Construction and Contracting Business. Entrepreneur magazine
offering online deals, such as 10 percent off if you respond via email by a certain date. Your goal is to start a dialogue about what contracting needs a client may have and how you can fulfill them in a cost effective way (without underselling yourself).
Once people respond to your website, make a smooth and early transition from emails to a phone call and even an in-person meeting to show them what you can do for them. Of course, you also need to make it clear, on the website, exactly where you do business. If you’re based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for example, someone from Boise, Idaho, probably won’t be in your area.
Also, don’t quote prices on your website, although you can give a range.
Always put the most important data and great photos high up on the pages so that people need not scroll down and down. Also make sure your colors and graphics look good, not only on your computer screen but also on various mobile devices since more and more people are using their cell phones and tablets instead of their laptops. Don’t waste time on fancy graphics that take too long to load. Nobody has time to wait.
There are plenty of web builder sites that will help you build it yourself such as http://web.com, www.wix.com, www.weebly.com, www.godaddy.com, and https://wordpress.com, among others. A couple of sites you might visit that specialize in contractor websites include http://contractorgorilla.com and www.contractorweb.net, or you can hire a web designer. Look for recommendations from other business owners you know. Once you find someone, look at their portfolio of website designs
If you look for a local web designer in your area, make sure to show her other sites that you like, and be sure that she develops a site that is user-friendly and easy to maneuver. It’s your business, so get what you want. Remember, as a service provider your site is a business card of sorts to get them to email or call you; that means you do not need retail features like a shopping cart. Don’t spend money on unnecessary features.
From a technical standpoint, it is important that all pages link easily to the information the individual is seeking. Don’t make visitors to your website jump hurdles to find what they are looking for or they will give up. Check links often to make sure they are still working. Also, you want to try to build a contact list using your website. If you give something away, they may be more than happy to provide their email address so you can reach out to them. Such a giveaway can be anything from a 5 percent discount to the first ten people who book you for a job to a free download of interest to your audience.
warning
Look carefully at the other sites a web designer has done in the past before hiring someone. If they all appear to have a similar style and it’s not what you want, do not assume for a second that this person can deviate from the norm just for you. Habits are hard to break. You need someone who sees your vision, not a variation of her own.
Establishing an Online Presence
As many business owners have learned over the past decade, just because you have a website doesn’t mean people will find it. Even if you optimize your site with keywords, links, and other tricks of the trade, that still doesn’t assure you that people will flock to it. You need to draw people to your website. One way to do so is to build your presence on social media through a Facebook page, Twitter posts, and photos on sites like Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
Linking with other retailers and getting your listing in all local online directories also draws attention to your website. You will also want to get yourself on Angie’s List (at https://www.angieslist.com) which can be a godsend to contractors, particularly with local listings that can be read by your potential clients. Of course you need to get positive reviews. The same goes for Yelp (www.yelp.com).
As for your own social media postings, you want to show your expertise in conversations and by helping people who are seeking solutions. Social media is for letting people get to know you, NOT for hard selling. Think of yourself at a party. Would you approach possible customers with a sales pitch or with a polite conversation that touches upon the needs of the person to whom you are talking? Then, if you can work what you do into the conversation more generically, you can let them know what you do.
You can also draw in new business by adding tidbits of clever information, trivia, e-cards, jokes, or anything else relating to the type of contracting your business does. Then spread the word, share with friends or fans, re-tweet comments on Twitter, or post a video on YouTube, but first make sure it’s NOT boring. Then share it by linking to it from your site and through word of mouth. Be creative and generate a buzz. If you can “go viral” to any extent that means those who see it spread the word for you—it’s free promotion! This way your followers and clients help promote your business. Perhaps you create something humorous on how NOT to build, and then show them the correct way in which you could build. Keep it simple, fun, and concise—and make sure your contact info is easy to read.
One successful trick of the trade is to promote your company through the use of free coverage in local newspapers, magazines, in blogs, and on other websites. Many newspapers have a Sunday home improvement section that offers tips and suggestions for home remodeling and landscaping. The editors of these sections are constantly looking for the local expert to assist in the development of articles. A contractor who is mentioned in the article or offers money-saving tips will gain instant credibility as an expert and reach many potential new customers at the same time. One landscaping company in the Midwest volunteered its employees to help eradicate invasive weeds at a local county park. The result was a front page article with several photographs showing the employees spraying the weeds with an herbicide. The only cost to the company was several hours of labor and a bit of chemicals; the goodwill and positive image projected by the company was invaluable. In the eyes of many consumers, this company became the local expert for control of invasive weeds. One of the goals of such an endeavor is to let the community know what the company does in a positive and constructive way. Becoming the local expert who sees a problem and offers a solution will pay dividends well beyond the cost of time spent preparing for the event.
tip
Look for blogs that include interviews or guest bloggers. While the internet will reach a much broader audience than you need, it will also blanket your community with your expertise, since nearly everyone gets the web without having to go out and buy a newspaper or magazine.
Another approach to marketing and public relations is to offer free services to the community. Local nonprofit organizations hold fundraising events during the year and are constantly looking for items for an auction or a raffle. Contractors with design services can offer their services to help these organizations raise money. Others may donate coupons that offer savings on either products or services. Here again, the cost to the contractor is relatively small and the goodwill very large.
New companies can issue press releases to their local newspapers