Do your website's get you business coming in?

[Dan]

Wondering how many of you use websites and your web presence generally to get business in...?

I've set up an area in the arms where I'm going to help you sort your website's out. For free. 🙂

 

[townfanjon]

I certainly dont rely on mine for work , but it generally generates a few phone calls per week which can turn into jobs

 

[Dan]

It's a massive part of a business that provides services these days.

Do you have Google Places setup too?

 

[hammers4spanner]

I have a basic one however its doing naff all for business and to be honest would like to get more views on it.

 

[Dan]

There's a section in the arms just for this. 🙂

 

[Deleted member 7121]

Must be lucky never need one ,generally word of mouth keeps us busy

 

[Dan]

It always grinds my goat when I hear that, must be honest. There are loads of things you can do for a working well-lubed business with a new website. Such as start increasing your prices more, and do less work for more money. Or start subbing it out, and do no work and earn money. Or start taking on new staff, and spread the love. Or take on an apprentice, and spread the skills so it doesn't die off.

The only reason I could ever see for somebody not wanting more business in, is if they provided work to only domestic (not VAT registered) customers and were staying under the VAT threshold themselves, to prevent them from being 20% more expensive all of a sudden.

Other than that, why would anybody not want more work?

And you're kinda putting all your eggs in one basket there. Make hay while the sun shines and spend some of your profits on protecting the profits. What happens when you've replaced all the boilers for your county? lol 😛

 

[Harvest Fields]

I am setting mine up soon. But the right content is tricky. I want it to look perfect but that takes time.

 

[Dan]

If it's to gain business in checkout my threads in the arms. 🙂

 

[Old Account]

As above looking for someone who's got a the right hand to set a good website up. It's very important to get the wow effect so people see that's a professional site right. Basically you selling your image , your company with that page and the better the page the higher the chance of getting jobs. And I am not talking about making it very flushy or fancy but it has to say something about your company, if you know what I mean.

I definitely looking for someone who's got the knowledge to get that to perfection.

 

[leesparkykent]

It always grinds my goat when I hear that, must be honest. There are loads of things you can do for a working well-lubed business with a new website. Such as start increasing your prices more, and do less work for more money. Or start subbing it out, and do no work and earn money. Or start taking on new staff, and spread the love. Or take on an apprentice, and spread the skills so it doesn't die off.

The only reason I could ever see for somebody not wanting more business in, is if they provided work to only domestic (not VAT registered) customers and were staying under the VAT threshold themselves, to prevent them from being 20% more expensive all of a sudden.

Other than that, why would anybody not want more work?

And you're kinda putting all your eggs in one basket there. Make hay while the sun shines and spend some of your profits on protecting the profits. What happens when you've replaced all the boilers for your county? lol 😛

I 100% agree... I would go as far to say without an online presence these days you don't look very professional. The 1st thing I do when using someone new is google them even if they have been recommended.

 

[plumberpete]

been looking to try and build a website for ages ill need to get my post count up to get in the arms first.i think a good website would attract more customers.

 

[Stanios]

It always grinds my goat when I hear that, must be honest. There are loads of things you can do for a working well-lubed business with a new website. Such as start increasing your prices more, and do less work for more money. Or start subbing it out, and do no work and earn money. Or start taking on new staff, and spread the love. Or take on an apprentice, and spread the skills so it doesn't die off.

The only reason I could ever see for somebody not wanting more business in, is if they provided work to only domestic (not VAT registered) customers and were staying under the VAT threshold themselves, to prevent them from being 20% more expensive all of a sudden.

Other than that, why would anybody not want more work?

And you're kinda putting all your eggs in one basket there. Make hay while the sun shines and spend some of your profits on protecting the profits. What happens when you've replaced all the boilers for your county? lol 😛

There is a masssive difference between being a self employed plumber (be it under guise of ltd. ) and a plumbing business. Just being a plumber is extremely demanding. You simply can't expect a man to be sweating joints in the morning and then analysing his website traffic in the afternoon. This is why anything that I would call a conventional business would have a technical or front of shop level worker, and another person whose sole concern is the website clicks, twitter posts, branding, recruitment etc.

Trying to do both things at the time might work for a bit but long term one or the other will always get neglected and we arrive to the point of state of things about which your post is based.

 

[Darren Jackson]

Unless a customer actually tells me that they found me online I wouldn't know how well my web site is doing. I try to remember to ask but must admit I don't always.

 

[jonnyswamp]

It always grinds my goat when I hear that, must be honest. There are loads of things you can do for a working well-lubed business with a new website. Such as start increasing your prices more, and do less work for more money. Or start subbing it out, and do no work and earn money. Or start taking on new staff, and spread the love. Or take on an apprentice, and spread the skills so it doesn't die off.

The only reason I could ever see for somebody not wanting more business in, is if they provided work to only domestic (not VAT registered) customers and were staying under the VAT threshold themselves, to prevent them from being 20% more expensive all of a sudden.

Other than that, why would anybody not want more work?

And you're kinda putting all your eggs in one basket there. Make hay while the sun shines and spend some of your profits on protecting the profits. What happens when you've replaced all the boilers for your county? lol 😛

Gets my goat when others think they know what's best for me

I'm a one man band and have no interest in building my business up, I have more than enough work at the moment through word of mouth, I haven't advertised for probably 12 yrs or more (lucky or good, call it what you want)
had a few apprentices along the way and out of 5, one is still in the industry. The others just wanted to earn big money after a fortnight for very little effort

I have a lot of respect for the younger guys who have a plan to expand, it's just not for me (I'm 48)

Why the big push towards a website ?
Great opportunity for some, just not for me

 

[Scott_1979]

My actual website not so much, free listings on things like yell is where I seem to get contacted from to be honest. Website is a little neglected, I do add photos occasionally to it and change it about now and again.

 

[kris]

Ive still never got round to getting a website but its on my future to do list ,

 

[Dan]

Gets my goat when others think they know what's best for me

I'm a one man band and have no interest in building my business up, I have more than enough work at the moment through word of mouth, I haven't advertised for probably 12 yrs or more (lucky or good, call it what you want)
had a few apprentices along the way and out of 5, one is still in the industry. The others just wanted to earn big money after a fortnight for very little effort

I have a lot of respect for the younger guys who have a plan to expand, it's just not for me (I'm 48)

Why the big push towards a website ?
Great opportunity for some, just not for me

That's fair enough.

🙂

Move along then. Why even contribute to the thread if you've got no interest in it? lol 😀 😀 😀

Let the lads contribute to it who have something to bring to it lad. 😀

 

[Stanios]

dan and jonny are basically two ornery goats..

 

[Dan]

You don't see me chipping in his threads though eh.

It's like somebody on another table in a bar leaning over and correcting all the people on your table with you, while you're all talking about something that they don't actually want to get involved in.

You wouldn't do it in a restaurant why do it online? lol

We need cut this out on here. Seems to be a lot of that. Just chipping in with a negative comment and then getting wound up when people respond to it.

 

[kris]

You should make a naughty step or sent to corner for a day if bad, nasty or negative ,

 

[Deleted member 7121]

It always grinds my goat when I hear that, must be honest. There are loads of things you can do for a working well-lubed business with a new website. Such as start increasing your prices more, and do less work for more money. Or start subbing it out, and do no work and earn money. Or start taking on new staff, and spread the love. Or take on an apprentice, and spread the skills so it doesn't die off.

The only reason I could ever see for somebody not wanting more business in, is if they provided work to only domestic (not VAT registered) customers and were staying under the VAT threshold themselves, to prevent them from being 20% more expensive all of a sudden.

Other than that, why would anybody not want more work?

And you're kinda putting all your eggs in one basket there. Make hay while the sun shines and spend some of your profits on protecting the profits. What happens when you've replaced all the boilers for your county? lol 😛

Currently have 12 full time guys working for us and still growing but all by word of mouth , just taken on our first appreciate late last year.

Spending my profits by buying land to build houses on, going to do another 10year flat out then feet up hopefully

 

[Deleted member 7121]

That's fair enough.

🙂

Move along then. Why even contribute to the thread if you've got no interest in it? lol 😀 😀 😀

Let the lads contribute to it who have something to bring to it lad. 😀

Think he's just speaking his mind , which makes this place interesting

 

[Dan]

Currently have 12 full time guys working for us and still growing but all by word of mouth , just taken on our first appreciate late last year.

Spending my profits by buying land to build houses on, going to do another 10year flat out then feet up hopefully

Now that is the way to do it matey. I tip my hat to you.

Think he's just speaking his mind , which makes this place interesting

Why does he need you to speak for him now then lol

😉

The plumbing advice should make this place interesting to those seeking it.

I'm genuinely trying to offer my skills out for free here. You don't get that much these days. A lot of the lads on here will appreciate getting to the stage you're at and if i can contribute even one job a month towards that for them I will.

Let's get back on topic now and put the balls away.

Of those who have websites (so if you don't and don't need one, don't reply that means!!!!) How are they doing for you...?

Can i help you?

 

[jonnyswamp]

Who do you want on here Dan, a load of Stepford wives?
I quoted your post where you were being negative about people without websites, I simply replied with my view
Do you want one point of view on this forum, or differing ones
Post no 20 has no resemblance to my post and I'm not moaning that you have a different point of view to me
This is/was a forum, where people are actively encouraged to post on threads and give their point of view