Contractors: Know Your Customer
Friday, July 06, 2007
Is your yellow pages ad giving you less and less return on investment? There might be a reason for that. As more and more women are making the decisions in the average U.S. household, most appear to be turning to the Internet to find what they're looking for.According to Burst Media, "Over half of US female Internet users ages 25 and older say the Internet is their main research source," (published June, 2007.) "The Internet was named far more often than other methods. Around 10% or fewer of respondents said they got their information from 'asking family and friends,' newspapers and magazines, television or other sources."
Another interesting fact - even though women are using the Internet as their main source to research products and services, they are going to fewer websites than men. This means that they're checking fewer sources to find what they need (according to Frank About Women's Understanding Online Shopping Behavior Topline Summary.)
If they find you, are you grabbing their attention?
For contractors and service professionals, it's become very important to have a presence on the Internet. Most important would be to have a website. And not just a single-page site with your company name and contact info. If the main decision-maker in the household is using the 'Net to find services and do research, you should be there. You need to provide details about your company, photos, testimonials, and helpful information.
And companies still on the fence about Internet lead providers, such as Construction Deal, need to realize that this is where the business is headed. Nearly half of all the jobs posted on our website are from women. People have put aside their phone books and are going online to find what they need...
Will they find your company?
If you're not already a member, register for free today -- see how many leads we have waiting for you. Continue to review your account, at no cost, for as long as you want. When you're ready to become a member, just let us know! Call 866-663-4711 or join online.
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Some More Statistics from the Articles:
"Over half of women said they had shopped online in the past six months. Online shopping increased with household income. About half of respondents with annual incomes of less than $35,000 had bought something online in the past six months, while 68% of households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more had done so."
"Adult female Internet users typically visited four or more Web sites in the course of doing product research, while men used an average of nearly five."
* Source - eMarketer
Labels: Contractor Advice, Small Business Advice, Small Business Marketing
Contractors: No Job Too Small?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Have you ever received a call or an online lead and thought the job was too small for your company? For example, someone might want a small repair or a seemingly simply installation and it doesn't seem like it's worth the time or effort. While there will always some jobs that are just not for you, it would be a good idea to carefully consider every job.In the construction and remodeling industry, there is the habit of only looking at each individual job and nothing else. But it's important to look at client and not just the job. If a client needs your services once, there's a good chance the client will need you again. And again. If people trust a particular service provider once, they will go back to that company again and again. Repeat business is the life blood of any company.
If a potential client comes to you with a very small job and you perform with excellence, you could have a customer for life. Sure, the initial job won't be worth much, but consider that you have made a connection that will include the possibility of more work and referrals. It might have cost you a lot of money to reach the potential client with the small job. Why not turn that expense into a long term relationship instead of dismissing it immediately?
The initial sales call or visit to the site could lead to an opportunity to up-sell to the client. They may not know what they need or you may discover a more serious situation. It could even be a chance to sell a regular service or maintenance contract.
I see a lot of ads for service professionals that declare "No Job Too Small" and I firmly believe it's a great way of doing business. You don't know how many doors each new lead may open for your company.
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No matter what size job lead you're looking for, Construction Deal can help! If your company is not even registered with us - for free - you may be missing out on new job opportunities. Register your services, at no cost, to see how many leads we have in your categories and in your area.
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Labels: Contractor Advice, Customer Service, Small Business Advice
