Podcast: Relationships Are the Real ROI - Certified Best Roofing’s Growth Formula

Summary:

In this episode, Jenni talks with Carrie Moreau, co-founder and CEO of Certified Best Roofing in Central Florida, about how they've built a business where 90% of jobs come from referrals—with a 70% close ratio compared to 50% on Google leads. Carrie reveals the conversation she has at every contract signing that sets five-star expectations before work starts (including the client who said his top priority was "personality"), why they've dialed down SEO spending because referrals are carrying the business, and how her real estate background taught her to ask questions that shift homeowners from price-shopping to value consulting. She gets brutally honest about the cash flow reality that shocked her (you're running a small bank, not just a roofing company), why their 4.9-star rating comes down to consistently doing the basics that competitors are somehow missing, and the hard lesson she learned when a neighbor called to complain about a "lazy" crew member who was actually preventing heat exhaustion. If you want actionable strategies for building a referral engine and differentiating without competing on price, this episode delivers.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Have the five-star conversation at contract signing, not after the job: Carrie asks every homeowner "what does five-star mean to you?" before work starts. One client's answer shocked her: "personality." He'd already researched the basics—he wanted to enjoy the relationship. If she'd only focused on deliverables and timing, he would've given 4 stars feeling disappointed. The lesson: everyone defines success differently. Discovering what matters to each client (special tree, clean driveway, communication style, relationship) lets you deliver on their expectations and prevents surprise bad reviews at final payment.

2. Build a referral engine that closes at 70%: Carrie's business is 90% referral-based (past clients, networking, realtors), and her close ratio on referrals is around 70% vs. 50% on Google leads. They've dialed down SEO spending because referrals carry the business. The key: they're at 4.9 stars because every review says the same thing—caring, attention to detail, showing up when promised. The secret isn't doing extraordinary things; it's consistently nailing the basics (return calls, transparent pricing, answer phones, keep sites clean) that competitors somehow miss. Contractors who master the basics create self-sustaining referral engines with higher close rates and lower acquisition costs.

3. Ask consultative questions to shift from price-shopper to value buyer: Carrie's real estate background taught her to dig deeper: How long do you plan to own this home? What's driving the decision now? What are your insurance concerns? These questions uncover what homeowners haven't articulated—upcoming moves, budget constraints tied to other projects, long-term ownership plans. This shifts you from order-taker to consultant and opens the door to right-sizing solutions: premium materials for 20-year homeowners, budget-friendly for someone selling in 3 years. Better discovery questions = fewer price objections.

4. The cash flow reality that breaks contractors: Carrie's biggest shock wasn't field operations—it was realizing you're running a small bank. Managing payment timing, supplier costs, payroll cycles, and insurance renewals (which always hit during slow season) consumes more mental bandwidth than the actual roofing work. She didn't understand this high-level concept until she was in it. If you're scaling, build cash reserves and payment systems before you need them, not after you're already drowning.

5. Protect your reputation by managing perceptions proactively: When a neighbor called to complain about a "lazy" crew member lying down on the job, it turned out he was preventing heat exhaustion on a 96-degree roof. The lesson: proactively set expectations with customers and neighbors about your process, communicate what "normal" looks like during a job, and protect your crew from unfair judgments. One neighbor's misunderstanding can spiral into reputation damage if you're not managing the narrative from day one.