When big jobs slow, move close to your customer

RCS Influencer Wendy Marvin suggests getting creative when business is slow.

If your phone has been quieter lately, you’re not alone. Small roofing businesses are feeling the squeeze from every direction: material costs that won’t settle, insurance headaches, tighter lending and homeowners who are cautious with every dollar. Customer volatility is real. The family that would have signed for a full roof replacement two years ago is now asking, “Can we just fix the leak?” Here’s the good news. That question is an invitation, not a rejection.

Meet homeowners where they are

Right now, people are more apt to repair than replace. Rather than fight that, build a facet of your business around it. Offer honest repair packages, and when a roof truly needs replacing but the budget isn’t there, talk about “hold overs.” A quality roof coating, targeted repairs or a sealed-up flashing detail can buy homeowners one, two or even five years while they plan and save. You aren’t losing the replacement. You’re earning the right to do it when the time comes.

Teach them to care for what they have

One of the most powerful things we can do as roofers is teach homeowners how to maintain their roofs. Show them how to spot moss early, why clean gutters matter and what a lifted shingle looks like from the ground. Offer an annual maintenance plan. Host a short workshop at the library or partner with a local business. Write a simple checklist and hand it out. When you teach, you become the local expert. People don’t forget the contractor who helped them without a hard sell. Remember this isn’t about you. Do this and they’re call you first, and they’ll tell their neighbors about you.

A winter worth remembering

I loved being a small roofing crew years ago facing a long, slow winter. We didn’t want to lay off our guys, so we looked around to find what people were asking for. Our answer? Christmas lights. We already owned ladders, knew how to work safely at heights and understood rooflines better than anyone. We hung lights for several homeowners and a few businesses that year and even picked up a few siding repairs along the way. We even built wooden lawn decorations and sold them as packages after several special requests. Whatever it took to survive. Did we become a full-time holiday decorating company? No. But we kept our crews working, paid the bills and met dozens of homeowners that called us in the spring for cleaning work once the weather turned for the good.

Listen, then deliver

Diversifying doesn’t mean reinventing your business. It might be adding gutter cleaning, skylight work, attic ventilation evaluation, siding work, maintenance plans or other services your competitors ignore. Pay attention to what people are asking for and give it to them.

It doesn’t have to be forever; it just needs to carry you through. Keep your company going and earn the respect and trust of your community at the same time.