Online Extras - Snow Management Operations
ONLINE EXTRA: 10 top tips to get the most from Your business website
5/26/2010
With more snow removal customers than ever searching online for snow removal contractors, your web presence can play a critical role in meeting your revenue goals. In this economy the pool of potential new customers is not only shrinking, but also becoming more selective. They are certainly checking out your website before deciding who to call.
To help take the mystery out of the Internet, check out these Ten Top Tips for a quick guide on how to do web marketing right.
- Own your business’ web address. Your web address is known more formally as a URL (uniform resource locator) or as a domain name. But simply put, it is your business’ address on the Internet (www.my-snowremoval-company.com for example). Many Website development companies register a web address with your name but keep ownership of it. You might be a hostage to their service and not even know it. If you did not register the address yourself, check with your web designer or web marketing provider, they should be able to help track down who owns it.
- Display your professional association’s logo on your home page. When potential customers come to your site the BBB or other top tier association logo quickly sends the message that you are credible and that you provide a premium and professional service. If you already have a logo on your site, check and make sure it is an up-to-date version. An old, tired or sloppy graphic makes your business look old, tired and sloppy. If you don’t have a logo, make sure you ask for a web-ready version.
- Check your site for “old school” web design standards. Scrolling text, “cute” animated graphics of dancing polar bears, weather forecasts, cheap sound effects, and site visit counters send a message that you are not keeping up with the times. Clear, clean displays of text and animations that are not there just because, but rather are there to support your overall marketing message are the way to go in 2010.
- Can visitors to your site find your phone number easily? Contact information should be clearly accessible from the home page and in your navigation. Better yet, list your phone number and physical address in the top right-hand corner of our main header. No matter where the visitor clicks within your website, your phone number and general service area are always right there. Remember, customers will move on to another snow removal contractor if you make it difficult to call your business.
- Review your site right now, checking for misspelled words or outdated information. Either mistake will make your business look like the lights are on but no one’s home. Then mark your calendar and review the entire site every six months checking for broken links, missing images and the appropriateness of the text. Many business owners overlook regular site reviews, but this step is part of the proper maintenance of a professional website. If your About Us, Testimonials, or Photo Gallery pages are still “under construction” it is time to finish them off. Incomplete pages make the visitor think you don’t care about finishing the job well.
- Incorporate your business’ logo in the header (the top section) of your website. Make sure it looks crisp online – some graphics are right for print but are not high enough resolution to look right online. Check with your web or logo designer and make sure the version you use is optimized for the web. Web users today distinguish between businesses that look like pros online and those that do not. A graphic that looked great 10 years ago might not look so good to the newer generation of customers.
- Add your photo to bring your site to life. People like to buy from people – not from faceless companies. A photo helps customers make a ‘connection’ especially since you (or your employees) will likely be working in their home. Depending on the layout of your site, the best place for a photo in the home page, the Contact Us page or the About Us page.
- Check with your professional association for any content they have for members to use online. Call or email your trade association’s member services and ask what’s available. Your other affiliates can be a good source for content for FAQ pages and for text detailing the value your membership in their organization brings to the consumer.
- Get rid of any irrelevant items on your site. Visitor counters, web search forms, time and temperature displays are all examples of distracting clutter we have seen on outdated snow removal sites. Keep your site clear and focused on you and your services.
- Do highlight key seasonal services on your site according to the season. Your site’s mission is to deliver key and convincing information about your business that is compelling to an interested customer. Just remember to keep that information seasonally appropriate?
If you want more business from your website today, begin with these 10 Ten Tips.
Griffin Davis is VP of Marketing for Market Hardware, Inc. (www.contractor-websuccess.com) and contributed this article. Griffin has worked in Internet Marketing and Small Business marketing since 1993. Market Hardware helps Snow Removal contractors compete on the Web and offers special discounts for SNOW subscribers. Ask Griffin any Website or Internet Marketing question by emailing Griffin@markethardware.com or calling 888-381-6925.