As part of our State of the Industry survey, we asked an open-ended question of our contractor participants: “What advice would you give a roofing contractor in order to ensure they have a profitable and successful future in the industry?”

As part of our State of the Industry Survey, we asked roofing contractors about sales volumes across product categories.

The fourth quarter of 2008 was a tumultuous time, to say the least. A presidential election was taking place. Commodity prices were volatile. As the economy was in turmoil and bailouts and loans seemed the only ways to salvage the financial and automotive sectors of the economy, Roofing Contractor and Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing magazines turned to contractors to take the pulse of the roofing industry in an exclusive survey sponsored by GAF Materials Corporation.

There is one thing manufacturers and industry leaders agree on as 2009 gets under way - it won’t be “business as usual” for the roofing industry this year. The economic environment is unprecedented and the uncertainty created will likely force the residential and commercial roofing sectors to become more efficient and innovative.

Results of Exclusive Contractor Survey Show Optimism in the Face of Uncertainty

In the fourth quarter of 2008, Roofing Contractor and Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing magazines turned to contractors to take the pulse of the roofing industry in an exclusive survey sponsored by GAF Materials Corporation and conducted by Clear Seas Research.

The fourth quarter of 2008 was a tumultuous time, to say the least. A presidential election was taking place. Commodity prices were volatile. As the economy was in turmoil and bailouts and loans seemed the only ways to salvage the financial and automotive sectors of the economy, Roofing Contractor and Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing magazines turned to contractors to take the pulse of the roofing industry in an exclusive survey sponsored by GAF Materials Corporation.

I recently spoke with Allen Bradley, the CEO and President of Amerisafe Inc., a provider of high hazard workers compensation insurance. With approximately 40 percent of its business in the construction industry, including more than 8 percentage points of premium from roofing contractors, Amerisafe has seen the economic downturn take its toll on its clients.

Sales the lifeblood of any business, and selling becomes even more important in a tough economy. I recently spoke with Rick Davis, the president of Building Leaders Inc., a Chicago-based sales training company, who shared with me some tips for selling in a down market.

Cliff Chen of the Union of Concerned Scientists issued a statement this week lauding California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s signing of an executive order to facilitate renewable energy project development in the state.