Using the Web to Generate Leads and More!

 

  
  These days, anyone can set up a Website for his or her business. But, missing key is ‘why?’ Are you setting up an Internet home just to have a web presence? If so, there is nothing wrong with that, but you need to have a clear goal in mind when designing your site. Why not get the most mileage out of it as possible?

For starters, a Website for a contractor can serve as an electronic brochure. Having the address printed on your business card and yellow pages ad is likely to draw some traffic for people looking to learn more, before they pick up the phone and call. But that is basically what it is, a brochure. A Website at this stage is likely to only garner the same results
as a brochure. You should not expect a Website to suddenly make you overwhelmed with work and income- it will give customers just a little more information before they call you, but the sale still has to be made.

Your Website must be user-friendly and efficient. People want to find what they are looking for, not jump through an endless sea of links. Having an easy to navigate menu, with pages giving good information- but still of brochure or ad copy length. Although there are many software programs that allow you to build your own Website, as well as many Internet service
providers that also offer users a free homepage, it may suit you better to hire a professional designer to build your site. You can tell the difference between a ‘hobby homepage’ and a professional Website. Or, perhaps you do have a knack for it, and can do it yourself. Either way, professionalism is key.

Here are some things that you should include on your Website. On the homepage (the front page), you should include your business name, address, contact information and a brief overview of your services. Then, you can set up links to other pages that include photos, referrals and materials used. Photos are key here, as this is what can sell your services- not some fancy background or flash animation on your Website!

As time goes on and you get some traffic and comfortable with the idea of being online, you can add things to help expand your business, such as web forms where clients can request an estimate, web cams to show projects in progress and an e-mail referral system. You could also link your site to hardware stores sites, and have clients pick out their own materials.

Additionally, you could have a special password-protected site where clients can log in to see the progress being made, get copies of invoices, their contracts, make payments and fill out evaluation form. But having features like that could be dependent upon your business size, client base (they must also need to be Internet-friendly) and your comfort-level.

But no matter what features your Website has, just having one can make your business more legitimate and more in touch with the changing world of technology.