Will This Help or Hurt (feedback please)

Bud_17

With Dan’s permission I’d like to share with you an idea I had and decided to run with it.



I have put together a directory and a plan to promote great heating contractors and after going back and forth to the drawing board I’m 99% finished with the site.




We did a few things different with the web site that I would like some critic on. We created several categories for ease of finding the right contractor through brand, type of heating system or type of service. I’m not too concerned with the category and how it is laid out, that’s all pretty much adjustable with not to much work, but I would like to know about categories such as “NATE certified” and others and how these would play out on such a site.



Also I have incorporated a “Write A Review”, I know, everyone’s probably thinking (no way) what if someone leaves a bad review? What if they do? Doesn’t this give us a great way to know how we are doing? Wouldn’t this be a better place here then not knowing how they feel as they spread the bad review around town? The reviews are for those who don’t take care of their customers? This will help build a directory of “great contractors” and weed out the fly by nights? No slanderous or derogatory reviews will be passed through. They must be mature reviews.




How the review process will be managed is also important? And all reviews will be approved; they’re not just posted. All problem reviews will be emailed to the contractor for comment? Wouldn’t you like to know if your customer is not satisfied? I have a feeling though the reviews will be more to the good then to the bad? We will not allow negative reviews that have any pricing included; we all have our way of determining the cost of doing business.




The advantages of the reviews are plenty; the customers get to share their good experiences with those they would not usually talk to. Customers like to see their name on the forums, as they contributed something (and their contributions are huge) more importantly, they love to be heard, and they are heard! Reviews can be emailed to friends? The reviews can be commented on (of course, first approved).



We added an area in your user area for you to create coupons. This here my friend will now give reasons for customers to come back, look for a coupon, see if anyone left a positive review? These coupons are something else; you set the expiration date, cancel and insert them, no waiting for the paper to come out? These are fully printable!



If anyone would like to take this for a test drive, I’ll let a few contractors have the “Gold Plan” for one year. And then next year, you tell me if it worked for you.



Any feedback would be welcomed!

Thank you for your time!

Bud

Added to the post, I hope Dan is ok with this, but I forgot to tell you the name of the new site

PS. If this goes as planned and works for the industry, there will be plenty of bricks being added to the wall.



It's important to understand too that there will be no message board, we're not selling books, and we're not a referral service. We also won't be selling out like other so called directories and information sites have in the past. It's stictly a unique directory another marketing tool thats affordable and have no problem adding a link to HeatingHelp.com. We are not trying to compete :)



If you do decide to sign up for the one year test drive, in the process there is a button to "pay by check" use this and do not send a check! You too will not be billed. This offer is for a limited time, so someone don't find this post through search and expexts the same deal. Thanks!

www.HeatingGuide.com