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| Ek's Home | Forum | Chat | Electrical Links | |
| Subject - Advetising and promotion | |
| John A. Peters |
Here are the webpages I know about. Please find some in your area and send them in, so we can learn from others. Do any of you get much business from a web page? I wil be using it to sent clients to look up my references and more. My email is - Japeters@pacbell.net Patric Kennidy, Marietta GA http://www.mistersparky.com Scott Hoelecek http://www.westlaelectric.com/door/ John Peters, San Francisco, CA http://home.pacbell.net/japeters http://www.a-linesystems.com/services.htm http://www.electricservicetech.com/_wsn/page5.html http://www.kishelectric.com/ http://www.mikediamondservices.com/ http://www.onehourair.com/myrtlebeach/dLearn_More/index.php http://www.pmmag.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Fe atures__Item/0,2379,4212,00.html http://remodeling.respond.com/site/1730538/1800001347 http://www.theoxfordgroup.com/knowledge_17secret.htm |
| Mike Delaney | Hey John, I checked out your web site last night...it's pretty cool. But more impressively is you being able to recite the story that old man told you. I don't have a web site yet, but I think it is a great way to advertise. That allows a customer to do research on your company without even speaking with you. I would like to have pictures of past jobs, maybe a raffle of some sort. I've also been thinking about going to a flat rate service, in which I could relate to the customer the advantages. |
| John A. Peters | A raffle of some sort? Interesting - What is the plan or goal? |
| Mike Delaney | For a raffle you'd have to keep the cost reasonable, but maybe movie tickets, or a gift card to dinner at a restuarant. And have the raffle once a month. How are you advertizing your web page? |
| John A. Peters | A raffle? Please, what is your goal? Who would benefit from a raffle, who is the sponsor, you? Please expand a little bit more on your thinking. Please be a little more verbose. Are you trying to drive traffic to your web page and if so how would raffle do that? My personal opinion is that driving traffic to web page is a tough roe to hoe. See my notes under adverising annd promotion. What do the rest of you think. Are there only two of us here? JP |
| John A. Peters | Trying to drive traffic to your web page? My personal opinion is that driving traffic to web page is a tough row to hoe. What I have started doing is to point people to my web page by listing my URL in the Yellow Pages, on my cards (not yet) and other advertising. Even more effective is that lately when a client calls up, I have started asking them for their eMail address with the promise that I will send them a URL for my web page. As someone else said some where on the net, the positive result is that when you get the job to do the estimate later in the week, the customer already knows most of the basic stuff since he read the web page. Lately some people say the Yellow Pages are declining in popularity. It certainly true that the younger people tend to use the Internet instead of the Yellow Pages, and even some of the older people who have less than perfect eyesight find it easier to use the computer than that to turn through the tiny little type in Yellow Pages. What do the rest of you think. Are there only two of us here? JP |
| John A. Peters | Rereading my note, I guess I have proposed a Catch-22. How can you ask the customer for his e-mail address the customer doesn't call you up? So we are back to good old promotion in the various tried-and-true methods direct mail, Yellow Pages, word-of-mouth, flyers, newspaper advertising, local hardware store association, signs on your truck, satisfied customers who are referrals, a cheap ad in the flea market newspaper, buying a mailing list of everyone who purchased a new home in the last month, getting a list of condo conversions from the local department of public works. Sometime ago, when I was down at City Hall getting my electrical permits, I gave out some business cards to general contractors and homeowners who were in line for building permit. That got me a job or two. It sounds like work doesn't it. JP |
| Mike Delaney | I know people around here that have raffles on there web site, but beyond that I don't know much more about it...so I'll just leave behind... Here are two web sites from Fort Collins CO ChadwickElectric.com CleaverElectric.com Chadwick Electric is a shop of about sixty electricians, they advertize there web site everywhere, including at public gatherings, tv, radio, and newspaper. I've used DEX.COM alot to check out other electrical companies across the states. |
| ddelliquadri | I caught your thread regarding webpages and thought I'd try to share a thing or two that we have learned over the past year. When it comes to driving traffic to your contractor business website, the old tried-and-true methods are still the best. John Peters put together a thorough list of what to do. You simply need to make your website address as important as your phone number (or at least almost as important). We have many customers who use their websites fairly extensively. They tend to use it as a "resume". They list their past success projects and the services they offer. Many also provide a small discount if they mention their SPECIAL WEBSITE COUPON. This helps track website usage/importance. We push our customers to include their website on their business card, print advertising, letterhead, email signature, on their trucks/vans and on their Yellow Pages ad. Most Yellow Page ads don't afford you much space to describe your company. So, use the space to intrigue customers and many will check your website for more detail about your company and what you offer. When it comes to driving web surfers to your site... that can get a little more technical. The company I work for specializes in this service and we sometimes have a hard time. Perseverance is key. I recommend the following: - Ensure all organizations you are members of have your website address listed along with your address/phone/fax. This is often overlooked and is something you can work on over the year. - If you are attending an expo or event and you are exhibiting or providing a service for the event, see if you can have your site listed on their event website. THE KEY IS TO GET YOUR WEBSITE LISTED ON AS MANY WEBSITES AS POSSIBLE (more on this later). - I recommend hiring a company that specializes in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay-Per-Click advertising (Google Adwords & Overture). SEO can be pricey, but you can usually find some pretty good deals through a referral from another business. Pay-per-click can also be very affordable. - When it comes to SEO (eg. where you are listed in Google when they search for services or businesses like yours), it helps enormously if your website is listed on other websites. Google gives your site boosts when it finds you listed on other websites. Most search engines do. I could go on and on... but I'll leave for now and answer any questions that may come up. Derrick Delliquadri www.visionwebservices.com |
| ddelliquadri | OK, I have one more small tidbit to add. Here is a short list of some more websites that may interest you. http://www.aeco-systems.com http://www.eesc-ct.com/ http://www.energycp.com/ http://www.growelectric.com/ http://www.bardenelectric.com/ http://www.esquaredelectric.com/ http://www.bobowenselectric.com/ http://www.glaenzerelectric.com/ http://www.napaelectric.com/ http://www.cushingelectric.com/ http://www.valleyunique.com/ http://www.x-town.com/ http://www.dahlelectric.com/ Let me know if you'd like even more... we completed over 100 custom sites last year. Here are some other ideas for your websites: Describe your latest projects with photos! Example: http://www.growelectric.com/latestprojects.php Your company has completed numerous projects. Share your successes with your customers, colleagues, friends, family, and your employees. We'll add your project photos and even help with the descriptions if need be. Part of your annual website hosting service includes updates... so give us a call and we'll post your latest projects! Need a digital camera? We can recommend a few great digital cameras to get you started. Give your site a life of its own... add animated flash! Example: http://www.x-town.com For a minimal cost, you can grab a visitor's attention with animated flash! Many of our customers have upgraded to add flash to their website. It gives your website a life of its own. Use your webpage to describe your specialty services. Example: http://aeco-systems.com/monitoring.php Our customer AECO Systems specializes in Monitoring services. Explaining their services to potential customers has never been easier. If AECO adds more to their services, they only have to email/fax/mail us the changes and we'll immediately make the changes. Provide a "Quote Request" tool to your visitors. Example: http://www.bainbridgeislandelectric.com/quoterequest.php 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, customers can contact your company. The Quote Request form allows a visitor to request a quote via your website! You will receive the request via email. Your customer will receive an email from your website stating that your company will received the request and will respond in a timely manner. Provide "Safety Tips" or other useful information. Example: http://www.energycp.com/safetytips.php Our customer Energy Control Plus, Inc. had us create a "Safety Tips" page on their website. Providing some useful information on your website projects a professional image. Derrick Delliquadri www.visionwebservices.com |