Generating leads is the name of the game for exterior remodelers who sometimes pay hundreds for potential customers. But while contractors can take a number of avenues to acquiring those leads—TV, print, radio, social media — sometimes the best way is simply giving back to the community.

Just ask Residential Renovations. Over the past two years, this 2017 Remodeling Big50 company nearly doubled its revenue from $2.8 million to a projected $4.5 million. And its community work is a major reason for that growth.

“It’s no different than branding yourself through a commercial. It’s a gamble like anything else. But this is a better return on investment,” said Milissa Clark, the company’s marketing consultant. “For us to invest in this is not just about how the community sees us, but also how our employees see us and what our company will grow to be.”

The company’s latest community investment was the No Roof Left Behind campaign for Northwest Ohio. Working with a roofing manufacture, Residential Renovations gave one needy family a free new roof on Oct. 21. That family had suffered layoffs, health problems and insurance snafus that left them unable to properly repair their storm-damaged roof. Shoddy patches were quickly leading to larger problems such as gutter damage and mold. “It was a health issue waiting to happen,” Clark said.

The campaign itself was the equivalent of a 10-month advertising campaign starting with community nominations in January, which led to four possible winners and the final winning family. Along the way the company received free advertisements through coverage of the campaign on radio, TV, newspapers and especially social media with each stage providing another opportunity for publicity.

The roof work itself was done over a single day in a festive, carnival like atmosphere designed to bring the community out and take part in the makeover. More than 15 local sponsors provided food, extra help and other support. Residential Renovations donated the labor and refreshments, but Clark said several roofers from other companies donated their time. In the process, the company helped bring the community together in a new way, an experience that no amount of marketing can match. “We talked to many people who live in the area who said they had never met their neighbor. It was just amazing,” she said. “There’s a community out there we don’t even know about.”

All told, this year’s investment in the program was about $10,000. While that may sound like a major investment, Clark said it pays off. That’s because each stage of the process is another chance to educate the public about the company — and stand out from the competition. This year, the company received a proclamation from the City of Toledo along with a special commendation from the US Representative Marcy Kaptur. “It’s wild to be recognized like that,” Clark said. “People look at that and say, ‘Wow, this is a really good company.’”

While the campaign’s main goal is helping needy families, it also helps Residential Renovation. Clark said this year’s event has already generated several dozen new roofing customers along with 2,400 viable leads to add to the marketing database. Given that the company can spend $140 to $300 on such leads, Clark said that’s an impressive return on investment. “And it’s just the beginning,” she added. “I think those are all viable leads because you never when a storm is going to hit or a roof is going to age out. You never know who or what they’re going to touch like a neighbor. So you have to look at it exponentially almost.”

Clark said contractors who are interested in doing their own community work need to do proper planning and set expectations. Variables to consider include the number of leads you hope to generate, the impact you hope to have and the number of staff and resources necessary to make it happen.

While Clark’s company went big with its No Roof Left Behind campaign, she added that community work can be as simple as providing education about exterior remodeling. Whatever you do, she said it’s crucial to tie the campaign into other community groups such as low-income nonprofits or charity organizations, youth organizations such as Boy Scouts or local churches. “You don’t have to spend thousands to do charity work,” she said. “It’s how much you give. At the end of the day, that will come back to you in spades.”