I was wondering if anybody uses the internet for sales or leads? Do you have a website? Does it get any hit from people? Do you get jobs from it? I have had a website for a year, and once in a while I'll get a little job from it. The people come from the BBB link or MBA. I was just wondering what everybody was doing.
Does your company use internet for sales?
- Thread starter nicknorth
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bphgravity
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
Internet advertising and marketing is the current trend and appears to be growing rapidly. Our host has certainly taking great advantage of this. At the local level, I don't see the internet being all that valuable for small and medium sized contractors.
I live in the oldest county in the nation, most persons in the area don't even own computers.
Internet advertising and marketing is the current trend and appears to be growing rapidly. Our host has certainly taking great advantage of this. At the local level, I don't see the internet being all that valuable for small and medium sized contractors.
I live in the oldest county in the nation, most persons in the area don't even own computers.
jjhoward
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern NJ
- Occupation
- Owner TJ Electric
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
We use Service Magic. Get's us a steady trickle.. Sometimes it helps fill the gaps.
We use Service Magic. Get's us a steady trickle.. Sometimes it helps fill the gaps.
jeff43222
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
I've been sick for a couple of days, so I decided to finally code up my Web page and publish it today. So far, no hits, but it's still early.
Some sales guy from Service Magic was all over me a few months ago. He was calling me several times a day pestering me to sign up. Anyone that pushy gets ignored, so I never signed up with them.
I do have a posting on craigslist.org, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how much work it's generated. It's been one of my better sources, and best of all, it's totally free.
I've been sick for a couple of days, so I decided to finally code up my Web page and publish it today. So far, no hits, but it's still early.
Some sales guy from Service Magic was all over me a few months ago. He was calling me several times a day pestering me to sign up. Anyone that pushy gets ignored, so I never signed up with them.
I do have a posting on craigslist.org, and I've been pleasantly surprised at how much work it's generated. It's been one of my better sources, and best of all, it's totally free.
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
I signed up with Service Magic a long time ago. I'm still on the old plan where I can choose if I want to buy the leads. I understand things have changed to now you pay them a set amount per month and your stuck with what ever garbage there is.
SM a few years ago was a great sorce for 1 day jobs. Seems like now there is jsut too much competition. Your against 3 other EC and sometimes no one wins it. The customers want you and 3 other EC to come out for a free estomate. So you can waist your time, fuel, & money. Too many nothing jobs. I'm not going to pay $18 to try and win a 1 hour job. Many of the jobs are classified wrong so that the charge for the lead is the highest. Maybe around here some of the low end people are sucking up the work. I know some customers have gotton quotes for maybe material cost and $100 for a days labor (if they did it right). That SM Co. is making $100-200 of many of these leads. Some I can never even get a hold of the customer even if I call right when the lead comes in.
There is the ECN which has a internet basic referal service on it. I don't think it gets many hits. I wish we all could give or pay ECN some $$ to promote it's free refural service to something much better.
Tom
I signed up with Service Magic a long time ago. I'm still on the old plan where I can choose if I want to buy the leads. I understand things have changed to now you pay them a set amount per month and your stuck with what ever garbage there is.
SM a few years ago was a great sorce for 1 day jobs. Seems like now there is jsut too much competition. Your against 3 other EC and sometimes no one wins it. The customers want you and 3 other EC to come out for a free estomate. So you can waist your time, fuel, & money. Too many nothing jobs. I'm not going to pay $18 to try and win a 1 hour job. Many of the jobs are classified wrong so that the charge for the lead is the highest. Maybe around here some of the low end people are sucking up the work. I know some customers have gotton quotes for maybe material cost and $100 for a days labor (if they did it right). That SM Co. is making $100-200 of many of these leads. Some I can never even get a hold of the customer even if I call right when the lead comes in.
There is the ECN which has a internet basic referal service on it. I don't think it gets many hits. I wish we all could give or pay ECN some $$ to promote it's free refural service to something much better.
Tom
jeff43222
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
My gut feeling was that Service Magic was not the way to go. Sounds like my gut was right.
My gut feeling was that Service Magic was not the way to go. Sounds like my gut was right.
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
I have used service magic forabout one year now.
It has been pretty good for me. Not loaads of work but a fair amount. The one problem is that you pay for all leads that are sent to you wheather you want them or not. I seem to get most of the jobs. Not as much competition here i would guess. If i get over charged or cannot get a hold of the customer i notify SM and most of the time i get a refund if legit. Overall not too bad.
I have used service magic forabout one year now.
It has been pretty good for me. Not loaads of work but a fair amount. The one problem is that you pay for all leads that are sent to you wheather you want them or not. I seem to get most of the jobs. Not as much competition here i would guess. If i get over charged or cannot get a hold of the customer i notify SM and most of the time i get a refund if legit. Overall not too bad.
jjhoward
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern NJ
- Occupation
- Owner TJ Electric
Re: Does your company use internet for sales?
I agree with Shelco.
There are some leads that are just nonsense, but most are leads that allows us to book the job and make some money.
Re: monthly fee, you set a monthly cap on what you want to spend with them. When you hit your cap, then SM doesn't send you any more leads for that month.
I agree with Shelco.
There are some leads that are just nonsense, but most are leads that allows us to book the job and make some money.
Re: monthly fee, you set a monthly cap on what you want to spend with them. When you hit your cap, then SM doesn't send you any more leads for that month.
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