# Please Help - Check Out My New Website



## af7850 (Feb 21, 2008)

I impulsively started building a new website last night. I don't know why, but I got a little inspired and, before I knew it, I had worked on it clear through the night! I guess Michigan cabin fever is starting to get to me.

Anyway, before I put the time into finishing it, I hope that I can get a couple of you to take a look and tell me what you think. If it goes over well, I'll rush to finish it before the season gets going here. If not, well then at least I can focus on more productive things. 

Here it is:

http://www.tree-experts.com


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## extremewoodwork (Feb 22, 2008)

I liked your site but was a bit concerned about the flash. If people have dial up or a slow computer it will take too long for them to see. I like a lot of things about it and some things I didnt like. Check out my site im sure there are things you will like and some you will dislike. Share them with me please I need all the help I can get. extremewoodworksinc . com


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## extremewoodwork (Feb 22, 2008)

oh yeah pav Your site is great. Direct and to the point thats how to sell on a webpage.


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## af7850 (Feb 22, 2008)

Thanks for the response guys. 

Pav, nice site! I like the info you present - it makes you look like a knowledgeable expert. Also, great job on the pics. 

extreme.., I actually like your site alot. The custom sawmilling is really cool, and the tree trunk on the left side looks great. One thing: the link "important information about your trees" on the top doesn't work.

Guys, I have to ask why you don't just type out your website names in your posts. I'm not really an experienced AS guy; is it a problem that the link is in my original post?


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## Tim "Bo" Snell (Feb 24, 2008)

af7850 said:


> I impulsively started building a new website last night. I don't know why, but I got a little inspired and, before I knew it, I had worked on it clear through the night! I guess Michigan cabin fever is starting to get to me.
> 
> Anyway, before I put the time into finishing it, I hope that I can get a couple of you to take a look and tell me what you think. If it goes over well, I'll rush to finish it before the season gets going here. If not, well then at least I can focus on more productive things.
> 
> ...



Impressive! I like a website that emphasizes tree CARE and is carefully crafted with info useful to the client. Perhaps have some more photos ("a picture is worth a thousand words") and strive to use more active verbs (e.g., instead of "It is thought by many people that topping is okay," write "Many people think that topping trees is okay.") Also, I'm turned off by lengthy buzzwords such as "distinct honor" (why not just "honor"?). 

Let me know when you finish your website & I'll be glad to make specific recommendations about your site's language. (I have both graduate & undergraduate degrees in English, and taught English at a nearby university for seven years before becoming an entrepreneur/arborist about 11 years ago.)

By the way, you can check out MY website at www.SnellTreeExperts.com.

If you give me your permission, I'd like to include a link to your website on my links page. Thanks!

Bo


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## appalachianarbo (Feb 24, 2008)

Bo - It looks like you are using a rappel setup in all your climbing pics with your groundie belaying you. Am I seeing that correctly?


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## Slvrmple72 (Feb 24, 2008)

Af7850, 
You are off to a good start! I like the website and your vision of tree care. Keep up the good work! Lorax? You clever guy! The Dr. would be proud!


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## af7850 (Feb 24, 2008)

Slvrmple72 said:


> Af7850,
> You are off to a good start! I like the website and your vision of tree care. Keep up the good work! Lorax? You clever guy! The Dr. would be proud!



Think so? Thanks for noticing. I'd like to think that he'd be happy I was paying attention.

By the way, look at the seal. See anything interesting?


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## Slvrmple72 (Feb 24, 2008)

My Latin is terrible. I should have taken it when I was in High School many, many moons ago. I tried an online translator to no avail. I give up. How about a little help.-Kevin


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## af7850 (Feb 24, 2008)

Well, a close-to-literal translation is "we make known for tree". Loosely translated, "We speak for the trees"...

Let me tell you about how this came about, and how we have fun with it. It's one of my favorite work stories, and sorry to say, but "you asked for it". 

I got the idea after looking into television advertising. All the recommended networks and time slots for advertising tree care were... well... nothing that I would watch. 

I asked the rep why this is, and his response made some sense. According to him, the demographic most commonly responsible for initiating response to a green industry advertisement is female. Additionally, this female respondent is more often in a live-in relationship, i.e. married or living with boyfriend. So, the networks and time slots were chosen to target someone who is actually quite different from me.

I have developed a sales presentation which works very well with my most common types of prospects, and I know that they are more often men. However, I hadn't thought of who actually initiated the interest, i.e. whether he called because the wife wanted him to. I do know that, in my market areas, an average of 68% of my potential customers is married.

Sooo, if my customers are usually married, and I'm already good at selling to the man, perhaps I should find a way to get the woman to be more interested in initiating response more frequently. 

That evening I offered to read my niece the bedtime story of her choice, and guess what she chose? "Hmmm", I said. As a majority of my customers (Median age 46) have children, what better way than to subtly reference a classic children's tale which promotes values that we hold dear as arborists? "AHA!", I shouted!

My sales literature contains three very subtle references to said Dr.:

Name of Company
Motto in Latin
A secret which I will take with me to the grave. (I tell no-one)

Although it is not advertised anywhere, if a client or prospect mentions that they "get it", they are then invited to find the three references. If they find all 3, they get a *very* substantial discount on service.

Now keep in mind that I haven't been doing this all that long, but so far noone has figured them all out. Hopefully, people will start to talk, and we'll get some buzz in the neighborhoods.


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## Tim "Bo" Snell (Feb 26, 2008)

appalachianarbo said:


> Bo - It looks like you are using a rappel setup in all your climbing pics with your groundie belaying you. Am I seeing that correctly?



Mike,
You have a keen eye. By the way, I checked out your website & liked it. I especially liked your photos, as well as the way you arranged your links page.
Bo


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## appalachianarbo (Feb 28, 2008)

Thanks Bo. It's my first try at web design.....


Nice site yourself!


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