A suggestion for contractors

DanHolohan

You may have noticed that there are more and more building owners on the site these days. That has to do with the site's new design and its ability to sit at the top of the search engines. Right now, we're at the top of Google's generic search list for the word "heating." Check it out. That's why we have such a huge audience.



I'm listening as these building owners ask for professional help in their area. They'd be finding you if you had an ad in Find a Professional. It costs just $1 a day. You get to decide how many days you'd like, and you can turn your ad on and off during the year with a phone call to 800-853-8882. It's that simple.



The customers are here. Are they seeing you?

Jamie Hall

May I add a comment?

for the contractors: you don't have to post on the Wall, just because you are listed in Find a Pro.  You don't even have to read it, if you don't feel you have the time.  I can understand a concern about free advice and liability and all that.  But Dan is right -- there are a lot of homeowners and building supers and other sundry individuals who use this site, and would be delighted to have a pro. in their area come up when they look for one...

JohnNY

I'm listed.

I get work from the ad. Internet advertising is what works these days and a targeted audience is the goal.

Combine that with the low price and you've got a no brainer here.

Shane_2

If I might add

I have been listed in the find a pro section for about two years now. I have met some great new customers and some good people from this site. The phone might not be ringing off the hook, but every lead I got, knew they wanted a professional job and they were ready to do the work.



If any of you fellow contractors are thinking about listing yourself, just do it. My small investment has come back 10 or 20 times over, not to mention word of mouth.



Dan, I would like to include a very sincere Thank You!!



Shane

Steamhead

Me Three

FAP is the best advertising deal out there. Do it!

DanHolohan

Just got an e-mail from a contractor who sees what's going on here.

He'll be listed and getting the business. I think the best thing about this is that when you post, your ad link appears with your post, so the customer knows you before he calls you. Often, the deal is done with that first call. And you, as the contractor, get to qualify the customers.



It's a dollar a day. You get to choose how many days.

Al Roethlisberger

As a consumer, I think FAP is a great idea!

Although I was unable to find a local pro in my area, I think the FAP service is an excellent tool for contractors and consumers alike.  If there had been a pro that was listed for my local area, I can assure you I would have given them a call over the last couple years.



Heating Help has quite a following in the "old house" community, and lots of homeowners come here to look for information on maintaining and operating their systems.  Especially in areas like mine where professional services have atrophied as forced air supplanted hyrdronics, the ability to find information on this site and potentially find a professional that has the ability, expertise, and INTEREST in these old systems is a real benefit.



At $1/day, I suspect that many contractors would find the advertising fee pay for itself in short order, especially in markets where professionals(esp for residential) are sparse.



Thanks again to Dan and everyone that contributes to this site.  I've still got a lot of work planned for making the best of our old system, but we wouldn't have known "wrench one" to turn without what has been collected here and just as importantly what the pros are willing to take the time and patience to explain for us laymen.



Cheers,

Al

Nick S

FAP

It's been on my list for a long time, but I never remember to take pictures of my installs and I don't know what else to put on there. Maybe this thread will motivate me.

DanHolohan

It's doesn't necessarily have to be about a job.

It could be about you.



Challenge: You're cold!



Approach:  We know how to listen. We spend the time to learn about systems. We take our business (and you) very seriously.



Solution: You're delighted with our service! You're saving lots of money.



Love to help you connect with all of these customers. Next move is yours. Thanks.

DanHolohan

What you shouldn't do is make it too technical.

Remember that you're talking to a consumer. They want to save money and have peace of mind, knowing that they're getting value, and that they're dealing with someone who is reputable. If you launch into too much technical gibberish they won't hear what you're saying. Keep in mind that no one ever bought a drill because they wanted to own a drill. They wanted to own a hole.



Tell about what's in it for them if they call you. You're talking to a homeowner, not another contractor.

DanHolohan

Consider,

there's not a single contractor listed in the whole state of Michigan. Think about how many steam questions we get from Michigan. A smart contractor could own that state.



There's no one listed in all of Rhode Island. Check it out.



Central New York State. How many homeowners have come here to ask about steam heat? No one is listed. Are there no contractors in all of Central New York State who know how to work on steam? Same goes for the Buffalo area.



It amazes me that you guys are not seeing this opportunity, especially these days. Is business that good?

DanHolohan

Nice to see some are taking the advice.

More than 500 have read the thread so far, and some are seeing the opportunity.



A dollar a day and you can start and stop whenever you'd like with a simple phone call.



We're #5 on Google's list today for "hydronic heating."



We're #3 for "home heating."



We're #1 for "heating."



The customers are here.

Al Roethlisberger

Only four matches within 250 miles for Raleigh, NC area, all out of state

Just on a lark I went back and checked the "Find a Professional" tool for my zip(27330, Sanford, NC) and the only matches I found were for a professional in Washington, DC and another up in Virginia.



Doing a specific search for Raleigh turns up only four, the other two also up in Maryland.



Bottom line, none are listed local, or even in-state.



I am only 30 miles from Raleigh, NC, and I know there are several large mechanical firms that service hot water and steam commercially there.  And I suspect there actually are a handful of smaller pros still out there with expertise, but they are hard to find.   Houses still heated with steam and hot water are not.  



So there is definitely an opportunity in the "Triangle" area of NC for someone to make a killing



Al

DanHolohan

All we can do, Al.

Is point at opportunity. Thanks for helping.



And you're right; someone could own that area.

CMadatMe

Dan Quick Question

I know this is primarily for contractors but can we as wholesalers get listed? I have alot of great contractors that specialize in radiant, mod/cons, low temp radiant. I notice you do not have anyone in Orange County NY (ie, Hudson Valley).

Thanks

Chris

DanHolohan

Yes,

and you might structure your ad stating that you can recommend good installers. You'd reach two markets with this ad - pros and homeowners.



Your investment is a dollar a day. You get to pick how many days you'd like. There are no contractors. You can start and stop the ad with a toll-free phone call to the elves.



Thanks for getting it.  Today, we're #1 at Google for the search word, "HEATING."

DanHolohan

Oh,

and #1 for "Steam Heating" and #3 for "Hydronic Heating." We're working on that one.