Online Advertising
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The company I work for does. I handle almost all the advertising and we do almost 100% online advertising. We plan to diversify our advertising next spring, if I am still with the company.
Figure google can cost $800 a month if you want it to. Service Magic, and the other referral services, can cost as much or as little as you want them to.
We've contimplated banner rotation but found that most sites can't get as specific as we need them to be to make it worth while and want a min of a $5000 comitment.
Like I said we do almost 100% online advertising. I've personally done 400 estimates this year, my boss almost 200.
Figure google can cost $800 a month if you want it to. Service Magic, and the other referral services, can cost as much or as little as you want them to.
We've contimplated banner rotation but found that most sites can't get as specific as we need them to be to make it worth while and want a min of a $5000 comitment.
Like I said we do almost 100% online advertising. I've personally done 400 estimates this year, my boss almost 200.
Well Nathan, you know one now.
As an ex-web designer I know how to make the internet work for me.
I wont know until the end of the year when I crunch the numbers but I can speculate that of our online leads most come from lead services. We are members of 5 lead services.
These past few weeks we have gotten a TON of repair leads from our web site being found in search engines. Were so busy we haven't accepted any leads from our referral services for two or more weeks.
maybe 5-15% are referrals. We do good work but dont ask for many referrals. There is a science to referral requesting.
As an ex-web designer I know how to make the internet work for me.
I wont know until the end of the year when I crunch the numbers but I can speculate that of our online leads most come from lead services. We are members of 5 lead services.
These past few weeks we have gotten a TON of repair leads from our web site being found in search engines. Were so busy we haven't accepted any leads from our referral services for two or more weeks.
maybe 5-15% are referrals. We do good work but dont ask for many referrals. There is a science to referral requesting.
Much of our lead generation comes from the internet, specifically, the reply form on our web site. In the past, we've used radio ads, fliers, ads in local newpapers, postcard ads, yellow pages, mall shows and the response has been relatively poor. We also use job-site signs and truck signs. Since we are in a niche market (high-end roofing), many of the respondents are not in our price range (they just can't afford our product), and we have had to spend a lot of time qualifying the prospects to determine if there was a good potential match between what we offer and what they want.
In contrast, the requests for quotes we get from the web site are usually from people who have already done much of their research, and are seriously interested in our product. My dealers love the leads we send them from the web site, as their closing rate is over 80%.
One of the more surprising aspects for me was to discover that the web site was responsible for over 50% of our local leads and sales (most of the rest came from referrals from existing clients). When I discussed with my customers what prompted them to choose us over other local roofers, one of the factors was the "legitimacy" that a web site gave us, and their ability to read about us before they contacted us. That way, they already formed an opinion of who we were before we even showed up. Once we came and went through the interview process, we often found that we didn't need to cover the product benefits as much - they already found that on the web site. We usually spent more time discussing their specific needs and the exact way we would correct specific problems.
Because of the benefit of having our potential customers educate themselves, we are going to be extensively revamping our web site to specifically address a number of topics that appear to come up often and are "hot buttons". Once this is completed, we will continue to do local advertising (print, radio, etc.) with the goal of having more prospects educated themselves though our web site.
In contrast, the requests for quotes we get from the web site are usually from people who have already done much of their research, and are seriously interested in our product. My dealers love the leads we send them from the web site, as their closing rate is over 80%.
One of the more surprising aspects for me was to discover that the web site was responsible for over 50% of our local leads and sales (most of the rest came from referrals from existing clients). When I discussed with my customers what prompted them to choose us over other local roofers, one of the factors was the "legitimacy" that a web site gave us, and their ability to read about us before they contacted us. That way, they already formed an opinion of who we were before we even showed up. Once we came and went through the interview process, we often found that we didn't need to cover the product benefits as much - they already found that on the web site. We usually spent more time discussing their specific needs and the exact way we would correct specific problems.
Because of the benefit of having our potential customers educate themselves, we are going to be extensively revamping our web site to specifically address a number of topics that appear to come up often and are "hot buttons". Once this is completed, we will continue to do local advertising (print, radio, etc.) with the goal of having more prospects educated themselves though our web site.
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Grumpy said:
nowadays, absolutely.
A website is cheaper than most forms of advertising too. Once you get a site designed you can usually find hosting for a simple 'brochure' type site for about $4.95/mo.
Slap your web address on every van/truck/business_card/sign you have and people will log on to see what you’re about. When they do you have a perfect opportunity to set yourself apart from other contractors. You also have the chance to display your work/product.
Most people don't understand the importance of a website to younger generations. I don't buy anything before researching it on the internet.
You can get a simple website designed for your company for about $500 (give or take).
BTW, if anyone is interested in webdesign send me an email... [email protected] .
YES, that was a blatant advertisement :evil:
- Nathan
Slap your web address on every van/truck/business_card/sign you have and people will log on to see what you’re about. When they do you have a perfect opportunity to set yourself apart from other contractors. You also have the chance to display your work/product.
Most people don't understand the importance of a website to younger generations. I don't buy anything before researching it on the internet.
You can get a simple website designed for your company for about $500 (give or take).
BTW, if anyone is interested in webdesign send me an email... [email protected] .
YES, that was a blatant advertisement :evil:
- Nathan
So you went and got involved with roofing, where all customers are sweetness and light, right? :cheesygriGrumpy said:Yeah but your the admin so you can get away with it
I on the other hand only design my own sites now. I'm through with the head aches involved with being a web designer for hire. Bah humbug!
No, P and I was doing roofing at the same time as web design.
Teh customers are about the same, but the profit is GREATER!
Which do you prefer? The $400 a month I was making before taxes fromt he web design, or the $1,500 I make per week after taxes from the roofing?
Sure $2,000 per week aint great but it's good for my age. I'm still young with big plans.
Teh customers are about the same, but the profit is GREATER!
Which do you prefer? The $400 a month I was making before taxes fromt he web design, or the $1,500 I make per week after taxes from the roofing?
Sure $2,000 per week aint great but it's good for my age. I'm still young with big plans.
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2,794 Posts
30 here....I win.
or do I?
or do I?
Well I've been remodeling since I was 5 and I have proof. My parents have a picture of me taking down a wall with a sledgehammer and a hard hat. See my old man saw me as cheap labor 
I helped him remodel his house and helped him remodel his father's house.
I helped him remodel his house and helped him remodel his father's house.Nathan, great site! Do you run your own business w/ men working for you? Am new to this site- I own a small painting company with a fledgeling website and I won't give you the address because the guy who set it up for us left it w/ purple text and some cheesy sayings in it just to get it up and running. Haven't had the time to revamp it but I see the website, eventally, as a way to set my company apart from what a lot of high-end residential homeowners refer to as "those grungy, dirt-ball types." Most people who are willing to allow complete strangers to borrow access to their homes for a day or week want to feel a sense of trust in a contractor. A website gives them a opportunity to gain a sense of organization and professionalism. Still have to do a good job once you get in but I think griz is on the money w/ legitimacy. How do you guys get leads for locals wanting estimates other than signs or flyers- meaning a leads service?nwingate said:I got you beat.... 27. Been painting since I was 18.
(also have big plans...)
-Nathan
What are your big plans?
Ratrub (Mark)
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