If you want an inside sales rep to be successful, here's the formula. Most roofing companies hire someone, hand them a phone list and a CRM login, and hope for the best. The result? Burned leads, frustrated reps, and a revolving door of turnover that costs you thousands in lost revenue and wasted time.
According to Training Industry research, it takes an average of 381 days to fully train a new sales rep—and their tenure typically doesn't last more than 2.5 years. That's a brutal ROI if you're not doing it right.
Training inside sales isn't about scripts alone—it's about building genuine product knowledge, physical understanding, and systematic practice that creates real confidence. When your rep picks up that phone, they need to believe in what they're selling because they've actually touched it, seen it installed, and understand what goes into making a roof.
I've worked with roofing companies from startup to $8 million in revenue, and the difference between those that struggle with sales and those that scale consistently comes down to one thing: a structured training system that actually works.
Key Takeaways:
Before anyone picks up a phone, they need both declarative AND procedural knowledge—and most companies only provide one. Declarative knowledge is when they're aware of a thing. Procedural knowledge is when they know how to do a thing. You need both.
Here's the problem: research shows that 84% of sales training is forgotten within the first three months. That statistic should terrify you if you're dumping new hires into a week of training and then expecting results.
Declarative knowledge includes the facts they didn't know before: what products you sell, what the warranties mean, what watershedding versus waterproofing actually is, why there's a difference between an open California valley and an open cut valley. This is information that makes them an industry expert instead of just someone reading from a script.
Most companies start here by throwing new hires into a manufacturer portal. That's good—get them into GAF or Owens Corning training so they understand the products. They watch videos on how a roof is installed, why materials matter, what the components are. This is foundational.
But here's the problem: declarative knowledge alone is mind-numbingly boring.
If all you do is make them watch training videos and read about products, they'll check out mentally before they ever make a call. They need to DO something with that knowledge to make it stick. That's where procedural knowledge comes in—the actual skills they can execute when talking to a customer.
To create the environment where they learn the absolute fastest, you have to combine both types of knowledge.
Physical, hands-on experience creates the confidence that phone scripts never can. You can show someone a GAF installation guide, but I don't like looking at those things—and I actually care about this industry. When you talk about the overlap and trimming pieces to specific measurements, that stuff is hard to absorb from a manual.
Here's what works instead: build a simple training station. I'm not talking about anything elaborate. Get three sheets of plywood, build a little structure with an angle—basically a doghouse. Put a plumbing boot on it and create a valley. That's your training ground.
Welcome to the doghouse. Here's a shingle. Cut it. Here's a nail gun. See how loud that is? Here's how the components fit together. Now they can see it, feel it, touch it. It's not in a video anymore.
What you're trying to do is give them a level of belief and confidence that when they ask for the price, they understand what goes into making a roof.
When your inside sales rep is on the phone and a homeowner asks why your estimate is higher than the guy down the street, your rep needs to genuinely understand the answer. They've cut the shingles. They know how hard it is. They've felt the weight of a bundle and understand what your crews go through.
This approach aligns with what the National Safety Council's 2024 research found: companies with enhanced, hands-on training experience 30% fewer job-site incidents. The same principle applies to sales—hands-on training creates competence that translates to confidence.
This isn't about making them into roofers. It's about building the foundation of belief that comes through in every sales conversation.
Take them to real job sites before they ever talk to customers. This builds the intrinsic understanding that no amount of classroom training can replicate.
So you take them on a 4/12 roof while the roofing crew is there. Look—this is how it goes. This is what it's like. Have them grab a bundle, carry it over to that guy, put it down. Then ask them: can you see when you dropped it, the whole house shook?
That moment teaches more than any manual ever could.
Now they understand why your crews are trained to set bundles down carefully instead of dropping them. They get that dropping bundles sounds like bombs going off inside the house, raises the cortisol of everyone inside, and makes homeowners that much more likely to get angry about something.
All of a sudden, he has this intrinsic understanding because he's actually been there.
Show them why you tie in ladders where you do. Why you place tarps down. Why quality matters on the details that homeowners never see. This physical experience connects directly to sales conversations when customers ask about your process or want to understand the value you provide.
With 85% of roofing contractors reporting skilled labor shortages according to the NRCA's 2024 survey, your ability to demonstrate a trained, professional team becomes a genuine competitive advantage. Your inside sales rep can now say "I've been on the job sites, I've seen how our crews work" with genuine authority.
That authenticity comes through on the phone.
Here's the future-state thinking that separates companies that scale from those that constantly struggle with sales turnover: your sales reps don't start as sales reps. Your sales reps start as site supervisors.
That's the farm team.
The progression looks like this: Site Supervisor → Field Manager → Inside Sales or Outside Sales. They begin life handling site logistics, working with crews, learning the operations side. Then they move up based on demonstrated capability and interest.
This model works for several reasons. First, by the time someone moves into sales, they genuinely understand your operations. They've been in the field. They know what a good install looks like and what shortcuts cause problems. This knowledge makes them more effective salespeople.
Second, you're developing talent internally instead of constantly hiring and hoping. Research from SHRM indicates that companies with structured career pathways see significantly higher retention rates—and 69% of employees who have positive onboarding experiences stay with their company for at least three years.
Third, it reduces turnover. People who've grown through your organization have loyalty and institutional knowledge that outside hires don't bring. They understand your culture and processes because they've lived them.
The farm team mentality means you're always developing the next generation of sales talent instead of scrambling to fill positions when someone leaves.
Training isn't a one-time event—it's a rhythm of continuous improvement. Here's the schedule that works: Tuesday is presentation training. Thursday is objection training. Every week, no exceptions.
They're not gonna get that right away, which is why regular coaching—Tuesday presentation training, Thursday objection training.
On Tuesdays, you work on presentation skills. Role play the sales conversation. Practice explaining proposals, walking through options, presenting pricing. Have them present to you like you're the customer. Give feedback. Do it again.
On Thursdays, you focus on objections. Customers who don't buy immediately fall into three categories:
| Objection Type | What It Sounds Like | How to Address |
|---|---|---|
| Circumstantial | "Not the right time" / "Budget is tight" | Acknowledge, offer flexible timing/financing |
| Others | "Spouse needs to agree" / "Need more quotes" | Offer to include others, provide comparison tools |
| Self | "I'm not sure" / "Let me think about it" | Build confidence, reduce perceived risk |
Each category requires different approaches. You have to teach your reps to identify which type they're facing and how to address it appropriately. They don't know how to make a decision, so you help them overcome that—but only through practice and repetition.
Script out the common objections and stalls. Practice with proper voice modulation. Get the reps to the point where responses feel natural instead of robotic. This takes time and consistent coaching.
The payoff? Companies that implement structured ongoing coaching see close rates improve from around 25% to 35% or higher. According to research on sales effectiveness, organizations that effectively manage ongoing training efforts experience win rates 10 percentage points greater than those that are only somewhat effective.
That's the difference between leaving money on the table and actually closing the deals your marketing generates.
Here's the complete framework you can implement starting this week:
Stage 1: Declarative Foundation (Week 1)
Get them into manufacturer portals immediately. GAF, Owens Corning, whatever brands you carry. Have them complete product training, learn warranty structures, understand the technical differences between products. This is the baseline knowledge they need.
Stage 2: Procedural Experience (Week 2)
Build your doghouse training station. Spend time doing hands-on demonstrations. Let them cut shingles, use the nail gun, handle the materials. Make the knowledge physical and real.
Stage 3: Site Integration (Week 3)
Take them to active job sites. Let them observe crews, handle some materials, see the process from tear-off to completion. Build that intrinsic understanding of what your company actually does.
Stage 4: Sales Simulation (Week 4)
Role play, presentation practice, script rehearsal. Go through common scenarios, objections, pricing conversations. Practice until it feels natural.
Stage 5: Live Coaching (Ongoing)
Implement the Tuesday/Thursday rhythm. Never stop developing their skills. Review calls, practice objections, refine presentations. This is what compounds over time.
Studies show that companies with structured onboarding programs experience 50-60% higher employee engagement, resulting in a 30% increase in retention rates. The investment in proper training pays dividends for years.
If you want an inside sales to be successful, here's the formula.
You don't need to build the perfect training program before you begin. Start with Stage 1—get your new hire into the manufacturer portal today. Order some materials for a simple training station. Schedule a job site visit for next week.
The companies that scale their sales teams successfully don't wait for perfect conditions. They implement structured training one stage at a time and improve as they go.
Your inside sales reps are only as good as the training you provide. Give them the knowledge, the physical experience, and the ongoing coaching they need. Watch your close rates climb and your turnover drop.
That's how you build a sales team that actually closes.
Want help implementing a structured sales training system for your roofing company? Learn more about our services or contact us to discuss how we can help you build a sales process that scales.