In my work helping home improvement contractors get more leads and customers for their business, I am constantly amazed at how many of them have bad contact information on the web. In the past ten years, I’ve worked with over one hundred and fifty small businesses and almost everyone has had some point of contact information on the web that is incorrect.
Obviously, we know this is bad, if your potential customers can’t find the right contact information for your business… they won’t be able to do business with you.
I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to have incorrect information out there on the web. For us, having incorrect information on the web almost lost us a recent high dollar client. Let me explain…
In November of 2016 we closed our computer and cell phone repair shop where we also housed the offices for our website development company. Knowing how important local citations are, I immediately changed our address, phone number, some images and industry category on a comprehensive list of directories to be sure everyone would be aware of our changes. It worked! For well over a year we had no problems at all…
Until we did.
I was introduced to a gentlemen – let’s call him Rick – at a networking event and we hit it off pretty good. He was interested in doing business with us and wanted a follow up. Well, I followed up. We had several calls and decided to do business together. This was a large ticket item in the high 5 figures so needless to say I was pretty stoked and anxiously waited for him to drop off the deposit check to ‘seal the deal’ so to speak.
On the phone I had asked if he needed directions and he said “No. I’ve got you in my GPS.”. GREAT! Check would be here in a few hours just in time for the bank and more importantly, just in time to make payroll this week.
My week was looking good…
I waited. I waited some more. Then, I waited some more and he never showed up. I was disappointed, pissed, dejected and confused.
What the heck happened? What do I do? Do I call him? I don’t want to seem anxious, but, I really need that check. I have already made plans for the money and announced to my accounting department that it would be coming to a bit of sarcastic jeering.
I decided to call.
Me: Hey Rick how’s it going?
Rick: Going great – I am on my way down to Virginia Beach for a long weekend.
Me: Oh, I thought you were stopping by the office this afternoon to sign the paperwork and drop the deposit. I’ve got everything waiting for you.
Rick: I did stop by. When I got there there was a nail salon so I figured I had the wrong address. Then I started talking to my wife about it and she was surprised that a company like yours didn’t have the right information online. She thought we should talk about this before we spend that kind of money. I told her I am pretty sure about you but we make these decisions together and if she has doubt we are going to have to work on her a bit.
Exactly what I did not want to hear!
Me (grinning through the anger with veins popping out of my temples): No problem. I totally understand. It can wait until next week. I’ll see you then.
Long story short I was able to save the contract but had a real tough weekend and had to scramble around for payroll. I wanted to know how he got our old address online. It took some time but I found an errant listing that reverted back to our old information (YES THEY DO THAT!).
Sometimes databases have bad records and when this directory went to re verify our information they changed my address back. This caused a domino effect and dozens of others who depend on this particular directory for information changed as well. I would have never known because I was not maintaining my local citations regularly.
I learned my lesson.
To avoid having this ever happen again I now maintain my listings on a monthly basis.
When I find one that is wrong, I fix it.
When I find a new opportunity for a listing, I take it.
I now know that ALL my information on the web is correct and current. I never worry about someone trying to find me and calling the wrong company or showing up at the door of another business. I never have to worry about losing money or contracts because someone has the wrong contact information for my company.
What are you doing to avoid this happening to you?
When was the last time you checked to see if Google™ has the wrong phone number or address for your home improvement company?
Look, I get it. I spent over twenty five years swinging a hammer and I know the very last thing on the list of things you want to do when you come home after a long day on a roof or a longer day on a 40ft. extension ladder is to go through each directory listing on the web to be sure they are correct. Who has the time for that crap?! Who has the energy?!
We do. This is what we do all day, everyday. We help contractors like you make more money. We have created a program for home improvement companies just like yours to help manage and maintain their local citations. If you want help with keeping your local citations up to date, rank better on local Google™ search and stop losing money to bad information, fill out the ‘FREE Business Listing Audit’ form below and I will personally get back to you. We can talk a bit about some of the things we have both seen while swinging a hammer and then talk about how we can help you make more money by correcting your local citations.
I am looking forward to it!
