By gFour Marketing. 

Contractors can generate consistent growth by building systems that turn previous customers into repeat business and referrals. 

Contractors in the home improvement industry are sitting on a powerful but often underused asset: their existing customer base. Here at gFour Marketing, we know consistent, relationship-driven follow-up generates measurable revenue without increasing lead acquisition costs. Yet, too many businesses remain focused on chasing new leads while overlooking the opportunities already within their reach. 

The gap is not due to a lack of quality work. According to insights we gathered from a survey of 100 home improvement contractors, 73 out of the 100 said they are not generating enough repeat or referral business. The challenge comes down to capacity and bandwidth. Between managing active projects, teams and day-to-day operations, maintaining consistent communication with past customers often falls to the bottom of the list. 

Keeping up with customer relationships is a simple concept that is hard to execute consistently. Between managing the referrals & rewards program, reviews and nurture campaigns for long-term communication, it’s a full-time job on its own. 

Here’s what we know: 

• Contractors want to follow up.  
• They want to show their customers appreciation. 
• They want to ask for referrals and reviews. 

They just don’t have the resources to do it in-house! 

That’s where gFour comes in. 

Let’s talk about four proven and data-backed strategies for generating revenue from existing leads so you can get more value from your marketing efforts and learn how gFour can help you implement these strategies with our done-for-you approaches: 

1 - Customer appreciation 

2 - Referral marketing  

3 - Past customer campaigns 

4 - Rehashing unsold leads 

1 - How to generate five-star reviews & build loyal customers: Customer appreciation campaigns 

Here’s a cool statistic: Customers who receive an appreciation gift are 50% likelier to leave a review. 

That’s the Law of Reciprocity in action — when you give your customers something, even something as simple as a thank you, they are more likely to give you something in return.  

It’s simple: customer appreciation is a powerful tool for turning customers into marketers for your business. 

You already know that customer appreciation is critical across every consumer-reliant industry, but especially in the home improvement industry, where homeowners are, at times, spending thousands of dollars on a single project, product or service. 

Say thank you and do it consistently!  

Show your customers you appreciate them — and watch more five-star reviews, more referrals and more money roll in. 

But don’t just take our word for it! We have the data to back it up! 

“When somebody is spending that kind of money, and you don’t do anything to show up and say, just say thank you to somebody, thank you, it’s… I think it’s just a terrible way to do business, especially today.” 

-Brian K., founder of gFour Marketing & owner of the Wealthy Contractor 

gFour members who leveraged our specialized, done-for-you customer appreciation saw a transformation in the volume and quality of customer reviews:  

• Before gFour, one contractor was converting just 3% of completed jobs into reviews— meaning 97 out of every 100 customers walk away without leaving a review. 

A consistent appreciation system drastically improved that: 

• Year 1: After just 1 year with gFour — the review conversion rate jumped to 28%  
• Year 3: By year 3, the review rate soared to 63%, meaning over half of customers were leaving a review. 

But it wasn’t just more reviews, it was better reviews 

• Before gFour, 82% of this contractor’s reviews were 5-stars.  
• After Year 1, that number climbed to 92% — a 10x increase in 5-star reviews  
• By Year 3, 93% of reviews were getting 5 stars, and 59% of all jobs had received a 5-star review 

Customer appreciation is not just the right thing to do; it is a powerful growth engine that can help you build a smarter business model. Set up the right customer appreciation system and help your business across the board: 

• Keep your business top-of-mind after the job is done  
• Differentiate yourself from your competitor  
• Supercharge every future touchpoint — emails, referral asks, repeat business outreach 

Ready to put that system in place? Talk to a gFour expert about our Automated Referral Text Campaigns, and we’ll build with you. 

2 - How to consistently generate new leads: Setting up a referral rewards program system 

Most referral programs in the home improvement industry share two key flaws: they end too soon, and there isn’t an efficient system in place to pay out referrers. 

One-day referral programs that end too soon after the job is done miss the majority of referral potential because 82% of customers gave a referral 3+ months after their job was complete. 

Strategic and effective referral programs go on for months or even years.  The data shows 58% of customers gave a referral 12+ months after their job was complete. 

Give your customers the time to rave about you and refer you to their friends and family — these conversations can happen all the time, not just right after the job. 

Don’t forget the rewards system — a referral rewards program without a reliable way to pay out referrers is a broken promise that loses you future jobs.  

Because the data shows that 44% of customers will refer more than once.  

The contractors who win the super-referrers do four things consistently: 

1 - Make it easy to refer: One clear reward, one simple process — no hoops to jump through. 

2 - Introduce the program early: Introduce the referral program while the job experience is still fresh. 

3 - Pay fast every time: Speed and consistency turn a one-time referrer into a super-referrer. 

4 - Stay top-of-mind: Your customers aren’t thinking about your referral program — it’s not their job to keep reminding them. 

Want to set up a system to track and pay your referrals easily?  

Our team can walk you through what that looks like for your specific customer base — no generic playbook, just a strategy built around your business. 

3 - How to win repeat business: Past customer nurture campaigns 

Repeat customers aren’t a guarantee, even if you’ve done perfect work.   

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if you’re not consistently nurturing relationships with your customers, they will forget about you.  

Part of building your business and the associated brand loyalty is staying top-of-mind for customers, even when you’re not asking them for anything — and especially when you’re providing them value  

At gFour, we handle long-term nurturing for our members. We set up long-term email, text and direct mail campaigns on your behalf. No hard sells. No constant promotions. Just consistent, value-driven communication that keeps you in the conversation. 

And don’t underestimate what’s already in your CRM. Those older contacts aren’t dead leads — they’re warm relationships waiting to be reactivated. At the start of working with gFour, we offer to go into your CRM and launch a database reactivation campaign that reconnects you with past customers, reminds them of the work you did and lets them know you’re still here when they need you. 

The result? A 2–10% conversion rate into sales over 12 months from the leads you already paid for.  

These aren’t just theoretical numbers. Here is what that looks like in practice. 

One roofing member ($6 million in revenue) had ~2,800 customers sitting dormant in their CRM. Our team enrolled the list in a digital reactivation campaign. Within three months, the campaign paid for itself: 

• 94 customers came back for a repeat service 
• 3.5% conversion rate from a list they already owned 

And when direct mail is added to the mix, the results get even stronger. Pairing direct mail with digital campaigns produces 28% higher conversion rates and 450% higher response rates than digital alone. 

That’s why gFour doesn’t stop at digital. We build the full picture so no past customer slips through the cracks. 

Meet with our sales team to discuss opportunities for combining digital nurture campaigns with direct mail options through gFour! 

4 - How to convert unsold leads into revenue: Lead rehash strategies 

Not all sales-qualified leads convert. But do not make the mistake of treating those unsold leads like dead ends and moving on. 

You already spent the marketing budget to generate them. Be smart and give your investment one more shot. Set a strategy in place to rehash those leads.  

Systematic. Simple. Sequential.  

That’s the simple recipe gFour follows in their rehash campaigns: proven playbooks for converting unsold leads into revenue for increased profitability. 

The result? Lead rehash converts approximately 7% of unsold leads into new jobs — without spending a dollar on new lead acquisition. 

Let’s talk real-world examples. One company generated $1 million in revenue in just 3.5 months by rehashing 898 of its unsold leads. 

Rehash campaigns work, and the math is hard to argue with! 

Every unsold lead you convert through a rehash campaign doesn’t just generate new revenue. It also improves the ROI on every dollar you already spent to generate that lead in the first place. The acquisition cost is already sunk. Rehash is how you make it work harder. 

That’s why the smartest contractors don’t ask “Should we rehash?” They ask, “How many leads are sitting in our CRM right now that we haven’t followed up on?” 

If you have unsold leads in your CRM — and every contractor does — there’s revenue in there waiting to be unlocked. 

Meet with a gFour expert who can explain how we leverage your CRM data to launch and manage rehash campaigns for lead conversion.  

How does this all benefit my bottom line?: ROI of relationship marketing for home improvement contractors 

Four strategies. One system. Here’s what it delivers. 

An analysis of gFour members shows a median ROI of 14x after 12+ months in the program — and the returns compound the longer contractors stay with it: 

This isn’t a quick-win campaign. It’s a long-term system built for consistent growth, and the data shows that the contractors who commit to it keep seeing stronger returns over time. 

Let’s go beyond the metrics. Here’s what else gFour clients get with our specialized programs:  

• Improved local brand reputation that makes you the obvious choice  
• Lasting, positive homeowner sentiment 
• Organic referrals that come without you having to ask 

If you’re not already leveraging all of these strategies, that’s a sign there’s revenue sitting on the table. Our team works alongside home improvement contractors to build relationship marketing programs that work with you and for you so you can stay focused on the job while gFour keeps your customers coming back. Let’s talk about what that could look like for your business. 

Original article and photos source: gFour Marketing

By Jenny Yu.  

Roofing companies can improve long-term growth by optimizing CRM systems and automating referral processes. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Rebecca Mayo of gFour Marketing joined host Megan Ellsworth to discuss how contractors can take full advantage of their CRM systems, automation tools and AI to ensure a resilient business.  

Rebecca emphasized that many contractors are overlooking one of their most valuable business assets: their CRM database. “Your CRM is a gold mine,” she said. “People are not maximizing the past client information that exists within their CRM. gFour can help you make sure that you're capitalizing on those relationships to nurture and increase your chances of generating referrals from your existing business.” This includes reactivating past customers and making sure that companies are communicating on a frequent cadence with them.   

Whether through seasonal promotions, repair reminders or regular outreach, staying connected with past customers creates more opportunities for repeat business and referrals. “Sometimes years go by where people are just not communicating with their past customers, and it leaves a huge gap for the competitors to swoop them right up. That is not what we want,” Rebecca warned. “It’s really important that we’re keeping your brand top of mind, always.” 

Another key topic the conversation touched upon was automation. Rebecca explained that CRM integrations and automated review systems can help contractors save time while maintaining consistent customer engagement during busy seasons. “The more an owner or an operator can automate systems and processes within their business, the more time they're going to have back in their day to work,” Rebecca said, acknowledging that this can be a tedious, time-consuming process.  

That’s where a trusted partner like gFour comes in.  

“Having a true partner take the work off your plate by building those processes for you, running them behind the scenes, is a total game changer,” Rebecca stated. “Our roofing clients are seeing incredible results by making those small changes in the automation.” 

Along with automation, Rebecca further highlighted the importance of optimization with tools like AI for greater online visibility in today’s roofing market. “This generation of buyers is literally opening ChatGPT and typing in ‘Who can fix my roof in my city?’” Rebecca said, emphasizing the need for roofing businesses to optimize their online search presence. “One best practice that I would recommend is making sure that you are responding to those Google Business reviews. It's such a small thing, but it's so important.” 

Read the first article in this series or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how automation and optimization can help you stay competitive and maximize referrals.

By Jenny Yu.  

One industry expert advises contractors on how to separate themselves from the competition at IRE 2026. 

At the 2026 International Roofing Expo, Karen Edwards spoke with Rebecca Mayo, director of partnerships at gFour Marketing, about the company’s mission to help home improvement contractors turn happy customers into raving fans.  

“We are a company that helps you supercharge your referrals,” Rebecca stated. “A lot of pros are looking to lower their margin of spending on leads and increase their conversion rates. So, it's a great time to think about implementing a referral program because more than 50% of referrals convert. It's a great way to boost your credibility in the community and build your brand, too.” 

When a company partners with gFour, the marketing group acts as an extension of the contractor’s business on the back end. “What we'll do is connect directly to the CRM, reactivate all those customers and make sure that we're communicating consistently with them to keep the brand top of mind,” Rebecca explained. “It's great for busy owners and operators that may or may not have time or the team structure to do this themselves.” 

This year, gFour has some exciting new developments to help contractors build their referral programs. “We can import and export data very easily, and something that's exciting for gFour this year is that we have a great roadmap on increasing our API connections to the CRM,” Rebecca shared.  

Furthermore, Rebecca expressed excitement in the trajectory of the industry as a whole and advised how contractors can take their business to the next level. “There's never been a better time to be in home improvement, and on the flip side of that coin comes a lot of increased competition,” Rebecca said. “How do you separate your company from everybody else that's doing the exact same thing as you? By having a great relationship marketing program in place and really elevating the stature of your business by providing a great customer experience.” 

Watch the interview to learn more about how gFour Marketing helps home improvement contractors capitalize on referrals and customer experience to find success in 2026.

By Jenny Yu.  

gFour Marketing acts as an extension of your business, saving you time and money to develop processes that result in high-quality leads.  

At the 2026 International Roofing Expo, Lauren White of The Coffee Shops™ spoke with Rebecca (Becca) Mayo, director of partnerships at gFour Marketing, about the power of building a referral program into one’s business operations. 

Founded in 2009 by a roofing and home professional, gFour Marketing has been in the game for quite a while. “Our founder identified a need and acted upon it,” Becca shared. “We are a company that helps you supercharge your customers and turn them into raving fans from a referral and reactivation standpoint.” 

With almost 20 years of helping home improvement contractors expand their brands and bottom lines, gFour has gained a strong reputation. “A lot of clients come to us because they see a gap in the business regarding asking for referrals,” Becca stated, explaining the process behind onboarding new clients. “First and foremost, we help them identify a process by serving as an extension of their business, and then we help them develop a plan to get more referral business through the door.” 

These plans often include running reactivation campaigns, making sure the company’s sales teams are trained on how to ask for referrals and making sure they are capitalizing on the customer data already available in their CRM systems. “A lot of people don’t realize there’s a gold mine in the CRM, so we help coach them on how to activate that,” Becca explained.  

Contractors often identify a lack of time as the main barrier to building a referral program. “Contractors are busy roofing, doing the things they specialize in,” Becca said. At IRE, several contractors acknowledged the importance of referrals while also noting the time constraints that keep them from starting. “People have come up to us saying, ‘I know this will save us a ton of money in our marketing spend in 2026, but we just don't have the time or team structure to do this ourselves. We need help.’”  

That’s where gFour comes in. While the cost of leads continues to climb, gFour does the behind-the-scenes work to build out referral and reactivation processes that ultimately lower the amount of money contractors spend while increasing the conversion of high-quality leads. 

For contractors seeking a simple first step, Becca suggests making the ask. “If you’re not asking for referrals, that’s a great place to start,” she said. “76% of referrals come from friends and family members, so tell your customers to reach out to their family and friends. Just start by asking. You can’t win what you don’t ask for.” 

Watch the interview to learn more about how gFour Marketing can help you supercharge your customers into raving fans!

By Jenny Yu.  

Relationship marketing helps contractors unlock more value from every customer by driving referrals, 5-star reviews and repeat jobs in a competitive market.   

For many home improvement contractors, marketing efforts stop once the job is complete. Felipe Ros, president and co-owner of gFour Marketing, believes that approach leaves significant long-term value untapped. Instead of treating each project as a one-time transaction, Felipe encourages contractors to intentionally nurture customer relationships so their brand stays top of mind and continues generating future revenue well after the roof is installed.   

It’s a familiar frustration for many contractors: you drive through a neighborhood where you completed a job months earlier, only to see another company installing the gutters or siding next door — or even on the same home. In many cases, it’s not because the customer was unhappy, but because there was no follow-up and no ongoing relationship to keep that contractor top of mind. 

Data shows that more than 80% of customer referrals happen three months or more after a job is completed. Without a consistent system in place to stay connected, contractors risk missing out on meaningful revenue. “That’s why we focus on capturing the long-term value of a customer beyond the initial transaction," Felipe explained. “We help our clients deliver a great, memorable customer experience, stay top of mind through consistent communication and apply proven marketing fundamentals,” Felipe explained. “None of it is rocket science, but it does require discipline and consistency to produce results.” 

That challenge led gFour Marketing to develop an all-in-one automated system for customer appreciation, referrals, reviews, long-term nurture that runs 24/7 on behalf of the contractor. Managing disconnected tools and processes often leads to inconsistent results and, more importantly, pulls owners away from running their core business. According to Felipe Ros, relationship marketing delivers the best results when it’s powered by a single system and playbook that runs consistently in the background. 

“Allocating three to five percent of your marketing budget towards a referral system is critical to long-term growth” Felipe explained. “One of the biggest benefits is diversification. Referrals and repeat jobs are among the highest-performing lead sources, and having them in place creates stability if another core channel suddenly becomes more expensive or drops in performance.” 

gFour’s approach is built around four pillars of relationship marketing: customer appreciation, reviews, referral rewards programs and long-term nurturing — staying top of mind in communicating with customers. However, Felipe emphasizes that none of it matters without quality workmanship.   

“These pillars are built on the foundation of delivering a great customer experience,” they said. “Relationship marketing only works if you put the roof on the right way in the first place. Once the job is complete, that’s when relationship marketing comes into play.”   

Ultimately, Felipe expressed how important it is to lean into the most trusted lead source: word of mouth.   

“The lead sources that have the highest trust normally are word of mouth, right?” they said. “People are going to ask those they trust who have used these contractors or people in the past, so why not put processes in place to be able to capture all of that?”   

Learn more about how gFour designs relationship marketing systems specifically to help home improvement contractors.

By Jenny Yu. 

gFour Marketing’s Felipe Ros explains why roofing contractors should strengthen foundational marketing systems in a rapidly changing marketing landscape. 

In a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Felipe Ros, president of gFour Marketing, to explore how roofing contractors can drive revenue growth without relying on purchasing more leads. The conversation centered on a key theme: maximizing the value of existing leads before chasing new ones. 

For 15 years, gFour has worked exclusively with home improvement contractors across the country. Over 60% of those customers are roofers. “We have a lot of experience with the kind of marketing strategies that work specifically for roofers,” Felipe shared. “We try to help contractors get more revenue from the leads that they already have. We think that's foundationally important — putting a system in place to help drive repeats, referrals, rehashes.” 

As marketing has evolved over the last decade, Felipe noted the importance of diversification. “It's just good business, right? Having diversification in your lead sources, especially in the current environment that we're in right now where there's rapid change, lots of AI, new buzzwords, new leads sources coming in,” Felipe stated. At the same time, he stressed that diversification only works when foundational marketing pillars are in place to capture repeat and referral opportunities.  

Part of establishing a strong system is remembering what’s at the core of your service: relationships. “At the end of the day, roofing businesses, home improvement businesses — these are local services. It’s a high-ticket purchase, high trust, so you’re going to ask your neighbor or a family member for referrals,” Felipe explained, pointing to smaller mom-and-pop businesses as sources for inspiration. “Leveraging that relationship that you have, that reputation you have in your local markets, is a strength. That personalized approach has a very big impact on reply rates and engagement.”  

So, rather than diving head-first into each buzzy marketing trend, consider strengthening the foundational marketing pillars first. “Before you start pouring money into ads, you need to have the foundation, your house in place, right? That will allow it to continue to scale,” Felipe advised. “Those are big strategies to focus on for anyone that's in the marketing space for 2026.” 

Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more strategies for strengthening your marketing foundation. 

By Jenny Yu.   

Unleash the power of connecting with your current customers through a system that works for you. 

gFour Marketing believes that smart contractors recognize the long-term value of their customers. That’s why they’ve created a proven customer relationship marketing system built specifically for home improvement contractors. Their system includes four revenue-generating strategies: 

1 – Customer appreciation 

Putting a system in place to say “thank you” to your customers drives more referrals, more repeat business and more online reviews. 

In one case study, before implementing a structured appreciation system, only ~3% of customers were leaving reviews. After launching a systematic appreciation campaign, that number increased to 28% within the first year and reached 63% by year three. During that time, over 90% of reviews were five-star. Across a broader dataset of 300 contractors, the average percentage of customers leaving five-star reviews is 40%. 

2 – Referral marketing 

Reminding customers about a referral rewards program is critical — especially long after the job is complete. gFour’s analysis shows that 82% of referrals occur more than three months after job completion, highlighting the importance of consistent, long-term follow-up rather than one-time referral asks. Additionally, 44% of customers who refer submit more than one referral. 

3 – Past customer campaigns 

Unlock more revenue by creating a structured, multi-channel approach to reactivate past customers. gFour data shows that database reactivation campaigns can generate 2–10% repeat conversion over 12 months. In one roofing case study, 94 repeat jobs were generated from a list of 2,721 past customers in under three months (3.5% conversion rate). Across 69 holiday mailer campaigns, the average campaign produced $38,882 in revenue at an average marketing cost of 6.8%. 

4 – Rehash unsold leads 

Don’t give up after a lead initially doesn’t convert. gFour data shows that systematic rehash campaigns — combining direct mail, email and monthly newsletter touches — have generated approximately 7% conversion on previously unsold leads. In one case study, 898 unsold leads were entered into a rehash campaign, producing 99 conversions (11% conversion rate) and nearly $1 million in revenue at a 0.6% cost of marketing. 

Measuring ROI the right way 

gFour tracks “influenced revenue” across repeat jobs, referrals and review-driven impact to demonstrate how a structured relationship marketing system contributes to long-term growth. 

Rather than focusing solely on new lead acquisition, this approach measures the total revenue influenced by nurturing existing customers over time. 

Across participating contractors, influenced ROI consistently shows strong returns relative to program investment — with contractors who run the program for 12+ months seeing a median 14x ROI. 

Importantly, ROI accelerates the longer the system is in place, as repeat purchases, referrals and reputation compound over time. 

Learn more about how gFour Marketing can transform your business by maximizing your ROI.

By Jenny Yu.  

Start planning now to implement a successful referral system in 2026. 

As we approach the end of 2025, now is the time to reflect on the past year, take the lessons learned and plan for the year ahead. In a recent Roofing Road Trips® episode, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Rebecca Mayo, director of partnerships for gFour Marketing, about how contractors can implement referral systems to generate more high-quality leads and set up 2026 to be a successful year.  

“In my opinion, there has never been a more exciting time to be in this industry. Just this year alone, I have seen so much growth, specifically within the roofing community,” Rebecca expressed. “It's an awesome time to sit down with your team, start looking ahead to 2026, turn the page, make sure that we are planning effectively when it comes to not just your marketing spend, but zooming all the way out to the big picture.” 

For those hesitant to implement a new system into their marketing operations, Rebecca assured listeners that the process isn’t as complicated as it might seem. “You do not have to do it all at once. It is absolutely attainable if you start to plan, and the perfect time to do that is right now,” Rebecca stated. And, in partnering with a company like gFour Marketing, you’re not in it alone. “The goal of gFour Marketing is to help you build those systems and processes into your business to create a flywheel of referrals. Consider us an extension of your business. We exist to serve your company and help you achieve those goals that you set for yourself, operating behind the scenes." 

Once a referral system is underway, satisfied customers become enthusiastic salespeople for your business, elevating your brand in a genuine, grassroots way. “A company's brand, especially in the roofing community, goes a long way,” Rebecca said. “Your customers are going to remember how you made them feel. That's going to carry your company a long way and separate you from your competitors in the market. People want to do business with people they like.” 

Planning to implement a referral program now is the first step. “To make a small change with a big impact, turn up the heat on your customer experience,” Rebecca shared. “Ultimately, it is going to yield higher referrals for your business.” 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about how you can implement a referral program into your CRM system in 2026!

By Jenny Yu.  

A trusted partner can help roofers build sustainable referral programs for long-term momentum without added workload. 

Referral programs continue to gain traction in the roofing industry as contractors look for reliable ways to drive qualified leads and strengthen customer loyalty. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Rebecca Mayo, director of partnerships for gFour Marketing, about how residential and commercial roofers can build referral systems that deliver measurable returns. 

Rebecca said referral programs often hinge on brand identity and personalization, which help reinforce positive experiences after the job is complete. “We help our customers brand their program from end to end. We have different levels,” she said. “Some people want the deluxe — the full Monty with cookies and a thank you card and gift cards. You name it. It just depends on the need of our customer.” 

The goal is to create memorable touchpoints that elevate customer experience. “We want to leave a good taste in the mouth of that business's customer, because we want them to remember that feeling and take that feeling into the world and share that this business is the absolute best, you need to work with them, hands down,” Rebecca stated.  

Rebecca also emphasized the need for a holistic approach across every customer interaction, starting from the first impression and overall reputation management. “How are we treating people in the world? How are we making sure that everything that we're doing is leaving a great impression on people?” she offered. “We live in a world where people will share their thoughts and feelings about your company in a very public way.” Online reviews like Google or Yelp, Rebecca noted, can make or break your business’s reputation. 

Once a program is in place, tracking performance and rewarding homeowners keep referral momentum strong. Incentives ranging from gift cards to cash bonuses remain highly effective. “It's like a science actually,” she said, adding that human nature drives participation when rewards are meaningful and easy to redeem. “You're setting yourself up well for the stickiness of a continuation of your program while also gamifying it a little bit, which is fun.” 

For contractors interested in starting a referral program but intimidated by the effort and time it takes to create one, Rebecca stressed that they don’t need to be managed alone. “With the right partner, the right program partner in place, you can offload it completely.” That’s exactly the kind of partner gFour Marketing sets out to be. “We want to position our customers for success, which oftentimes gives them time back to focus on other things like growing the business and expanding to new markets.  

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how to get started with a referral program for your business.

By Jenny Yu.  

Avoid these regular pitfalls to make your referral program work for you. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Rebecca Mayo, director of partnerships for gFour Marketing, about the importance of referral programs to keep a healthy stream of clients and jobs all throughout the year. Rebecca shared the three most common mistakes contractors make when they're trying to generate a referral program. 

1 – Not making the ask 

According to Rebecca, the first and most common mistake when asking for referrals is simple: not making the ask for a referral.  

“That's the number one mistake. People don't even try to ask for the referral,” she stated. “If they know that they have a happy customer who is thrilled with the results of the job and that the project went smooth, great communication from start to finish, all the boxes checked out, not making that ask is one of the biggest mistakes that somebody can make. You're leaving money on the table by not asking for a referral.” 

So, make the ask. 

2 – All or nothing approach 

The second mistake Rebecca spoke of was letting the overwhelming urge to take the “all or nothing” approach to starting a referral program take over, a daunting fear that can often prevent business owners from going through with starting a program of their own.  

"I've seen this happen quite a bit where people think that they have to either have everything or not do anything at all. They think ‘Oh, I have to purchase customized cutting boards and gift baskets,’ which is amazing, but it is a lot of time and effort if they don't have the team structure or the bandwidth to do it,” Rebecca shared. 

When it comes to referral programs, something is always better than nothing, and having it done at all is better than perfect. “As long as you're doing something that's going to move and drive that referral piece forward,” Rebecca said, “you're in a good position.” 

3 - Nearsightedness  

Finally, Rebecca shared that a common mistake in building a referral program is not capitalizing on its long-term benefits. With as many as 80% of referrals occurring within a three-month timeframe, a consistent referral system can help keep business coming during the slower seasons, not just the peak months. 

“When one referral comes in, you'll see three more and over time, you're going to be building a flywheel that's going to be a huge component of your bottom line,” Rebecca offered. “If you can just take it piece by piece and build that consistent communication effort into the business, that's a great place to start.” 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how to establish a consistent referral program for your business.