Building a Solid Website
Rob Brandt
As a student of the college of Business Administration at the University at Tennessee, I have a strong interest in commerce, and especially in the area of entrepreneurship. For the last year, I have been employed in the field of custom home building, and it has been an extremely positive experience. As a result, I am interested in one day owning and operating my own custom home building firm. An excellent way of building such a business is to design an effective and appealing website. Through the implementation of an appealing homepage, a well-defined mission statement, a gallery of past images, and an informative team page, a construction firm can effectively advertise, as well as cater to prospective clients.
An Outline of a Professionally Built Website:
I. Homepage
II. Mission Statement
III. Gallery of Images/Past Work
IV. Team Page
By implementing these four units, you too can create an effective website. I will now provide a logistical breakdown for each.
I. Homepage
Inarguably, this is the most important page of your website. Visitors will be turned away if not interested in the homepage. To spike their interest and usher them into the rest of the website, rely on these tactics.
Ø Include company logo. Be sure this is large enough to be clear but do not be gaudy.
Ø Another option is to include an image of past work, though this will be covered in the “gallery of images” section. A solution is to provide a combination of both logo and image, such as the one shown here. http://archerconstruction.info/
Ø Most importantly, match the quality of your homepage to the level of client you wish to attract. Above all, be professional.
II. Mission Statement
The Mission Statement page directly reflects what you want your company to stand for. This is where you have a chance to say why your company exists, and what it can do for a prospective client.
Ø What do you stand for in a business sense? If your goal is to become the largest, most affluent custom builder in the nation, say so. If you exist to cater to smaller clientele, state this.
Ø Do not be afraid to bring morality into your vision for the corporation. If customer satisfaction is of upmost importance to you, this is an excellent place to voice this.
Here are some examples of excellent mission statements…
Ø “We are committed to excellence and integrity throughout every aspect of the home construction process, striving to provide uncompromising client satisfaction through constant, personal attention and professional, knowledgeable service.”- F.E. Trainer Construction, Knoxville, Tennessee
Ø “Archer Construction was founded on one simple idea; to reliably provide homeowners with the highest level of traditional craftsmanship, professionalism, and project management.”- Archer Construction, Bozeman, Montana
Remember, the mission statement tells a client what you can do for them, and why you are the best choice for the job.
III. Gallery of Images
The gallery of images is the place where your corporations can exhibit past work and thus provide credibility of service. It is also an excellent place for the client to see if your firm has experience in building the style of home that they want. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Ø Organize the images by project. This keeps the client on track and able to view each home separately and objectively
Ø Provide as many detailed images of the home as possible, and make sure to take a wide variety of images. If possible, provide at least one photo of every room in the home.
Ø If your firm specializes in a specific area, such as finish carpentry, built-ins, stonework, or post-and-beam construction, this is an excellent place to emphasize this.
IV. The “Team”
Do not confuse this page with your mission statement page. The mission statement says what the company is. The gallery of images shows what you have done. Now show the prospective client exactly who did it.
Ø Who is the owner/operator? Provide a small biography of who you are and the path you took in order to found your building firm.
Ø Who are the people that will be building the clients home? Construction workers have a less than quality reputation. By providing information on your subcontractors and laborers, you can erase stereotypes and set a foundation of trust.
Ø Include a photograph of everyone in your firm, including office staff.
Thoughts Overall:
Ø Hire a professional to design your website. This results in a better product that will drive sales and establish more credibility with the client.
Ø Hire a professional photographer for images. Pictures that are compressed or blurry do not make sales. Do not lose a client in order to save a few dollars.
Ø Stay professional in every aspect, but most importantly, match the quality of your website to the prospective client base you wish to attract.
An Outline of a Professionally Built Website:
I. Homepage
II. Mission Statement
III. Gallery of Images/Past Work
IV. Team Page
By implementing these four units, you too can create an effective website. I will now provide a logistical breakdown for each.
I. Homepage
Inarguably, this is the most important page of your website. Visitors will be turned away if not interested in the homepage. To spike their interest and usher them into the rest of the website, rely on these tactics.
Ø Include company logo. Be sure this is large enough to be clear but do not be gaudy.
Ø Another option is to include an image of past work, though this will be covered in the “gallery of images” section. A solution is to provide a combination of both logo and image, such as the one shown here. http://archerconstruction.info/
Ø Most importantly, match the quality of your homepage to the level of client you wish to attract. Above all, be professional.
II. Mission Statement
The Mission Statement page directly reflects what you want your company to stand for. This is where you have a chance to say why your company exists, and what it can do for a prospective client.
Ø What do you stand for in a business sense? If your goal is to become the largest, most affluent custom builder in the nation, say so. If you exist to cater to smaller clientele, state this.
Ø Do not be afraid to bring morality into your vision for the corporation. If customer satisfaction is of upmost importance to you, this is an excellent place to voice this.
Here are some examples of excellent mission statements…
Ø “We are committed to excellence and integrity throughout every aspect of the home construction process, striving to provide uncompromising client satisfaction through constant, personal attention and professional, knowledgeable service.”- F.E. Trainer Construction, Knoxville, Tennessee
Ø “Archer Construction was founded on one simple idea; to reliably provide homeowners with the highest level of traditional craftsmanship, professionalism, and project management.”- Archer Construction, Bozeman, Montana
Remember, the mission statement tells a client what you can do for them, and why you are the best choice for the job.
III. Gallery of Images
The gallery of images is the place where your corporations can exhibit past work and thus provide credibility of service. It is also an excellent place for the client to see if your firm has experience in building the style of home that they want. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Ø Organize the images by project. This keeps the client on track and able to view each home separately and objectively
Ø Provide as many detailed images of the home as possible, and make sure to take a wide variety of images. If possible, provide at least one photo of every room in the home.
Ø If your firm specializes in a specific area, such as finish carpentry, built-ins, stonework, or post-and-beam construction, this is an excellent place to emphasize this.
IV. The “Team”
Do not confuse this page with your mission statement page. The mission statement says what the company is. The gallery of images shows what you have done. Now show the prospective client exactly who did it.
Ø Who is the owner/operator? Provide a small biography of who you are and the path you took in order to found your building firm.
Ø Who are the people that will be building the clients home? Construction workers have a less than quality reputation. By providing information on your subcontractors and laborers, you can erase stereotypes and set a foundation of trust.
Ø Include a photograph of everyone in your firm, including office staff.
Thoughts Overall:
Ø Hire a professional to design your website. This results in a better product that will drive sales and establish more credibility with the client.
Ø Hire a professional photographer for images. Pictures that are compressed or blurry do not make sales. Do not lose a client in order to save a few dollars.
Ø Stay professional in every aspect, but most importantly, match the quality of your website to the prospective client base you wish to attract.