Obviously, you’re in the business of roofing, not marketing or selling your services—but you’ll get better results and more business if you learn how to pitch metal roofing properly.

How to Sell

Whether you’re trying to drum up new business or better satisfy your existing customers, knowing how to sell is a huge benefit. While we can’t teach you everything there is to know about sales, we can give you a few pointers:

1) Benefits, Not Features

Do you spend time talking about the features of your roofing material or the qualifications of your guys? These are features. They’re usually technical and boring for customers, because they don’t really care—they want to know why any of that matters to them!

That’s why marketing and selling is about benefits. Connect up how the features of your products and services will improve your customers’ lives. In the case of metal roofing, tout how it has a much longer lifespan and is nearly impervious to anything Mother Nature can throw at it. For most customers, focusing on the benefits will be a lot more persuasive than merely listing technical facts about metal roofing.

2) Sales Is Only 30 Percent Talking

There’s something to keep in mind when you’re talking to a customer or prospect about choosing you for a roofing job, and it’s this: only 30 percent of the interaction should be you talking! The rest should be you listening to the customer and his or her needs.

Think of the sales process as a conversation, rather than a spiel or script that you have to go through. You’re still trying to sell yourself as the best solution for a customer, but you’re showing it instead of telling. It’s a powerful way to get new business and impress current customers.

3) Be Patient

Perhaps the best tip to keep in mind for good sales is just to be patient. You want to cultivate a great relationship with each individual customer, while also building up a positive reputation in your community. Being patient and helpful will endear customers to you. Hard selling won’t, especially with a purchase as massive as a new roof.

It’s up to you to decide how you want to do it, but we think patience will be a benefit to your company long-term.

A Perk of Working with Us

While improving at sales will help you win more business from customers, when it comes to metal roofing, we often see customers who are nervous about spending a significant amount of money on it compared to cheaper alternatives.

As a contractor, you can send the homeowner to our office to learn the benefits of metal roofing, see some examples, and observe the installation process. The homeowner can always come to us as the metal fabricator, which means they’ll feel more protected and confident about going for the metal roof.

Stay tuned for our next conference, where you’ll learn even more tips about selling as a contractor!

~J.C.

The post How to Pitch the Metal Roof Perfectly appeared first on Metal Master Shop.

But now how do you decide what kind of metal roof to purchase? What are the different qualities and traits to look for and how do you match them to your needs? And are there any limitations?

I want to focus on one aspect of metal roofs today: Gauge.

Now in many cases, especially when it comes to Miami waistlines at the beach, thinner is better!

But that doesn’t necessarily apply to other situations equally. One of those situations where thinner is not always the best option is in metal roofing.

The measurement for metal thickness is it’s gauge. From our online glossary (have you checked it out yet? It’s very helpful!), you can find a quick definition for the measurements I’m talking about.

Gauge: A standard of measurement. For instance, the thickness of sheet metal or the diameter of wire. The thicker the wire or metal, the lower the gauge.

Did you catch that last part? It might get you a little backwards but the higher the gauge, the thinner the metal and visa versa. The lower the gauge, the thicker the metal. So our Fabricate 24 gauge is thicker than the 032 Aluminum.

Why does thickness of metal roofs matter?

Okay, enough of that. What does it really mean to have a thinner or thicker gauge?

Different types of metal roofs will typically come in different size gauges.

• Sheet roofing will tend to vary from 24 to 30 gauge.

• Standing seam will be on the heavier side at 18 to 26 or 28 for the lighter roofing needs; and 24 and 26 gauge is most common for residential homes.

• Shakes will usually be manufactured at 26 or 28 gauge.

Thicker gauge roofing will tend to be more resistant to impacts for obvious reasons, but thinner will weigh lighter and that’s a consideration depending on your roofing needs and the structural design of your home or building. And besides metal thickness, there are protective coatings, seals, and paint that can change the thickness as well.

Florida Specialty Roofing

So I’m sure you all know how special Florida is, you wouldn’t live here if you didn’t. But one thing you have to keep in mind is the Florida Building Code. That thing is DETAILED.

As you can imagine, our buildings have to be able to stand up against the roughest weather around. And they have to do it year after year after year.

At Metal Master Shop, we prefer 24 gauge galvalume (trade name for a protective coating composed of aluminum zinc) or 032 aluminum for Miami because it is a high quality product and it fits the building codes for roofs.

We have the strictest roofing codes in the country, so trust us when we say this is the best and toughest product.

This can be a tricky subject, so please feel free to come to us with any questions you have about metal roof gauges and what is best for your home. We’re the experts and we’re here to help!

-J.C.

The post In Miami, Thinner Isn’t Always Better appeared first on Metal Master Shop.

Low Heat Conduction

Metal roofing materials are shiny, are reflect the sun’s rays on those hot summer days. This means that less heat makes it into your home, translating into less power used for running air conditioning. This means lower energy bills, which are always beneficial to the good old bottom line. This benefit will help you save money each and every month over the long run. This can even be enhanced with certain finishes or paints, which is why metal roof paint has special formulations.

Reduced Leaking

For roofs with low pitch, leaking is one of those possibilities that never goes away using conventional roofing materials, no matter how minimized it becomes through various tricks and techniques. However, with metal roofing materials gently pitched roofs can be covered with virtually no risk of leaking. The minimum pitch is 3 in 12, meaning a three inch rise every foot.

Non Flammable Materials

One of the great benefits of metal is that it doesn’t burn. Compare that with asphalt shingles, which are a definite fire risk. Metal roofing materials are inflammable and safe. This can go so far as to reduce your home owners insurance depending on your state and location. The other real benefit of this is that your home   is practically immune to catching on fire from lightning strikes, no matter what the myths may say.

Light Weight

Contrary to popular belief, metal roofing materials actually weigh less than tile or concrete roofing. Much less. Metal roofing is super lightweight – 50 to 150 pounds per 100 square feet. Compare this to concrete at 900 or tile at 750 and its obvious just how much you’re saving. This keeps the supports in your house free of extra weight, meaning they’re less likely to break or require maintenance. You may even be able to reduce the number of supports you need. Different metal roofing materials have different densities, so don’t expect each to have the same weight. For instance, copper roofing will always be lighter than steel roofing for the same area covered.

Longevity

Longevity is where metal roofing materials really shine. Simply put, the metal roof should last as long as the house does. You’ll rarely need to do any maintenance or repairs since the metal is durable. It seals out water and is resistant to conventional roofing’s four biggest fears: fire, mildew, insects, and rot.  You can easily measure your metal roofs lifetime in decades, not years.

Ease of Installation

Metal roofing installation is not as difficult as many would make it out to be. This is because it comes in multi-shingle sections, which skilled professionals can put in place quickly. Installing metal roofs can be difficult to do yourself, so you should generally consult local contractors before undertaking the task.  With a metal roof, you won’t need to worry – you’ll be covered.

The post The Advantages of Metal Roofing appeared first on Metal Master Shop.

Metal roofing is the growing choice of roofing material among southern Florida homeowners and currently accounts for about 10-14% of all re-roofing jobs in the United States. They are most popular in Southeastern states, like Florida, where tropical storms are a threat.

There are several reasons why they are growing in popularity. First, homeowners are not as transient as they used to be. More and more homeowners are choosing to stay in their homes as they age. Since they can last more than five decades, homeowners who choose them know that they won’t need to replace it again. Most manufacturers offer 50-year warranties for their products. With just a little maintenance, they can last up to 75 years.

Other reasons include the following:

Strength & Durability Benefits.  Metal roofs withstand all weather conditions, from large amounts of rain, to hail and high winds. They do not rot, which eliminates the possibility for insect damage. Additionally, they do not absorb water and moisture, crack or peel. They are also resistant to mildew and decay.

Cost Benefits.  Metal roofs cost more than most other roofing types. There are many variables that will determine the cost of a new metal roof, including size, material, pitch, accessibility, permits and any special labor costs associated with your roofing project. Homes with metal roofs are known for their higher resale values.

Safety Benefits.  Those benefits include fire and hail resistance, plus strong performance under hurricane conditions, including meeting the very strict code for Miami-Dade County, Fla. One of the greatest advantages of metal roofs is that they are fire-resistant.

Environmental Benefits.  There are several factors that make metal roofing environmentally-friendly, including that most can be installed over an existing roof. Installing metal roofing over an existing roof eliminates waste from a roof tear-off which would otherwise end up in a landfill. They are often made from recycled material, and metal roof materials can be recycled.

Energy Efficiency. Metal roofing is a popular choice amongst Miami homeowners as it also reflects a considerable amount of the sun’s energy. This in turn may help people save money throughout the life of the roof in respect to power and heating costs. If people opt for a light-colored roof, it enables about 20% reduction in the air conditioning operating costs during the summer. Metal roofing can also reduce the homeowner’s insurance.

Environmental Attributes.  Metal roofing can be constructed from a high proportion of recycled material, which makes it popular with environmental activists and advocates. It is also much lighter than other tiles and coverings and puts minimum tension and pressure on beams and walls of the home.

Design Benefits.  There are many color choices and design schemes available in metal roofing materials. Painted metal is available in almost any color.

As a roofing contractor, you can benefit greatly by offering metal roofing to your southern Florida customers.

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