Selling the roofing lifestyle to the next generation

By Jenny Yu.  

To attract young people to the industry, companies need to meet them where they’re at and know what they want.  

Attracting the right workers for your crew is one of the most pressing issues in today’s labor landscape. In a recent episode of MetalCast™, Karen Edwards spoke with MCS Influencer Randy Chaffee of Source One Marketing about online tactics that can help contractors bring in the next generation of talent.  

For over five decades, Randy has worked in the industry selling and building relationships as a purchasing agent and now as an independent manufacturer rep in the metal, post-frame and steep-slope sectors. “Up until the last few years, I did everything the old school way, which I still believe in and I still love. It's still people to people,” Randy shared.  

Over the last few years, Randy has discovered the value in engaging the next generation in the places they inhabit most: social media. “That's where they live. You can't expect in today's world that they're going to come find you,” Randy said. “If we want to hire new people, especially in the younger ages, we have to live where they live.” 

For long-time industry pros who are reluctant to invest in the digital sphere, Randy advises, “The real key is to get out of your own way and accept that you don't have to like it or love it or even care about it, but you better figure out how to use it.” Or, if you still aren’t keen on it, “you better hire somebody that does get it.” 

Attracting the right talent isn’t only about finding the right avenues to market; it’s also about understanding what your audience wants. The younger generations don’t just want the paycheck; they want purpose and lifestyle. “They want to do something good for society. They want to work for somebody that believes in sustainability. They want to think there's a purpose,” Randy explained. “And that's not bad. They'll leave you over that faster than they'll leave you over a couple of bucks an hour. You're never going to attract them if they feel like it's all just business, business, business and that's it.” 

That’s where the opportunity to use social media like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram comes in. With these channels, companies can attract young people by showing them what a day-in-the-life of a roofer looks like. “Show that early morning arrival and the crew busting each other's chops. Show them singing songs while they're building. Show them cleaning up at night. Show them the customer telling them what a great job they did today,” Randy said.  

“That's the stuff these younger people want. They don't want just a paycheck, because you know what? They can go get that somewhere else. They want more than that,” he added. “They want to see what you're about. They want to see the lifestyle of what it means to be a builder or a roofer. So, we have to sell that to them.”  

Listen to the podcast or Watch the recording to learn more about how to use digital tools to meet the younger workforce where they’re at.