As a hardwood flooring contractor, you know that a professional and effective website is critical to your online marketing strategy. One of the most important decisions you will make is whether to display your prices on your website. While some contractors swear by showing prices on their website, others will say it’s the worst thing you could do from a marketing and sales perspective.
This article explores the pros and cons of putting prices on your website. We’ll also assess whether it’s appropriate for your unique situation. Let’s start with some reasons why you might want to put prices on your website:
Pre-Qualification. If you have a small team or you’re a one-person operation, answering phone calls from potential clients can be tough. By displaying prices on your website, you can save time and reduce calls. This is because you’re pre-qualifying prospects before they call based on their budget.
This means the only people who will call you are the ones who have already seen your prices and still want to talk. This will allow you to spend less time sifting through prospects and more time closing jobs.
Transparency. Another advantage of displaying prices on your website is that it shows transparency. Prospects appreciate the fact that you are stating your prices publicly. This brings peace of mind knowing you’re giving them an honest quote. This can help build trust and create a great relationship from the start.
Now, let’s talk about the cons of putting prices on your website.
No Curiosity. When you list prices on your website, you remove curiosity about your prices. For many people, inquiring about price is how a conversion starts in the first place. This means people who may have contacted you to learn more about your service will not contact you, losing you the potential client’s contact information for future follow-up. This can negatively affect your leads pipeline, cost per lead, and ability to scale.
Negative Price Anchoring. Because your prices are on your website, you’re now “anchored” at that price. This means every person who calls you to inquire about your services from your website expects your prices to be in that range. Let’s say you put your prices between $10,000 – $30,000. It will be very difficult now for you to attract a $50,000 job because it’s not in the range you said. What’s worse is that saying “Estimates start at $10,000 and up” only makes the prospect focus on your lowest price of $10,000. That’s where their expectations are set going forward.
Limitations. Listing your prices on your website can also be limiting. If you offer customized services, it will be hard to show all this information on your website. This can lead to prospects getting the wrong impression of your services and pricing, which ties into the abovementioned issue about price anchoring.
So, with that being said, what makes the most sense for you right now? Here’s what I recommend: If you’ve got a small team or are a one-person show, putting your prices on your website could make sense. This will slow down your lead flow and aggressively pre-qualify prospects for you. This means less legwork in the sales process but fewer sales and jobs coming through.
But, as you grow your team and scale, I would not recommend putting prices on your website. This is mainly because you will need a much higher volume of leads coming through as you grow. You will also have more resources, like a sales team that can handle talking to prospects for you.
Ultimately, the decision to list prices on your website will depend on your individual business needs and goals. While listing prices can sometimes be beneficial, it can also be extremely limiting. Consider these factors carefully to make the best decision for your business.
Matt Thibeau is CEO of Savant Marketing Agency and author of Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors. He can be reached at matt@mattthibeau.com or 613.619.5319. To request a free strategy call, visit savantmarketingagency.com.
