Securing leads in the age of algorithms

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Smart systems, visuals and speed are the new weapons of the roofing sales battleground.  

As roofing contractors forge ahead into the age of digital technology, the cost of lead generation isn’t the only obstacle they’re facing; many are struggling with the changing nature of the leads themselves. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth investigates the evolving world of sales strategy with Pam Torrey, director of marketing at Ingage, who offers sharp insights on how contractors can make the most of every lead in an increasingly competitive and noisy marketplace. 

Pam explains that while online tools and platforms are crucial for visibility, they’ve also created a new kind of customer, one who is both better informed and potentially misinformed. “Over 50% of the buying process happens before a sales rep even speaks to the customer,” she says. They’ve read reviews, researched products and formed opinions, but that doesn’t always mean they’re right. 

Contractors, she warns, now face prospects who may come in with outdated expectations, especially on pricing. “Some of these folks have come in and they're like, ‘Oh, my dad had a roof replaced seven years ago and it only cost this much.’ Okay, well that was seven years ago. A lot has happened since then,” she says. 

The solution is to personalize quickly. Pam emphasizes the importance of rapid response and tailored communication to convert prospects while they’re still engaged. “Speed to lead. You need to be on that lead as soon as possible,” she says. “If you can text them photos of your projects, if you can email them a beautiful email that tells them what to expect, you're going to be ahead of the game.” 

One of the most buzzed-about innovations covered in the conversation is Ingage’s new Profile Pages feature, designed to arm contractors with the ability to deliver hyper-targeted presentations that reflect a homeowner’s neighborhood, house style or even demographic preferences. Pam states, “If you're going to be walking into my mom's home to present versus one of her neighbors, you probably want to have slightly different visuals.” 

From leveraging visual communication to integrating smarter customer relationship management and marketing automation tools, Pam zeroes in on the strategies that give independent contractors an edge against big-budget competitors. “Most people are visual learners,” Pam notes. “They want to see your work and see your business visually.” If you can really connect with them from the start, you're going to get more out of that lead. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to get hands-on advice, tech tips and insider strategies to make 2025 your strongest sales year yet!