Running a roofing company in 2022 isn’t the same as it was 10 or even five years ago. From labor shortages to COVID to supply chain snafus, roofers have more challenges than ever. While every roofing company has its own recipe for success, savvy roofers are learning to use more unconventional methods to thrive in today’s marketplace.

Here’s a look at five ways these roofers are rolling with the times:

1. Think ahead—way ahead. Amid material fluctuations, and rapid price changes, today’s roofers need to do more careful long-distance forecasting than ever. That means not only keeping an eye on what’s coming, but also taking steps to mitigate the financial effects of those changes going forward. “We forecasted escalations on material since Q3 of 2021 and were able to get a material escalation addendum in 100% of our contracts,” said Dustin Guess, President of Absolute Roofing & Waterproofing. “We feel it is our open-honest communication about the specifics going on in our industry that allowed us to contract $11.8 million in new work in Q1 of 2022.”

2. Use social smartly. It seems like every day there’s a new social media channel (ever heard of Triller?). But companies with the best social media success know what works with their audience—and stay focused on those channels. All social media services offer different ways to see how your content is being received. So, rather than trying to post everywhere, dig into the tools and find out for yourself what’s really working. “By testing and expanding the types of content we share (and where we share it), we are learning what content our customers find valuable and engaging and therefore growing our pages and reach,” said Meagan Warner, marketing operations manager with RJW Exteriors.

3. Make a home for employees. Everyone is dealing with the labor shortage, but companies that have fared the best are also the ones where people want to come to work. That means creating a company culture that makes people feel cared about and taking the time to show them. It’s a low-cost, low-effort way to attract new employees—and retain existing ones. “We are very much a family here,” said Sheila Norman, office manager of Henson Robinson Company. “We have regular gatherings that help bond us together.  Most everyone that works here has been here a very long time.”

4. Make a plan to grow. Sure, there’s more work than ever. But does that mean it’s smart to start taking on tons of new work, especially with material and labor shortages? To answer that question for yourself, it’s important to put together a cohesive growth plan that accounts for how that growth will be funded, resourced and handled. “Our model is continual opening new locations, and we revisit this monthly,” said Brad Groce, CEO of American Roofing Company. “Employees desiring to open a new location are put through an in-depth training program that provides resources to succeed.”

5. Give back. Today’s customers are more focused on social responsibility than ever—especially Millennials. An easy way to show your company’s social responsibility is to make a point of giving back to the community either through charity work or sponsoring local groups. Giving back in this way achieves two important goals. First, it helps create more of a team atmosphere with workers, who are often only too happy to donate their time and expertise to a good cause. Second, it serves as a different kind of word or mouth marketing campaign. When community members see remodeling companies pitching in for good causes — and it gets picked up in the media, as often happens — it makes them more likely to remember those companies when it comes time to do their own projects.  “It’s our community and the people in it that have helped to make our company the success that it is. This is the least that we can do to repay them,” said Kevin Froeter, President of Sterling Commercial Roofing Inc.