Construction Copywriting

Website/Blogs/Sales Copy

Darren

Online Reputation Management Strategies

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Online Reputation Management Strategies

Online reputation management strategies focus on creating and maintaining an excellent reputation. They will include social media, PR tools, and advertising. Managing the voice of the consumer is vital to the success of reputation management. The main objective of online reputation management strategies is to combat negative claims and build trust with customers. The goal is to create a positive brand image. To accomplish this, companies should create a website and encourage earned media. This includes blog posts, news stories, and other positive mentions.

online reputation management strategies

Responding to negative reviews and feedback is an essential part of online reputation management. If a customer leaves a bad review, do not delete it immediately. This will only make the customer angry and they will move on to leave another review. While you may feel that this is unnecessary, it is better to be polite and respectful than to ignore the comment. Also, don’t make it personal – avoid appearing too petty or boastful.

Developing a strategy for online reputation management is vital to the success of any business. The first page of Google search results is crucial, as only 1% of people look past the first page. It’s important to be prepared to respond to any negative comments or reviews in a professional way. Even if the review is negative, responding in a timely fashion will be beneficial. You’ll be glad you did. If you don’t have an online presence, hire a company that has a solid digital presence.

An effective online reputation management strategy should include the use of an SEO-based crisis management guide. This is an effective strategy to deal with a crisis quickly and protect your reputation. If you have a reputation-management guide, you can respond effectively and efficiently. It’s essential for every large company to have a crisis plan. It helps you deal with difficult situations and stay ahead of the competition. It’s important to understand the importance of transparency and being transparent. Then you’ll be well-equipped to handle online conversations.

An online reputation management strategy should be a part of your overall marketing strategy. It should be proactive. It’s imperative to respond to negative content and respond to all complaints, as this is likely to reflect poorly on your business. If you’re not responsive, the negative content you uncover on the web will damage your brand’s reputation, and your competitors’. It’s critical to ensure that your brand gets the attention it deserves.

An online reputation management strategy is an essential element of business marketing. Using social media is an important part of any successful online reputation management strategy. It’s important to respond quickly to negative sentiments and to keep up with updates on your industry’s competition. Moreover, an effective online reputation campaign is essential for your business. An excellent online reputation management strategy will increase your brand’s awareness and customer trust. If you don’t want to be found out by a negative review, you should be responsive and respond professionally.

An online reputation management strategy is essential for the growth of any business. It can protect a business from negative statements and can help it maintain a good reputation online. Regardless of the size of your business, online reputation management will prevent negative statements from spreading across the Internet. It’s important to know what you’re up against, and to address problems quickly. This is an essential part of growth strategy. A strong reputation management strategy is essential for the future of your business.

Social media is a crucial part of online reputation management. These channels will allow you to monitor and respond to negative posts and comments. In addition, you’ll also want to check out any reviews of your products or services. Keeping an eye on these sites is the best way to maintain a positive reputation. It’s also crucial for your business to be active in social media. In addition to reviewing the feedback of your customers, your business will also receive feedback from customers on the strength of its services and products.

Your reputation is important to you and your business. Your online presence can improve or harm your brand. It will be an effective marketing tool for your business. Moreover, it will improve your brand image on Google Searches. By monitoring your online presence, you’ll be able to identify any negative reviews and keep them at bay. Your customer’s experience is crucial in building a brand. You can easily manage the quality of your customers’ feedback and enhance your reputation online.

What Negative Reviews Can Do to Ruin Your Business

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If you’ve been around for any length of time, you know that a negative review can destroy your business. People don’t like to write bad things about a business. But if you’ve gotten five or more negative reviews, you’ll see a big impact. Consumers are increasingly relying on online reviews to make decisions. And they’re trusting them over personal recommendations, too. So how can you stop them?

The first step is to decide whether the review is true. Even if it’s not, a negative review can still have a huge impact on your business, and you don’t want to make it worse. You’ll want to sit with the content of the review before taking action. Don’t react online or in person. Instead, sit with it. Take the time to think about what you can do to address the problem.

A positive review can do a lot of good for your business. It can help you get more customers and keep your current ones. But don’t ignore bad reviews on social media. The number of these reviews can be as high as thirty, and they’ll affect your reputation. Your customers won’t buy from you if they read bad reviews about you on the internet. If you’re not careful, a bad review can hurt your business reputation.

While a negative review can ruin your business, it can also help you learn how to respond. A genuine apology is important in the early stages. It can change the customer’s perception of your business. Besides, the most common consumer wants an acknowledgement of the problem. But a genuine apology is enough to change their mind. You can also take the conversation offline and offer a solution. Regardless of whether it’s a real or fake review, an honest apology is the best way to respond.

A positive review will help you gain new customers and boost your business’s profits. A negative one will turn consumers away, so it is important to respond in a professional manner. Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about the negative reviews on your website. In fact, a positive review will help your business grow and improve its reputation. When a customer has a bad experience, they will most likely share it with their friends on social media and on your website.

Negative reviews don’t just ruin your business. They also hurt your reputation. If your company is receiving many negative reviews, it may be a good idea to hire a professional to handle these reviews. A negative review will hurt your business’s reputation. If you have a positive review, it’s vital to respond with a positive response. Otherwise, you risk looking like a troll.

A negative review can damage your business by destroying your reputation. It can also cost you valuable web traffic. If a customer reviews a product or service negatively, it will be difficult to recover. That’s why it’s crucial to monitor your business’s online reviews. It’s not surprising that a positive review can make or break a brand’s reputation. But the downside to a negative one is that it’s impossible to respond to it. If the review is written by an unknown individual, there’s no way to prevent it.

There are other ways to counteract negative reviews. You can invite the reviewer to contact you directly to express your concerns. However, the process of removing a negative review can be difficult if you hide it on the Internet. Fortunately, online reputation management tools can help you fight negative reviews and ensure that your online reputation remains positive. And if you do receive a negative review, it’s important to respond to it.

If you’ve received a negative review, you’re likely already aware of its potential impact. But you should also understand that it’s not always possible to avoid all negative reviews. A customer’s negative review can be a reflection of their own opinion, so it’s essential to respond in a timely manner. And, remember, if the customer doesn’t feel comfortable doing so, they’re probably not going to recommend it to anyone else.

10 Tips to Writing Compelling Copy For Your Construction Business

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Writing copy can be easy if you’re good at it, but only if your copy is compelling enough to capture your readers’ attention and ultimately, their money. If you’re not a seasoned copywriter who already knows the tricks of the trade, pay close attention to these tips on how to write compelling copy that encourages your readers to buy from you today!

What Exactly is Copywriting?

Copywriting is a technique that uses written content, either for print or digital purposes, to market goods and services. The primary goal of copywriting is to promote sales by improving your customers’ understanding of what you have to offer. 

However, it isn’t always about big-ticket items—it can be about promoting yourself as an expert in your field or encouraging people to sign up for your newsletter. Copywriting doesn’t just apply to marketing products directly; it’s also used in job listings, web pages, brochures, magazines articles, and even advertisements. If you want to get better at writing effective copy for your marketing materials, there are some key elements involved: Know Who You’re Writing For: First and foremost, figure out who you’re trying to reach with whatever piece of copy you’re writing. 

If you’re writing website copy targeted at attracting high school students, then use words they’d understand and speak their language. Focus on Benefits: Next comes figuring out how to communicate key benefits without overwhelming your audience.

Why do you need a solid brand identity?

A good, solid brand identity can help differentiate your business from others in your field. It will help you stand out and give potential customers a quick impression of what it is you do. When it comes to marketing, brand identity is one of your best tools for differentiating yourself from competitors. 

Your brand should communicate who you are, who you serve and how you serve them better than anyone else does. The stronger your brand identity becomes, and more people recognize it—and believe in its value—the greater share of mind you’ll enjoy with your audience. And that means more people will turn to you when they need what you have to offer—whether that’s expertise or information or products or services—the kind only businesses like yours can provide.

What is Brand Identity?

Your brand identity is everything that represents your business. It’s not just what you say about yourself or how you market yourself—it’s also made up of every single element of your business’s presentation, from its mission statement to its website design.

This means your brand identity extends beyond marketing materials and slogans; it includes your company’s logo, office decor, even office attire. So when potential customers look at your business (online or off), they should see an image in line with who you are and what you sell: clean and professional in a financial planning firm, young and trendy in a clothing boutique, artsy in an art gallery.

The point is: Make sure everyone who looks at your business has a clear idea of what type of place they’re looking at!

You can see your current brand identity by doing a little online research. Check your business’s Google listings to make sure you don’t have several different spellings of your name or no information at all about who you are or what you do, etc… Also, make sure any social media pages are filled out correctly.

Tips on Writing Compelling Copy

Before you begin writing copy, there are a few tips that can help take your sales copy from lackluster to wildly successful. By thinking about what your customers want and need, you’ll be able to create content that will not only reach your target audience but have them quickly take action once they’ve read your words. 

Here are a few tips that will help you write compelling copy:

  1. Make sure that each section flows into each other; readers don’t like having their train of thought disrupted by distractions. Use any and all techniques at your disposal (bullets, bolding and italics) to make it easy for readers to move through your page with ease.
  1. Be direct. Any good piece of sales copy needs to tell readers exactly what’s in it for them, so be clear about why they should care about your product or service.
  1. Convey value. Regardless of whether your site sells products or services, if potential customers feel as though you’re only looking out for yourself then chances are they won’t return to your site anytime soon—or ever again. This means being careful not to sell yourself short when crafting headlines or subheads—showcase exactly how valuable something is without overselling its benefits so much that potential customers don’t trust you anymore.
  1. Create an emotional connection. According to HubSpot, emotions play a major role in purchasing decisions. One study showed that users who experience positive emotions before using a website are 1,200% more likely to purchase than those who do not; other research reveals that customers making purchases online typically do so because they want to solve some sort of problem. The takeaway? If you can create an emotional connection between your website visitors and your brand, then people will naturally come back because no one wants to resolve problems alone—that’s where you come in!
  1. Be social-media savvy. The internet has created unprecedented ways for people everywhere to connect socially. That means that brands must become adept at marketing themselves on Twitter, Facebook, and any other site that consumers frequent. You might even consider creating promotional material specifically designed to spread via social media (and encourage followers to pass along).
  1. Give concrete examples. Back up claims with details illustrating how great something is—why would someone buy your product or use your service if they aren’t sure of its merits? Plus, including real-life stories adds another layer of credibility; use testimonials liberally (with permission), giving due credit whenever possible.
  1. Keep your message simple. It’s tempting to blurt out everything you know about a particular topic but focus instead on keeping your message simple—one thing your readers will remember above all else.
  1. Keep tabs on competitors. Similar to keeping tabs on industry buzzwords, tracking keywords in your competitors’ ads will give you an idea of what works and what doesn’t in terms of getting web surfers to click through and convert. Just like in magazines or newspapers, knowing which words perform well (such as free, new, or percent off) can give you ideas for copywriting ideas—after all, competition breeds innovation!
  1. Tell a story. Why is your product or service better than everyone else’s? How did you come to be in business and what does your future look like? People respond to and remember stories, so sharing a bit about your company’s history can go a long way.
  1. Keep an eye on evolving technology. Google AdWords and other PPC opportunities can help bring customers in—but what if they don’t like what they see on your website (perhaps because it doesn’t work with their browser or phone)? Constant upgrades that keep pace with changing technology are important for businesses that rely on social media and PPC advertising to drive sales; if people land on a broken page, they will leave in droves and never come back.
  2. Bonus: Check out listiller.com for writers looking to write great blog posts, copy, email sequences and much more on your behalf.

10 Ways To Marketing Your New Construction Business Next Year

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How can you tell if your digital marketing campaign is effective? How can you improve your site traffic, conversion rate, or customer satisfaction with the resources at your disposal? It’s not always easy to measure these things in real-time, but it’s easier if you have these 10 new ideas for digital marketing to think about when building out your strategy for next year.

#1) Launch a Twitter Chat

Twitter chats are a great way to start learning about your industry and connecting with fellow professionals. If you don’t know where to start, look online and find a chat that’s relevant to your category in the trades. You can either contribute to an existing conversation or create one yourself, depending on how well-versed you feel about the topic. Chats are usually recurring—meaning they’re scheduled at regular intervals—so it’s important to be consistent in both attendance and participation.

#2) Explore Instagram Advertising

Don’t think of Instagram as just a place to showcase your eye-popping completed job photos—it’s also a platform to advertise your business. Since Facebook began allowing brands to advertise on Instagram, the platform has opened up new digital marketing opportunities for contractors, giving them more opportunities than ever before to interact with users.

While most businesses are focusing their efforts on social media giants like Facebook and Twitter, it doesn’t hurt to explore different outlets where you can expand your reach and find potential customers.

#3) Utilize Local Search Ads

If you’re a local contractor, utilize local search ads. According to Search Engine Land, 75% of customers start their purchasing process by searching online. If your company isn’t actively advertising and building its online presence in these searches, you’re not only missing out on potential sales, but also opportunities to reach customers who might not otherwise know about your company or products.

With an internet-savvy consumer base, it makes sense to take advantage of new marketing techniques that can help grow your brand. That includes participating in social media, digital marketing and other means that are effective for developing an online presence.

#4) Start PPC Advertising on Google

Google is, hands down, one of the best social media platforms to advertise on. It’s also one of the most cost-effective methods in terms of online marketing if you know what you’re doing. The key with PPC ads is not just throwing money at it but being smart about your ads and knowing when to call them quits when an ad campaign isn’t working.

And that knowledge comes from practice—which means throwing a lot of money into a campaign that may or may not work. Start small. Test various PPC campaigns until you know how to optimize them for maximum ROI (return on investment). With time, your ROI will increase so much so that you can scale out bigger campaigns—but only after you’ve honed in exactly what works and doesn’t work.

#5) Promote Through an Influencer’s Account

You can still get great exposure by teaming up with an influencer. If you run a local hardware store, for example, search Instagram to find an influencer who shares photos of DIY projects or home improvement tips. When you reach out to them, ask if they’d be willing to mention your business in one of their Instagram posts next time they do a remodel.

They’ll probably say yes. (And it’s even easier if your company offers products they use). Note: This is obviously much easier when you’re promoting something that appeals to a broad audience (such as branded apparel) than when you’re selling something specific like vacuum cleaners.

#6) Create Graphics That Stand Out in Google Image Searches

If you want your website to show up in Google image searches, it’s crucial that you create attractive graphics that are eye-catching enough to appear at or near the top of search results. Some content marketers are smart enough to do what they need to do but, unfortunately, many aren’t.

So take advantage of other companies’ mistakes by creating graphics with original designs and clear messages so Google will show your website in its image search results. You should also add captions and alt text to all of your images so that visitors who don’t have JavaScript enabled can still understand what they’re seeing.

Additionally, add location data to any images taken from a mobile device so web crawlers can determine where each photo was taken.

#7) Increase Website Traffic through YouTube Ads

Whether it’s to promote your business or share something funny, Facebook is a great way to connect with people. People-based advertising allows you to take that connection even further by showing relevant ads to your friends, which can lead to more clicks and conversions.

The ultimate goal of every digital marketer should be increasing engagement with their target audience; people-based advertising on Facebook can help you reach your goals! Advertisers have been spending money on YouTube Ads for years now, but not as many contractors have tried using them. YouTube has a lot of options when it comes to advertising products or services to people who may be interested in them because they viewed other related videos.

By targeting users based on what they have watched previously, contractors can build brand loyalty by exposing users to similar products and content through sponsored video content. This kind of sponsored content could work extremely well if connected to previous promotions or offers.

#8) Engage Employees in the Social Media Efforts

People-based advertising allows you to target people based on their Facebook interests. As a home builder and contractor, you can use these interests to create custom Facebook ads. For example, if you’re building a community of 1,500 condos in downtown Miami, an ad targeting people who have resort as a Facebook interest would be appropriate.

If you build luxury homes in Manhattan, an ad targeted at people interested in galleries or museums would make sense. By narrowing your audience based on location and interest—instead of age or gender—you’ll find that your conversion rates are better than ever before!

Different tools on a wooden background.

#9) Measure Results with Segmentation Analytics

Facebook is much more than just a place to post selfies and viral videos. It’s also one of today’s biggest advertising platforms, which makes it crucial to stay up-to-date on what you can do there. Facebook ads are an easy way to reach specific demographics with tailored content—perfect for reaching your ideal customer base.

Try using demographic segmentation analytics tools like Followerwonk or Crowd Analyzer to create custom audiences based on audience characteristics like location, interests, behavior, gender, etc. Then use them in tandem with Facebook’s powerful audience targeting options. Make sure your tracking tool is optimized so that you can accurately track results, including likes and clicks.

Doing so will give you data-driven insights into what works and what doesn’t in terms of digital marketing strategies. You may be surprised by how much information about targeted marketing emerges from Facebook alone! Finally, once campaign performance has been evaluated within a selected timeframe, communicate test results clearly to decision-makers.

#10) Use People-Based Advertising on Facebook

Did you know that Facebook is now one of Google’s biggest competitors? Sure, it’s an advertising platform and not a search engine, but it offers all kinds of custom targeting options and can help bring in new business. For example, you could run a campaign specifically to reach people who live within 5 miles of your office, or who work at major corporations such as Nike or Pepsi.

Facebook has plenty of ways to promote posts organically, too. Use Promoted Posts: Promoted posts are easy to create using targeted interests and keywords—and they look just like any other post on your page.

In Conclusion

With new technology and social media trends changing frequently, it can be hard to stay on top of digital marketing.

This article originally posted on darrenslaughter.com

The Future of Construction Websites in 2022

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There’s something wrong with most construction websites today and it is costing contractors like you money…big money. Your website talks to people willing to spend $25k, $50, $100k on home improvements.

Your construction website is costing you business

You don’t see the people who check out your site and leave without contacting you, they just…leave. Problem is, with them goes their checkbook and your next payroll or truck payment.

My name is Darren Slaughter and I’ve spent 20+ years in construction marketing and website design. I’ve talked to hundreds of contractors of all sizes in six different countries over the years, and the one thing I know for sure, 98% of you hate worrying about your website.

In fact, it took a good 5-7 years for the construction industry to catch up to they needed a website. It was the same guys who said the internet was going to be a passing fade, that social media was useless and that you already got enough work from referrals so you didn’t need a website.

Well, that was then and this is now!

You’ve gotten a website up on the web, probably kicking and screaming the entire way. I mean, no one wants to be told they have to do something, but you realized the value of an online presence, so you got your act together.

Most construction websites started out in one of these categories

  • You got your brother-in-law who likes to play with computers to build one.
  • You paid someone in the website business but who doesn’t have any experience making construction websites.
  • You figured “I build houses for a living, I can certainly build a website myself.”

Let me go over why all three of those outcomes have probably left you wanting.

The “family or friend” website is the most common example we come across. You hired someone close to you who convinced you they could build you a website. So you throw them the keys, they whip something up, it passes for good enough, and that’s what you’ve settled on.

Why you are losing

Having no experience in construction or construction marketing, your brother just took whatever materials you had laying around in hardcopy and he put them online. Basically, you got yourself an online brochure. It worked for a while but now you realize your competition has taken their online presence seriously and they are eating your lunch. Well, I can help.

The “you paid a pro to build your site” site. I love working on these types because most design shops throw up all over the screen and put everything possible on a website just to make it look pretty, but it converts for shit.

Not only is the website not working, but you paid to have this one built! The problem is again, not having experience building construction websites is going to bite you in the ass in the end. Why? Because construction websites are an animal in and of themselves. Your website is responsible for bringing in people who want to spend a lot of money…but your site isn’t set up to convert that kind of customer. Sure, you get the occasional bath to remodel or a couple of windows or a roof here and there, but your website is COSTING you hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

How?

Because I’m sure your website already gets enough traffic, it just isn’t converting. That’s because you let Jimmy with his graphics design degree build your site. Again, your site is responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue a year…again, I can help.

Finally, we come to the “I build houses so I can build a website” crowd. Guess what? I can build a deck, but you wouldn’t want to walk on it.

These are oftentimes the worst sites I see. They are cobbled together with virtual duct tape and gum, usually with content lifted from some other website (a big no-no by the way). But since you made it yourself you are proud of your creation, and you should be, it isn’t every day you build a website.

Well, I’ll tell you what, I build websites every day and unfortunately most DIY websites stink. Now I know what you are probably saying to yourself, “who the hell does this guy think he is telling me my website stinks?” If I had you take a look at the deck I built, you wouldn’t mince words with me, right? An improperly built deck can be dangerous.

So can improperly built construction websites!

The problem is, there is no immediate sign of danger or impending doom. So this site sits out there on the web costing you one project after the other. Then one day, my phone rings and you and I are off to the races getting you a functioning website.

Does this website make me look bad?

I want you to do something right now, I want you to go to your website and look at it as one of your customers, and ask yourself this question,” would I buy from this website?” It’s a valid question because your prospects are tasked with that same thought a hundred times a month. If your answer is no, then let’s talk, and let’s get your site making you money again. If your answer is I’m not sure. Well, that is as good as a no, so let’s talk.

If you said yes, you are either too proud to admit your site is costing you money or you’re one of the 1% club who can go build houses by day and high-performing websites at night, in which case, we should talk for other reasons!

If you answered no or are not sure, I’ve got some help for you below. Here are the 5 things I see the most that cost contractors money, and lots of it.

Five Things You Can Do to Fix Most of The Construction Websites Out There

Navigation

Most people, both DIY contractors and website design shops spend little to no time focusing on the navigation of a site. Trouble is, the navigation is the sales funnel your readers are supposed to travel through to contact you. Navigation plays a HUGE part in the success or failure of your overall site. Do it wrong and it will cost you, do it properly and you just made yourself an extra $50k this year.

Linking Away From The Site

Do you know all those trade groups you belong to? Do you know that profile you have on Houzz? The listing you have on the manufacturer’s site? They are all costing you business if you do this one thing…I’ll tell you when we talk!

Pictures

There are subcategories to this one, so stay with me. The first one I want to talk about is not enough photos. You don’t have nearly as many photos on your site as you should. Words, you probably have a lot more words on your site than you should these days since people aren’t reading anymore. Finally, a word on ‘before’ images. There are only a few circumstances where using before images on a website helps. I’ll teach you those or do those for you when we talk.

Talking too much about yourself

We run websites through a platform that tells us how many times you talk about yourself versus how many times you mention the customer. This number is normally skewed big time to the former. Contractors love to talk about all the stuff they can do. They brag about how many awards they’ve gotten, just how great they are in general.

That’s fine…as long as you do this one thing that I’ll tell you about it when we talk.

Google me

Google My Business is a big deal these days and not only do you have to have a quality site, but you better have a robust Google My Business campaign going. If not, then this is going to happen…again, we’ll go over it when we talk.

Finally…Apathy

Most contractors get to a place where they figure whatever they have online already is good enough. The logic is, as long as the Jones’ have a way to find my number or email, that’s good enough for me. Well, that is costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars and you don’t even know it. I’ll tell you why.

To be blunt, if most contractors treated their tools the way they treated their websites, they’d be out of business. Conversely, if contractors would spend even half the time or money they spent on tools, certifications, their fancy pickup that hasn’t seen a pile of dirt in the back in years, they’d be rich.

My job is to help make you rich, or at least add a couple of hundred thousand dollars to the topline a year. If you’re ready to move your site from the backwater roads of the internet to the superhighway in leadstown, we just have to talk. So, how about it? Ready to move the needle and improve your bank account? Maybe start with a free homepage audit? If you want, you can check out one of the 300 videos I have on Youtube to help get you started.

 

 

 

 

 

The Relationship Game

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If your pitches are telling you that you lost by a few grand, and you thought you had a good relationship or rapport with them, you didn’t. If you don’t even get a chance to counter, you had no relationship at all.

If you aren’t creating a compelling reason to work with you besides money, then you are always going to lose to a lower bid.