Today it’s not unusual for a customer to first get to know you by visiting your website. A good first impression is essential to secure future projects and build strong relationships. It’s helpful to take a good, hard look at your website from time to time and make sure it’s following current best practices, both in design and for lead generation.
To help you conduct a website check-in and refresh, we’ve put together our top recommendations to elevate your look and generate more leads.
Make Important Information Visible
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Think about what is most relevant to them…
- Is your contact information visible?
- Can you quickly find your products and services?
- Take a brief inventory of your web pages and tailor your content to your top services and customer concerns.
A customer should be able to find your top services right away on the home page and learn more as they click into the inner pages. There’s no need to provide an in-depth explanation of your services on the homepage, but there should be enough there to catch the customer’s attention, show why you’re different, and entice them to learn more.
Highlight Your Company’s Value
Your services describe what you do, but if there are multiple companies that offer what you do, why should a customer choose you? Highlight what sets you apart from your competitors on your website.
- Do you follow sustainable building practices?
- Do you offer outstanding customer service?
Your website should show that you provide more than just the basics. It’s those differentiators that help you stand out and ease the decision-making process.
Include Clear Calls to Action
Your website is a key lead generation tool and should be set up to gather contact information from prospective customers. Your contact page and forms help customers get in touch with you in a few, simple steps, while creating a lead you can nurture down the road with special offers and helpful tips.
Make sure that every page on your website includes a button that asks them to take a clear action, such as “Contact Us,” “Learn More,” or “Subscribe.” And try not to clutter the page with lots of asks. Brains can quickly get overloaded if there’s too much information, so although it may seem counter intuitive, having one clear call to action (instead of many) has shown to generate more clicks.
When it comes to contact forms, include:
- First and last name
- Phone number
- City/town (to ensure they’re in your service area)
- And a space where they can ask questions or let you know what they’re interested in.
Then send this data to a customer management system that can help you quickly segment lists and send targeted marketing emails.
On the form page, it should also let people know what to expect when they fill out the form.
- Will they get a free offer?
- A follow up call?
If you’re agreeing to reach out in 48 hours, make sure to do it.
When homeowners seek a builder or contractor partner, they want someone they can trust. That trust often begins on your website with clear information, easy ways to reach out and transparency about how their information will be used. By incorporating these website basics and best practices, you’ll not only set yourself up for success, you’ll help establish trust with the homeowners you’re trying to reach.
