“We desperately needed an update on everything digital. Not only did Contractor Formula provide that, they completely revolutionized our process and success tracking to help us make better business decisions.“
Eric Boehner, Signature Stone
Introduction
Let us start by expressing that the successes we have had and will have with Peak Fencing are heavily due to Mark, the CEO and owner of the company, and his willingness to hear new ideas, invest in change, and adapt to a new process that accompanies higher conversions and workload. One of the most important qualifications of a successful client is their ability to recognize the potential of a new idea, and is willing to work together in executing a strategy.
Phase 1: Website Design
Mark understood the importance of having an online presence so, like many solo businesses owners, built his own website.
This sufficed for a while, but Mark knew it wouldn’t be a permanent solution. He needed a website that would help him stand out from the online competition.
A Website Built For A Fence Company That
Expresses The Quality Services They Provide.
With the re-design of the site we had two main goals:
- Develop a website layout that promotes confidence in potential customers looking for the right company to build their fence.
- Create well-structured, targeted content that expresses Peak Fencing’s services and location to search engines so when people in Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas are looking for fencing services, they find Peak Fencing.
Step #1: Website Design
We wanted to develop a website that visitors would remember when shopping around for their fence contractor. If they had found Peak Fencing first before looking at another option, we needed the best-looking website in the area. The competition wouldn’t be able to compete on website quality alone. Working alongside website design partners at Whiskey & Red, we were able to execute this vision.
Before
After
Goal #2: Optimized Content Development
If you study the website layout you will find that it characterizes each fence type (their services) on individual pages with organized, high-quality images accompanied by relevant file names, alt text, and individual keyword infused URL’s.
Each one of the webpage sections highlighted below is a ranking factor optimized to help search engines understand the contents and subject of the site. If someone is looking for a service or fence type that Peak Fencing offers in the Colorado Springs area, we want search engines to know that Peak Fencing provides these services and fence types.
All of these features were implemented to help the search engine rankings of peakfencing.com as well as to help “manage the expectation of the potential client” who might have a pre-conceived negative expectation of the fence purchasing process.
Beyond the layout and structure of the website, we strategically placed clickable calls to action that directed visitors toward making a decision.
Although the front end of the site was ready for launch, we also needed the backend to be optimized for search engines. This brings us to our next step…
Phase 2: Search Engine Optimization
Prior to the website re-design, Peak Fencing was almost completely unfindable organically (through search engines). In its current state, it was showing up on page 3 of Google’s search results for Colorado Springs Fencing.
They relied heavily on third-party companies like Angie’s list, Yelp, and other directories in order to be found online. Keep in mind…
Home Advisor, Yelp, and other directories are
pay per lead regardless of if they get the job.
Our SEO campaign focused on two major factors:
- On-site optimization (Images, meta descriptions, structured data, etc.)
- Local directory optimization & profile creation.
Step #1: On-site Optimization
Off the web, they had a long-standing reputation in the Colorado Springs area. This type of business, one with a great local reputation and reliable service, along with with the addition of a strong online presence, creates a blueprint for success.
If you study the website layout you will find that it characterizes each fence type (their services) on individual pages with organized, high-quality images accompanied by relevant file names, alt text, and individual keyword infused URL’s.
Each page has been optimized using an arrangement of SEO objectives including Alt txt, meta descriptions, schema markup, and heading structure.
Within about 3 months of launching the site, we had peakfencing.com at the top of search on Google and other search engines for key terms like fencing, fence builder, fence contractor, fence repair, etc. in the Colorado Springs area.
3 Months After Website Launch
The follow up to all this is the continuous SEO process. This involves research and outreach for backlinks, constant directory management and updates, review process implementation and management, as well as continuous keyword research and on-site content management. All of this to make sure we reach the top of search results and stay there.
Within about 3 months, we had peakfencing.com at the top of search on Google and other search engines for key terms like fencing, fence builder, fence contractor, fence repair, etc. in the Colorado Springs area.
We were ranking above home advisor and other directory sites with those pesky “top 10” pages. As a result, the traffic exploded and direct website contact form submissions tripled from about 4-5 a month to 4-5 a week.
Step #2: Local Directory Optimization
The importance of directories like Google My Business has never been more important. The statistics are staggering:
- 46% of all searches on Google are seeking local information.
- Google accounted for over 72.47% of all global search traffic.
- 56% of local stores are yet to claim their local listing on Google.
For Peak Fencing, we first uploaded their business profile on all local and major directories. This included Google My Business, Bing, Foursquare, City Search, and more.
Having accurate and consistent listings on as many relatable directories as possible significantly raises your ability to rank on search engines.
3 Month Google My Business Analytics:
Local Serch Impressions
Impressions = number of times Peak Fencing showed up in the search results.
While our continuous SEO efforts focus on… the optimization of the website and the creation of consistent directory profiles is exactly what Peak Fencing needed to launch into their new digital reign.
Phase 3: CRM Software
Administrative tasks can be the most time consuming, and therefore, the most expensive area of business.
The time it takes to return phone calls, manually schedule estimate times, sending reminders, keeping everything and everyone on schedule, processing payments…
With no process in place to handle this workload, these tasks were taking their toll on Peak Fencing.
It had been years since Peak Fencing’s Owner,
Mark, was able to step away from the business
and take a break.
We designed our CRM software to handle these administrative tasks for Peak Fencing:
- Automated estimate scheduling
- Email reminders for both the client and internal employees
- Invoicing and Payment processing
- Project completion & review outreach
Each one of these administrative tasks used to take Peak Fencing multiple interactions to complete costing them more time & energy as well as increasing the variables for something in the process to go wrong.
Results:
The conversion results have been incredible. By allowing visitors to schedule their own estimate, we eliminated the multiple step process when getting their estimate scheduled. This free’d up time for both the client as well as internal administration.
2018 MONTHLY ESTIMATES:
2019 MONTHLY ESTIMATES:
Peak Fencing is getting more estimates and projects than ever before. The workload automation of administrative tasks has allowed them to focus their energy on keeping up with the influx of projects.
It’s also allowed Mark to feel confident that everything in his process is running smoothly and consistently without him having to manage the day to day tasks.
Continuous Marketing
While they feel like a substantial amount of work and preparation, the first three steps in our process are just to get us to the starting line.
The largest businesses in the world started by developing and fine-tuning a replicable process that they could grow and expand from. This is why we believe:
A company’s marketing strategy
is only as strong as its process.
A marketing strategy is a process within itself. For Peak Fencing this process involves:
- Continuous SEO to make sure they stay competitive on search engines
- Review outreach to increase Peak Fencing’s brand reputation
- Past client relationship management
- Seasonal marketing flexibility to stay aggressive during winter season slumps
Every client that makes it through the fence building process receives a thank you email and review request. We continue this interaction with past clients after 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year and so on after the project is complete.
This has helped grow Peak Fencings long term relationships with clients and the results show in our growing number of return clients as well as in our online reviews.
SOME OF PEAK FENCING’S REVIEWS:
Peak Fencing’s email subscriber growth curve:
We also continue to support Peak Fencing while they integrate more of our CRM into their day-to-day workflow. Finding new ways to create a more efficient and profitable company.
We are extremely proud of the success and relationship we hae been able to build alongside Mark and Peak Fencing. We hope to re-create this kind of partnership with every one of our clients.