How Roofers Can Connect with Homeowner’s Through Digital Marketing

In today’s digital-first world, successful roofer marketing isn’t just about running a few ads or updating your website. Every interaction you have with a homeowner — whether it’s a sales call, a social media post or an on-site consultation — should tie back to a well-thought-out marketing plan. That means considering how your brand is perceived, what platforms you’re using to communicate and how effectively you’re tailoring your message to different homeowner needs. 

If you’re a roofing contractor, marketing can’t be treated as an afterthought. It must be an integrated, intentional effort designed to build trust, educate your audience and ultimately win more business.

Best Practices for Communicating with Homeowners

No matter who you’re targeting in your roofing digital marketing, there are some general best practices you should follow. These go beyond the basics of dressing nice, tucking in your shirt, and having a clean truck — here are six ways to ensure homeowners feel confident when interacting with your crew, sales people, or marketing materials.

Use Clear, Jargon-Free Language

Explain roofing processes, materials and timelines using simple language, avoiding technical terms unless you define them. You will need to educate them on some basics of roofing, like what the shingling process looks like and what they can expect from your service.

If homeowners call you because of an emergency situation, assume that they are probably stressed. Be courteous and patient, as it may take longer for this homeowner to understand the situation.

Over-Communicate and Be Transparent

Outline general project scopes, financing options, schedules and any potential disruptions like inclement weather. Be transparent about cost ranges — leading with honesty can inspire trust in homeowners shopping around for their new roof.

When the job progresses, ensure the homeowner is well aware of next steps. Transparency into your process helps build trust and minimizes surprises, ensuring homeowners will feel calm and collected as you work.

Sell Them On Your Materials

Homeowners are likely hearing about the roofing materials you use for the first time. They are also likely nervous about making the right choice for their shingles. Instill that confidence in them by giving them all applicable specifications of the roofing materials.

For example, IKO shingles promise to bring both performance and curb appeal to every home we install on. Bring them samples of the shingles you plan to use so they can feel and see the quality for themselves.

Designate a Single Point of Contact

Your customers should have one primary point of contact they can reach out to with questions and concerns. On your website, be sure to give them the name, phone number and email of the estimator or sales person they can reach out to with questions about quotes, inspections or any other inquiry.

On job sites, this could be your project manager or a customer service representative. Within your roof installation crew, your foreman should be the one person who communicates updates to the homeowner.

Actively Listen and Encourage Questions

Homeowners may have a lot of opinions about their new roof or roof repairs. Train representatives to actively listen as they explain what they want so you can be proactive in selling them the right solution.

Other homeowners may not have a clear idea of what they want out of their new roof. In these moments, encourage them to ask questions. A great way to get them to ask questions is by asking questions yourself. Consider asking clarifying questions about their needs or repeating key points back to them to confirm your understanding of the job.

Provide Complete Documentation

Provide written estimates, contracts, warranties and receipts promptly. Clear documentation protects both you and the homeowner while also instilling trust in the relationship.

Tailoring Your Communication Techniques

Apply the above best practices into all of your marketing efforts and interactions with homeowners. That said, every homeowner is different — how to market a roofing company to one demographic may be completely different from another.

Consider these tips for the following demographics when custom-tailoring your marketing messaging.

Young Homeowners

Younger homeowners often prefer text updates over phone calls or emails. 74% of millennials rank text messaging as their “most used” communication method. While you may not want to bombard their phone with marketing messages, texting can be an effective way to follow up on requests or to create a communication plan with interested homeowners.

Creating short-form video content for Instagram Reels, TikTok or YouTube Shorts is also an effective way to market your business to the younger generation. These videos could be as simple as explaining the roofing process or showing off your finished work — anything to give your younger audience a glimpse into your work.

English as a Second Language

Be sure to have translated materials and bilingual support for homeowners whose native language is not English. Contracts, guides and digital tools should be in the homeowner’s preferred language whenever possible.

Some manufacturers will have pre-translated documents on their shingles. IKO offers materials in French, Spanish, Punjabi, Polish and Mandarin.

If you aren’t able to create roofer digital marketing materials in a second language, prioritize clear, simple language that would be easy for someone learning English to understand

Homeowners with Children

Homeowners with children are likely worried about how the roofing process will disrupt their lives. Nap times, school pickup hours and playtime may all be thrown into chaos if the roofing schedule is misaligned with their day. Additionally, the roofing process can begin very early in the morning — it’s not unusual for a crew to arrive before 6 a.m.

In your marketing and personal correspondence, focus on the efficiency of your process. Consider working with them to establish a timeline and schedule that works best with their kids. Also have clear messaging about safety precautions to ensure parents feel safe having their kids play outside after you’re done installing the new roof.

Budget Conscious

Be upfront about all costs, including incidentals and extra charges that may occur. Create a breakdown of estimates. Explain the benefits of different types of shingles to clearly outline the cost-benefit of different price points.

Having financing options can also help land a deal — monthly payments are a great way to buy a roof, especially if it’s not covered by the homeowner’s insurance.

Communicate all of this when you’re on a sales call with a homeowner. Or you may consider creating a blog post or a dedicated page on your website that explains all of these price nuances.

Single Homeowners

Single homeowners may not have a second person they can consult with about budgets, aesthetics or needs for the home. This may require them to request more information and documentation so they can learn and understand the process on their own timeline. Continue to be transparent and provide documentation when requested.

Women vs Men

Women and men both want strong curb appeal for their home. That said, women tend to be better at recognizing subtle differences in color, which may lead them to pay greater attention when selecting shingle colors.

Encourage them to explore color options by viewing a color gallery of shingles. IKO also has roof shingle color videos that help homeowners get a better understanding of what different shingle colors can look like on different types of homes.

We’d also recommend letting homeowners see your shingles in action by bringing samples to their home. They’ll be able to see how shingles could look on their home and in the sunlight before making their final decision.

Turn Communication Into Conversions

Whether you’re communicating with a young first-time buyer or a budget-conscious family, great marketing for roofing contractors is all about building trust. That means being clear, honest, professional and responsive — while tailoring your messaging to the homeowner’s unique needs.

To take your roofing contractor marketing to the next level, consider joining a trusted program like IKO’s ROOFPRO® loyalty program. ROOFPRO gives you access to co-branded marketing materials, homeowner leads, training resources and more. Don’t just work hard, work smart. Elevate your roofer marketing strategy with a plan that supports long-term growth.