Name of your website?EBCON Services: Finished Basements, with Style
Your name?
Eric Boyer
Your Location (city, etc)
Horsham, PA
Please give us a short summary of your website?
Our website includes lots of photos of finished basements, plus before and after shots. We supply information, including the top 16 FAQs, like "Shouldn't I install a drop ceiling" and "How much does this cost?"
What inspired you to launch your own website?
So people could see the quality of our work and realize that we're a small family business, that you're not just a number to us, and that we are genuinely interested in building you a basement you want to tell your friends about!
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
January of 2007, wife Amy left her full-time employment as a court stenographer and became EBCON's clerical staff, marketer, payroll department -- everything! Amy designed and built our web site.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
We used the already-established business's name. In hindsight, I think I should have incorporated "finished basements" into the name.
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
Lots of pictures and testimonials. Top 16 FAQs answered. It's informational, not just self-promotion.
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
The goal is to gain the trust of potential customers before they even meet us; that they'll "feel" we're geniunely interested in doing great work and their happiness.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
I think the web site has really helped us in that we have been there when people were looking for someone.
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
Well, I would hire someone else to do it for me! It's a lot of work, and it's constantly changing due to new jobs with photos being posted every few months.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
We are currently doing multiple jobs at once, and seeking reputable subcontractors we can train to do the work up to our standards. This process is taking time, so Eric is working 24/7 right now until we can find the right people to affiliate with.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
The headache of being ranked even on the first page is frustrating. I'm not a professional web site developer, and because of that, I lack the luxury of being top-ranked and enjoying SEO.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Again, trying to get to the top of the ranking list. And even if I wanted to hire someone to help me, who can I trust? They all say they can do it.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Google AdWords. We also do direct mailings, and notice higher hit-rates right afterwards.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
It's not so glamorous and fun ... it's a lot of work resizing pictures, keeping things on the same line when different sized screens want to knock them down.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
Coming up on my one-year anniversary, and I'm going to keep it up and support my husband's business until he gets too old and sells it, I guess!
What is the most useful thing to potential customers on your website?
The FAQs -- they really were compiled from homeowner's questions. And the photos. Who knew a basement could look so good?!
What is your website address?
EBCON Services: Finished Basements, with Style
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