This week on the Rocket Roof Show, Andy Near sits down with Sam Hostetler, owner of Five Star Roofing Systems. This week’s episode is especially special for Andy since Sam is his mentor and coach. Andy credits Sam for giving him the push he needed to fully dive into the commercial roofing industry.
For the last 11 years, Sam has been 100% commercial, but still remembers the days of trying to dabble in all things construction – from siding to cement, framing to pole barns, residential roofing and everything else in between. He was doing everything he could to try and make it big. Luckily, he found exactly what he needed in commercial roofing. Sam knew that to be successful, you can only chase one rabbit well. Unless you have the right guys focused on different divisions of your company, you will probably not succeed chasing different divisions. So, he narrowed his focus and set his mind to go after what he really wanted, a lean, efficient, high-profit commercial roofing business.
Sam has found happiness with a small crew working hard for six or so months of the year. They complete jobs with 30% profit margins, have substantially less overhead, and has the freedom to travel and take off much-needed family time during the offseason.
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Should you do both Commercial and Residential Roofing?
According to Sam, it doesn’t matter if you dabble in both commercial and residential roofing as long as you have a team that is specialized on both sides. He shares that what really matters to the building owner is if the roofer will do a good job for them, will they get the job done, and take care of them afterward? If a contractor can do that, then it doesn’t really matter, but Sam’s again reiterates that he has seen much better profits by solely focusing on commercial.
On the other hand, Andy shares that he noticed his leads ticking up significantly when he took all residential pictures off his website. He believes it gives the impression to the building owner that you are more capable to handle their commercial roof. But he adds a caveat – all depends on the area you are in and how many years you have in the industry. There are many factors that can help guide you.
There’s an important thing to remember, with commercial roofing the building owner is not typically looking for the cheapest price, but rather someone to take quality care of their long-term roofing needs. They are looking for someone who will be around for 20 years to build a trusting relationship with. They also want someone who will respond quickly to any situation or repair need. In fact, Sam says most roofers who respond immediately will experience a faithful customer base ongoing. His advice is to always answer your phone and have a sincere genuine voicemail (that is not full) for those times you cannot.
Marketing strategies commercial roofers can trust
Marketing plays a large part in your success. The number one type of marketing that has given Sam the most jobs is direct mail. He strongly suggests you go to a reputable, professional source. Sure, there are probably cheaper options down the street, but they aren’t knowledgeable about roofing and targeting commercial building owners. Always stick to the professionals! Sam’s quick marketing advice:
- Always refresh and update your branding
- Don’t be afraid to redo your website as the industry changes
- Continue to improve all marketing strategies to stay relevant
- Keep your marketing interesting and not outdated
- Constant and consistent is better than perfection
- Be in front of people all the time
Having the Right Mindset
How you talk to your employees and customers matters. Set your priorities and goals in your mind and take proactive steps to actually reach your goals.
For Sam, he needed to burn all bridges in other construction trades and release himself of all safety nets to stay 100% focused. That advice is what helped Sam be so successful in the industry – along with having a coach there to continue pushing him to strive for more!
SPONSOR APPRECIATION
Special thanks to our sponsor Top Roof Marketing, a full-service marketing group that specializes in the commercial roofing industry.
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