Attracting Local Business in the Digital Age
(Long Island, N.Y.) As a new homeowner, I spent the past few days phoning local contractors for estimates: hardwood floor re-finishing, painting, kitchen cabinetry… While I maintain that old-fashioned word-of-mouth is the best way, hands-down, to attract business, your Web presence says a lot about your company.
A website and listing on a site such as Superpages.com, or even here at Long Island Exchange, has all-but-replaced conventional print yellow pages ads. It was true in the past that an ad in Yellow Pages should be the bare minimum – not the sum-total – of your company’s marketing efforts. Today, we can say the same about a website.
I began my search by Googling “hardwood floor sanding.” One local company came up first in the search, but the link didn’t lead to their website. Instead, I clicked through to their exclusive page on WebBiz411, a marketing concept like SuperPages.com. Their address and phone number was included so I could call for pricing.
A listing on a site like this permits your company to achieve higher search rankings – even if you don’t have an in-house SEO expert. The only thing the company’s listing at WebBiz411 was missing was a link to the company website, where I could have browsed samples of their work, read articles about the different flooring finish options available, and even seen a picture of the company’s owner. When I did find the site, the company’s professionalism impressed me.
However, I’ve seen plenty of very good companies with very bad websites. The World Wide Web has been around since XX, and widely used since XX , but many companies still don’t get it. If prospective customers don’t call you immediately after receiving a recommendation or seeing an ad, the next thing they’re doing is checking out your website.
What does your website tell them about your company?
You don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for a “flashy” design concept. A good site should be neat, clean and easy-to-navigate. For maximum effectiveness, your company website should include the following components:
List of Services: Tell us exactly what you do, and what services we may call you for.
About your company: This is a good place to share your company philosophy, history or ideals. Use this as a place to get closer to your customers, to introduce them to the “real people” behind your company. People like doing business with people they feel like they know, so you may even want to add a photo of yourself or your employees with names and bios. This will make your company appear “friendly.”
Testimonials/Photos: You want a section to sell your work to prospective customers. You can do this with photos of your products or completed work (if applicable) or testimonials. If people came to your site through a recommendation from a friend, this may clinch the sale. If they found you in a Google search, it will give them faith in your products or services.
Phone number: You wouldn’t believe how many local contractor sites I left simply because I had to provide my e-mail address and phone number for an estimate, rather than being able to dial the phone and speak to someone. Include your phone number, placed prominently, so people can call you immediately. If you want to build your mailing list, consider doing so by offering a coupon for a 10 percent discount if visitors provide an e-mail address; don’t make me provide my e-mail address just for the privilege of giving you my business.
These tips may sound basic, but, based on my experience this past week, a lot of local business owners still don’t get it. Maybe they don’t think they need a website. Maybe their business has been doing fine for years without one.
But if you’re struggling in this economy and looking to reach the Web savvy customer, these tips will help. Also, make sure to include local keywords and tags to help people here on Long Island find you in a Google search. Your site may include all the important information and look great, but most customers never get past the first page or two of a Google search before they make their purchase decision. You should be right there for them.
