Remodeling Market Memo

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. — April 16, 2008 — When remodelers talk about the need to improve their Web site, their instincts are 100 percent correct. If ever the time was right to work on your Internet strategy, it is now. So much of the traditional ways for generating leads and making your phone ring has become less effective with the rise of the Internet. Let’s face it consumers (your customers) research who to call online before they see people about a remodeling project. If your Web prescense is not a good one, it will hurt you.

 Once you’ve got a good Web site with excellent content and graphics, you’ve got to make sure your page gets properly linked to the Web. There may factors to consider but they boil down to three key areas.

Optimize your Web site. Remodelers are discovering that their most qualified leads come to them via the Internet. Success involves incorporating keywords that drive your target customers to your site. This process is called search engine optimization or SEO.

Sign up for Internet referral services. Advertise online and sign up with a lead-generating company such as Yodle.com, ServiceMagic.com, EveryContractor.com, RenovationExperts.com or Contractors.com. Your phone will not ring, but your computer will ping. Remodelers find that being fastest and first to respond is critical to proper utilization of these leads. Second best is not good enough in this arena, so your team must be set up to jump on local leads as soon as possible.

Use Google AdWords. Use Google AdWords to drive traffic to your Web site and increase your visibility. This can be thought of as the broadcast advertising of the Internet. Whereas search engine optimization tends at its best to drive qualified leads to your site, Google AdWords can give you much greater traffic that needs more qualifying. It will certainly make your phone ring, but it can be expensive.

These days, a good Web site won’t get viewed by very many people unless these three areas are addressed somehow. Use them and you will certainly improve your lead flow.