When we’ve built websites, we look for the function to follow the form. You want to make things so easy to use, that aliens could use it, seriously. Simply put, if you had a chair or a fork and an alien came down from space and looked at one of those two objects, they would have a pretty good idea what you’re supposed to do with it, right? A chair, you sit down. A fork, you know, you probably stab something with it and maybe put it in your mouth.

The best example I can give you in a more complicated world is Apple’s iPad. The intuitiveness is baked into the device. The fact that there’s one single button that works everything means anyone can pick it up and with no instruction manual, just start using it, and that’s the beauty of it.

That’s how your website has to be, your website has to have a natural flow to it that moves people around on the page and through the site to get them from point A, wherever that happens to be, to point B, which is your “contact us” page.

Anything that takes away from that experience needs to be removed. Things like links to reports and links to your article in some home and garden magazine, that doesn’t help. You think that helps you sell them? No. You hand that to them when you’re sitting across the table.

Having a framework that answers obvious questions, or questions they don’t even think to ask are what gets them to pick up the phone.

When you create resistance, when you create friction by adding too much stuff to your site, people get confused and they click away or they get distracted and they wind up on Facebook, never to see your site again.

So always remember, if it doesn’t help in the sales process, remove it from the page. The object of your website isn’t to sell them on a new kitchen, it’s to sell them on picking up the phone and calling you or selling them on the idea of sending you an email. That’s it.

So let your website do its job, let your social media do its job, let your blog posts do their job and help convince people that you’re the right company to call. Get everything else out of the way and don’t interfere with the natural process your site should be delivering on; the phone call.

 

So here’s one for you, according to a survey by the Better Business Bureau, the most trusted advertising medium online is your own company’s website.
[Read more…] about Does Your Website Pass the Smell Test?

When is the last time a new client told you that they looked for you in the Yellow Pages? It’s probably been a while because the internet has become the most popular source of consumer information. When a person is considering a product or service, they research it online. This is true for local services as well. If people in your area look online for an electrical contractor, are they finding you?

Why do I need an electrical contractor website?
Your website is likely to be the first thing that a potential new client sees regarding your businesses. Simply said, if you don’t have a website they aren’t going to see you at all. A professional website is the modern equivalent of a listed phone number. Customers expect you to have one. Not having a website if you are an electrician brands your company as an amateur operation and removes your name from the running for many prospective customers.

Build your customer base.
If not having a website means that you lose customers then having one indicates that you should gain some, right? Your website has the potential to be your most potent marketing tool. People who are looking for a skilled electrician understand that they are likely to have to spend a significant amount of money. Your website can include pictures and testimonials that reassure them that their hard earned cash is well spent with you.

A website gives you an online presence, which is vitally important for the way people research decisions. This can go beyond having a landing page for people to find when they are looking for an electrician. Your electrical contractor website can contain useful information that results in building your reputation, spreading your name, and building customer loyalty before they are in need of your services.

Electrical contractor websites are marketing tools.
When you share articles and tips on your website that are helpful for homeowners, they will visit your website regularly. This enables you to build your brand and be the first company that they think of when they or someone they know needs an electrician.

Through the use of a business blog, you can build a readership that includes current customers and those who might someday need you. By making your website about more than sales, you actually increase its potential to bring in sales. Make your website useful to your target audience and the sales will follow.

Provide 24/7 customer service.
A significant advantage of a professional electrical contractor website is offering your customers some level of customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. By providing a FAQ section and an online quote request form, customers can find answers at times that are convenient to them. Many people are more likely to fill out an online form looking for more information than they are to pick up the phone, so offering this option is a great tool for increasing sales leads.

How to maximize your website’s effectiveness.
You may have guessed that there is more to gaining these benefits from an electrical contractor website than quickly filling out a template for a free site. In order to reach customers and optimize the leads and sales generated by your website, it needs to be professionally designed and maintained.

One of the most important objectives for your website is ensuring that it is highly ranked in search engine results. This is referred to as SEO (search engine optimization). In order to have customers find your website, it needs to be listed on the first page of results when they search for terms that are relevant to your business. By skillfully crafting your website content to include the keywords that your customers are likely to search for, your website will rise in the rankings.

Another way to increase your online presence and the ranking of your website is to promote it through social media. With company profiles on networks such as Twitter and Facebook, you gain an additional opportunity to share the information on your website and interact with your customer base. Even better, they can share your posts with their friends. Nothing is more effective than a word of mouth recommendation.

Creating quality content.
The key to attracting customers to your website, through social media posts or SEO, is creating quality content. Tricks to “fool” search engines or falsely increase your SEO will only take your website so far. In the end, it is high-quality information that people are looking for and want to read that will increase the popularity and effectiveness of your electrical contractor website.

Contact us.
For a free consultation on how a professional electrical contractor website can boost your business, contact us. All consultations are free of obligation. We look forward to partnering with you.