Archive for December, 2009

Many time when I talk to construction business owners, they are struggling to think of new topic to write about in their blog. A blog, when used properly, can be a great way to interact with your potential clients, strategic partners and existing clients. What a great way to promote your business.

I thought it may be a good idea to write some ideas of ways to use your blog and promote writing.

1. Interview customers and have them do a guest blog about their project
2. Talk with your strategic partners about product trends, designs and useful ideas for homeowners
3. Testimonial and pictures before, during, and after the projects. Try to create a storyboard that details the event.
4. Talk about your companies process and how it benefits the clients. Why not help your potential client understand the unique way your experience is beneficial to them.
5. Share your employees and tradesmen’s unique skills, service and dedication to your clients by blogging about it with your community.

Having testimonials on your Blog and then writing articles/stories about each customer is useful and good reading for potential customers.

Using  Audio Acrobat is a good site for recording audio and producing a html code for uploading it to your website. If you have an account with Audio Acrobat a testimonial line can be set up and a unique URL to your testimonial line will be established. This URL can then be used to send out in a newsletter informing your clients with instructions on how to record a testimonial for your business.

Also, SKYPE has a call record option and that too can be saved to your desktop and converted to a html code to upload using various free tools http://www.ehow.com/how_4464333_embed-audio-html.html

Would you like to ensure that when you’re blogging, you are utilizing the best practices for Search Engine Optimization?

I was reminded from browsing Michael Stone’s Blog and wanted to post this, with my thoughts too.

In the November issue of remodeling magazine is a great sales tool. The Cost vs. Value report for 2009-2010. If you are a remodeler or home improvement company you can subscribe to a free issue here.

A question you need to ask every potential client is “What is your budget for your job?”

Using the Cost vs. Value report can help you address this topic. Many remodelers and home improvement businesses and their sales staff use this. I know I did very frequently. When I was meeting potential clients, and my sales people were instructed to &  did present this also, ….we made color copies of the page in the magazine that was needed to refer to, and kept copies with us for our presentation and even ordered extra inserts of the Cost vs. Value report. When the topic about their budget came up and at the right time, I would show them the magazine and refer to the project we were discussing. Another great use of this magazine is to put a copy on your website.

There is an widget that you can download and post to your blog, sidebar, newsletter or even have a link from your contact page when people submit appointments online. There are many uses for this and I recommend them all. Here is the link to the widget below. Just click on the image.  This was third party literature that showed the approximate budget that would be needed and it wasn’t me defining a number from my calculator. What a subtle way to show your potential customer what they can expect and if this fits in their budget and lifestyle. Very subtle and useful!