business via websites?

[Log-ologist]

I think I need to start with a few listings....

 

http://www.friday-ad.co.uk/AdRef/RW811YTDW/Class/204/Editions/G%7CBrighton%7CK,B,F,A,C/SArea/Surrounding/Web/FullAdDetails.asp

[Andy Collins]

Big A, It is professional or its not. Sorry just dont understand your reply with the company is still going?

What I meant to say was regardles of whether or not it is a professional way to advertise, the company did get more work generated, so obviously it works. surely its the end result that matters, so long as your work is professional, does it matter how you sell it?

[Dean Lofthouse]

I think I need to start with a few listings....

 

http://www.friday-ad.co.uk/AdRef/RW811YTDW/Class/204/Editions/G%7CBrighton%7CK,B,F,A,C/SArea/Surrounding/Web/FullAdDetails.asp

 

 

"TREE WORK. Lop topping and selling. Road side trees speciality, big 'uns no problem, fully insured, est 1960's"

 

Yes Log-ologist, think we all ought to jump on the band wagon before this guy takes all our work away from us :wave:

[skyhuck]

The next time they rang I abused the caller verbally, they haven't rang for over a fortnight.

 

 

Careful,the poor bugger has a crap job,maybe the only job they could get:thumbsdown:

 

I just say, I'm OK thanks and hang up :wave:

[Dean Lofthouse]

Careful,the poor bugger has a crap job,maybe the only job they could get:thumbsdown:

 

 

Two calls a day, seven days a week, for six months, I tried the nice approach, didn't work.

 

Id of shot the B''''''''''''tard through the phone if it were possible.

 

I think all coldcall telesales staff want hanging by the b@llocks or nipples until they beg forgiveness and promise to get a proper job. :wave:

[skyhuck]

Two calls a day, seven days a week, for six months, I tried the nice approach, didn't work.

 

Id of shot the B''''''''''''tard through the phone if it were possible.

 

I think all coldcall telesales staff want hanging by the b@llocks or nipples until they beg forgiveness and promise to get a proper job. :wave:

 

Your a very harsh man:wave:

[3dogs]

Your a very harsh man:wave:

 

so your a tree murderer by day and into telesales by night. i knew it:cussing::wave:

[Ian150482]

What I meant to say was regardles of whether or not it is a professional way to advertise, the company did get more work generated, so obviously it works. surely its the end result that matters, so long as your work is professional, does it matter how you sell it?

 

 

Good point.

[Frimsley]

Here's my tuppeth...

 

Consumers expect companies to have websites these days. It's seen (erroneously) as a sign of a genuine company. I would say until recently YP fulfilled a similar function. I got very little work out of YP but it somehow seemed like if your weren't in you were assumed not to really exist.

 

You can't get work out of a website unless you get traffic to it. Achieving this is a mixture of writing it carefully to maximise your search engine rankings, and advertising your site. So spending money on getting the site up is only the start. You'll still need to spend money on getting people to visit it.

 

A small YP ad with your web address is a start. Buying links on a big site, or advertising through Googles AdWords scheme (gets you a link alongside relevant search results in Google) are good places too.

 

And of course, if you're going to use the web to get work you will need to be prepared to check your email occassionally and follow up leads.

 

Back to search engine rankings, swap links with mates too. It might seem odd to put a link on your site to a competitor's site, but actually it makes some sense. Most people don't arrive at a site from links on other sites. They get there from Google. And Google's rankings are in some part influenced by how many other sites link to a site. So if you and a competitor swap links, you boost both of your rankings. You'll get far more extra traffic from the increased rank than you will loose customers following your link to the other guy's site.

 

And mine? Nothing to sell to the public anymore, but it's http://www.tree-care.info

[Frimsley]

so long as your work is professional, does it matter how you sell it?

 

To us, perhaps not. But to the consumer the methods you use to sell your work create a first impression. They are the only thing they initially have available to make a judgement on. If you use sales techniques more usually associated with the less reputable, you risk being lumped with them in the consumer's mind.

 

Incidentally, which site cautions against leafleting? I can think of two (including my own) that suggest any one who knocks on your door and says "I was in the area doing some tree surgery and noticed that the tree in your front garden has a bad case of branchitis and needs work..." may be less than reputable. Especially if he offers to tarmac your drive at the same time. But door to door leafleting is a tried and tested marketing technique. Dozens of take aways round our way use it. Dunno if it gets them any work, but it certainly keeps the paper recycling guys in work.