An awesome website is yours for the taking

This article is How A Website Can Enhance Your Storage And Removal Business, but it can be a good guide for any business.  I've distilled, and commented on, Natalie Diaz's advice.

Purpose

You want them to pick up the phone. That's really what the website's job is. So as a stepping stone from word of mouth to making a quote, having a website is essential for attracting new customers, that much is clear.

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I've advised on jobs and career, and common thought on the CV is to make it as informative as possible.  But some pack it with so much detail that the hiring manager will no doubt drown in a sea of information, that is, if he or she were to give it more than one second of a look.  Yet, of course, your CV must give sufficient detail about you, so as to prompt that hiring manager to invite you for an interview.

The same with your website.  If you want your customer prospects to call you, specifically, then make sure there is the optimal balance of detail:  enough to prompt them to pick up that phone, but not too much so as to put them off.  

Reach

If you do your website properly and with the expertise of web specialists, then you can make sure your site is one of the first things people come to when they Google a query...  You can also put links on other related websites that will direct people to yours.

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What Diaz refers to, first, is search engine optimization.  To me, SEO is a very curious practice.  It's like strategizing on how to play the slot machine or Black Jack.  Yes, there are good strategies to playing these games, but in reality a good amount is outside the knowledge and control of players.

So, just as the odds are stacked against you, as far as winning in these games is concerned, the likelihood that your business will come out on the first page of a Google search is quite small.  Why?  There are hundreds of other businesses vying to be on that coveted first set of results.

Be mindful of this, and avoid trying to game a system that is not wont to be gamed.  How?  Keep the content of your website as clear and unique as possible and, it goes without saying, directly related to your business.  Include your website link on your social media profile, e-mail signature, and marketing collateral, as Diaz also suggests.

Look

It needs to be generally attractive, eye catching, personable, not too corporate (unless you're gearing purely for commercial removals) but not too artsy either.

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How corporate or artsy your website looks is a matter of choice, and that choice often depends on your style or preference and that of your target customers.  Work with a designer, if you can.  Or at least get some reaction and advice from a trusted friend.

Intuit offers a large set of themes for your website, plus thousands of images to download.  For blogging and social media, Blogger, Tumblr and Twitter offer very cool options as well, many of which are free of charge.

So with time, effort and ingenuity, there is every reason to expect that yours will be one awesome website!