By Jesse Sanchez. 

Centralized sales content and analytics can help contractors strengthen close rates, improve consistency and create confident customer conversations. 

At the International Roofing Expo (IRE), conversations extended well beyond topics of technology used for production and jobsite operations. For many contractors, one of the biggest opportunities lies earlier in the customer journey; in how sales teams present information, build trust and guide homeowners through the buying process. That is where companies like Ingage are focusing their attention, positioning sales content as a tool not only for communication, but for stronger performance. 

Speaking with Karen Edwards on the RoofersCoffeeShop® sound stage, Ingage CEO Dean Curtis said the company is built around helping contractors bring clarity and confidence to sales conversations in the home. “We help contractors create great sales content,” Dean said. “So, you think about that kitchen table conversation. How can you enable your sales team with the best possible confidence building materials for them and for the prospect?” 

That value starts with consistency. In many organizations, sales presentations can vary widely from one representative to the next, making it harder to control messaging or understand what is driving results. Ingage addresses that challenge by giving teams access to the same current materials while also providing sales leadership with visibility into how content is being used. Dean noted that this analytical layer helps move coaching beyond assumption. “The analytics givees you the evidence to say, ‘Hey, I’m doing this,’” he said. In practice, that can help leaders identify which approaches are contributing to stronger close rates and where adjustments may be needed. 

Just as importantly, the platform is built around the reality that sales conversations do not unfold in a straight line. Homeowners often arrive with their own questions, concerns and priorities, which means representatives need to adapt in the moment. “What we know about sales is there is no linear sales conversation,” Dean said. “The customer comes in with preconceived ideas. A great salesperson discovers what’s important and presents on that.” By making content easier to navigate and tailor, the platform supports a more responsive and relevant conversation. 

The discussion also pointed to a broader issue contractors are facing: adopting new technology effectively. Dean noted that implementation alone is not enough if companies have not fully examined the process the technology is meant to improve. As contractors look for ways to make the most of every lead, tools that combine consistency, flexibility and measurable insight are taking on a larger role in the sales process. 

Watch the full interviews to learn more about how centralized sales content and analytics help contractors create more consistent presentations, adapt in real time and improve close rates!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

One contractor’s journey highlights how relationships, resilience and industry engagement shape sustainable growth. 

In an industry that demands adaptability, precision and resilience, long-term success is built on more than technical expertise alone. For contractors like Wendy Marvin, CEO of Matrix Roofing & Home Solutions, sustained growth reflects a forward-looking mindset, one that elevates relationships, consistency and community engagement as essential drivers of performance as expressed in this Stories from The Roof podcast. 

Wendy’s path into roofing was anything but traditional. After leaving a corporate career, she partnered with her then-husband to launch a business rooted in a simple but often overlooked principle: reliability. “If we can answer the phone and show up on time for appointments, we’d be better than half,” Wendy said. That early focus on accountability established a foundation that would later support broader growth. 

Over time, that foundation expanded, particularly after Wendy assumed full ownership of the company. What began as a business centered on personal advancement gradually evolved into something more outward-facing. Wendy explained, “It really became a business where I transitioned much more into the community and being involved in the industry.” 

That transition marked a turning point. Rather than viewing success solely through revenue or scale, Wendy began investing in long-term relationships across both her local community and the roofing industry at large. This included active participation in trade organizations, consistent presence at community events and ongoing collaboration with peers. The approach was not transactional; it was rooted in visibility, trust and genuine engagement. 

The results became especially clear during periods of disruption. As uncertainty grew during COVID-19, those established relationships provided stability. Customers continued to reach out, not only because of the company’s services, but because of the familiarity and credibility built over time. Trust, once established, proved to be a durable asset. Wendy is clear that this strategy is not about short-term gains. Instead, it reflects a long-term commitment to showing up, contributing and remaining accountable to both customers and the broader industry. That consistency, she noted, is what differentiates companies that endure from those that struggle to maintain momentum. 

Resilience has remained central throughout that process. “When you get to the bottom, you have to be able to stand back up,” Wendy said, expressing the persistence required to navigate the realities of business ownership. Her experience offers a clear takeaway for contractors at any stage of the process, that while technical skill may open the door, it is relationships, integrity and sustained community engagement that ultimately determine how long it stays open. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about how building trust through community engagement, consistency and resilience can drive long-term success in roofing!

By Jesse Sanchez 

How contractors can close the gap between smart planning and real-world applications as they prepare for the year ahead. 

As contractors look into 2026, planning is already underway. Budgets have been reviewed. Technology has been purchased. Processes have been outlined. The harder question now is not what to do next, but how to ensure those plans are used consistently once the busy season begins. That was the focus of this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, where host Heidi J. Ellsworth spoke with Pam Torrey, director of marketing at Ingage. The conversation centered on a single challenge contractors face every year: turning strategy into daily actions and routines. 

Ingage provides a sales enablement presentation platform for home improvement contractors, offering interactive visuals, cloud-based content control and analytics that track how presentations are used in the home. But while technology can support a process, Pam emphasized that tools alone do not drive results. 

The discussion returned repeatedly to the importance of reinforcement. Contractors may invest in branding, sales training or updated presentations, yet still struggle to see measurable improvement if teams do not consistently adopt those tools in the field. “But if you're only getting data on what the homeowner's hearing, you're only getting part of the picture,” Pam said, explaining that understanding what customers see and engage with helps leaders coach more effectively. 

However, the broader issue goes beyond visuals. Rising labor and material costs, along with tighter lead generation conditions, mean contractors cannot afford inefficiency. Rather than chasing more leads, many are focused on improving conversion at every stage of the customer journey. “They’re trying to do more with less,” Pam said. “They’re trying not to hire a bunch of people. They want to get more out of every lead source and convert more of those leads so they can keep their business profitable and growing.” 

That pressure exposes a common gap. Building a process requires one skill set. Getting a team to follow it every day requires another. Without clear ownership, accountability and follow-through, even well-designed systems lose momentum. To address that gap, Ingage is hosting its Winter Summit 2026, a digital event designed around adoption and execution. Sessions will cover technology alignment, brand consistency, call center processes, sales accountability and company culture, all with an emphasis on practical application. Registrants receive a downloadable playbook to help translate ideas into action steps. 

Pam offered straightforward advice for contractors entering the year: assign a champion to own implementation, step back for a 10,000-foot view to identify true gaps and require structured onboarding from any technology partner. 

Ultimately, executing daily routines is not a new platform or a new slogan. It is the daily discipline of using what has already been built. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about Ingage’s Winter Summit 2026 and how it can help your team turn planning into consistent, measurable action!

By Emma Peterson. 

Industry experts break down the economic, technological and industry shifts to watch this year. 

During the second day of the 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE), we got the chance to host a live Coffee Conversations with Julissa Chavez of SRS Distribution, Dean Curtis from Ingage and Jack Gottesman of IKO Industries! Now available on demand, this episode dove into the biggest trends and challenges facing the roofing industry in 2026. Keep reading to see some of the topics this expert panel highlighted to keep an eye on!  

Economics 

As we head into 2026, a lot of contractors and business owners are feeling the residual effects of last year’s unstable market. The panels consensus on what to do about this? Focus on your business and your team. Dean opened the conversation, saying, “The best thing you can do right now is invest in your talent. The talent you have on your team is going to determine how well you can do this year.” 

Mergers and acquisitions 

Another topic that’s been top of mind for many people from 2025 is the rise of mergers and acquisitions in the industry. Dean shared some of his insights into how these affect contractors in 2026:  

If you look at the way the market is consolidating in a lot of places, it might become a goal for smaller business to build themselves up to be part of an acquisition or for sale. This is a very viable option in 2026 and to do this you need to focus on professionalization. So things like profit, loss, delivery – all of these metrics are super important if that’s your goal. 

Technology 

And we cannot talk about trends to keep an eye on without talking about technology and AI. Julissa explained:  

AI is changing the game tremendously...In some ways it is making it tougher for sales reps to get a homeowner’s trust. It used to be simple, we were the professionals. But now with AI, homeowners are trying to do a lot more research, which is great, but things like ChatGPT aren’t always right... So it’s really important to focus on preparing your reps to educate homeowners on their roofing options. 

All of this comes down to meeting homeowners where they are and right now where they are is in the digital world. Jack added some of his thoughts to the discussion, sharing, “We redesigned our website last year to try and build a better relationship with the visitors. We looked at the analytics and created an experience around what their expectations and interests are.”  

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, 2025 was a bit of a bumpy ride for many business owners and professionals. But we weathered it by adapting and growing, which is exactly what we will do as we start 2026. Julissa summed it up, saying, “Roofing has always been about being able to adapt and leveraging, the moment. This remains true for 2026...H ere at SRS our focus for the new year is our customers... We want to help our customers grow in different segments, because as they grow, we grow at the same time.”   

Watch the entire Coffee Conversations on demand for more insights into the 2026 industry outlook.

By Dani Sheehan. 

Learn the tools, tactics and real behaviors that separate an average close rate from a great one. 

Most contractors spend hours training their teams on the opening of the sales pitch: building rapport with the homeowner and completing the inspection. But according to Leap National Sales Manager Jon Marigliano and Ingage Director of Marketing Pam Torrey, it’s what happens after the handshake that determines whether a conversation turns into a signature. In a new on-demand webinar, Leap and Ingage join forces to walk contractors through the most overlooked part of the sales process: the second half of the pitch. 

Why the second half of the pitch is the real closer 

By the time the homeowner has seen your inspection, measurements, and product options, their attention span is shrinking. This is the moment when structure matters most. The webinar discusses why too many reps lose the customer right before the finish line and which tools or tactics are necessary to carry the conversation home. 

Learn how to: 

• Craft a smooth, personalized product transition 
• Ensure the homeowner’s focus and avoid information overload 
• Structure a presentation for maximum impact 
• Follow the four essential steps every rep should take before finishing a sale 

Personalization: The new standard for sales 

Homeowners increasingly want contractors who understand their concerns, their home and their budget instead of contractors who read off a cookie-cutter pitch. They’re more likely to move forward when you actively listen and offer options that best align with their specific goals.  

Both Leap and Ingage reinforce the same message: personalization only works if your tech stack supports it. You need resources that help you adapt in real time and keep the pitch moving without getting lost. Tools like Leap’s end-to-end sales platform and Ingage’s interactive presentations work together to create a modern, fluid sales workflow that allows you to confidently close every sale.  

Hear directly from industry experts and get actionable strategies you can use on your next appointment. Watch the on-demand webinar now! 

By Jesse Sanchez. 

A free virtual program offers contractors practical takeaways on project execution, culture and customer journey alignment. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Ingage marketing leader Pam Torrey joined host Heidi J. Ellsworth to discuss the Winter Summit 2026 and explain why project adoption remains a defining challenge for contractors entering the new year. The conversation framed execution not as a single initiative but as an ongoing discipline across sales, marketing and operations. 

Ingage is a sales enablement presentation platform built to help sales teams deliver consistent visual content while tracking engagement through backend analytics. Pam connected that capability to the buying experience, noting that clear visuals help homeowners and building owners better understand scope, value and decision points during sales conversations. 

Winter Summit 2026 is structured around turning strategy into daily execution. Pam explained that many companies invest heavily in tools, training and process design but struggle when it comes time to get teams to actually use them. The summit agenda follows the customer journey, starting with technology adoption and branding, then moving through call center alignment, sales process consistency and company culture. 

Those topics reflect real pressure in the field. Pam pointed to rising labor and material costs alongside changing marketing conditions that are forcing contractors to do more with less while improving conversion at every stage. Heidi tied that challenge to evolving consumer behavior, stressing the importance of meeting customers where they are and guiding them through a clear, intentional experience. 

The event is designed for “sales marketing leaders and business owners,” with flexibility built in. “You can just sign up once and you can pop in and out all day,” Pam said, noting that all sessions will be available on demand afterward. 

Education remains central to the summit’s purpose. “No one's gonna be selling you on anything during the winter summit,” Pam said. “We are here to teach something.” Each session is designed to deliver “two to three key points,” supported by a downloadable playbook that helps attendees capture insights and plan next steps. 

Registering provides access to the playbook and on-demand sessions, creating a practical resource contractors can revisit as execution moves from planning into action. 

Listen to the podcast to learn more about Ingage Winter Summit registration!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Virtual event focuses on helping roofing leaders turn plans into behaviors teams actually use. 

Ingage will host its Winter Summit on Jan. 29, 2026, offering roofing and home improvement leaders practical guidance for turning strategic plans into day-to-day actions their teams can adopt for efficient operations. The virtual event is designed to help companies close the gap between intention and implementation as they prepare for the year ahead. 

Built for sales leaders, marketers and business owners, the summit concentrates on helping organizations move ideas from planning stages into everyday workflows. Sessions focus on how messaging, processes and leadership habits influence whether new tools, systems and initiatives gain traction or quietly stall after launch. 

The agenda emphasizes alignment across departments and roles. Speakers will address common friction points that arise after change is introduced, such as inconsistent messaging, uneven coaching and unclear accountability, and how to best tackle these challenges. Each session is structured to give attendees takeaways they can apply immediately within their sales, marketing and operations processes. 

The day opens with a keynote from Dean Curtis, CEO of Ingage on Leading Through Adoption, exploring how leaders guide teams through change and reinforce new behaviors once systems are in place. Subsequent sessions dive into brand positioning, call center performance and sales process consistency, with an emphasis on building habits teams can implement daily. Cultural leadership sessions will examine how internal norms and leadership behaviors directly impact customer experience and results. 

Speakers will bring a variety of perspectives spanning topics such as coaching, branding and operational leadership. Presenters include Dean Curtis, Janet Mobley, Laura Noonan, Mariann Carlson, Chuck Thokey and Briana Heatherington. Pam Torrey anchors the program, guiding attendees through sessions and closing with a synthesis of key themes. 

The virtual format removes travel barriers while preserving interaction through live Q&A. Registrants also receive on-demand recordings. Each attendee is to receive the Summer Summit Playbook, a workbook filled with templates and exercises designed to support follow-through once teams return to their daily routines. 

For companies navigating growth, change fatigue or stalled initiatives, the Winter Summit frames adoption as a leadership challenge rooted in clarity, communication and consistency. 

Learn more about the Ingage Winter Summit and register to access sessions, playbook resources and recordings!

With deep roots in the home improvement sector, Kyle Sellers has built a reputation for transforming customer-facing teams through fresh, effective sales strategies and ongoing coaching programs.

Ingage, the industry’s leading provider of interactive and data-driven sales enablement software, is proud to announce the appointment of Kyle Sellers as vice president of customer experience. A veteran of the home improvement industry, Sellers brings over a decade of experience leading high-impact customer success strategies at some of the field’s most recognized brands.

Sellers has held influential leadership roles at organizations including Tundraland Home Improvements and Jacuzzi, where he delivered proven results through innovative sales model development, world-class training and scalable enablement programs. He has consulted, trained and coached a wide array of clients, from major brands like KOHLER to emerging startups. With deep roots in the home improvement sector, he has built a reputation for transforming customer-facing teams through fresh, effective sales strategies and ongoing coaching programs. His unique approach to leadership selling inspires customers to choose, and champion, the brands he supports. Sellers is passionate about helping organizations effectively communicate their message, systematize and scale.

“Kyle’s leadership philosophy mirrors our commitment to helping customers succeed,” said Dean Curtis, CEO of Ingage. “He brings the right mix of innovation, empathy and operational rigor to help us elevate every interaction, from onboarding to long-term success. We’re thrilled to have him on board as we continue to evolve how our customers experience Ingage.”

As vice president of customer experience, Sellers will lead Ingage’s customer success and enablement teams, focusing on delivering measurable value at every stage of the client lifecycle. His expertise will be instrumental as Ingage continues to expand its reach across franchise systems, enterprise organizations and independent contractors in the home improvement and home services industries.

This appointment reflects Ingage’s ongoing commitment to providing unmatched value and support to its growing user base, ensuring that every customer not only gets started with Ingage, but thrives with it.

For more information about Ingage and its digital presentation platform, visit ingage.io.

About Ingage

Ingage is the industry’s leading provider of sales enablement and digital presentation tools, empowering businesses to create, share and measure dynamic sales content. Since 2008, Ingage has been revolutionizing the way sales teams engage with prospects — delivering interactive, measurable and on-brand presentations that help close more deals.

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Customers want to feel understood and smart contractors are turning that insight into more leads. 

Roofing contractors are finding that the battle for quality leads is fiercer than ever in today’s market. But amid shifting trends in the industry, local contractors have an edge and it’s not money. It’s personalization. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Heidi J. Ellsworth sat down with Pam Torrey, director of marketing at Ingage, to dig into what’s changing in lead generation and how smaller roofing companies can win big by getting personal. 

“The statistic that we need to think about here is that 80% of customers feel like brands do not understand them,” Pam said. “So, you have a big opportunity there to be a brand that does understand your customer.” That insight isn’t just anecdotal. Pam explained that most homeowners reaching out to roofing contractors today, especially those under 45, have likely never purchased a roof before. Many are first-time buyers, locked into low mortgage rates or working on fixer-uppers and they’re looking for guidance from brands that “get” them. 

For smaller roofing contractors, that creates a key advantage over national firms. “You may have done work for their family members in the past,” Pam said. “Maybe you’ve sponsored their kids’ T-ball team. You have community connections that everybody else does not have in the market.” Those personal ties can translate into trust and credibility that big-box competitors can’t easily replicate. 

Pam also expressed the importance of building systems that support this kind of personalization at scale. Tools like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and marketing automation software can help contractors identify what a homeowner clicked on, what they’re interested in and how to speak to their concerns. “Our brains have been melted by the algorithm,” she said. “People have no attention span, and they're so used to having a completely personal experience online, that if you don't provide that for them during a buying process, you are not enabling the buyer to get to a ‘yes.’” 

Understanding where the lead came from is just as important as knowing what they’re interested in. “It's so important to know this information going in,” Pam said. “If your sales rep knows, okay, this lead was sourced through canvassing, they're probably going to have to do a lot more work to build the value of your company before they even dig into the products.” Therefore, personalization isn’t just a nice added touch to have anymore. It’s the most powerful way smaller roofing companies can compete against big names and high budgets. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how to apply these strategies, including how to automate them and maximize every lead!

By Jesse Sanchez. 

Smart systems, visuals and speed are the new weapons of the roofing sales battleground.  

As roofing contractors forge ahead into the age of digital technology, the cost of lead generation isn’t the only obstacle they’re facing; many are struggling with the changing nature of the leads themselves. In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, host Heidi J. Ellsworth investigates the evolving world of sales strategy with Pam Torrey, director of marketing at Ingage, who offers sharp insights on how contractors can make the most of every lead in an increasingly competitive and noisy marketplace. 

Pam explains that while online tools and platforms are crucial for visibility, they’ve also created a new kind of customer, one who is both better informed and potentially misinformed. “Over 50% of the buying process happens before a sales rep even speaks to the customer,” she says. They’ve read reviews, researched products and formed opinions, but that doesn’t always mean they’re right. 

Contractors, she warns, now face prospects who may come in with outdated expectations, especially on pricing. “Some of these folks have come in and they're like, ‘Oh, my dad had a roof replaced seven years ago and it only cost this much.’ Okay, well that was seven years ago. A lot has happened since then,” she says. 

The solution is to personalize quickly. Pam emphasizes the importance of rapid response and tailored communication to convert prospects while they’re still engaged. “Speed to lead. You need to be on that lead as soon as possible,” she says. “If you can text them photos of your projects, if you can email them a beautiful email that tells them what to expect, you're going to be ahead of the game.” 

One of the most buzzed-about innovations covered in the conversation is Ingage’s new Profile Pages feature, designed to arm contractors with the ability to deliver hyper-targeted presentations that reflect a homeowner’s neighborhood, house style or even demographic preferences. Pam states, “If you're going to be walking into my mom's home to present versus one of her neighbors, you probably want to have slightly different visuals.” 

From leveraging visual communication to integrating smarter customer relationship management and marketing automation tools, Pam zeroes in on the strategies that give independent contractors an edge against big-budget competitors. “Most people are visual learners,” Pam notes. “They want to see your work and see your business visually.” If you can really connect with them from the start, you're going to get more out of that lead. 

Read the transcript or Listen to the podcast to get hands-on advice, tech tips and insider strategies to make 2025 your strongest sales year yet!