I just signed up to have a new custom site built. Please give me any and all ideas you have to make this the most tricked out site. I will obviously keep it simple in the end but I want to make sure I don’t overlook any possibilities. The sky is the limit so dream big for me! No idea is a dumb idea. Flying saucers, clowns, free money. Whatever floats your boat! You can see my old site here:
wow. 44 views and not one comment? Did I ask the wrong question or did I ask it wrong or something?
What about functionality? What are some functions that would be good for a website? Like credit card processing.
What about from a marketing perspective? Like a call to action.
Any ideas? All ideas are useful, even the most obvious. I have a lot of ideas but I want to make sure I am not over looking anything. I also want to ad some new high tech functionality. I have some creative ideas but I know I don’t have all the ideas, so I need your creativity.
every idea helps no matter how simple. It will either help me see I am on the right or wrong track and maybe even give me some new ideas.
thanks for the input Dejay! I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to get any responses. I will be doing that. Top right is optimum for google according to my website guy. If you have anymore ideas please let me know Dejay.
I think your site looks great and like mine could use a little more sizzle to make it better. By sizzle I mean some scrolling pics or something along those lines. All in all I like it as is.
John, thanks for the kind words. My site looks decent astheticly at first glance but it lacks a lot of functionality and needs some under the hood work, along with some needed seo. I think it’s time for a new site. Plus with the design of a new site I will get a free .mobi site as well. I want to add some more functionality to the site also, and beef up the closing rate of the site. I’m pretty excited to see what gets put together as I work with the team I have signed up with.
I’m not super tech seo savvy but for me a site has to scream who is my target market and does it funnel towards a purchase. Mine is totally geared at women who call 90% of the time.
I like the site but not sure who it is targeting niche wise. Women, men, commerical clients?
Plus and no offense because it does look good it looks like the majority of every other window cleaners website which IMHO is something I want to run away from.
Brian I agree. When I had my site designed several years ago I was not as sure as I am now how to design the site to steer people into a purchase. I don’t know as much about it as I would like to even now but I know more than I did then which is enough to desire a rebuilt site.
Most guys back then did not even have a site or there site was built by themselves so they lacked a little eye appeal. In that market my site stood out from the others. Now a lot of guys have professionally designed sites so it takes alot of creativity to stand out and a lot of skill to pull that off while still making it simple and appeal to the eyes. Not to mention the onsite seo (googles best practises).
First figure out who you’re selling to, and then what THEY think the ultimate window cleaning service looks like. Next, obsess over focusing as many conversations on your new site design about that one thing.
Examples:
Swiss & Sennhauser
[URL=“http://alpinehighwc.com”]
Window Cleaning & Washing, Exterior & Gutter Cleaning - Chelan, Leavenworth, Wenatchee & North Central Washington - Alpine High Window Cleaning - (509) 664-0614
[URL=“http://hamiltonwindowcleaning.com”]
Hamilton Window Cleaning
[URL=“http://www.clear-skies.ca/”]
Clear Skies - Edmonton Window Cleaners « Your forecast is calling for Clear Skies! Clear Skies – Edmonton Window Cleaners
Don’t try to slap a shiny new coat of marketing paint on to a boring company.*
Find a way to be fundamentally different instead.
[SIZE=1]*No offense intended. 99.9% of window cleaning companies are boring. Interchangeable. Commodities. Therefore, susceptible to horrific price wars. If you’re not going to make your company fundamentally different (especially in a competitive market like Dallas) then save your money. Don’t bother with a superficial website redesign. A new website that is simply “prettier” won’t help you very much.[/SIZE]
I don’t get it. I respect your marketing knowledge and your business sense. But when I look at some of the web sites you showed, I am confused. Yours with the massive pool confuses me. I don’t know what your selling. Maybe I am not the sophisticated client you are marketing too.
I do see lots of websites that look similar to others. Cookie cutter. Mine sucks I know, but I don’t get what you mean. I need help on mine that’s for sure. Just not sure those sites are what I am looking for.
And there you go, perhaps we’re not conveying our unique value proposition as obviously as we should be.
The logo on the top right and the left menu has the tagline and value proposition right in there, and the pricing charts also emphasizes the rush nature of our services.
Perhaps it could be more obvious.
The large homes were carefully chosen to mirror the target market: the higher end residential market.
When you develop a brand-new website, what are your typical areas of attention?
Probably the following:
1. Emphasizing a brand-new rain-guarantee or similar.
2. Making big promises of great quality.
3. Showing pictures of your crew working hard in the local area.
4. Making your website SEO-friendly.
5. Having the phone number in strategic places.
6. Offering multiple contact options.
7. Posting more reviews from your existing happy clients.
8. Making your site prettier.
9. Making your site a more effective sales funnel.
What I mean is that while all that stuff above is good, it’s also ignoring the bigger reality: Your competition (especially in a larger market) also does all that stuff.
Which means that as far as your local market is concerned, you’re interchangeable.
Which means that the lowest price wins.
Which means that your local “low-baller” will get the job, instead of you.
And - if I may be blunt - he will deserve to get the job instead of you.
Here’s why:
He’s offering the same stuff.
In the same way.
With the same tools. For less money.
If you’re going to invest in a brand-new website, then you might as well take the time to address your fundamental value proposition, and find a way to stand out in the eyes of your local market, if you don’t already.
Otherwise, you’re only making superficial changes that savvy consumers will see through and ignore in a heartbeat.
[QUOTE=panelessperfection;191280]When you develop a brand-new website, what are your typical areas of attention?
Probably the following:
[I]1. Emphasizing a brand-new rain-guarantee or similar.
[B]I guarantee it will rain[/B]
2. Making big promises of great quality.
[B]Shouldn’t your work reinforce this?[/B]
3. Showing pictures of your crew working hard in the local area.
[B]Most of us work hard [/B]
4. Making your website SEO-friendly.
[B]Personally I only want my website found through referral, which is why I have no rank and hope not to be linked, back-linked, or linkedin [/B]
5. Having the phone number in strategic places.
[B]Do bathroom stalls count?[/B]
6. Offering multiple contact options.
[B]I can also be reached through my ex-wife’s attorney [/B]
7. Posting more reviews from your existing happy clients.
[B]The Last one baked me some cookies[/B]
8. Making your site prettier.
[B]Potential female clients may prefer prettier window cleaning websites [/B]
9. Making your site a more effective sales funnel.[/I]
[B]Here is where I will be serious. If you would like to be effective, be honest, follow though with great results, and establish long lasting relationships with your clients. I know I was clowning around above but when you take your business seriously, good things will become of it. Stay focused, learn, listen, and apply.[/B]
/QUOTE]
This stuff is pretty standard across the board, especially in a larger market.
It’s not enough to make a difference.
Same goes for pretty websites. Most competitors have a slick little wordpress site now.
I agree 100% about how building relationships is valuable. Unfortunately, you won’t have any relationships to build if no one hires you because you seem just like everyone else, but your prices are higher.
