The 4 P’s are something that are mentioned quite a lot here at Housecall Pro and it is something that you, the Pros, can do to help when it comes to online booking and site optimization! The 4 P’s are Pricing (where possible), Pictures, Personability (through your pictures) and Promotion!

A lot of people will be skeptical about showing their prices online and understandably so, you’ve got window shoppers and your competition is checking out what you’re charging, so you’re being price shopped or undercut, right?! Wrong. If you saw your competition was charging $100 for the same job, you charge $150 for, would you match or beat their price? No, you would not. Why would you? Do you want to de-value your brand and the quality of service you provide? By showing your prices to the public, you are simply setting a standard and an expectation. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, would you be willing to pay an additional $50 for the same service? I know I would but I will have a greater expectation for the end product. Show your prices, set your standard and blow your competition out of the water with the exceptional service that you provide!
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If you still aren't convinced, you must provide your customer with the estimated pricing range and details on how pricing is determined for that type of job. Whether its square footage, severity of item, location, time, etc... be transparent with your customer and let them know!

When setting up your online booking, make sure you have pictures to give a visual representation as to the job being carried out. Your customers will not always know what it is that they are booking you for. By adding pictures and giving them the visual representation of the work, they have a better idea when booking and it actually gives them the confidence to schedule an appointment with you through the online booking tool. When was the last time you bought a pair of sneakers online sight unseen?

Following on to adding pictures, ensure that you also use pictures that are personable. What does this mean? Pictures of you or your guys carrying out the work, a photo of you, maybe a team picture where the customer can see you, your team and your trucks. These types of photos are extremely powerful. Why? It shows the customer who you are, it communicates your values and it removes any customer anxiety about who or what they are booking online. It establishes a rapport with your customer without ever having to have a conversation with them.

This goes back to what I said previously, if you do not communicate with your customers that you offer online booking, how will they ever know that it is available to them? This can be done in many ways, the most popular that we have seen is through the use of Facebook and Google ads, changing their voicemail, auto-text after a missed called, through postcard and email blasts. There are even pros who have mentioned they offer online booking on their truck wraps. Go above and beyond to communicate messages like this with your customers and you will see it start to work for you and your business.

Learn more about why online booking is right for your business.