Standing out online

A company’s online presence isn’t just about posting on social media – Jack Jostes said it’s about crafting a brand that represents an organization’s core values and what sets them apart from the competition.

Jostes, an author and president and CEO of marketing consulting business Ramblin Jackson, believes there’s a major problem in the industry: Random guys in pickup trucks are lowballing potential customers and taking away business from landscapers. Clients are falling for the lower prices because they need reasons to trust landscaping businesses and need convenience. During his presentation at LANDSCAPES 2018, Jostes said Google searches on smartphones for “landscaping near me” have quadrupled in the last four years.

Clients just want to know their needs will be taken care of, Jostes said. Building that trust online requires deliberate steps toward building a modern online brand.

“All sales are motivated by pain or pleasure, and it’s way easier to sell against pain than it is pleasure,” Jostes said. “The job of your branding is really to relieve these people’s fears so they feel confident in you.”

There are some easy immediate steps to take to build trust with clients. First, answer the phone – and if you don’t, call back as soon as possible. Customers search landscaping businesses online and call the phone numbers that pop up, so fielding those calls is essential. If your company is particularly swamped, Jostes recommends a service called CallRuby, which permits live receptionists to answer the phones on behalf of your company.

“If somebody else answers the phone and books the appointment, they’re like 10 times more likely to get the sale than the contractor who gets back with them a day or two or a week later,” Jostes said.

In terms of building an online presence for recruiting clients and new employees, Jostes said companies should first work on building their brand before developing their website, SEO posts, and social media presences. Jostes said most every company will tell clients that they stand for integrity and craftsmanship, but these buzzwords only go so far now. Jostes said companies should dig deep to define a company’s true mission and determine what makes them different from competitors. Figure out what your core values are, Jostes said, and let them be known.

Jostes said logos matter: Clients fear landscapers are just shady, but logos and website design can prove to a potential customer that your company does work worth the price clients pay. Jostes also recommends making websites responsive across all devices and inspire people to trust your company with lively photography of your past projects and your employees.

A company’s online presence isn’t just about posting on social media – Jostes said it’s about crafting a brand that represents an organization’s core values and what sets them apart from the competition.