Make A Great First Impression
When potential customers visit your web page, you want to make a great first impression. The following suggestions could improve your page and mean the difference between being passed over or acquiring a new client. These tips may also increase traffic directly to your page from Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines.
You may want to prepare some sections in a word processing program. (Download Edit My Web Page Worksheet here.) Edit and spell check until you have exactly the verbiage you want. Then “cut and paste” to enter text into the appropriate section.
Another consideration: You can convert your page to a pdf format and print it out, so think about how you want your flyer to look and what information you want included.
Username: Your Username is public and part of your web address: GoGetEscrow.com/Get/Username. Choose something that represents your business or use your name, such as AZEscrow or LoriMartinEscrow. Please, no “HotMama” or “No1Papa.” This is your business! (If you already signed up with a paid membership and want to change your Username, email us with your new Username and we’ll make the correction within 3 business days, no charge.)
Photo: This seems to be every member’s least favorite section; however, your photo could make customers more comfortable calling you. A photo doesn’t have to be taken by a professional but should reflect professionalism. Dress in business attire and have a friend take a “close-up” of you in front of a plain background. Voila! A photo suitable for your web page. Post it yourself or email it to us.
Title: Think of your title as keywords for a search. Use a title that customers might enter into a Google, Yahoo or MSN search, such as Escrow Officer, Escrow Closer, Settlement Agent, etc. They won’t search for Owner, Sole Proprietor, Manager…
Address: IMPORTANT: If you don’t enter an address in this section, you WILL NOT SHOW UP in searches at GoGetEscrow.
Also Skilled In: List other areas of expertise.
Professional Summary: This is the place for your experience. Write your summary in third person and use your first name (or nickname) and last name, such as Lori Martin is… NOT I am… Why? Keywords (your name) and writing in third person can have more credibility.
How can you insert a line break? If you want to have text break to the next line or break two lines for a separate paragraph, you can’t simply hit Enter or Return. You have to add a bit of html code. (Yes, you, adding code!) Type in this code at the end of the line to force one line break: <br /> and type this to force two line breaks: <br /> <br />
Certifications and Awards: Enter any and all certifications and awards that indicate escrow or settlement proficiency.
Associations: Belonging to industry associations offers more than networking and training; it can be an indication of your professionalism.
Business Philosophy: This is where you describe how you treat your customers, your dedication, your ethics, etc. Start with your full name again and write in third person: Lori Martin believes… To add a personal touch in this section, include a quote, such as: Lori says, “This can be a stressful time for my customers, so I take time to put them at ease.”
Personal: Be careful here that you don’t say too much. If you’re not sure what to include, ask a supervisor or peer for their opinion. Use this area to find common ground with potential customers. Mention your hometown, family, pets, hobbies, charities… Avoid politics! Write in third person. Include a quote, such as: Lori says, “After a busy week, nothing is more relaxing or fun than spending the day hiking with my family.”
Value Added Services: If your company offers additional services, this is the place to describe those services. Include the name and phone number of the person they should contact for more info.
Testimonials: This is the least used section and the one that carries the most credibility. Your page is not complete without testimonials.
Mark your calendar to review your page on a regular basis. Continue improving it and make sure your contact information is current. Also, do a GoGetEscrow search for your city or zip to see how other profiles compare to yours.
You don’t have to follow any of these tips, of course, but members who spend time improving their “virtual brochure” web page are more likely to receive new business through GoGetEscrow. Make your web page the best it can be and a solid foundation for all your marketing efforts.
For samples of member pages: Sample Pages.