My new website

[bobcatuser]

I just got my website redone and was wondering how much business is generated by having a website? How do other people advertise, other than yellow pages? Most of my work comes from referrals.
My site www.stevesbobcat.com

[equipment fan]

You have a great and cool website!!!Very good

[nedly05]

Nice Website!! You guys do some really nice looking work, you also have a nice fleet of equipment. You keep it lookin' good!:notworthy

[Truckie]

Nice web site.
The work looks top notch, and you got some nice equipment. :notworthy :yup

[atgreene]

Nice site. I just recently got mine up and running and have yet to have an calls from it, but I think it helps.

[TRACKHOE71]

nice website there, check out mine and my buddies, its not what i do for a living, but its our hobbie ( very expensive hobbie) http://www.fullthrottlepullingteam.com/

[bobcatuser]

That looks like an expensive hobby. Are those trucks street legal, what do they dyno at?

[TRACKHOE71]

the red dodge, isnt street legal, we figure somewhere in the range of 800 to 900hp, the other 3 are street legal, the black ford is around 350- 375 i belevie. mine is the white one, i dynoed around 380 , i forget the the tourque numbers, and the black dodge was a little over 400, its fun but very expensive

[Countryboy]

Very nice site. Clean, detailed and professional. :drinkup

[Squizzy246B]

Steve, well done...the essential information well presented while still keeping the site simple. I like it...can I steal it and change the name/contacts:D :thumbsup

[Electra_Glide]

I just got my website redone and was wondering how much business is generated by having a website? How do other people advertise, other than yellow pages? Most of my work comes from referrals.
My site www.stevesbobcat.com
Steve,

Nice site. I like it. :thumbsup

How are you driving people to it? I know some other guys who have websites, and have always wondered how well they work.

I do most of my advertising by word-of-mouth (very slow), and I also have a one-page flyer that I hang up wherever I can. I also use it to do some direct mailing.

Joe

[CM1995]

Nice website. I think the best thing to add is project pictures. It shows your potential new customers what you are capable of. Most times the general public lacks the vision.

I think a website is a valuable tool in any business but it is hard to measure exactly your return on investment. I know that you can track who and how many people visit your site but that is way over my head. The good thing about it is most potential customers equate a website, especially a very good one such as yours, to a professional company that can get the job done.

[salesrep]

Very nice. Easy to navigate. To the point.:notworthy

[jmac]

Even if the potential customer didn't find you by the web site the fact that you can say 'check out my web site" would help in closing the deal. Like CM1995 said then photo's of your work would be a great selling tool. Like a resume' but only on the web.

[bobcatuser]

Thanks for all the complements. I think having a website is probably one of the cheapest ways to advertise. Now I’ll have to remember to take more pictures for updates.

[BobCatMan]

I wish my website was as good and clean as yours,I'm jealous,well done!

[raj000]

You can get plenty of business from the right type of website marketing.

The site design looks good, but ask your developer if he designed the website keeping in mind search engines. Very specific skills are required to optimize the website for search engine placement and making sure it features in the top 5 listings on google.

Did your developer ask you the keywords around which your website is to be developed? If not, he has completely ignored search engine placement.

Also, check out the service by adwords.google.com . This is a paid service but you can generate very good business leads from your specific town/location.

[Steve Frazier]

Nice site and easily navigated! I'm impressed with the road you built.

Is there a reason you didn't use sleemanbobcat.com as your URL? One thing in marketing a business is consistency, and that would apply to your business name as well. You can't give people too much to remember, if they happen to see your truck lettered in passing, there usually are only a few seconds for them to absorb what is on your door. By having your business name and web address the same or very similar, they get a glimpse of your business name twice in one quick viewing. Just a suggestion.

I guess this comment might be considered a warning of type. The one series of photos is of a residential job you did, which is very well done. My only concern here is whether you got the customer's permission to publish their name on your website. I'm pretty certain you are exposed to legal issues if you have not. A change of title for that series of pictures would eliminate that exposure if this is the case, or written permission to use their name..

[bobcat ron]

Awesome web page and design, I really love the before and after section with the roll over of the mouse, very neat idea.

BTW, I've posted multiple pics of job sites with customer names without getting in legal troubles, I prefer to do it so the "locals" on this site and other sites get a good idea of where you work.

And on another note, didi you ever do business at Bobcat Country, I know I recognize that name from somewhere.

[Steve Frazier]

Posting your customer's name is no problem as long as you have their permission to do so. It is required, and if someone who had not given their permission wanted to do so they could make an issue of it. I'm simply throwing the information out there in hopes that someone might avoid a possible conflict.

Many people violate traffic laws without getting caught too, but when you do get caught, there's a penalty to pay. I prefer to avoid penalties where I can.

[RollOver Pete]

nice website there, check out mine and my buddies, its not what i do for a living, but its our hobbie ( very expensive hobbie) http://www.fullthrottlepullingteam.com/

Cool.
Another Cummins man :drinkup
Are you on TDR, DTR or Cummins Forum?
:cool:

[bobcatuser]

Nice site and easily navigated! I'm impressed with the road you built.

Is there a reason you didn't use sleemanbobcat.com as your URL? One thing in marketing a business is consistency, and that would apply to your business name as well. You can't give people too much to remember, if they happen to see your truck lettered in passing, there usually are only a few seconds for them to absorb what is on your door. By having your business name and web address the same or very similar, they get a glimpse of your business name twice in one quick viewing. Just a suggestion.

I guess this comment might be considered a warning of type. The one series of photos is of a residential job you did, which is very well done. My only concern here is whether you got the customer's permission to publish their name on your website. I'm pretty certain you are exposed to legal issues if you have not. A change of title for that series of pictures would eliminate that exposure if this is the case, or written permission to use their name..

Hey guys thanks for all the compliments on the website. I’m always interested in learning new stuff, so lets see more websites and pictures of jobs.

I had a friend design my first site before I even had a company and that’s what he made the URL as, he said something about changing it but I never did. When I started my company full time the government wouldn’t register my name as Steve’s Bobcat Service, there were too many company’s with similar names so I used my surname. And no, I’m not related to the brewery if anyone was wondering. :drinkup

I was reluctant to use other residential pictures but for that job my company sponsored a yard makeover contest, it’s long story but I do have permission because the work was done for advertising purposes.

[bobcatuser]

Awesome web page and design, I really love the before and after section with the roll over of the mouse, very neat idea.

BTW, I've posted multiple pics of job sites with customer names without getting in legal troubles, I prefer to do it so the "locals" on this site and other sites get a good idea of where you work.

And on another note, didi you ever do business at Bobcat Country, I know I recognize that name from somewhere.

I did buy a couple of buckets and rent attachments from Country when I first started. I use Surfwood for everything now. How is the new Cat working for you?

[bobcat ron]

Very nicely and quietly with a silky smooth ride, Bobcat Country hasn't clued in yet, every time a long time customer buys a competitor's machine they give them a phone call and raise hell for about a week or so, I figure I'll send them a Christmas card with the 247 on my trailer and see if they got the message!

[wethead]

Thanks for all the complements. I think having a website is probably one of the cheapest ways to advertise. Now I’ll have to remember to take more pictures for updates.

Well said and also a great way to close a deal :)

Let me explain

Customer:

How do I know you are professional?

You: Have a look at our website mam'

Customer:

Can I see the machines you use?

You: Off course my website is example .com


So, A website is a great way to "refer" to things 24 7 :)

I love the site by the way kinda cool

You should add some gallery software

There is some really cool stuff for free.

If you need help let me know, I am a webmaster as well :)

[xcavate77]

I agree.

Ive met many new customers who have commented on our site without us even mentioning it. We have incorporated the address into all of our company vehicles and site trailers. It seems to add another level of professionalisim and shows that you are keeping up technologically.

If anyone gets a second:
www.halbrookexcavating.com

comments are appreciated

Thank You

[Beaver]

I just got my website redone and was wondering how much business is generated by having a website? How do other people advertise, other than yellow pages? Most of my work comes from referrals.
My site www.stevesbobcat.com

Nice site. In my experience websites are not necessarily to gain business from random people but to improve the opinion of people who are already considering doing business with you.