Welcome to part two of my Top 10 takeaways on how you can run a more profitable roofing business.

This Top 10 list has been culled from all of my previous interviews with experts, my own 30 years of experience, my years of coaching other contractors and listening to the mistakes they have made, and by watching my competitors make mistakes. 

You can listen to the first part right here in Podcast 200!

Thank you for hanging in there with me and helping to make this podcast a success, and I hope, as you listen, that you’ll discover tangible tips that you can put to use that will help get you to your business vision.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• From last week’s episode, my #5 tip was the 3-legged stool: You have to sell work, you have to do work, and you have to keep score. This is the secret of running a successful business, and I’ll be covering the first leg (selling the work) throughout the rest of my tips.
• #6: Start at the end. Listen in as I describe a recent coaching call I had with a client. I dive deep into discovery sheets, tracking your calls and qualifying leads, closing rates, follow-up Fridays, and much more! I can do the same with you if you’re looking for a business coach.
• #7: Set up a good CRM (customer relationship management) system.
• Here’s a recap of ideas for selling the work (the first leg of the 3-legged stool):
  • Radius marketing - free or cheap!
  • PPC (pay-per-click) and paid advertising.
  • Close rate - make presentations only to qualified prospects. This will also give you your free time back!
  
  
• Don’t miss my bonus quick tips! 
• NEXT WEEK: The rest of that 3-legged stool in #8 - #10.

Resources:

Podcast 200: My Top 10 Takeaways from 199 Expert Interviews - Part 1

Contact Marc Levesque: Webrunner Media

Marc’s Shows on The Roofer Show: Podcast 198, Podcast 197, Podcast 172. Podcast 113

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Welcome to the 200th episode of The Roofer Show! I’ll be sharing the best of the best takeaways on how you can run a more profitable roofing business.

I’m bringing you a Top 10 list that I’ve culled from all of my previous interviews with experts, my own 30 years of experience, my years of coaching other contractors and listening to the mistakes they have made, and by watching my competitors make mistakes. 

Thank you for hanging in there with me and helping to make this podcast a success, and I hope, as you listen, that you’ll discover tangible tips that you can put to use that will help get you to your business vision.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• I’m keeping this list brief, but listen to the show for deeper details! Let’s get started.
• #1: Do the basics really well, and keep it simple.
• #2: Develop a business plan. Listen to Podcast 198: How to Make 2021 Your Best Year Ever with Marc Levesque for more information on downloading and filling out my FREE 1-Page, 8-section business plan.
• #3: Get a business coach. I’ve had business coaches for years, and this is the number one reason for the success of my business. Hey, I’m also a business coach if you’re looking for one!
• TIP: Incorporate! You’ll want to do this eventually, especially when you get close to selling your business. So, talk to an attorney and a CPA about doing this.
• #4: The Four D’s, also known as The Business Killers. They are:
• • Divorce
  • Death
  • Disability
  • Disillusion
  • Listen to Podcast 180: Are You Protected from These 4 Business Killers with Scott Calhoun for even more details.
  
  
• #5: The secret of running a successful business is the 3-legged stool: You have to sell work, you have to do work, and you have to keep score.
• NEXT WEEK: Tune in to deeper details about the 3-legged stool, PLUS my #6 - #10 takeaways.

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Join me as we take a dive into sales today with Ryan Groth from the Sales Transformation Group. Ryan will be covering how to build a successful sales team, how to compensate and motivate your team members, and he shares some techniques to really nail down the sales process.

Ryan also takes us into a conversation around the meaning of success and how that definition changes over time. You’re really going to enjoy this show!

I’m kicking off this episode with a few quick tips from my recent coaching sessions with clients.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• My quick tips for contractors:
• • Have regular meetings, keep them short and sweet, and follow an agenda!
  • Start the meeting off with a good note and get everyone’s participation.
  • My ideas for “Follow-up Fridays”.
  
  
• The Sales Transformation Group focuses on the construction space and offers solid courses that help develop sales leaders and teams.
• Ryan discusses introspection, defining the important things in life, and redefining success.
• Most business owners are more technical-oriented than they are business savvy and would benefit greatly from sales training. You have to know sales.
• People buy relationally and sales teams sell relationally.
• An owner should spend the first six months learning to go through multiple sales cycles and getting a sales discipline down.
• Ryan shares the importance of finding team members who have the right core values to be a part of your vision.
• Once you’re familiar with a reoccurring, predictable sales model, you gain confidence in how to compensate your sales team.
• The best companies are when the owners are invested in learning sales, brand, positioning, and marketing.
• Ryan details compensation models for when you’re first starting out in business and once you’ve developed your sales team, and how to build a good repeatable model.

Connect with Ryan!

Sales Transformation Group

Check out this Welcome Video and complete the 5-minute questionnaire!

In Case You Missed This Episode Featuring Guest Ryan Groth:

Podcast 71: How To Recession-Proof Your Business By Building A Quality Sales Organization 

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Today I’m replaying a course that I did for The Contractor Success Academy. The Contractor Success Academy is hosted by Webrunner Media’s Mark Levesque and is a series of around two dozen FREE online courses.

In this episode, I cover my 1-Page Business Plan. It’s a FREE download, so be sure to get it! You’ll learn about how to plan, design, and implement a solid business plan. This is especially important going into 2021 because there’s going to be a lot of opportunities available, but in order to capitalize on it, you’ll need to be ready. I hope the information in today’s show will help you do just that!

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Many contractors don’t know where to start in laying out a business plan.
• The 1-Page Business Plan is a simple, eight-step, fillable PDF.
• Let’s reverse-engineer and detail the steps so that we can understand where we need to start:
• • Where do you want to go? Where do you want to end up?
  • What, who, where, and why?
  • Come up with a one-minute elevator pitch.
  • • What’s the problem that you solve?
    • How do you solve that problem better than your competition?
    • What’s the action you want them to take?
    
    
  • The “SWOT”: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats
  • Take a look at the operation, which is like a 3-legged stool:
  • • You have to sell work
    • You have to do the work
    • You have to keep score
    
    
  • The process: a 2-week vacation
  • The action: What’s the ONE THING that’s going to make a difference in your business?
  • The view: Do you like what you see?
  
  
• When you’re building your team, they want to see someone who is a leader, who has a plan, and knows where they want to go.

Mentioned Episode Featuring Mark Levesque:

Podcast 197: The #1 Tactic to Get Qualified Leads for Your Roofing Business

Dave’s Video Lesson on The Contractor Success Academy

Resources:

Check Out My NEW Website: The Roofer Coach

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

If you want a consistent flow of qualified leads you need to listen to my mini-course with Marc Levesque and learn how a professional PPC campaign can get your company’s name in front of new prospects ready to buy your services. Once you have their attention Marc gives you the secrets to converting those clicks into qualified leads using the right landing pages.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• PPC is pay-per-click.
• Most listeners of this show will fall into one of three categories:
  1. You’ve done this yourself but did not get results.
  2. You hired someone to do it for you but it did not work out.
  3. You’re not familiar with PPC.
  
  
• Marc provides an overview of PPC:
  • Understand how search engines work.
  • Pay Google to serve your ads on the first page of search results.
  • Using keywords that potential clients might use to find your ads are very important.
  • You pay for clicks whenever a potential client clicks on your ad.
  
  
• Marc addresses budgeting concerns: What will you need to spend on this? What can you expect in terms of results?
• The real metric you need to consider is the “customer acquisition cost”.
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is optimizing your website and/or content so you can get those pages indexed or showing up on Google so that over time you earn more traffic.
• The goal of PPC is ultimately to instill confidence and convince a prospective client that they should reach out and have a conversation with you.
• It’s important to use a landing page, which is basically a page on your website that is stripped of everything that is not relevant to what the consumer just searched for.
• It’s the landing page where you want to convert your traffic. You want them to call you, to fill out a form, or do a live chat.
• After a while, you’ll get a good indication of what your closing rate is, net sales per lead, and all the metrics that you need to understand.
• Generating a lead is only half the equation; capitalizing on the leads is more important.
• Marc shares how if you’re going to pay money for these leads, you have to respond quickly and with quality. Differentiate yourself from the competition. He offers some tips on how to field these very important calls.
• If a lead is not an ideal lead for you, be sure to refer to a specialist who is a better fit and try to make the introduction.
• Build a database of contacts that you can reach out to.
• Bracketing is the idea of giving people options.
• Dave discusses the problem with lead aggregators.
• The myth of exclusive leads.
• Marc relates the value of retargeting.
• Leveraging PPC to get more traffic so you can generate more leads and having more control over your marketing adds predictability to your business.
• Referrals remain the best kind of lead you can have.
• Five things that all successful businesses do.
• Ways to increase your revenues.

Links:

For Tips, Strategies, and Free Downloads!

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan!

The Roofer Show

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes**

FREE One-Hour Evaluation! I will also work with you one-on-one.

Contact Me HEREto Get Started!

Book Mentioned:

Unlocking Unlimited Lead Flow: A Blueprint For Remodeling & Home Services Contractors To Make The Jump To $10MM+ by Rich Harshaw

Recommended Episode:

6 Keys to Getting More Leads and Sales with Tim Musch

Connect with Marc!

Marc’s Website

Book a Demo with Marc

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

Call Ruby

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!!

—->My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money Back Guarantee

Remember that 3-legged stool principle I teach? You’ve got to sell the work, you’ve got to do the work, and you’ve got to keep score, which is the bookkeeping part. All three of these legs have to be in balance so that it doesn’t become weak or your business is going to fall over.

Today, I’m thankful to have Steve Kreitzberg from Apparatus Contractor Services, LLC, on the show. Steve’s company specializes in outsourced bookkeeping, payroll, and reporting for contractors only, and you’ll be hearing why this niche is so important and why this kind of service is something you might want to consider for your own business. 

Listen in to learn some strategies regarding your finances, why you need to be working and understanding your numbers, and how this can actually become a pretty simple thing as part of a streamlined process to help you reach your financial goals!

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Steve shares his backstory as to how he came to focus on contracting businesses.
• Apparatus created a digital service that provides bookkeeping services to contractors all over the country.
• Clients that recognize that finances are the foundation of their growth are Apparatus’s ideal clients. Other traits in an ideal client are that they’re growth-centered, coachable, decisive, goal-driven, collaborative, and cash confident.
• Contractors have a skill set that doesn’t typically include bookkeeping. Others may simply not be interested in learning it or do not have time to keep up with it. Most contractors prefer to spend time serving their clients and finding new ones.
• The service that Apparatus offers is built on the tools that are built for and around QuickBooks® online.
• Good news: Job-costing is now available in QuickBooks® online!
• Steve details some other tools that Apparatus also uses, including the QuickBooks® Payroll module, a product called TSheets®, Zoom, and Dropbox.
• Steve shares the promise that his company makes to their clients.
• There are unique bookkeeping requirements for construction companies, which Steve explains.
• New clients of Apparatus go through a six-week boot camp while they’re getting their systems set up. This gives clients confidence and a basic understanding of how bookkeeping works on their behalf.
• Steve discusses the chart of accounts and the varied benefits of knowing your numbers.
• Don’t confuse your cash flow with your profit!
• What to expect with TSheets® and the payroll module.
• Did we mention the reports? There are five of them, and here’s what you can do with them.
• A CPA is who files your taxes; Apparatus is a bookkeeping service and is, therefore, a source of all the information that your CPA needs.

Connect with Steve!

Apparatus Contractor Services, LLC

Resources:

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

Kyle and Marie Hoffman are the owners of Roofing & More, Inc., and I think you’ll be able to identify with some of the struggles they’ve faced in getting their family-run business to the success level it is today. Kyle and Marie will be sharing the systems and processes they put in place that eased their journey along the way. There are lots of lessons in the show today, and I’m sure you’ll be able to learn something that can be applied to your own situation that just might make things a little more streamlined in your business, too.

But first, I’m kicking this episode off with some tips on how to finish out the year strong!

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Quick tips to finish out the year in a strong position:
• • Close the deal / wrap up the sales
  • Follow up on your open quotes
  • Close out your jobs
  • Bill your extras and collect your money
  • Thank your clients with a simple hand-signed holiday card or a small gift 
  • Ask for referrals
  • Have next year’s plan laid out before the holidays
  
  
• Kyle shares the emotional turmoil and tragedy his family experienced in the first couple of years of going into business for himself.
• Growing his business without growing himself led to some very difficult times.
• Kyle and Marie address dynamics inside a family-run business. 
• When you discover your strengths, work from that. This is something that all team members should do.
• Kyle and Marie put processes in place for hiring and created a work culture that reduced employee turnover.
• Tips from Kyle and Marie on their leads process, how they handle training, and more!
• You can improve your close rate just by following up with your prospective (or previous) customers.
• Getting reviews is critical, and here are some tips to get them.
• Marie’s provides her take on being a woman in the male-dominated roofing and construction industry.
• Kyle’s other passion is helping others with developing their business.
• Growing and building a business and developing systems and processes takes focus and adaptability.

Connect with Kyle & Marie!

Roofing & More, Inc.

Marie’s Email

Kyle Hoffman LLC: Speaker - Coach - Author 

Sign up for Kyle's BIZ Tips! - Kyle has a FREE gift for the first 50 signing up!

Resources:

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

I’m pleased to have Becca Switzer from Roof Sales Mastery back on the show with me today. If anyone knows about the sales process, it’s Becca. She has tons of direct sales experience and she’s mastered the sales art of the storm restoration industry, too. Becca really knows her stuff, and she’s ready to share what she knows about increasing your profits when working from the insurance claims side, as well as tips for retail sales right here on the show today. 

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Becca shares how she started Roof Sales Mastery and the development of the six full programs that she offers.
• Becca is a keynote speaker at RoofCON in Houston, TX that’s being held October 15-17, and she will be a breakout speaker at the Roofing Process Conference in Orlando, FL on December 3-4.
• The storm restoration industry differs from retail roofing sales in a number of ways, which Becca details:
• • The leads generation process is different
  • Dealing with the insurance company and getting the damage approved
  • Pricing - everyone uses Xactimate
  • Supplementing - getting the claim where it needs to be
  
  
• There are 3 groups of people, according to Becca:
• • The early adopters
  • The bandwagoners
  • The late adopters
  
  
• Most contractors don’t have great sales skills, and if they don’t win the “easy” sales, they think they’ve missed their opportunity. This is the wrong mindset!
• Xactimate is the only insurance claims estimating software used by the industry. She does not sell it, but she can train you on how to use it!
• Becca breaks down some supplementary math that will change your life!
• Becca discusses in more detail the various online programs that she offers and what you’ll be hearing at the conventions from her this year.

Connect with Becca!

Becca’s Website

Becca’s YouTube Channel 

Enjoy Listening to These Referenced Episodes:

Podcast 33: How to Build a Stellar Sales Team from the Ground Up with Becca Switzer

Podcast 171: How to Run a Paperless Roofing Business with Armando Jacox

Resources:

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Text Me @ (510) 612-1450 - Say Hi!

I would love to hear your feedback, pros & cons!

**Please leave me a review on iTunes!**

~Please Share My Podcast With Other Contractors~

THE ROOFER SHOW SPONSOR INFO:

Need Help Answering the Phone Or Online Chat?

Use Ruby Receptionists!!

Find Out How They Can Help Bring In Leads!!

Click here and use the code Roofer50 for a special $50 discount!

https://www.callruby.com/roofershow

Or Call Ruby at (844) 326-7829

Check out the app!!

My Listeners Get a 21-Day Money-Back Guarantee!

To run a profitable roofing business, you have to understand the basics of accounting and the basics of setting up your financial system.

Dave welcomes his go-to accounting expert, Diane Gilson, back to the show to discuss the easiest way to do just that!

Diane Gilson created Info Plus(+) Accounting® In 1994 to help business owners establish job-cost accounting systems so they can access critical day-to-day operations data using QuickBooks as their primary management accounting tool.

Diane’s passion is designing, customizing, and upgrading accounting systems and financial controls for small to mid-sized construction and manufacturing companies.

What you’ll hear in this episode:

• Re-organize the Chart of Accounts so that it provides more meaningful and useful information

• Construction businesses fail when owners don’t charge enough money because they don’t understand their costs

• The Chart of Accounts is your accounting system foundation

• Understanding direct costs

• Above and below the line and why it’s important to get this right

• Consistency is necessary to do comparisons of estimates vs. actuals

• How to keep your Chart of Accounts simple

• Having a consistent cash flow allows you to take a regular salary

• Net profit is NOT part of your salary, it is money that you’ll be reinvesting into the business

• Diane has created a Building Your Chart of Accounts Class!

• Why you shouldn’t ignore your balance sheet

Diane’s Resources:

Diane’s Website: Build Your Numbers / Dave

Building Your Chart of Accounts Class

Remodeling Your QuickBooks Chart of Accounts

Time Tracking and (Job-Costing) Payroll Class

Dave’s Resources:

Learn How Ruby Receptionists Will Leave A Great First Impression With Your Prospects!  

www.callruby.com/roofershow

Use the promo code “Roofer 50” for $50 off!

Download My FREE 1-Page Business Plan

Contact Me HERE to Get Started With A Free Business Evaluation And Learn How I Can Help!

Enjoy These Other Podcast Episodes Featuring Diane Gilson:

77: The Cost of Chaos: What's It Costing Your Company with Diane Gilson

112: How To Calculate Your True Labor Burden And Why It Matters With Diane Gilson

105: Increase Your Profit With Effective Job Costing Reports With Diane Gilson

4: Add 10% (or more) of Your Gross Sales to Your Bottom Line

• The biggest mistake so many roofers make is to think that they’ll make more money if they sell more.

• BUT if you don’t have a stable and substantial gross profit on your jobs, and you take on the extra cost involved with higher volume, you’re just setting yourself up to earn less and less. AND, as you grow, you will create more work and stress for yourself.

The three steps to make a massive difference in your take-home pay are:

1. First, use your job costing information to reduce your production costs.

2. Then figure out how to eliminate your lower-profit work or loser jobs.

3. FINALLY, shift into your highest gross profit type of work.

Remember: These three methods don’t require you to SELL MORE, HIRE MORE PEOPLE, OR WORK HARDER!

• AFTER you’ve achieved a stellar profit margin THEN you may want to take on a bit more volume, CAREFULLY, a step at a time (always monitoring so you maintain an excellent profit margin).

The Bonus Strategic Benefit:

• When you track the kinds of work that create the best profits for your company, you can use that knowledge to make strategic and long-lasting changes to your company’s business model. For instance:

  • You may choose to scale down to fewer (but consistently profitable) jobs.

  • Or you could decide to grow your company after achieving a better profit margin.

  • You might choose to focus on a favorite niche (as the saying goes: “the riches are in the niches”) where you benefit financially from your specialized knowledge.

  
  

Get Diane’s Free Download: buildyournumbers.com/dave