A lot of small businesses have a website for the sake of having a website. Money is spent having a designer build the website, there are monthly fees, or maybe you, the business owner, even designed the site yourself and spent a time resource rather than money.
But what is the point?
The point of a website is simple. It is to take people who are not giving your company money for services and to convert them into customers that are.
How many shop owners can say that's exactly what their website does?
The homepage is the first page a potential client sees when they choose to click on your Google ad or find you through an organic search. First impressions are everything, and this is where a client begins the decision making process.
Here are 5 things we want that potential client to see once they reach your homepage, and that every independent automotive repair website should have on their homepage. 
1) A Brand Identifier. A logo is a very important part of a company's branding and the first thing a potential client should see on your homepage. A tagline is a bonus that quickly tells your potential customers your value proposition.
2) An Appointment Booking Button. This call-to action is the goal of your website - if a potential client can't quickly and easily make an appointment, then the point of having a website is just to have a website. If your SMS allows direct booking into your scheduler, even better.
3) Contact Information. Maybe a client has a question which is preventing them from booking an appointment. There should be a clear way to contact your shop, and that query should be responded to promptly.
4) Social Proof. This is a proven phenomenon where people copy the actions of others, and the existence of social proof makes a business more trustworthy. Examples of social proof are your live rating on Google or Google reviews themselves.
5) Awards and/or Certifications. Awards and certifications build authority in the industry along with further adding to the trustworthiness of your shop in the eyes of a new potential customer.
There are many more techniques to having a successful, appointment-driven website. At ShopPros™ we have a step-by-step proven system, from the moment a client looks for a shop on a search engine, to driving them to visit your website, to having them book an appointment.
Contact us today - www.shoppros.com.
About the Author
Kirsten Selvage is the Marketing Director at ShopPros™. She has been an active business, economics, and marketing advisor and volunteer since 2007. Selvage has additional professional experience in risk management and small business management. She holds an Economics degree from York University in Toronto. She has a passion for Highland Dancing, used cars, and car count.