The North East Roofing Contractor Association (NERCA) Executive Committee made a decision two years ago to embark on an initiative to rebrand NERCA.

A Century of History

Given its over 100-year history, the association recognized that a complete rebranding effort would be a significant undertaking for the entire board. The process commenced with Patsy Sweeney, Executive Director, proposing to the Executive Committee the allocation of a budget for a new website, logo, brand identity, and social media presence. During their annual budget review meeting in 2022, the Executive Committee agreed to approve the Rebrand of NERCA.

Working alongside President Steve Harvey, the Executive Committee outlined a three-phase approach to the NERCA rebranding. The initial phase focused on creating a new logo and defining the brand identity, followed by a social media campaign across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The final phase prioritized the development of a new website, recognizing it as the most time-consuming aspect of the project. The Board aimed for a website that featured an admin portal for NERCA staff and a member portal allowing all NERCA members to independently upload company information, events, and personal details like phone numbers and company websites, eliminating the need to contact the NERCA office for updates.

Rootless Agency x NERCA

The challenge lay in how to effectively execute this project with the involvement of staff, members, boards of directors, and the executive committee. After exploring various options and interviewing several companies, the NERCA Executive Board decided to engage the services of Rootless Agency. Rootless Agency stood out as one of the few agencies capable of managing all three project phases with a single point of contact and a cohesive team. Given the association’s longstanding history, having a structured process with a single point of contact was crucial to avoid overwhelming the staff during the rebranding, especially considering their dedication to organizing the NERCA Annual Convention & Tradeshow, education seminars, outings, and networking events.

Before finalizing the contract, Rootless Agency conducted an extensive discovery process, meeting with the NERCA Board of Directors to understand the goals, objectives, and significance of the rebrand for NERCA. This thorough approach resonated with the Board, especially appreciating Rootless Agency’s ability to articulate their needs comprehensively. Following deliberations spanning over six months and a thorough review of proposals from other firms, Rootless Agency emerged as the top choice. Their understanding of NERCA’s requirements and their ability to present proposals that resonated with the entire Board of Directors led to an immediate “Yes” from NERCA.

Phase 1: Rebranding NERCA

Rootless Agency commenced with Phase 1: the rebrand. The phased approach was advantageous, ensuring that the association only incurred costs for the active phases of the project. This flexibility was well received, as it allowed NERCA to manage funds efficiently throughout the process. The initial focus was on defining the colors, logo, and brand identity, with the Rootless Agency team patiently iterating until a logo was chosen that satisfied all parties. The new NERCA logo quickly became a favorite among all members, prominently displayed at the NERCA Annual Roofing Convention & Trade Show, symbolizing the transformation of the association.

Phase 2: Social Media Management

With the successful completion of Phase 1, NERCA proceeded to Phase 2: social media. Recognizing the importance of an active social media presence, NERCA launched campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Original content, particularly videos highlighting associate members and their products, became a cornerstone of their strategy. Rootless Agency offered a solution by providing five days of annual video content creation, attending events such as the annual tradeshow, golf events, and NEREF events. Their approach to content creation, where the agency team took the lead in crafting engaging posts, relieved NERCA staff from the burden of content creation.

Under the guidance of Xhulio Jamaku, the project manager from Rootless Agency, NERCA saw its social media following grow from zero to thousands of followers across all platforms. The agency provided detailed performance reports for each post and video, offering insights for future content strategies. The engagement and positive feedback from the community demonstrated the success of the social media campaigns and the effective partnership with Rootless Agency.

Phase 3: New Website with Rootless Agency

With Phase 2 well-established and maintained monthly, NERCA proceeded to Phase 3: the website reconstruction. Recognizing the limitations of their old website, which required manual updates by staff, NERCA aimed for a modernized platform that catered to members of all ages. Rootless Agency engaged in a detailed discovery process to understand NERCA’s requirements thoroughly. The resulting custom website featured an admin portal for staff and a member portal for all NERCA members, enabling easy updates, event sign-ups, and online payments.

Prior to development, Rootless Agency provided visual sketches of the website using a platform called Figma, allowing NERCA to interact with the design before finalization. This interactive approach ensured alignment between expectations and the final product. After four months of collaborative review and refinement, NERCA was pleased with the website’s design and functionalities. The Rootless Agency team, led by Xhulio, then proceeded to develop the website, providing regular updates to NERCA throughout the process.

Upon completion, the website underwent thorough testing across various platforms to ensure functionality and user-friendliness. With unanimous approval from the Board of Directors, the new website went live, marking a significant milestone for NERCA. Rootless Agency further supported NERCA by training office staff on using the admin portal and assisting board members with creating their member profiles.

The Journey of Rebranding

Throughout the 2+ year journey of rebranding, Rootless Agency’s partnership proved invaluable to NERCA. Their structured approach, single point of contact, and commitment to understanding NERCA’s needs contributed to a seamless and efficient rebranding process. Today, NERCA boasts a modern brand identity, an engaging social media presence, and a user-friendly website that empowers members to actively participate and stay connected within the association.