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PIPELINES VS. LEAD GENERATION

Read Time 3 mins | Written by: Brian Hunt

SO… IS A PIPELINE JUST ABOUT LEADS?

Nope. Not even close.

Leads are a dime a dozen.

You can buy cheap leads all day long.

But most are unqualified, already committed, or just shopping around.

Even if you stumble into a good lead here or there, it’s not enough.

You need a Pipeline to steer your business toward your highest profit specialty jobs where your customers pay you handsomely for the value you bring and your competitors struggle to match your offering.


What a Real Pipeline Gives You

A real pipeline is more than a marketing tactic—it’s a business asset you own and control.

It doesn’t just give you leads.

It gives you SOLD JOBS.

It doesn’t just create activity.

It creates profit and predictability.

And most importantly—

It gives you freedom.

Here’s how:


  1. A Pipeline Is a Business Asset

 

If you don’t control the sale, you don’t control your business.

A real pipeline is a permanent asset inside your company.

You invest time and money into it—and in return, it consistently generates results you can count on.

This isn’t a guessing game.

It’s a system you own.


  1. A Pipeline Delivers Sold Jobs (Not Just Leads)

Your pipeline doesn’t exist to throw more leads at you.

It’s built to target your ideal customers—the ones willing to pay a premium because your specialty gives them exactly what they value most.

This precision results in a higher closing rate, better projects, and more money per job.


  1. A Pipeline Has Three Engines

Every great pipeline is powered by three engines working together:

  • Online – Google, Facebook, Local SEO, LSA, Reviews

  • Offline – Referrals, events, yard signs, trucks, networking, associations

  • Internal – Follow-up systems, unsold bids, past customers, drip campaigns

When these three engines are dialed in, your business moves forward—no matter what the market is doing.


  1. A Pipeline Gives You Jobs That Fit

A strong pipeline fills your schedule with work that fits your business—not the other way around.

  • Schedule Fit – Fill gaps, avoid dry spells, and book jobs out with confidence. A roofer is only in business as long as they have sold work on the calendar.  That’s your runway.

  • Staffing Fit – Take on projects that match your crews’ size, skills, and availability.

  • Specialty Fit – Say “yes” only to jobs that align with what you do best—and skip the rest.


  1. A Pipeline Improves Business Performance
  • Higher Profits – Focus on high-margin jobs, raise your prices, and stop taking bad work just to stay busy.

  • Growth Control – Want to grow? Just turn up the dial. Invest more time or money in the pipeline, and you’ll see results.  Pipelines rely on math.  You will know what it costs to acquire a new client and what the profit is from that client. 

  • A Foundation for Freedom – A full pipeline is the bedrock of a real business. It allows you to invest in People and Operations—so you truly control your company.

The Bottom Line

Your pipeline puts the right work in front of the right crew—on your terms.

The goal isn’t to chase leads.

The goal is to build a machine that brings you consistent, profitable work.

Work that builds your freedom, not your stress.


Your Pipeline = Predictable Growth

It’s the system that fills your calendar with quality jobs—and lets you say “no” to the wrong ones.

It gives you the power to:

  • Choose the jobs you want

  • Accept only the right amount of work

  • Protect your profit margins

  • Align your schedule with your team

  • Play to your strengths and specialties

  • Negotiate better terms with customers

A pipeline puts you back in the driver’s seat—so you can grow on purpose, not by accident.

I've made it my mission to help share my strategy with other roofing contractors.  Schedule a call with me here and I will show you how I transformed my roofing company and my life - $5 Million Pipeline Blueprint

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Brian Hunt

Brian Hunt is the owner of Roof Crafters - a commercial and residential roofing company in Reno, Nevada. He lives in Spain with his wife and 4 kids. He is also the founder of Pipeline Pilot, which helps roofing contractors build strong business pipelines as a foundation for growth and business owner freedom