Amstill Roofing has a script for everything -- from how incoming calls are handled to how service calls are conducted. It might seem excessive, but it’s proven to be successful.

The business was counted as an Inc. 5000 company in 2019 for increasing its revenue by 158 percent between 2015 and 2018. For the coming year, officials anticipate surpassing $10 million in sales.

Having scripts for everything was just one of the tips Sam Stilley, vice president of sales, shared with his fellow roofing contractors at Best of Success. He said by setting up consistent systems, enhancing branding and investing in people, contractors can experience success like Amstill Roofing.

“I just want to see other people become successful, and that’s where I’ve seen my best success,” Stilley said.

Branding is Key

Stilley said branding comes down to name recognition. One way contractors can do this is to rework their brochures and sales pitches so that products and guarantees are presented by the contractor, not a manufacturer.

“Everything needs to be branded to your company,” he said. “We’re going as far to making the insert sheets on products ‘Amstill’ insert sheets, with the product manufacturer’s product on there.”

Even simple tweaks can have lasting effects. Stilley said designing lawn signs that are easy to read go a long way. By using clean, simple designs consistently throughout all marketing materials — including lawn signs, vehicles, ads and websites — people will remember a company easier.

“All I want them to remember is the company name,” he said. “Guess what they’re going to do…when they get home they’re going to Google you.”

Naturally, if potential clients are going to search online after remembering a company name, having a good web presence is important. Stilley said investing in search engine optimization (SEO) for company websites increases leads. He recommended finding an SEO expert and working with them on a monthly basis.

Invest in People

Of course, none of this happens unless a company has great employees. The secret to retaining employees, he said, is presenting personalized incentives in addition to monetary incentives. To do so, simply ask the employees what they like.

For instance, Stilley said he offers to buy manicures and pedicures for female staff who successfully solicit online reviews from clients. Not only do staff members stick around, but Amstill Roofing has seen its online reviews spike.

“I have signed contracts to this day, and the only deciding factor was that we had the most reviews online,” he said.

Amstill is not afraid to hire people from outside of the roofing industry and invest in them. Stilley understands that contractors worry about employees leaving after receiving training, but he said if it happens, contractors should embrace it.

“If they decide to leave and go start their own adventure, that’s fine, because I know I’ve created a competitor that has equal values that my company has instilled in them,” Stilley said. “If anything, it’s making our market better in the long run.”