Roofing Door Hangers and Commissions

By Mike Coday •  Updated: 03/29/21 •  3 min read

Do Roofing Door Hangers Work?

Let’s keep it real…

A big frustration in roofing sales is that for all time you put in prospecting, you’re constantly worried that somebody else is making your sales… not just making the sale, but making an easy sale because you did all the hard work.

Unfortunately, this isn’t an unfounded fear, it really happens… you do the prospecting work and somebody else makes the easy or makes an easier sale.

It has happened to you, hasn’t it?

I want to share with you an edited email from a reader with the same concerns as it specifically relates to prospecting with door hangers.

He also asked about commissions. I’ve left that part in there because it ties in with my responses that you’ll read later.

Here’s the email…

Two Big Concerns

Hi Mike,

I just discovered your site tonight and from what I’ve read and seen so far, I’m really impressed!

I’m a retiree who doesn’t have to depend on roofing sales for my livelihood. However, I do have to supplement my income with roofing sales in order to leave my retirement savings untouched.

I recently began door-to-door roof sales. I’ve been training via hands-on with the company Sales Manager.

The company provides me with door hangers to leave on doors of potential customers if I’m unable to make contact with face-to-face.

The door hangers provided have a small space on each side where I can rubber stamp my name and number; or I can staple my business card at the bottom on either one or both sides.

In the interest of saving time, I’ve been rubber stamping both sides with my name and number.

The door hangers provided have the phone number of the company printed on both sides at the bottom in VERY LARGE BOLD TYPE.

After six months, I have knocked on 629 doors and made personal contact with 337 potential customers. I’ve left approximately 292 door hangers in the process. As of this writing, I’ve only received one phone call from the approximate 292 hangers I’ve left.

My Sales Manager says he’ll ask any potential customer calling the office how they obtained the company’s number. He says if it was obtained from a door hanger; he’ll ask whose name is on it (could only be his or mine). He says if my name is given, then that potential customer will be assigned to me.

Currently the only people doing any selling for the company are my Sales Manager and I. Also, the company phone is almost always answered by the owner of the business, who then refers the call(s) to my Sales Manager.

I like my Sales Manager, however I’d like to know if this is the typical way most roofing sales people have to operate (e.g., solely on trust)?

My second question is related to commissions paid. I make 45% of the profit on each job, however I never get to see any of the paperwork (e.g., invoices for materials, etc.).

So again, is this typically the way commissions are paid; simply on trust?

Any help you can provide me on the above two questions would be appreciated, as I am quite a newbie to the business.

[Name Removed For Privacy]

What Do You Think?

Tell me what you think.

You would be surprised how many people read every article and every response word-for-word.

Let me know what you think and I’ll do a follow-up with my response.

Peace,
Mike

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Mike Coday

Mike started selling roofs in '95 while working as a youth pastor at a small church in North Texas. A decade later he transitioned to speaking at industry conferences and training outside sales teams. Today, he works exclusively as the premier consultant to roofing company owners who are driven for growth.