How do you follow up with roofing leads?

Why roofing leads die in follow-up

Most roofers don't have a lead problem. They have a follow-up problem.

Here's how it usually goes. A homeowner fills out your form on Tuesday. Somebody calls Wednesday afternoon while the homeowner is at work. Nobody leaves a voicemail. Nobody texts. That's it. Lead's "dead." Meanwhile the roofer who texted them right away is already on the roof with a tape measure.

Homeowners aren't ignoring you because they hate you. They're busy. Kids, jobs, a dog that ate the remote. A real follow-up system just keeps you politely in front of them until the timing works.

What does a good roofing lead follow-up cadence look like?

A good cadence front-loads the effort. Hit the lead hard on day one with a text and a call, keep touching them every day or two for the first week, then space it out over week two. Use all three channels: text, phone and email. Then stop, or move them to a long-term list.

Here's a starting point. It's not gospel. Tune it to your market, your crew's schedule and how your homeowners actually like to talk.

• Day 1, right away: Text first. "Hey Mike, it's Antonio with Smith Roofing. Got your request about the roof. When's a good time for us to take a look? Reply STOP to opt out." Then call. No answer? Leave a short voicemail with your name and number.
• Day 1, later: Email. Who you are, a photo of your crew or truck, and what actually happens at an inspection.
• Day 2: Call at a different time of day than yesterday. Quick text if they don't pick up.
• Day 3: Text something useful. "Want me to send a few photos of roofs we did near you?"
• Day 5: Call and leave a voicemail.
• Day 7: Email that answers the stuff they're probably wondering about: insurance, financing, how long a job takes.
• Day 10: Text. "Still want someone to look at the roof, or should I close this out for now?"
• Day 14: One last call and a friendly closing text. Then move them to a long-term list.

That "should I close this out" text is a sneaky good one. People who've been meaning to reply for a week suddenly reply.

The rules that make the cadence work

A schedule on paper does nothing. These are the habits that make it pay.

• Win the first touch. The first response matters most, and it can't wait until you climb down off a roof. Automate it so it fires every time, nights and weekends included.
• Switch up the time of day. If you always call at 2 PM, you'll always miss the person who works days.
• Sound like a human. No "Dear valued customer." Write like you'd talk in the driveway.
• Ask one easy question per message. "Does Thursday work?" beats a paragraph about your company history.
• Stop when they answer. Yes, no or "later" all count. Tag it and move on.
• Put it in a CRM. Stage, last touch, next task. If your follow-up lives in your head or a notebook in the truck, it's already gone.

Do you need permission to text roofing leads?

Yes. Get it, and keep proof of it. The FCC's consumer guide says autodialed texts to a cell phone need prior consent, and commercial texts need written consent. Use a clear opt-in on your forms, say who's texting and why, and honor STOP right away. This isn't legal advice. Run your setup by an attorney.

A few practical habits:

• Put plain consent language next to the phone field on your form. No tiny gray fine print.
• Save the record: when they opted in, on which form, and what the wording said.
• Add "Reply STOP to opt out" to your first text. The same FCC guide says people can opt out in any reasonable manner, even after giving consent, so treat "quit texting me" the same as STOP.
• Don't buy a list of numbers and start texting it. That's not a lead list. That's a problem.
• Watch the clock on calls too. The FCC guide says telemarketing calls to a home are prohibited before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.

State rules can add their own twists, so check yours.

What to do when a lead goes cold

Cold isn't dead. Maybe the insurance claim is dragging. Maybe their spouse wants a second quote. Maybe they're saving up for spring.

After the two-week cadence, drop them into a slower nurture list. A seasonal email before winter. A check-in after a big storm rolls through their area. A heads-up when you're doing a job on their street. Keep it useful and spaced out, and keep honoring opt-outs. These folks already know your name. That's worth more than a fresh name on a list. When you're ready to wake up an old batch, a reactivation campaign does it in one push.

Frequently asked questions

How many times should you follow up with a roofing lead?

There is no magic number. A solid starting point is a dozen or so touches over two weeks, split across texts, calls and emails, then a slower long-term list. Stop the moment they give you a clear answer.

Should roofers text or call new leads first?

Do both. Send a quick text right away so the homeowner has your name and number in writing, then call. If they don't pick up, the text is still sitting there when they get a minute.

What should a follow-up text to a roofing lead say?

Keep it short and human. Say who you are, what company you're with, that you got their request, and ask one easy question, like when is a good time to look at the roof. Include opt-out language such as Reply STOP to opt out.

When should you stop following up with a roofing lead?

When they say yes, say no, or ask you to stop. If they go quiet for about two weeks, send one polite last message and move them to a long-term list with occasional, useful check-ins.

Related answers

• What is speed to lead for roofers?
• How fast should a roofer respond to a lead?
• Does an AI receptionist work for roofing companies?

Sources

1. Federal Communications Commission: Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts