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When visitors land on your website’s home page, they should feel like they are being welcomed through the front door of your business. Once people have crossed the website-door threshold, you want them to wander through your site, much like … Continue reading
People buy from people they know, like and trust…especially in the janitorial supply industry. In our world of connecting via mouse clicks and keyboard str
okes, it is imperative that you maximize the electronic conduit to meet, impress, and connect with your prospects in a meaningful way.
Are you unknowingly committing the deadly sin of the “Limp-Wristed Cyber-Handshake” on your janitorial website? In our evaluation of several hundred janitorial supply websites, we found a majority of them were committing this deadly sin in one way or another.
You can begin to avoid this website deadly sin by posting on your website smiling photos of you and your staff, as well as your warehouse, loading dock, and fleet. The more pictures portraying you and your company as real people, the better. Add a few blurbs about who they are, what they like about their jobs, and their favorite interests.
This technique not only sets you apart from the big boxes, but enables you to virtually open your front door to website visitors, invite them in, and pour them a hot cup of coffee at your breakroom table.
A word of caution …we’ve seen websites that heavily rely upon stock photography. As great as stock photos can be in certain situations, relying solely on stock photos can give an impression of your business being a “cookie-cutter” or artificial … much like model homes posing as a real family home. You cannot fully connect with people using pictures that are not authentic.
When you take photos for your website, try to avoid the “mug shot” look. Position people at desks or counters, smiling at either the camera or with customers, and looking friendly. Other photos can be of your delivery trucks, warehouse pictures, training session photos, or various shots of your showroom and the products on display.
At JanSanOptimize.com, we specialize in building affordable, effective janitorial supply websites … without committing any deadly website sin. Whether you need a complete website “re-boot” or a re-fresh on a few pages, we have a package to meet your needs.
Check out this iconic 1984 commercial
In the iconic 1984 commercial for Wendy’s hamburgers , three elderly women were contemplating the size of the hamburger bun versus the size of the hamburger. This short :30 commercial catapulted feisty Clara Peller into stardom with just three words … “Where’s the Beef?”
We’re not talking hamburgers, here. We’re talking websites in the janitorial and maintenance supply industry. However the concept is quite similar in delivering the “beef” to capture prospects and convert them into customers. Just as Clara Peller continued to patronize Wendy’s in additional commercials, your website is the primary vehicle to initially grab attention, impress prospects, and set you apart from your competition.
What is the main reason people use the internet? They are looking for “the beef” … information that will answer a question or solve a problem. As explained in Google’s “Zero Moment of Truth” model, people use search engines to research, visit websites, and make their preliminary purchase decisions.
Many believe that landing on page one of a search is the way to generate business. Although having your website listing on the first page of a Google search is ideal, studies show people typically visit between 5-10 websites before making a decision. If you are listed several times on page one, it’s probable that visiting your site once will be adequate for searchers, and subsequent visits will result in quick clicks off the site.
Therefore, it is crucial that your website is impressive and delivers the beef in the first visit.
The initial split-second impression conveyed through your website is tied to the graphic layout and “eye-appeal.” Is your home page attractive and inviting? Does it immediately convey you have valuable information and expertise? Will visitors automatically understand you are in the janitorial and maintenance supply industry? Are you professional-looking?
Past the initial looks, the real selling point of your business is the “beef” on your website. And it needs to be prime beef, not choice or select. And lots of it.
Do you have a full listing of all your manufacturers, descriptions, links to their websites, and links to MSDS sheets? Are you connecting on a personal level with your content? Are there pictures of your employees with an invitation to contact the significant officers directly? People buy from people they know, like, and trust. It starts with the introduction made via your website.
Is there a resource page that is updated regularly with timely industry information? What about a blog with regular postings of success stories of how you met customers’ needs or new products in your line? E-Newsletters do “double-duty” these days as they connect with customers and can be re-purposed for website content.
We have evaluated hundreds of janitorial distributor websites, and find that many are lacking the “beef.” For that matter, there are many manufacturer websites that are also lacking content.
Many websites in the janitorial industry remind us of the Wendy’s commercial with the “big buns” … lots of fluff and maybe a small pickle. Without the beef, these businesses are missing the online opportunity to differentiate themselves from the big-box, order-only competitors.
We offer several difference marketing services that bring the beef to your website and drive traffic to your e-commerce pages. Whether you need a complete website “re-boot” or a “re-fresh” on a few pages, we have a package to meet your needs.
How important is your JanSan website? According to a study commissioned by Google, 99% of small business owners report they find search engines to be the most effective tool for finding suppliers.
With that though in mind, we took a random survey of janitorial supply distributor websites. We found that a surprising 25% of JanSan distributors had no website presence.
Websites have now become a significant sales tool for B2B companies. If 99% of small business owners say search engines are the most effective tool for finding suppliers and you don’t have a website (and an adequate Google ranking), you are missing a significant sales opportunity.
Your Jan San website provides the opportunity to quickly convey your company’s janitorial and maintenance expertise, your philosophy on customer service, and connect with prospects on several levels.
As an example, do you have photos of your key officers and staff? Is there an image of your storefront? People buy from people they know, like and trust.
The overall look, feel, and most importantly, the content of your website communicates who you are and begins to connect and cultivate a relationship with prospects.
On that note, we found in our random survey, that another 20% of JanSan distributor websites had either a very dated look or the site was basically an “order only” portal with little to no content about the organization, the expertise, or an attractive overview of the offerings.
JanSanOptmiize.com offers a complementary audit of your online presence, including a top-line evaluation of your search engine optimization.
Call us for more information, or email ginny@petru.biz