Author Archives: Roofers Guild

Roof Coating vs. Replacement: What’s The Practical Choice?

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Key Takeaway

Roof coatings are frequently a superior choice to replacements because of affordability, energy efficiency, and extended longevity.

A roof coating vs. replacement, What’s the more practical choice in 2023?

It’s one of the most frustrating situations to find yourself needing an early roof replacement for your building. The unforeseen expense can send budgets flying out of control! Of course, this sort of project also creates interruptions that many businesses simply can’t afford.

What if you could skip all this hassle?

In the following post, Roofer’s Guild discusses the enormous savings potential of commercial roof coatings. The restoration process offers a more convenient way to handle long-term degradation and extend the life of your current system.

If your business is facing commercial roof replacement soon, be sure to read through the post.

Helpful Tips for Building Owners

  • A coating (i.e., roof restoration) is generally much cheaper than a complete replacement.
  • Coatings provide a lucrative means of saving electricity in your building.
  • The added protection also extends the life of your roof and reduces maintenance requirements.

What are Commercial Roof Coatings?

While relatively new to the industry, commercial roof coatings have slowly become a favorite solution among businesses throughout the United States. Available in both brush-applied and sprayed forms, they cover the rooftop’s surface to create a seamless layer of protection against the elements.

Rooftop coatings were designed to address a rising tide of premature roof failures, especially among flat systems. While they had a rocky start with mixed results, commercial roof coatings matured and became a dependable solution.

Now thousands of business owners and building managers depend on these restorative coatings to preserve their rooftops.

Why Choose a Roof Coating?

Let’s say a building relies on a fairly dependable but aging TPO rooftop. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, wind, and ponding water leaves the membrane cracked and scarred. You know what happens next! Leaks slowly develop in the seams and damaged areas, and moisture seeps into the building below. The building owner and/or manager face a serious dilemma:

Should the roof be repaired or replaced?

Repairs cost less but generally leave the building vulnerable to problems a few years later. Then again, an early replacement is an even less attractive option. Who wants to spend tens of thousands of dollars to replace a roof long before its projected end of life? This leads us to a middle-ground solution that takes a more aggressive path than repairs but costs far less than replacement.

Benefits of Roof Coatings

One of the most underrated benefits of coatings is their rejuvenating properties for your roofing system. The fluid carefully slips into cracks and marred areas of the rooftop surface, sealing them against further moisture invasion.

While there are limits to the number of damage coatings can mend, they do a fantastic job of fixing minor degradation on the rooftop! You don’t have to wait until long-term damage puts your roof on the brink. A solid, seamless coating also benefits newer rooftops.

Restoration Falls on the Repair Side of the Repair vs Replacement Spectrum

If your current system was installed with many seams, a thick new top layer would preserve those seams against leaks.

Coatings and Energy Efficiency

Cool roofing refers to any roofing system or solution that reduces the surface temperature of a building’s rooftop, preventing heat gain during peak sunlight hours. By incorporating highly reflective commercial roof coatings, business owners can transform a heat-sponging flat roof solution (such as EPDM) into a highly energy-efficient system. What does that mean for companies in the real world?

A cool roof coating saves hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars in air conditioning costs each year. 

Whether you depend on a black-top roof or a fading lighter color, commercial roof coatings offer a fantastic defense against preventable heat gain. For those looking to reap the maximum energy benefits from the restoration process, both polyurethane and urethane-modified acrylics offer impressive benefits for your roof’s solar reflectance rating!

Chemical Resistance for Your Rooftop

Corrosion claims countless rooftops every year. Rainwater naturally causes rust in some metal systems, gradually eating away at their lifespan. Not only does the right coating cover this unsightly corrosion, but it also protects the rooftop from further decay. Industry specialists almost always recommend protective coatings for new commercial metal roofs. 

Not every chemical threat comes from a natural source. Industrial companies sometimes vent byproducts harmful to their roofing system. Many turn to flexible, elastomeric coatings to shield their expansive rooftops from the synthetic corrosion and warping that would otherwise damage each system.

As an added bonus, some commercial roof coatings (such as polyurethane) provide additional protection against mechanical trauma from foot traffic and scraping hardware.

Equipment Edges Protected by Commercial Roof Coatings

Coatings offer great protection for areas traditionally vulnerable to leaks. As a result, leak protection is a major consideration when it comes to roof coating vs. replacement.

Find Your Commercial Coating Expert

Whether you choose coating or replacement, hiring the best roofing contractor is critical. Take your time finding the best roofing company in your area, especially one specializing in commercial roof coatings.

Check their reviews on Google Business Profile, Yelp, and other trusted reputation platforms. Furthermore, check out their company website for any images from previous commercial roof coatings.

How to Promote Metal Roofing (Ads, Marketing, Etc.)

Metal roofing represents a fantastic, often lucrative opportunity for companies across the United States.

Despite their high-ticket earnings potential, many roofing contractors simply don’t know how to promote these efficient roofing materials.

Some waste money on traditional advertising activities, while others experience zero results from their online marketing efforts.

Instead of throwing your hands up in the air and doubling down on shingles, why not develop your own low-cost, high-reward strategy for metal roofing?

The following guide outlines how to promote metal roofing in 2025 using marketing and advertising.

Our guide dives into roofing marketing channels like SEO and PPC, which can produce metal roofing leads for your business.

Promote Metal Roofing (Blog Cover)

A Quick Disclaimer

Google Search acts as a starting point for billions of consumer inquiries, including those regarding metal roof installations. Our recommendations depend upon a well-crafted website optimized for search.

If your website is performing poorly, or you don’t know how well your site is generating leads, consult a digital marketing professional before taking on these new activities.

The 4 Types of Micro-Moments Help Explain the Stages of Metal Roofing Interest.

Promote Metal Roofing (Screenshot)

Source: Google

Understanding the Buyer Interest Cycle

Google defines four key categories that most consumer searches fall into.

These “micro-moments” describe the user intent behind the Google searches:

  • “I Want to Know”
  • “I Want to Go”
  • “I Want to Do” 
  • “I Want to Buy”

The first and the last types of micro-moments are the ones we are most interested in for metal roofing promotions.

The others provide useful insights for your roofer SEO (search engine optimization), but that’s for another day’s discussion.

“I want to know” moments mostly relate to topical research when homeowners or businesses first begin their search for roof replacement options.

“I want to buy” moments, on the other hand, involve searches with heavy purchase intent.

The most successful roofing contractors know how to pursue leads in each stage and in between.

Early Stage Metal Roofing Promotion – Developing Interest

Indirect Topic Promotion Through Content Marketing

In the early stages of interest, future customers may not even be looking for a roof replacement. In fact, they might even have their mind on the subject at all.

At this stage, we’re simply sowing seeds that may or may not mature into new leads down the road.

In a way, roofers are actually promoting the topic of metal roofing rather than their own brands.

In other words, early-stage promotion falls into the realm of content marketing. 

For example, energy efficiency provides the perfect introductory topic for metal roofing.

Metal Roofing Mentioned in a LEED Building Article

If your business hasn’t tried content marketing yet, it’s worth experimenting with.

Not only does it have value for your roofing SEO performance, but content marketing also requires negligible monetary investment on your company’s part.

Where to Invest Your Time (Plus Benefits)

  • Research and Data Studies – Original research and data studies to attract backlinks for SEO
  • Facebook Posts – promote popular stories with Facebook Ads later
  • Instagram Stories – share pictures of your latest metal roofing projects
  • YouTube Videos – explain the differences between types of roofing

Remember, content marketing doesn’t mean you never take the chance to promote your brand.

In fact, every Facebook post and YouTube video should link back to your website, where potential leads can move further through the buying funnel.

Of course, there are some more direct ways to promote metal roofing installation.

Direct Promotion via Website Content

As always, your greatest online marketing tool isn’t your Facebook Business account or paid ads. It’s your website.

Almost every digital marketing activity begins and ends with your company website. Ensuring that your site ranks well and continues to earn leads is the entire point behind SEO for roofers.

After Google’s Helpful Content Update, unique and original website content performs well on search results.

Direct Topic Promotion in Website Blog Post

Dig deep into the roofing category you’re trying to promote. Discuss what you love most about metal roofing and which brands provide the best value.

Just focus on providing valuable, insightful content that proves why homeowners (and businesses) should be interested. 

Of course, your website has many ways to promote metal roofing.

Top Promotional Activities

  • Embedded YouTube Videos
  • Infographics
  • Links to Related Consumer Publications
  • Research and Data Studies (i.e., blog posts)

Videos and other rich visual media typically provide the best results. They make the benefits of metal roofing feel more real than plain text.

These resources also make for great social media content later on.

Make such a strong impression that your company name automatically gets on a potential client’s list when they are ready to start the purchase process.

Late Stage Metal Roofing Promotion – Buying Intent

Earlier, we discussed the four key micro-moments consumers experience when searching online. We’ve talked about the first research-oriented moment.

Now we’re moving on to “I want to buy.” Consumers and businesses in this category have the highest levels of purchase intent, which is why roofing contractors struggle so fiercely to earn their attention.

If your business wants to thrive in the online marketplace, you’ll need to know how to capitalize on this user intent.

If you want to dominate in the “I want to buy” category, you’ll need to master three critical areas:

  • Organic Search Optimization
  • Paid Search Campaigns
  • Citations & Reputation Management

Few listings earn such incredible traffic as Local 3-Packs. Best of all, the conversion rate is high because of your associated reviews.

Roof Installers Search

Search Engine Optimization: Local Results

We’ve already discussed how important website optimization is for your long-term success. But what does an optimized website even look like?

Many metal roofers can benefit from hiring from one of the best roofing SEO companies. For roofers, website design elements include the company logo, calls to action, and navigation menu.

Don’t forget about the content within the pages themselves that drive results. You’ll need to ensure your pages are keyword-optimized to capture the best results for metal roofing prospects.

How to Optimize Content Keywords

  • Include local city and state additions to your focus keyword.
  • Sprinkle variations of your focus keywords throughout the pages.
  • Mention related roofing topics.
  • Don’t stuff your page with too many keywords.
  • Include related phrases in your image attributes.

Be sure all your service pages are neatly tucked under a handful of primary service categories.

After all, you don’t want people to skip your website because they can’t find your standing seam metal roofing page beneath the green roofing services.

Search Adverts for Metal Roofing: Paid Results

As you can imagine, the competition for metal roofing installation is extremely fierce regarding local Google results.

Organic (unpaid) keyword results can be challenging to come by, especially from brand-new roofing contractors. That’s why many companies choose to skip the competition through paid Google Ads.

These campaigns allow roofers to advertise their metal roofing services within a specified geographical radius, your service area.

These ads have several alluring advantages over traditional advertising.

  • They typically get top placement on Google results pages.
  • Roofers only pay when people click on their ads.
  • They come with contact information for the company.
  • The ads run on a strict budget they won’t ignore.

If your business only recently launched a website for the first time, Google’s paid ads offer a simple way to generate leads quickly.

Many roofing contractors experience a double return on their investment, something not every marketing service can offer.

While roofers should ultimately look to earn most of their business through organic search, paid ads are still a fantastic option for capturing buy-ready consumers.

Business Listings & Quality Reviews: Natural Results

At Roofers Guild, we’ve discussed how consumer perception can be improved by showcasing your company’s experience, authority, and trustworthiness.

That’s why large roofing companies advertise their OSHA safety standard compliance and other credentials.

The most essential indicator of trustworthiness, however, is client reviews. People trust online reviews almost as much as they trust recommendations from friends or family members. 

Where to Collect Reviews

  • Google Reviews
  • Facebook
  • Better Business Bureau
  • Yelp
  • Angi’
  • HomeAdvisor

These days, Google rewards broad collections from a variety of review sources. In other words, if all your reviews come in through Angie’s List (or even Google Reviews), they probably won’t have the impact you’d hoped for.

Try using a dependable WordPress widget to collect them all into your website for the best results. Ensure your roofing company is listed in Google My Business and as many other free citation sources as possible.

Closing Notes on Metal Roofing Promotion

Roofers rely on a wide variety of lead-generating activities for their ongoing growth. With so many consumers and businesses using Google Search and other engines to find their essential services, it only makes sense to pursue these leads online.

Learning the basics behind search engine optimization and paid ads is imperative. You can use these principles for metal roofing or any other one of your services.

If you have any questions about how to promote metal roofing or your business in general, talk with one of our experts at Roofer’s Guild.

How To Get Hail Damage Roofing Storm Leads

Getting hail damage roofing leads is really about speed and data. Homeowners hit by hail typically choose the first reputable roofer who shows them images of their hail-ridden shingles.

Becoming that initial contact involves a series of steps that include leveraging technology, canvassing, and building trust through digital marketing.

After securing one hail damage repair or replacement, it becomes easier to expand throughout the neighborhood using the cloverleaf method of knocking on doors and putting up QR-code featured yard signs.

If this all sounds overwhelming, have no fear. The following guide outlines the specifics of how to generate hail damage roofing leads.

Hail Damage Roofing Leads (Blog Cover)

The First 24 Hours

As a roofing contractor, it’s not good enough to turn on the weather channel after a hailstorm and make determinations about your target areas. You must use modern weather-tracking software, such as Hail Trace and Interactive Hail Maps, to pinpoint the neighborhoods hardest hit by the storm.

Hours 0-24 are everything in this business, which means dispatching your canvassers to purple zones (the hardest-hit areas) immediately after the storm. You can use a CRM like KnockBase to overlay maps.

With stricter insurance adjusters, producing a high-res photo of the home’s hail-stricken shingle is far more likely to close a deal than a verbal “that looks bad.”

You can also run hyper-targeted Meta Ads (Facebook and Instagram) within a 3-mile radius of the storm damage to supplement and reinforce your physical presence.

Strategy How Fast What It Costs How Many Close
Door-to-Door Canvassing Right Now Low (Just labor) High (Face-to-face builds trust)
Local Services Ads Fast High (Pay per call) Medium/High
Facebook Ads Medium Moderate Medium (Not actively searching)
SEO/Your Website Slow Low (Pays off long-term) High (They trust you already)

Leveraging Trust With Digital Marketing

Roofing companies with an existing digital presence in their service area (especially through Local SEO) get a head start on competitors during hailstorms. The same is true of roofers with established community ties through networking and sponsorships.

However, Local SEO (and community networking such as sponsorships) is not something you can integrate in days or weeks. If you don’t already have that presence, your next chance to benefit from it will be a future hailstorm.

Still, there are other digital marketing avenues you can take to strengthen your chances, such as Local Service Ads (LSA), which feature the Google Guaranteed badge, a significant sign of trust.

LSA ads require a background check, which helps weed out shady stormchasers and instills trust in your roofing business. LSA ads use a pay-per-lead model and can target the zip codes hit by the storm.

Roofer's Guild Hail Damage Leads Keys For Contractors

Pro Tip: The Free Inspection Advantage

Homeowners are not eager to talk or think about spending a bunch of money after a hailstorm, even though most are willing to do so.

Considering this, offering a free or complimentary post-storm inspection is the best entry point for the eventual sale.

The inspection offer is a soft pitch that homeowners are far more receptive to than a hard sell. Citing neighbors whose roofers you’ve already inspected can be another great entry point to the conversation.

Final Verdict on Hail Damage Leads

Securing hail damage roofing leads after a storm boils down to data, speed, and reputation. Every resource spent outside of the hyper-targeted area costs you potential customers.

Roofers with an established local presence (through SEO and branding) have an advantage when storms hit the community. But it is those who use modern technology, such as weather-tracking software and high-resolution roof imaging, who convert the most prospects.

Hours 0-24 are most crucial, as those are the hours in which homeowners formulate a perception of roofing companies. In this context, avoiding hard sales tactics works best as people are naturally on high alert for stormchasers.

Ultimately, securing your initial hail damage roofing job opens the floodgates for neighboring homes and can even expand to a 3-mile radius. Leveraging your work to strengthen your Local SEO presence through reviews and social proof can position you to capture even more hail damage leads in the next storm.

Becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor (Full Guide)

A Conklin Independent Distributor is a contractor who partners with Conklin to sell their products to consumers. By leveraging Conklin’s established brand equity and industry-respected products, self-employed roofers can grow their own businesses more effectively.

Steps to Becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor

  • 1) Find a Sponsor
  • 2) Choose an Account Type
  • 3) Select an Enrollment Package
  • 4) Complete the Distributor Agreement
Conklin Independent Distributor Guide (Cover)

How to Become a Conklin ID

Becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor is a multi-step process. Check out the details below:

Step 1: Find a Sponsor

Sponsors are essential to your success as a Conklin ID, as they can lend experience and expertise to help you navigate the challenges of the industry.

Visit https://www.conklin.com/conklindistributor/signup/index/, where you can find available sponsors by zip code, name, email, and distributor ID.

You may also connect with sponsors at conferences or through digital channels like social media.

Step 2: Choose an Account Type

Conklin offers accounts for both distributors and customers. To become an ID, you’ll want to choose the “Distributor” account package.

This package is for contractors who plan to:

  • Promote and Sell Conklin Products
  • Develop a Client Base
  • Assist Other Conklin Independent Distributors

Step 3: Select an Enrollment Package

Conklin offers seven enrollment packages for you to choose from. The “Standard Contractor” package is among the least expensive.

Check them out below:

  • Platinum Contractor Wholesale – ($3,999)
  • Premier Wholesale – ($2,499)
  • Standard Wholesale – ($1,999)
  • Premier Contractor ($1,399)
  • Premier Grower ($1,399)
  • Animal Products Package ($999)
  • Conklin Business Seminar ($999)
  • Standard Contractor ($999)
  • Standard Grower ($999)
  • Vehicle Products Package ($999)

Step 4: Complete the Distributor Agreement

You will then be prompted to complete a Distributor Agreement in which you will enter your personal information, including your name, address, social security number, and any tax exemptions.

After completing the form, you are brought to a checkout page where you can complete the process.

Benefits of Conklin Distribution

You might wonder why roofers choose to become Conklin distributors in the first place.. Below are the key components of Conklin Independent Distributors:

  • Direct Sales: IDs can sell Conklin products through multiple channels, both in-person and digital
  • Commissions: IDs can earn a percentage of generated sales and potentially bonuses and incentives
  • Flexibility: IDs can choose their sales and marketing techniques and hours of operation
  • Support: IDs receive detailed training, promotional materials, and access to a network of distributors

Maximizing Your Conklin Business

Many small-scale roofers would like to grow their businesses but lack the resources and accountability to realize that vision.

A great solution to this common predicament is Conklin Independent Distribution. Becoming an Independent Distributor (ID) allows you to earn instant credibility in your market and start profiting as a commercial roofer.

You will gain access to an expansive library of training material, as well as a management structure that encourages excellence.

Establish a Service Area

Regardless of your current location, you can become an Independent Distributor.

From New York to Texas and Illinois to Louisiana, there’s opportunity available to anyone willing to take advantage. The most difficult part of launching a roofing company is earning credibility.

A large percentage of consumers will not trust unknown commodities, but affiliation with Conklin allows contractors to establish credibility on day one. This makes marketing much simpler and encourages growth at a much faster rate.

Sales and Marketing Strategies

Many contractors don’t have an official business but perform jobs based on word of mouth and friends of friends. Becoming a Conklin ID allows you to turn a side business into a legitimate company.

You might be surprised by how quickly an unknown contractor can increase their demand with a little help from Conklin.

There are so many untapped resources available to contractors throughout the United States, and the time is now to start capitalizing.

Ways to expand your roofing business include:

It would be a shame to waste a business opportunity with so much upside and very little downside. Roofers should view their status as an Independent Distributor as “playing with house money.”

If your business ends up failing, you risked very little in the process and can resume your previous work. Conversely, if you end up succeeding, your business will grow at a considerable rate, and you’ll have access to resources that help you handle the increased demand and workload.

Weighing risk vs. reward should help you arrive at the decision that best suits your vision.

Final Thoughts

Becoming a Conklin Independent Distributor can boost your business. By leveraging the Conklin brand and gaining accountability, you can reach goals that were otherwise improbable.

To learn more about Conklin and its ID program, we encourage you to visit: https://www.conklin.com/conklindistributor/signup/