Steve Weyl knows how to grow a roofing business.
In the first 10 years, he took his company Able Roofing from zero to $10 million in annual sales. During the next 10 years, Steve grew his company to $105 million, making it the largest residential roofing company in the United States.
Today, Steve is a nationally renowned sales trainer. In this exclusive blog post, he shares the six biggest mistakes contractors make when selling to clients — and ways to avoid them for your roofing business, but how exactly does roofing financing work?
What is Roof Financing?
Roof financing is a way for contractors to offer their clients a way to pay for their roofs or insurance deductibles. It’s a way for contractors to make more money by upgrading roof projects without increasing the amount of time it takes to close a roofing job. But, it’s also a way for contractors to show off their expertise.
If you’re a contractor who offers roof financing, you’ll want to make sure you’re pre-qualifying your clients so you can make sure you’re only offering financing to those who are actually worth it.
Now that you know what roof financing is, here’s 6 mistakes that you need to avoid when offer financing options.
Mistake #1: Not having a money conversation prior to the quote
The first and biggest mistake you can make? Not having a conversation about money before you give a quote. Whether paying for a new roof themselves or paying for a deductible, some customers pay upfront with cash, and others use payment plans.
There’s a big difference between a cash buyer and a payment buyer. In one situation, you can ask for a deposit for materials and get final payment quicker. When you understand which bucket your customer falls into, you can better present the cost of the project.
Tip: Say something like:
Mistake #2: Not understanding your buyer’s payment comfort zone
In general, your client will have a price they want to pay for their roofing project. But, they’ll also have a price they will pay and a price they can pay. All of these numbers factor into the price they do pay in the end. Hearth’s financing calculator helps your customers find a range of monthly payment options and loan amounts.
Knowing your customer’s comfort zone helps you find a solution that makes them happiest, including upgrading to better shingles, gutters, or an additional service.
Tip: Say something like:
Mistake #3: Not pre-qualifying your customer before quoting
Want more of your roofing quotes to become deals? Don’t waste valuable time on someone that can’t afford your product or service. Pre-qualifying your client before giving the quote ensures that you’re spending your time on a roofing project that can actually happen.
Tip: Your client can get pre-qualified for financing options in minutes through Hearth, without affecting their credit score.
Mistake #4: Not knowing how much is available for the roofing project
How can you give a realistic quote to a customer you just met? If you don’t know how much your client has available for the project or how insurance can play a role, your quote might end up being more of a guess.
When your customer pre-qualifies through Hearth, you’ll know their payment limit and can tailor your quote.
Tip: You’ll receive a notification with the highest amount they can fund and payment options when your customer gets pre-qualified for loan options.
Mistake #5: Not having multiple financing options
What’s better than getting a financing option from one lending partner? Getting multiple offers from over a dozen different lending partners.
Offering multiple financing options is an easy way to increase your approval rate and close more roofing deals.
Tip: Financing options cater to different project sizes and credit scores making it more likely that your client will receive funding.
Mistake #6: Engaging with someone who won’t—or can’t—make a decision
Ever find yourself frustrated with a client who can’t make a decision? Often, there’s another person who needs to have a say in the decision-making process. Find out who you need to win over, and your job will be much easier.
Tip: Early on in the process, ask your client:
Make sure to cater your sales presentation to all of these people. Everyone in the household is living under this roof. Getting their approval is key.
With Steve Weyl’s expert tips and Hearth as a sales tool, you’ll be on your way to growing your business and increasing sales. Give us a call at (512) 686-4141 or contact us to request a demo to learn how you can incorporate Steve’s advice into your sales process.
You can also learn more about Steve’s sales training by contacting him at steve.weyl@sandler.com.
