Websites

[amira]

I own a small iron construction business - building fences, gates etc for both homes and businesses - would it be worthwhile investing in a website? How could it help me if I did?

Regards

Amira

[KevinReichard]

The biggest reason for you to do so is to market yourself to a wider audience. I can't imagine that at your scale it's worth the trouble to use the site to take orders, so the best reason would be to get the word out about your company to people who normally not know anything about you.

--Kevin

Note that I moved this thread to the online marketing forum.

[GusVenditto]

The way you evaluate it is the same way businesses evaluate other forms of marketing -- did it pay for itself?

When you buy an ad in the Yellow Pages, you are expecting that the amount of new business it brings you is worth more than the cost of the ad. Same thing for a website like this.

In your situation, I think if it's done correctly, you would get business. But the most important thing is that your site is found by your prospective customers. That means if someone searches for "fence installation in MYTOWN" at Google, they would find your site.

And when they got to your site, it would convince them you were worth calling for an estimate.

[jbsmith]

I would argue yes, based mainly on personal experience.

I was looking to get a combined metal and wood fence put up last
year, yet I had trouble getting any of the companies on the
phone - and those that I did, it was a receptionist that couldn't
answer my questions anyway.

So - what did I do next? Went to the web. Unfortunately, what
I found was not great.

Here's a customer's perspective of what I would have liked to have
found - and would have likely bought from the first company I had
found this information from...

1. Info about the company and some customer feedback (credibility -
I wanted to make sure they had been in business a few years, and
had some good feedback from customers)

2. Wanted to know what types of fences they could supply - wood,
metal, aluminum, etc... with supplier info, warranty, lead times
etc...

3. A page (or downloadable special report) on each type of fence
describing advantages, disadvantages, and benefits of going with
that type of fence

4. Average price per foot or even a few sample descriptions of yards
with price paid so I could get an idea of what price I'm looking at
- doesn't have to be exact - within a few hundred dollars would
be fine.

5. Information about hole preparation and how you can assure me that
the fence will last 10+ years without moving or disintegrating.

6. Recommendations for how to treat wood - when and with what
recommended products.

7. A way to submit information for quote - though only if you are
committed to responding quickly, otherwise I would rather just to
be given a phone number. It would be interesting to provide a private
cell# from your website given that people who have been to the site
are likely pre-qualified and would be more serious than most.

People use the web for convenience and information - if you want to
provide that type of information - then I believe it will be well
worth your while.

Just my two cents...

Jeff

[jon1my]

Just remember that a picture is worth a thousand words. This is especially true with your product. You can showcase your personal and unique design elements. As a craftsman, I'm sure you do a lot of custom and one-off jobs. Always get pictures of your installed work, especially high-end installations, showing details that make your work stand out from factory made product. Also, you CAN market your work world-wide, with proper specifications and drawings, you can produce your product in your shop and ship it anywhere. I would make every attempt to get my work seen by every known architect in the world, if your work is top quality and unique, that alone will get you more orders than you could ever possibly fulfill.

If you would need any help designing a top quality web presence, get back to me at: jm@5scom.com

Good Luck,
Jon

[quickcat]

Amira,

Absolutely showcase your custom work and installations, but beware of a predominantly graphic website. Search engines evaluate and rate sites based on their text content. You need a site that balances the graphic and text elements. Generally about a 30/70 mix works best at providing the necessary information while showing your creativity.

Jeff offered some great advice about the information necessary to convert a browser to a buyer.

Kathy Cannon

kcenterprises@pacbell.net
KC Enterprises
Internet Marketing
Websites that work!

[pavlos]

Amira,

I think the best thing to do in order to determine wether there is a need for your site is to visit the search term suggestion tool of overture (located at: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/ ) and enter a search phrase that someone might search while looking for products similar to yours.

If there are thousands of queries, it means that there is a need for you to make a website since there is a need for your products online.

Hope this helps,

Pavlos

[Linda]

There are a number of website creating packages available that can help you find out whether having a website is right for your business. I have used several of them and found SpinSite to be the easiest to work with if you need a professional looking site. They also have a lot of features that I didn't fine anywhere else.

If you want to check them out - visit:
www.spinsite.com

[anthonyatkinson]

Amira,

I get this question all the time, because yes I run a design firm. In today's society many people research a company before they call... and people go to the web for this very reason. A web site can help you in many ways you may not even know. Think of all the calls you get from people asking very simple and general questions. A web site can eleminate this by simply giving the information that these people need.

A web site can bring many new clients to your business, but without the proper online promotions your site may never get found. Wehn looking for a developer, make sure they know what they are doing!

The design of the website will reflect what people's preception of what it would be like to do business with you. If your image is week, they will precieve the same about your business.

That is a couple things to look out for. If done right, a web site can bring your business to the next level and is just what you need to compete in todays market. If you have any questions or worries feel free to ask!

[bhafner]

Amira,

The simplest way for you to benefit from the Web is to do the following

1) Register and get a web name for your business. This can be something like 'www.amira_iron.com' or 'www.ironwork.com'

2) Purchased a site for yoru company (IE hosting) without using anything fancy you would spend about $8 - $24 / month on basic Web hosting services

3) Gert a digital camera

4) For repair or renevation take massive amounts of before and after pictures and post at least 2 for each project online to show clients

5) For custom new work take pictures of all jobs and eventually add them into your webs site

This helps in that it can help close a sale over the telephone if you get a call - or to let people decide on what to do

Hope this helps - Bruce

[AainaalyaA]

Originally posted by quickcat
Amira,

Absolutely showcase your custom work and installations, but beware of a predominantly graphic website. Search engines evaluate and rate sites based on their text content.

Amira,

Should you have your site predominantly designed graphically, do not forget to add "ALT" text for the images. Type in your "content" therein, this way you'd have graphically enhanced pages with embedded text to help boost your position on SE. Even if the images are spliced in PD/PI you can still do this using your fav. txt editor {ex:Notepad, Extremepad, etc}


Sincerely,

AA

[djhpatriot]

Attach your company name to a quality web site. The internet has taken over the role of Yellow Pages. People just don't go flipping through a phone book to find what they are looking for. They turn to Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AltaVista. My advice is do not work IN your business by wasting business time with developing a web site while others could be doing the work… work ON your business. Let a professional take care of the web site while you work on the things you are good at – YOUR BUSINESS. The web is where people are going to get their impression of you. You want something that is completely original and professional looking. There are many good web design companies, but you want to stay within your budget. I would use a quality site that offers some low-cost options like www.premiumwebsolutions.com. They have other services as well, including site traffic services which can bring tons of client prospects to your site. Hope this helped!:)

[magweb]

One of the reasons I mention to clients is that your website/Information is available even when you aren't. With today's hectic schedules, people don't always have the time during normal business hours to search for answers to their questions. A website gives them a place to find those answers. 24/7/365

[x3mideas]

How could it help me? Having a website is more inexpensive than print advertisements or even radio and television. Heck you can have an awesome website at the price of the three medium combined. With a website, you'll be expanding your reach. Like me, I don't or rarely read newspapers. My main source of news is the internet then television. So, if you placed an ad on a newspaper you won't be able to reach people like me who are practically glued to their computer screens. With a website, who can have dynamic information. You can place everything a buyer or a potential investor should know about your business, product or service and you can update it as often as you like without recurring charges. With print or tv ad once they messed with your phone number or address or any info about you then your screwed for at least a week or up until they can correct it. Just think of it as an extension of your business' marketing.

The trick with having a website is being found by your targeted market. It's like you are playing hide and seek in reverse. They're looking for you but they don't where you are even though you are not hiding. Once your website is complete take the time to promote it or spread the word about it. There are tons of ways on doing it and you can either do it yourself or hire someone who can.

[dotcom-pro]

YES!!!!
By all means get a website Amira.

My client Morrison Equipment (http://morrisonequipment.com) has a similar business building extreme security (Tank Stoppers) industrial sized gates.

The website stands as a brochure for his products and has generated inquiries from several areas including a request for 21 gates from a park.

djhpatriot, bhafner, quickcat all make valid points.

I like to say that a new website is equal to putting up a 12" sign in a field 1000 feet from the highway.

You make your sign bigger and move it closer to the road the more you get your information presented. Search Engine Optimization is the most cost effective way.

Getting your site ranked well when folks search for your products or services is a must.
Chose your keyword phrases carefully.

How much of your time do you have to do the website and do the support? Or is this something you would contract out?
Do you want to sell products and ship?
Are you at your computer enough to give timely responses to customer questions?

Consider finding someone that will design your SE optimized site and teach you how to maintain and modify it. I work with my clients in IM chats. This is especially important when they are learning how to maintain their website.

For marketing consider offering, “how to” information on your site to draw interest. Incorporate a metal worker’s forum, participate in forums, run ads in classifieds, offer free designs of your products, or in one word “PARTICIPATE”.

A successful website requires work, you are either going to do it yourself, if you have time, or contract it out. A professional will save you a lot of time, and money in the long run to say nothing of your “image”.

[netfreak]

HI Yes you could ahve a website to find local buyers or worldwide export orders..but is your product feasible for shipment and are the costs involved worth it.

Though you could start a revolution in your industry.

Best Wishes