Originally Posted By: Chris Morrell This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Let me open saying that I’m extremely biased because of my profession.
That said, I think that there are three major benefits of having a website.
The first, and most obvious is that sometimes you get jobs through them. I've heard a few excited stories on this message board saying that their website got them their first job, et cetera. It's a fairly inexpensive method of presenting your name and business to just about everybody.
The second is that many people like research when it comes to anything that has to do with their new home. This includes the home inspection. In my experience, people tend to choose our members that have a website because they have a chance to read a little bit about the company before choosing them. Chances are that they'll use the phone to book the inspection, but they like that extra step.
The third, and probably the least important, is the use as a marketting tool. A website that I recently designed provides downloadable reports that can be advertised as a bonus feature of the inspection.
As the younger tech-savvy generation is growing up and looking at homes, the web is becoming more and more popular for just about everything. I've noticed that most kids that are used to the impersonality of the computer like e-mail and the web much more than the phone. This will also play a role in the near future.
But that's just me. Let's hear from people who actually use them.
Originally Posted By: dsunday This post was automatically imported from our archived forum.
Michael,
I have to say that I have not seen much business from my site, but would not do without it. Once established, it's a great way to market yourself. I do my own site (s) and find that I can be as big as a major coporation, but more agile when it comes to needing a "quick change" or update.
Simply posting to email, having web address in all advertising, business cards, vehicle signs, etc. tells potential customers that they can get online and learn a lot more about your company than you could put in an 1/8 page ad!
Look around - web hosting is pretty cheap. I have my site hosted for $49/yr. (it's a 2nd site).