Date: February, 2016
Client: Goffstown Lock & Key
Project: Website Design and Branding
Challenge: Locksmiths are in a very competitive industry. We set out to create a website that would make our client stand out from the competition.
Our Solution: Harvey Gurney came to Local Net Results because his current website was not generating any leads. He had hired one company to build the website and another to provide SEO services. The website was a very generic-looking locksmith site.
After the first content meeting, we learned that people do business with Goffstown Lock and Key because Harvey is very likable and friendly. It seems he’s always running into people he knows. He commented that his wife will often say “Everybody loves Harvey!” We used this quote on his “About” page.
On the home page, our tagline reads “Hire a Locksmith You Can Trust.” You have to trust the guy that can unlock anything! And of course, there’s a picture of Harvey above the fold. Not long after his new website was live, he took a service call from someone who found him online. As he approached the house, the woman shouted out the window, “Hey! You look like the guy on your website!”
Another branding shift we initiated for Goffstown Lock and Key involved how their services were defined. While most locksmith websites categorize their services under “Residential” and “Commercial,” we discovered from our interview with Harvey that he does very little residential. His services break down into two areas: “Commercial Door Repair” and “Access Control.” In researching his competitors, we found no locksmith websites that had a menu structured this way. But it made sense, so we did it.
Harvey tells us has enjoyed targeted leads coming in from his website for the types of services that make him money – digital access control locks and commercial door repair like hinges and door closers. It’s always nice when common sense overrides analytics!
Conclusion: A strong brand and targeted message is as important as website optimization for generating leads online. The internet is very impersonal; there must be something for visitors to connect with within 10 seconds. On our websites, you will almost always find a professional headshot or image of our clients on the home page. The “About” page should not look like a resume. There should be some hobbies and interests in the team bios. People do business with people. Sometimes they will hire a company just because of a common interest!
Before talking keyword optimization, we get to know our clients – not just their industry and their market, but why they do what they do and why people buy from. We help them to craft a message that will strengthen their brand and feature it as a theme on their website.
