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 Tips for Designing Your Remodeling Web Site
By: Christina Patterson
So you are ready to have a Web site built or are thinking about doing it yourself. Before you start, you need to answer two simple questions:
1) "What are you selling?" and
2) "Who are you selling to?"
Design your text and photos according to your answers to these questions. If you are selling full-service remodeling, make sure you show pictures of kitchens, baths and additions. If you are selling exterior work, outside shots are key. If you are selling windows, show a slider, a double hung, a patio door, a bay window, etc.
Now that you have identified what you are selling and who you are selling to, you need to decide exactly what to include in your Web site and how to design it.
ITEMS THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN YOUR WEB SITE:
(The first three are imperative. The remaining items are suggestions, which are commonly included on successful Web sites.)
1. PHOTOGRAPHS - Remodeling-ready consumers are very visual people. The more pictures you have, the happier they are - but only if your site still loads quickly. If you have too many pictures on a single page, your site will take too long to load, and many consumers may back out of your site before they have a chance to see everything you have to offer. A general rule is to have three to four pictures per page (two screens of information). A Web site design company that specializes in the remodeling industry will be able to help you balance your presentation.
If you have won any awards, or received recognition in a magazine or newspaper for a specific project, try to include pictures of those projects on your Web site, so that you can list the award or recognition under it.
Look for pictures with contrasting colors. Those with no contrasting colors (i.e., all-white kitchens or baths) simply don't show up well on-line.
If a professional photographer took the pictures, make sure you get a photographer's release form from him/her in order to avoid copyright violations.
2. TEXT - Consumers want to know who you are, but generally they don't want pages and pages of text to read through (unless they are tips that are relevant to their upcoming project). They are principally interested in seeing your work. Accordingly, some important points you will want to include in the text are:
- how long you have been in business;
- the types of work you have done;
- the neighborhoods in which you have worked;
- awards and any other recognition you have received such as magazine or newspaper articles
- a listing of professional organizations of which you are a member, such as NARI or BBB.
3. CONTACT SHEET - It is very important to have a "contact sheet" on your web site. One of the main reasons to have a Web site is because of the 24 hour, 7 day a week access. Your customers need to be able to send you their information or request a phone call from you while they are on-line, no matter what time of day or night it is. Don't make them write down your phone number and remember to call you the next day. A contact sheet is like an on-line lead sheet. Consumers are asked to fill in their names, contact information, type of project they are planning, budget information, and anything else you want to ask. They then hit "submit", and the form comes straight to your e-mail address. If you are having a contact sheet integrated into your site, have it resemble the lead sheet you currently use by the office phone.
4. NEWSLETTER - A quarterly on-line newsletter adds a personal touch to your web site. An on-line newsletter might have tips for around the house, updates on new employees, updates on new awards received by the company, congratulations to outstanding employees, announcements for local charitable events that your company participates in, etc...
5. PRODUCT SHOWCASE - A product showcase is a page where your clients and potential clients can browse through links to your suppliers to determine selections of decorative fixtures, doors & windows, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and much more.
6. CLIENT PAGES - Another option is to set up a password-protected directory for each of your clients (or each of your larger clients). On these pages you could post a short-term progress schedule for the client's project; a long-term progress schedule; a list of selections that they need to make along with links to possible supplier Web sites; and any other pertinent information for that specific client.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:
1. HIRING A GOOD WEB DESIGNER:
- Hiring a good Web site design company is very important. You want to hire a company that specializes in the remodeling industry, or at the very least in small businesses.
- A good Web design company should ask you questions such as:
- What is your goal for your web site?
- What are the most important features to you? (i.e. download speed, flashy graphics, great photos, animation, etc...)
- They should also ask you about your company culture in order to create a design that matches that culture (i.e., family-run business, strictly business, etc...)
- Finding a Web design company is as simple as surfing the Internet. You simply need to look at other remodeling industry Web sites. When you find Web sites that you like, e-mail the owner and ask about their experience with the Web design firm and e-mail the designer and ask them to contact you. Don't worry about where they are located - there is no reason to restrict yourself to Web designers in your area.
2. DO-IT-YOURSELF:
- If you are going to design your own Web site, it is a good idea to focus the design around your logo, thus giving you a solid starting point.
- Your logo is an integral part of your Web site because it helps to carry your brand identity through to your web site, and helps create continuity across all of your marketing mediums.
We hope these tips will be helpful in your quest for a professional presence on the World Wide Web. If you would like to see examples of Web sites that PCA Web Design & Hosting has built using these tips, please check out the Our Work section of our Web site.
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