Alot of us chat about our sites and such and ask for evaluations from one another which is great about this site. However; how important do you all think your site really is?
I think ours is good yet almost every client we end up working for says they never really saw our site and even if they did it wouldn’t have made much of a difference in hiring us.
Interesting.
I am just wondering how many folks actually use the Internet as a means of securing a contractor? (Excluding things like Serivce Magic and such)
Replies
My website is dated, my webmaster is not doing his job.
In answer to your question:
Our website is mainly used to make people more familiar with us, display some of our work, give them contact info and offer some degree of "Hey we are here, dug in and have been building." it is the old "a picture is worth a thousand words" scenario.
In our busy lives of a contractor, first time callers can be refered to the website in a few minutes for addional information.
I did get a call and met with a potential client this week who had found our website from an internet search for custom homebuilder in this area.
I think they are great, and have plans to improve mine and add more information. My webmaster insisted on hosting mine 3 years ago. I have fired him, as he has not reponded my request for updates and a picture gallery of projects. The only thing he has done in 3 years is change an incorrect phone number.
He is to give up the password this week, so I can tranfer hosting back to my account at GoDaddy.com.
Right now, 100% of my business is via referrals. I have a name and number yellow pages listing simply for ligitamacy. The website I have I really don't ever expect to be a business generator as much as I expect it to be a 'virtual portfolio' to show prospective clients. I figure its not too expensive, and gives a professional polished image.
As a designer, mine is invaluable. Very few clients HAVEN'T come through that route, either directly via search or through a link from any of several sources. Prior clients direct them there rather than a phone #, address, or email, and as a result, they're familiar with my work and requirements......so a bonus is that they're usually pre-qualified, too.
Mine is key to my whole business strategy which is to never have to work for a "client from hell" again. It brings me five calls for every job I bother to do an estimate for and I land pretty much every single estimate.
I have a good rep in my town and I'm active in environmental and green building related volunteer work and that helps to bring traffic to my site. But the expense and emotional investment of having a custom home designed and built is a big deal and people like to be able to have confidence in you. My customers pretty much memorize my site.
It helps them to feel confident in me. Which makes my job a whole lot easier.
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"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
SN,
So whats the secret to your success? You sound like me a bit with the volunteer and community stuff but I don't get much work out of it.
Mike
Stubborn=ness may be a big part of it, I've been doing it for 30 years now. I also am a junkie for information, get a ton of magazines and read business books (E-myth Revisited, Good to great, Tipping point) and I'm part of a NAHB Builder 20 club since ten years ago. But the website is still a big part of my business stratagy.------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
The links in your profile here don't go to your websites for me...
Interesting Shelternerd.
What is your website?
blue"...
keep looking for customers who want to hire YOU.. all the rest are looking for commodities.. are you a commodity ?... if you get sucked into "free estimates" and "soliciting bids"... then you are a commodity... if your operation is set up to compete as a commodity, then have at it..... but be prepared to keep your margins low and your overhead high...."
From the best of TauntonU.
I've tried to figure out that profile link thing. Ah well you can find my website at http://www.ChandlerDesignBuild.com Have a great dayMichael------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
Impressive Shelternerd!Its nice to see such professionalism when the mainstream public view so many construction companies as fly by night.
Thanks, ten years ago I had a bad "client from hell experiance" and netted $4,000 for a year of 50 hour weeks. Almost threw in the towel, but decided to get smart and make it work. I joined Builder 20 and made a commitment to making my business fun as well as profitable. It's been a slog but I'm definately having fun and the profit thing has worked out too.------------------
"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
"The only thing he has done in 3 years is change an incorrect phone number. "
That's not unusual. Many don't want anything to do with it after they get the initial payment. Updates don't make them any money. If you have the interest and time, try doing it yourself but there's a steep learning curve if you want it to succeed and get it done right.
I was absolutely broke five years ago today. It was also the last day I drank. I took an interest in site building and today have a web related business with no debt and assests over $ 500K.
I've mentioned a few tips along the way in this forum over the years but I never see anyone acting on them. It works but as in anything, to succeed you either have to work at it or put $$ into it.
Good luck guys!
I primarily use mine for education and references rather than lead generation.
http://logancustomcopper.com
http://grantlogan.net/
It's like the whole world's walking pretty and you can't find no room to move. - the Boss
I married my cousin in Arkansas - I married two more when I got to Utah. - the Gourds
Yeah, I imagine that would be good as yours is a specialty many folks (such as myself) know nothing about. Being in Florida where very few homes have it used, all I really know about copper is that pennies are made of it. ;)
I'm glad that this tread popped up. Just bought "myname" .com & .info at goddady for $20. Was thinking over how I was going to utilize it.
Electronic business card? A link at the bottom of all my emails.
Portfolio?
Marketing campaign? I send post cards [500 to 3k at a time so its easy on the budget.] direct mail now that bring $17 income for one spent to send them. Would a web site address printed on them boost the performance?
The science of marketing is in-exact at best. You can put a lot of effort & $$ with little results or referrals come out of the blue with no effort other than the quality work you have produced in pursuit of $$. I'm just musing here while I wait for it to get a little warmer to out and put a new brake line on the old truck. But I'd like to see more of what the long time lurkers and other have to say. BT is a resource for posterity as well as a decision for current day. We come here to be informed, to inform but the 10% herd most do not rule here. A Good thing. So the Techno savy should speak up. Sorry, a bit off topic. Just like to see this thread continue for a while till we hear some new stuff.
how many folks actually use the Internet as a means of securing a contractor? (Excluding things like Serivce Magic and such)
Good question!
Best to you and yours, Chris.
Some say I know too much? Can you ever?