Slow Season? How to Get More Roofing and HVAC Leads This Winter

The fastest way to get more roofing or HVAC leads in the slow season isn't new ads. It's the people who already asked you for a price this year and never heard back. Work your old estimates and past customers first, then tighten your ads to the zip codes that pay best.

Most of the leads you need this winter are already in your phone. You paid for them in the spring and summer. Now's when they pay you back.

When is the slow season for roofing and HVAC?

That's the part most owners miss. In July you were too busy to follow up. You sent the estimate, maybe made one call, and moved on to the next job. Some of those people didn't say no. They just never said yes.

The slow season is when you finally have time to go back to them.

Where do slow season leads come from?

There are 4 places to look, and 3 of them cost you nothing because you already paid for the lead once.

1. Open estimates from this year that never closed.
2. Past customers who might need a check-up, a repair or a referral.
3. A maintenance plan that brings the same customers back every year.
4. Google reviews that help the next stranger pick you over the guy down the street.

After those, you look at ads. Not before.

How do you turn old estimates into jobs?

Here's what it can look like for a roofer. The numbers below are an example. Plug in your own.

Even if only a few say yes, those are jobs you didn't have to buy a new lead for.

Now, what do you actually send? Keep it short and give them an easy reply. "Hi, any update?" doesn't work, because there's nothing easy to say back. A question they can answer in one word works better.

A few rules that make this work:

• Use their name and the job. "Your roof on Maple St." beats "your project."
• Ask one question. Yes or no, this week or next, A or B.
• Text, don't email. People read texts. Most of your old estimates were sent by email anyway, so a text stands out.
• Stop after 3. If they don't answer by the third text, leave it. You can try again in the spring.
• Only text people who gave you their number for the estimate, and stop right away if someone asks you to.

If someone says they went with another company, ask one more thing: "Mind telling me why?" Price, timing, or they just picked whoever called back first. That answer is gold for next season.

How do past customers bring in winter work?

Ideas that fit the season:

• Roofers: offer a quick look after the first big storm. Check gutters, flashing and anything that came loose. Small repairs now often turn into a bigger job in the spring.
• HVAC: remind every customer whose system you touched in the last 2 years that it's time for a furnace tune-up before the first cold night.
• Both: ask, "Do you know anyone who's been putting off a roof (or a new system)?" Make it easy. Send them a link they can forward.

Keep the list simple. A spreadsheet with name, phone, address, what you did and when is enough to start.

Should you sell maintenance plans in the slow season?

Yes. A maintenance plan turns one job into a visit every year, and it gives you work to book in the months that are usually quiet. HVAC companies do this all the time with tune-up plans. Roofers can too: a yearly inspection, gutter cleaning and small repairs for a flat price.

The slow season is the right time to start, because you have time to call people and explain it. Keep the plan short:

Then book the plan visits into your slowest weeks. That's the whole trick. You're filling next year's quiet months while it's quiet now.

Why push for reviews when it's slow?

A few things to keep in mind:

• Send the link, don't explain how. One tap to your review page is a lot easier than "find us on Google."
• Ask everyone, not just the happy ones. Google's rules say you can't ask only the customers you think will leave good reviews.
• Never pay for reviews. No gift cards, no discounts, no free service. Google bans it, and those reviews get removed.

Should you cut your ads in the slow season?

Here's how to tighten up without going dark:

1. Pull your jobs from this year by zip code. Where did the good jobs come from? Where did the bad leads come from?
2. Keep your best zip codes and drop the rest. Both Google Local Services Ads and Google Ads let you pick where your ads show.
3. Turn off job types you don't want in winter. If you don't want small repair calls, don't pay for them.
4. Answer every lead fast. In a slow month, a missed call hurts more, not less. And with Google Local Services Ads, a missed call during your business hours can now cost you the lead fee too.

If you run Local Services Ads, keep an eye on your account move too. Google is moving Local Services Ads into Google Ads, and your bidding and budget settings change when it happens.

A simple slow season plan, week by week

You don't need to do all of this at once. Here's a plan that fits around the jobs you still have:

• Week 1: list every open estimate and every past customer from the last 2 years.
• Week 2: send the first text to every old estimate. Answer replies the same day.
• Week 3: send the second text. Reach out to past customers with a reason to book.
• Week 4: send the last text. Ask for reviews from everyone you've worked for this year.
• Every week: check where your ads are spending and cut what isn't working.

By the time spring comes, you'll have a fuller calendar, a maintenance list, more reviews, and a clear picture of why people didn't hire you. That's a better start than most of the guys you're competing with.

FAQ

How do roofers get leads in the winter?

Start with the people who already know you: open estimates from this year, past customers and referrals. Offer storm checks and small repairs, push for Google reviews, and keep ads running only in the zip codes that brought you good jobs.

Does HVAC have a slow season?

Yes. For most HVAC companies the slow times are the mild weeks of spring and fall, between heating and cooling season. That's a good time to sell maintenance plans and book tune-ups.

Should I stop advertising in the slow season?

Usually not. Cut your ads down to your best zip codes and job types instead of turning them off. Fewer people search in the slow season, so the leads that come in are worth answering fast.

What should I text an old estimate?

Something short with one easy question. For example: "Hi Mark, it's Joe from ABC Roofing. Still thinking about the roof on Maple St.? I have openings next week. Want me to hold one?"

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