking on doors of people I do not even know.
Even though my company, Apple Roof Cleaning, is a household word here in Tampa, I still knock on peoples doors.
I do not waste my time putting flyers in mailboxes, choosing instead to work the block I am working on personally.
Networking is crucial as well, like Don Phelps said in one of his posts.
I think Don said he had great luck networking with some General Contractors ??
GC's are hard to get in with, but once you are "IN", and they trust you, it is almost impossible to unseat you.
Though my commercial equipment and experience is at least comparable to Don's, I sincerely doubt that in a competitive situation I would get any job away from him, simply because he has earned his GC's trust.
So Barry, I think if you take both Don's commercial advice, and my residential advice, and perhaps try the yard sign's with a half cleaned roof, you will be successful.
We aways leave a Yard sign, but in Tampa they do not last long, competitors steal them!
We have even watched competitors remove our Flyers from Mailboxes!
But one thing a competitor can not stop is you selling!
Because all Motorola salespeople were required to cold call, AND document it, it comes "easy" to me.
I see people here, and on other boards, spending great amounts of time learning, and re learning, the technical aspects of this business.
Technical prowess mans diddly, unless you have jobs to do.
You MUST learn how to sell, if you are to survive in this business.
Here in Tampa, I have watched competitors copy my every advertising move, only to drop like flies when they can't pay the ad bills.
I have had them stake out my trucks, to see what we are "running", advertise everywhere we do, and they still bite the bullet eventually.
In over 14 years, have you any idea how many I have watched come and go ?
But we remain, because I built Apple Roof Cleaning in my image, as best I could.
The old Motorola Sales Manager trained my people to sell!
Though for personal reasons, we have downsized, I still have many ex employees who want to make an extra buck.
When I find out a subdivision is getting letters, IF I can't hit all the homes myself, I call in my ex employees, and see if they want to make an extra buck ?
Though we do not run 3 full time trucks anymore, we still have them.
So, I pay my ex employees a sales commission, AND turn em loose in a truck if need be, so they make it on both ends.
Oh, before I forget, you can not advertise under Roofing Contractors unless you are a licensed roofing contractor.
It is against the law, and will piss off roofers who might someday send you business.
So, unless you have a roof cleaning column, you will have to go under Pressure Washing.
But, unless roof cleaning is a known service in your area, you will first have to make it one.
And, you do that by knocking on doors, offering free demo's.
That's how we did it ...
Roof Cleaning Advertising
Linear Mode
