Consumers, beware of being ‘snookered’: Texas lawmaker proposes reform for roofers

A North Texas lawmaker is trying to protect homeowners from being ripped off in the wake of hail storms like those that struck over the weekend.

State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, proposed House Bill 3293 to create a voluntary state certification for roofer, hoping to end problems that crop up year after year in Texas.

First storms pound an area, such as the hail and rain that hit Denton and Collin counties Sunday, then roofers and other contractors swarm the area hoping to pick up business.

Overwhelmed homeowners quickly pick someone to fix their roof and may find themselves disappointed with expensive, shoddy — or incomplete — work.

“Look at what happened with (Sunday) night’s storms, golf-ball-size hail hitting residences, smashing roofs, breaking windows,” Capriglione said. “Within 24 hours those homeowners will be inundated by roofers who will say they can fix it and do a great job.

“I think some people will get snookered.”

Already, law enforcers in Denton, Argyle and other cities are tweeting out tips for homeowners to avoid being scammed by “storm chasers,” out-of-towners who follow storms and try to convince homeowners to hire them to fix their homes.

Many times those workers will do sub-par work, if they even stay long enough to complete the job.

State and law enforcement advice: Don’t pay cash or a down payment before materials arrive. And if estimators show up, but you didn’t call them, steer clear of them.

Hire local, established businesses you can trust, officials advise.

“We have a lot of storm chasing roofers who show up after storms hit,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas. “They are going to rip people off. They are trying to get some of that person’s insurance claim money.

25 Inspiring & Actionable Content Marketing Tips For (Almost) Any Situation

25 Inspiring & Actionable Content Marketing Tips For (Almost) Any Situation

The dreaded content marketing rut, we’ve all been there. Everyone from copywriter to CMO has experienced content marketing fatigue at one point or another. Sometimes it feels like no matter how hard you try you can’t quite seem to:

• Create enough content
• Get the engagement you need
• Find interesting ways to innovate

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that, 70% of B2B marketers are creating more content than they were a year ago and 54% find producing engaging content to be a challenge.

If only there were a list of tips that you could reference from time to time when you need a content marketing pick-me-up.

Well, look at what we have here! Keep this list of 25 content marketing tips handy for whenever the need strikes.

Check Your Pulse: 4 Video Marketing Tips for Healthcare Companies

Check Your Pulse: 4 Video Marketing Tips for Healthcare Companies

Healthcare marketers are responsible for attracting new customers, building trust and converting prospects into new customers. While following content marketing and SEO best practices can put you a step ahead of the rest, there is another opportunity that you may not have considered.

As far back as 2010, Pew Research found that approximately 80% of internet users have searched for information online about health topics, and 25% of all internet users have watched an online video about health or medical issues.

Could video marketing be part of the solution? Consumers buy from people that they like and trust, especially when it comes to their health. What better way to connect with your audience in a meaningful way than through video marketing that they can relate to?

Now, there is the question of what to create and how to promote it. This post will diagnose some of the top opportunities for incorporating video into your digital marketing strategy.