Jun 15 2007 7:57AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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As I've written about before, I'm a Gen Xer, so I spend a lot of time on the Web. Not surprisingly, one of the first things I do when I want to find out about a remodeler is visit the company's Web site. Unfortunately, a lot of remodelers are dropping the ball when it comes to promoting themselves online. 

Obviously, every remodeler should have a site in this day and age, but simply having one isn't enough anymore. Here are five pieces of advice from a frequent Web surfer.

1. Contact info – This should be everywhere on your site starting with the home page. It's astounding how many sites I visit that don't tell you how to contact the remodeler, or have the information buried. At the very least, you should have address, phone and fax numbers and a general e-mail address where potential customers can get you. Even better, put a company directory online. Kowalski Construction in Phoenix does a great job with this: http://www.kowalski.com/Directory.htm.

2. Keep it up to date – Many companies' sites are surprisingly out of date. In the last two months, I've visited sites for at least three companies that had changed their name, but hadn't updated it on the site. If you're trying to brand a new name, your Web site should be the first thing you change. I can't say this enough: For Gen Xers and Echo Boomers, this is the first place we look to find out about a company.

3. Get help – Don't try to develop and maintain a site yourself. There's a ton of professional firms out there that can do a good job for you for a relatively low price. The money you save by doing it yourself is usually pretty obvious when someone visits your site. 

4. Keep it simple – When following No. 3, don't let yourself get talked into too many bells and whistles on your site. The important thing to remember is that not everybody has a high-speed Internet connection. According to a recent government report, that number just went over 50 percent, with 53 percent of Internet users now connecting using a cable or broadband connection. That's still a lot of potential customers using dial-up.

5. It's about them, not you – Focus the language on the benefits a client gets by working with you. For example, if you've been in business for 15 years, tell them why it matters to them. Instead of "We've been serving Chicago homeowners for 15 years" say something like "Over our 15 years in business we've developed systems that allow us to deliver almost every job on budget and on time."