How to get millennials to hire your roofing company

Instilling a sense of trust is essential to selling services to homeowners in their 30s and 40s

Despite challenging economic conditions, more than half of Canadian millennials are eager to become homeowners in the next five years, meaning that it’s more important than ever to market your roofing services to this demographic.  

They might be stereotyped as the generation that embraced meme culture and avocado toast, but the reality is that millennials are now adults in their 30s and 40s. Most entered the workforce during the 2008 recession and have spent their adulthood riding a rollercoaster of unstable economic conditions and, in recent years, high interest rates.  

So, when they decide to take on a major investment like buying a home or doing renovations, millennials need to have certainty that they are spending their money wisely.  

The best way to market to this generation is to instill a sense of trust. Here are a few ways your roofing business can build a rapport with millennials to win their business.  

1. Offer flexible payment options

Roofing repairs tend to be urgent as leaks can introduce mould and affect a building’s structure.  

Unfortunately, millennials have now overtaken boomers as the generation with the most debt, so when they are looking to take on sudden expenses like an emergency repair, they often need financing options to afford the fix.  

Consider offering homeowner financing as a win-win solution. This win-win option is attractive to homeowners as it allows them to pay off the expense over time instead of facing the stress of making a large lump-sum payment, making it more likely that your business will close on sales. 

2. Be better than DIY roofing

From making their own sourdough to renovating their homes, millennials love taking on a good DIY project.  

To sell roofing services to these do-it-yourself types, it’s imperative to convince them that hiring out is worth the expense. Don’t just sell your service – remind them that roofers are professionals with the experience to get the job done efficiently, and have the equipment to get it done safely. 

3. Meet millennials where they’re at 

Most millennials are cable cutters, and even more of them get their news virtually, so outdated advertising strategies like paying for TV commercials and newspaper ads aren’t likely to reach this target market.  

Instead, focus your marketing strategy on building your company’s digital footprint. A blog with strong SEO can take your services to the top of a Google search page – the first place many people go when they need to hire a contractor.  

A majority of millennials are on social media as well, so it’s important to reach them on the platforms they use. Employed strategically, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok can be used to target your audiences and connect with them by sharing stories that personalize and sell your brand.  

They’re also a good way to collect and promote client-generated reviews, which can be key to building a sense of trust for prospective customers.  

Bank on builfing trust

At the end of the day, selling roofing services to millennials isn’t rocket science. This generation is ready to establish themselves as independent adults, and for many, that means taking on the responsibility and stability that can come from homeownership.  

When millennials hire trades to work on their homes, what they are really doing is taking on a calculated risk to invest in their financial future.  

All they want is to know that your roofing company is trustworthy and will work efficiently to protect their best interests.