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Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Are websites really needed.??
« on: April 13, 2020, 06:44:39 pm »
I don't have a website, and was wondering if they are really worth getting.?? Does it bring in good quality  leads and jobs.?? And if so would you recommend a homemade Wix / Go Daddy, or spending the extra cash and having one done professionally.??
Thanks in advance...
Martin...

mjm

Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2020, 09:44:54 pm »
https://www.kireth.com/

I use this guy  mark is his name front page google I think a basic design I paid £150  4 years back day one the phone rang and a £200 job came through I asked where did you get my number from your website 😳  huh ok I said then when I got home I got an email from  the builder of the website   I have finished please check 😎    I believe if you dont have a website any type these days your missing out heavily
1 sign written van
2 uniform
3 websites
4 top class equipement
5 flyers
6 knowledge of cleaning
So my short answer is yes get a website

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2020, 08:27:01 am »
Cheers MJM, all the other stuff I've got, just never seemed to get around to the website thing..
I'll have plenty of time over the next 2 months as we are going to be on lockdown 🙁 to have a look about.. and get the wheels in motion...

Thanks

Martin..👍

timbolincs

  • Posts: 23
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2020, 03:19:41 pm »
 Facebook for volume work at cheaper prices, website for better quality higher ticket jobs!!!

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2020, 12:21:34 pm »
I've just started my personal journey with a website, we built up a whole business on Facebook since we started in 2014. But reality is that Facebook changed a lot in last 2 years, it used to be enough to post some free posts on Facebook to get jobs. But as the whole algorithm changed, if forced us to start paying for adverts. And in the end of a last year we realised, that we came back to a starting point, as after trading for over 5 years we were paying more and more for adverts. Yes, to explain a little bit - we started as an extremely cheap company, as I was thinking that this is the best way to find customers. And yes - we were extremely busy, but we attracted all price shoppers and low end, or even very low end customers and we simply couldn't make a profit. Since then, we started raising prices, we raised them 4 times in last 2 years. SO reality is that with every next rise we lost some of customers (which is normal) and had to try to find the one's that would like to pay more. As mentioned above, when we got ta a point when we started spending a lot for just adverts, we simply decided that enough is enough. In the same time we've decided to buy a TM, so as much as it was risky, we raised prices again. I spent last 5 weeks working on content of a  website, pictures, reading as much as I can about creating websites SEO etc etc. We still decided to pay a professional to create a whole page, yet it's good to be able to change content or pictures by myself, without asking him all the time. It is still work in progress, yet we had lot's of good reviews from our customers, so I think it's worth to work on a  decent website and a decent, original content.  I think that biggest difference between Fb page and a proper website is that if we talk about a Fb - we're trying to find customers, if we talk about a Google and a website - customers are trying to find us. So my advice - yes, go with a  decent website, but also read  at least basic things about that, about SEO and other stuff, just so you would know, which things matter. I hope that helps a little bit.
https://www.rafscleaningservice.co.uk

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2020, 10:41:34 pm »
Hi Raf,  thats a nice website... do you get much work from it.?? And do you get good quality leads.??

Thanks ..
Martin..

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2020, 07:38:03 am »
Well, I'm a little bit unlucky, as website was up just 2 weeks ago :) and it's a new domain :) so don't expect a lot in next few weeks, maybe even months from there. It's obviously completely different time than normal, so not many people looking for carpet cleaners now. My idea was to try to manage SEO by myself, as we had lot's of time,  so literally spend hundreds hours reading and trying to change things, even small ones, replaced some words, phrases etc etc. I'm afraid that at the moment there is not much I can do more, if people are not looking for carpet cleaners and I can't advert my services (pointles now), I can't  make that website working for me.  Still working on a blog, as it's something I believe could bring some traffic in a long term. But as I mentioned previously - I'm a carpet cleaner, not a website designer :) so I just try to learn as much as I can. There's a plenty of free SEO checkers, I use some of them, found mistakes, correct them, check again. That is what I'v done and still doing.  My friend said: what is the point, it's just numbers? Yes, but as I'm not qualified web designer or SEO specialist, so if I checked something and it says for example, that my page description is t long - I work on it and make it shorter etc etc.  So to answer - I have no idea, if it's gonna work or not, I've done absolutely everything I could to make it SEO friendly,  but I really hope I can make it work with a time :) . Raf

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2020, 11:41:49 am »
To be honest, that's pretty much all you can do.. as you said.. at the moment it's a very difficult time for people.. so how do you get your work (before the lockdown) ... you obviously have been getting work.. as you have a great looking truck mount..😊
I have a small advert in my local paper, that works really well..
I've got a lady who knocks doors (foot canvassing)  that works ok as I can pinpoint my advertising.. but she only works 5-10 hours a week.. I would love her to work more hours..
and I'll planning on a 10,000 flyer drop per month... but will have to wait a while longer.. until things settle down a bit..
and I contact my existing clients every month..

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2020, 12:37:11 pm »
It was mostly Facebook and recommendation from previous customers, but to be honest market became more and more competetive, do as much as I didn't want to - we had to get a proper website :) . I have some plans for what we gonna do after lockdown, but it's a first time I started to treat business seriously since we set it up in 2014 :) . I jest simply enjoyed that job and I think that customers have seen that, beside as I work with my wife, we always manage to build up a good relationship with customers, one doing a job, the other one is having a chat :) .  We never used AdWords or flyers, but we plan to do it after a lockdown. I think that it's a great time to rethink a whole business, find new ways of getting customers and try to stay focused on things we never had a time to think about.  I don't think I'm the best in my area, but we know how to sell ourselves and we do a decent job, and that was enough so far :D . At the moment we can only work out our next steps, that's it. We have a list of customers waiting for us to start again, so hopefully we'll be pretty busy. But I think that we need to think twice before we start again, as there's a lot's of pressure for not doing so called non essential jobs, so if we would start to early, it could affect a reputation or the way customers see our small business. So so far all we can do is reading, learning, planning :) .  I also think that customers like to be able to know carpet cleaners faces, it's more personal, hence we put our picture on a website on a main landing page and section Abut us https://rafscleaningservice.co.uk/a-aboutus and Facebook page. It's a small thing that build a trust I think. But hey, again - Google world is new for me, so guess already have done many mistakes and will make even more in a future :)

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2020, 01:26:58 pm »
I'm on Facebook, and I try and post every day.. even if it's something like (working in Cardiff today) and a few pictures..
I do advertise on Facebook but not a paid advert..I advertise on my local hubs.. and tend to post every other day.. I find it ok but if you are looking for good quality leads.. they are very few and far between on Facebook.. I tend to use it for Little jobs that I use to pad my day out..
I have started back to work this week.. I ask my clients to observe the social distancing rules and they tend to go out for their walk or even just sit upstairs out of the way .. and payment is via bank transfer..

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2020, 01:59:16 pm »
Facebook algorithm changed a lot, and it's not as easy as it used to be.  We still get a very good customers from Fbook, but I've learn recently that even organic reach is much lower than it used to be, so even when I'm posting something on a Fbook page, we don't get as many customers involved as we used to have. Don't get me wrong, I still love Fb, but it definitely changed pushing small businesses to pay for adverts. Seems like even with decent pics or videos, with nearly 9000 likes we reach around 1000-1500 people, when we used to reach around 4000-5000.  https://www.facebook.com/Rafscleaningservice/ . So it has to be something really interesting now to get people involved, on the end of a day the whole idea is for them to like , share and comment our posts, so their friends could find us ;)

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2020, 04:16:15 pm »
Well good luck.. lol..
tell me how do you find your truckmount.?? Is it really worth spending the extra cash on one.??
And can you get problems in the winter time with pipes freezing.??  And what about servicing it.. do you have take it to the people who supplied it.??
And if you don't mind me asking .. did you pay a lot for it.?? It looks a really nice and neat setup..

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #13 on: May 01, 2020, 08:12:01 am »
Well, TM was a game changer for me, that's for sure, saves lot's of time. The only thing is that due to size of a van we're not able to carry on portable, so that means that if we don't have a direct access to a property - we can't take a job. Luckily we don't do to many flats, so not much that we've lost. About freezing - van was fully insulated by Alltec https://alltec.co.uk/, then if it was to cold, we just simply put an oil radiator inside and it got pretty worm. About servicing - it's just simple things like changing oil, oil filter, checking bolts just in case, so rather simple things. I'm not DIY guy, but it's simple even for me :) . About a price - it all depends what you need exactly, the best idea is to contact manufacturer or you can check some prices on Phoenix Truckmounts website https://www.phoenixtruckmounts.co.uk/. Hope that helps a little bit :)

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #14 on: May 01, 2020, 02:40:21 pm »
It does mate... 👍 it looks like a cracking bit of kit.. I was thinking of upgrading my machine this year.. for a top of the range Alltec machine..

Rafal Olszewski

  • Posts: 7
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #15 on: May 01, 2020, 02:57:43 pm »
I heard lot's of good things about Alltec machines, although I personally  never had a chance to use any of them, I believe that they're known as a company providing excellent after sale service as well, which is even more important :) .

Martin OBrien

  • Posts: 36
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #16 on: May 01, 2020, 07:35:00 pm »
I get most of my chemicals from Alltec.. they are a great company to deal with... always very helpful on the phone.. and I did all my training up there back in the day.. lol.. so I'm fairly familiar with the company.. 😊


supernova77

  • Posts: 3547
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #17 on: May 03, 2020, 10:29:40 am »
I don't have a website, and was wondering if they are really worth getting.?? Does it bring in good quality  leads and jobs.?? And if so would you recommend a homemade Wix / Go Daddy, or spending the extra cash and having one done professionally.??
Thanks in advance...
Martin...

Martin,

Feel free to give me a shout if you need any help with a website.

Andy :)

RPCCS

  • Posts: 944
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #18 on: May 06, 2020, 05:49:03 pm »
I have a website ready to load, just waiting for restrictions to be lifted before paying the fees and getting it upand running
Cheers Rich

Cleanevangelist

  • Posts: 168
Re: Are websites really needed.??
« Reply #19 on: May 15, 2020, 01:36:00 pm »
Martin

you need a space to expand your message. all media space is limited and costly.  just look at Facebook and AdWords. on a basic level look at leaflet size. as an example, i have a riso printer if i want to print pink leaflets A3 it works out more than just doing a dl and pointing the prospect to my site.  its also a way to take a prospect away from other carpet cleaners.

Ian Harper