“Those that embrace ignorant buyers are generally the most successful Marcus Sheridan“
Most times, especially in roofing, consumers are looking to spend the least amount of money possible.
As roofers, we know our industry suffers when homeowners are offered deals that are too good to be true, which is part of the reason why roofers don’t talk about prices.
If there is too much undercutting on price, eventually roofers begin to lose money on specific projects.
Additionally, appealing to your customers is no easy task, but as we preach here at Roofing Insights, and as the sagacious Marcus Sheridan said last December at our annual roofing conference, people need to be educated.
As a consumer, your biggest leverage is being knowledgeable about price points, and being confident that you’re getting a good deal.
Yet one problem many roofers seem to ignore is advertising the cost of their services.
Of course, anyone who has spent a day on a jobsite will tell you determining the cost of a roofing job is a science. Each home presents its own unique challenges, whether it’s a roof’s size, shape, or amount of damage, estimators can’t pinpoint the cost of labor just by looking at the roof.
Even though the process is layered and multi-faceted, this doesn’t give roofers license to be coy about their pricing. In fact, customers feel much more comfortable if they have a general idea of how much something is going to cost them.
So why don’t roofers talk about their prices? According to Marcus Sheridan, there are 3 key reasons:
1. Competition
Many roofers are scared that they will be undercut if they list their general prices online.
Here’s the reality: as a roofer, you will always be undercut, but your value as a contractor isn’t in your price; it’s in your reputation and quality of work.
2. Fear of Scaring People Away
Okay, so you don’t want to list your prices on your company website.
That’s fine, you think. At least I’m not scaring customers away.
The problem with that mode of thinking, and also the irony of it as well, is that by not listing prices, you’re turning people off even more.
Like we said at the top, people don’t want to feel misled during their buying experience.
A great example of this can be seen in the restaurant industry.
Say you’re at a seafood place, and you really want the lobster. But once you look on the menu, the cost is listed as “market price.”
Because you don’t know what the market price is, you likely will just order the chicken instead.
This same mentality can be applied to roofing. People want to know how much something costs; simple as that!
3. Every Job is Different
Of course, every job is different, and so are your prices for every job, but that doesn’t mean you can’t educate your consumer on how you get to your price.
Think about it: most companies don’t go the extra mile to explain to their consumers why they charge the amounts they do.
That means, if you educate potential clients, you will be providing value to them. And most people feel comfortable trusting someone who brings value to their lives.
Be the teacher your customers crave, and you will be rewarded.
“Finally, someone was willing to help me understand.”
– future satisfied customer who is signing the check as we speak
These are 3 reasons why roofers don’t share their pricing. Can you think of any more reasons?
Comment below with how you generate sales during your education process!