Connect with Metal Roofing Installers
A few years ago, Isaiah Industries started the Facebook group Metal Roof Installers to encourage installers, recognize their work, point them to industry resources, and connect them with contractors or property owners when appropriate. While there is a shortage of skilled installers to serve the rapidly growing residential metal roofing market, connecting them with the right customers is challenging, too.
While the group includes suppliers and property owners, most members are metal roof installers and contractors who promote and sell metal roofs. It’s an active group with over 15,000 members and plenty of productive discussion and encouragement. We moderate posts to keep the focus on beneficial topics.
Over the years, we have seen ebbs and flows in membership growth. Sometimes, we might get 30 new members a week; other times, we will get 200 – 300 new members. I have noticed that membership growth is a barometer for the metal roofing industry at large. New members are minimal when leads, sales, and backlogs are strong. When times are a little slower, new members join frequently. Recently, new members have been joining in droves.
Consumer activity in home improvement has slowed, especially for higher-end projects. However, slower times are when productive businesspeople get proactive, searching for new markets and new business. When business slows, more installers and contractors are investigating metal roofing and are receptive to adding it to their arsenal.
Maybe metal roofing is new to them, or perhaps they’ve worked with it before and are looking to expand their offerings. Slower times prompt companies to look a little further for leads and business. The companies that go beyond their comfort zone become the survivors. By embracing innovation and adding new things to their repertoire, they grow stronger and further differentiate themselves from their competitors. This builds lasting value into a business.
If you’ve ever been held back from growing your residential metal roofing business due to a lack of qualified and skilled installers, they are out there now more than ever. Connect with the Metal Roof Installers group and post about what you need. You will have an immediate audience of over 15,000. Another thing you can do is ask your suppliers to recommend qualified installers. Make connections. Capitalize on the opportunity in front of you.
Roofing is a necessity, and metal roofing is the fastest-growing product segment in the industry. Taking steps to align yourself with this growing industry and connect with available installers will prove helpful in the long run.
Contact me anytime at tmiller@isaiahindustries.com. I am always happy to help however I can.
Todd Miller has spent his entire career in the metal building products manufacturing industry. He is president of Isaiah Industries, an organization recognized as one of the world’s leading metal roofing manufacturers. Todd is currently Vice President of the MRA (Metal Roofing Association) and a Past Chair of MCA (Metal Construction Association). Through his website, he strives to raise the bar on standards and practices to provide property owners with the best possible products for successful roofing projects.
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