After a major hail or wind event, most roofing contractors do the same thing: drive neighborhoods, knock doors, hope to get there first. The contractors consistently winning the most post-storm jobs aren't working harder. They're working the 72-hour window differently.

Why 72 Hours Is the Window

Hours 0–6: Homeowners assess damage. Not calling contractors yet.

Hours 6–24: Research mode. Google "roofing contractor [city]." Storm chasers already on their street.

Hours 24–48: Commitment phase. Most homeowners have called someone. Whoever got there first with a professional presentation has the inside track.

After 72 hours: Saturation. Price shopping intensifies. The easy closes — homeowners who called whoever reached them first — have committed.

Step 1: Work Your Existing Client List First

If you've been in business 3+ years, you have 200–600 past clients with known addresses. After a hail event, a meaningful percentage just had storm damage.

The math: 400 past clients, event covers 60% of your service area = 240 clients potentially affected. Reach 80% in first 24 hours, 30% ask for inspection, close 70% = 50 jobs from clients who already trust you.

The message that works: "Hey [Name], we saw your neighborhood got hit last night. We're in your area this week and wanted to check your roof first — we'd rather you call us than someone you don't know."

This converts at 40–60%. Not a sales message. A client service message.

Step 2: Score and Prioritize

Priority 1 — Critical: Roof age 15+ years, previous storm claim, direct hail path, no recent permit activity. Call personally.

Priority 2 — High: Roof age 10–15 years, in storm polygon. Personal text.

Priority 3 — Medium: Roof age 5–10 years, edge of polygon. Broadcast message.

Your 72-Hour Checklist

Hour 0: Confirm storm polygon. Cross-reference against client database. Score Priority 1/2/3.

Hour 6: Call Priority 1 clients personally. Text Priority 2. Broadcast to Priority 3.

Hour 12: Schedule inspections for respondents. Pull property reports for each property.

Hour 24: First inspections complete. Documentation to homeowners. Contracts signed where possible.

Hour 48: Second wave inspections. Claims filed. Material pre-ordering begins.

Hour 72: Assess pipeline. Final follow-up with non-responders. Begin scheduling production.

The Inspection That Wins

Show up with a professional property report (dimensions, pitch, roof age, RCV estimate) before you walk on the roof. Offer to take the homeowner through the inspection step-by-step. Provide professional photo documentation. Be able to explain the claim process start to finish.

The homeowner who just had a storm event is stressed. The contractor who shows up prepared and calm — who clearly knows what they're doing — wins almost every time.

The Recurring Revenue Play

Every storm job is two sales: the replacement now, and the annual inspection relationship. Before final invoice: "We offer an Annual Roof Health Report — we scan yearly, score it for wear, and send you a report before anything becomes a problem. It's $99/year." This converts at 30–40%. 100 subscribers at $99 = $9,900/year compounding every storm season.