Being a good salesperson is just as important as being an incredible roofer. Though the idea of sales may seem daunting, anyone can do it with a few pointers.
In this article, we’ll outline six practical sales tips to help you communicate your professional experience to homeowners. This will make potential customers feel at ease and excited to work with you, and you’ll be ready to close deals confidently.
Understanding the Roofing Sales Process
Before we get into how to sell, let’s first break down what the sales process looks like. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that customers don’t engage with your sales team until they are about 57% of the way through their purchasing journey. That means they have researched you or your company thoroughly before reaching out. So if they’ve decided to reach out to you, they already know what they’re looking for.
Customers expect a high-quality sales experience with every business, regardless of the industry. And a knowledgeable sales representative plays a major factor in their final decision.
Most websites advising homeowners on how to find a roofing contractor tell them to choose three potential options. After the customer has created their short-list, they’ll invite you to the home to scope out the project and answer any questions they may have.
In order to stand out from the crowd, you need to have a well-researched sales pitch. Fortunately for you, our tips make crafting a winning pitch a breeze.
How To Be a Good Roof Salesman
Selling a potential customer on choosing you for the job is more than dressing well and being professional. Here are six subtle things that will make you stand out and close more deals.
1. Help Homeowners Visualize Their Dream Home
The most persuasive thing you can give potential customers is an accurate picture of what the project will look like. They’re more likely to get behind a project they can actually see. As a contractor, it’s your job to help them visualize what their home could look like.
Using HOVER is one of the best ways to showcase your future handy work. With just a few pictures from a smartphone, you can build a 3D model of any home. You can show owners exactly what their project could look like with different design options.
With this visual in front of them, they’ll be more likely to choose you as their contractor. Business win rates were an impressive 2.6X higher when roofers showed a HOVER 3D model during appointments. It’s exciting for people to see their own home transformed before their eyes, and HOVER gives them a fun and easy way to start playing with the possibilities.
2. Create a Tactile Experience
Touching and interacting with products while you shop is a very common experience. More than 55% of customers still visit the store before buying things online. This emphasizes the idea that a high-touch physical environment is important to the shopping experience. People want to feel and interact with the items they’ll buy. So why not incorporate it in your sales pitch?
When you head to the customer’s home, be sure to bring samples of shingles. Let them touch, feel, and compare all the different roofing options. You can explain the differences between the options and roofing materials, showing off your deep roofing knowledge. This will make the homeowners feel like they’re truly a part of the process, and they’ll become more emotionally invested in the materials and options you present.
3. Build Instant Rapport
Next time you’re talking to a good friend or someone you’re comfortable with, take a second and notice your body language. You might realize that you and your friend have the same posture: crossed legs, leaning on the table, clasped hands. This is called mirroring. It’s a communication technique that happens naturally when you’re comfortable with the person you’re communicating with.
You can use this technique when talking to someone new to make them instantly feel at ease. Try mirroring the other person’s body language in subtle ways. You’ll help them relax and make them more receptive to your pitch.
More than just mirroring the homeowner’s body language, we recommend matching their communication style as well. If you see that they like to get to the point and ask direct questions, get to the point and give them direct answers. If they want to spend time going over the details, show that you care about explaining everything thoroughly. Matching their communication style makes your customer feel like you’re speaking the same language—helping you land the sale.
4. Refine Your Sales Pitch
When you’re trying to sell yourself it’s easy to get carried away talking about everything you can do and all the options you can provide. But it can be overwhelming for the homeowner. Instead, sit back and listen first.
Lead the homeowner into the conversation by asking them about what they want instead of telling them everything they can have. They may already have an idea of what they’re looking for and simply need your help articulating it. Be understanding and focus on addressing the customer’s specific circumstances. Listen carefully and ask good questions. This will build trust between you and the potential customer. You’ll prove that you’re not trying to make the biggest sale but are looking out for their best interests.
5. Offer Honest Guidance
It’s ok to say no. Your customer will know when you’re simply trying to sell them something. So be honest with them about what’s possible. Are they interested in wood shingles but live in a wildfire zone? Do they like the idea of stucco but live in the Northeast? It’s your job to steer homeowners away from bad choices and in the right direction.
This can be challenging because homeowners can have their hearts set on a roofing material that isn’t compatible with where they live. Take the time to educate them on the pros and cons of each option, and be honest about what’s possible–and what isn’t. This is where you can show off your expertise by explaining how you’ll complete the project in a timely and cost-effective manner. 6. Give Them Options Showing a potential customer different choices will show you’re well informed and help you close more deals. A survey conducted in 2014 concluded that 80% of high-volume roofers offer homeowners at least two shingle options in their sales pitch.
Additionally, giving potential customers financing options can make you stand out. Roof replacements and repairs can be a steep investment for customers, and sometimes homeowner insurance will cover it.
But, if insurance won’t foot the bill, adjust your sales pitch by offering payment options and possibly even financing. Many homeowners will put off much-needed repairs because they are unable to afford them. It is important they know you can help make it work for their budget.
Get Out There & Sell with HOVER With these six tips, you’ll be able to overcome some of the biggest challenges of roofing sales, close more deals, and build your business. Here at HOVER, we’re happy to help you show off to potential customers what you can do for them. Get in touch with us today to learn how our solutions can make your sales and roofing processes more efficient.
