Gut reaction - please don't take this personally but the business name is terrible. Having 4 instead of for, is, imo, really naff and dated, as is the pun on Ask-King. The latter is completely baffling; it wasn't until I read your explanation on this site that I had a clue why it was hypenated and capitalised in that way.
And the whole 'King' reference is off-putting. I don't want to ask a 'King'. Let's say I'm a bit proud about getting in a gardener anyway (many peope are - don't like to admit they need one - and i imagine that's double the case in Yorkshire); well I won't want the inference that they may be high and mighty. I want someone like my mother's gardner - massively nice & flexible, accommodating, easily gets on with people... I've seen her gradually win over proud neighbours by being unthreatening (wouldn't say she's overflowing with customers- you need to have the balls to go and sell yourself too, as others have very wisely recommended, and she lacks that confidence).
Tell Fiona from me - bear in mind that the 'King' reference may be obvious to friends and neighbours - but it's certainly NOT to strangers - and you can't afford to be snotty about strangers 'not getting it' if your hoping those strangers will become your much needed customers!
Askingforgardening.com is availabe as a domain by the way - £7.45 p/a through GoDaddy.com. Nearlyfreespeech.net might bring down some of your website costs too.
So, someone is asking for gardening- get in their shoes - *what* are they asking? What's on their mind? What's the need/demand/problem that's driven them to your site in the first place? Specifically?
You need to write copy for your site which addresses the person browsing.
This is ABC marketing / copywriting - the site needs to be all about THEM not all about YOU (classic mistake that everyone makes - don't take it personally
). So, if you look at your copy, at the moment it's we.. we... we...
Great copy addresses the customers's NEED and offers SOLUTIONS.
What 'problems' are your desired customers having that you can answer?
Are their gardens overrun? Are they short of time? Do they long for an easy to maintain garden? Have they just moved in somewhere? Do they want a colourful overhaul for a modest price? Do they want someone to do the back-breaking work (by the way, i didnt even understand from your site if you offer re-design only or regular garden maintenance?)
Do your own brainstorming - then frame that in a question addressing the website visitor:
- Would you love to have xxxxx?
- Are you looking for a xxxxxxxxx?
- Do you find yourself xxxxxxxx?
Or, you could say,
We hear the same thing from many of our customers. Perhaps you fall into one of these groups:
* Too little time, too much gardening - much as I love it!
* Gardening is killing my back!
* I've just moved and I need a great re-design, for a reasonable price.
* I want my garden to look colourful and be easy to maintain - without spending a fortune. Help!
* I want to be stay involved in my garden and work alongside any designer / gardner - it's my baby!
Then you offer your 'solutions': eg you say your piece about what you offer to these scenarios. Either directly underneath each one, or at the end of all of them.
By the way I have far too many exclamation marks in that copy - another naff thing to watch out for
So - the home page is all about THEM and their needs and how you can meet them.
THEN you build a relationship through your 'about us' info, which might be at the bottom of that home page or on a separate page; and through good testimonials, so you feel trustworthy and likeable.
My gut says Yes give ball park prices, because as someone already said, it really annoys me when someone gives no indication of price - i don't want to make contact to find that out. as i don't want to be 'sold to'.
BUT I hear that colleagues advise against this. How about a middle path of ball park figures, 'starting from'... and/or photos of gardens you've designed and what that cost?
If you WERE to take on a charity project etc you could do before and after photos and use that, plus what it cost.
Anything that can get you press is great, by the way.
Now here's the really challenging part for some people -
your EMOTIONAL STATE AFFECTS YOUR BUSINESS. Inmore ways than you can imagine or 'make sense of' rationally. (My customers aren't around to hear me moaning and feeling rotten all day, surely it has no impact... well you'd be amazed).
It's not enough to 'think positive' if underneath you're feeling rotten - the point of 'positive thinking' other than breeding positive action which of course is needed, is that it leads to a positive emotional state. And call it magic, but trust me it's true, that as you start FEELING positively on the inside, things change on the outside.
Nobody likes 'positive thinking police'. So, when talking as a couple you could give yourselves a set amount of 'venting' or 'complaining' time if that feels like what you need to get things off your chest; then agree that after x number of minutes you'll start looking at solutions.
The easiest way to shift into a different feeling state, solo (or as a couple) is to just find one thing, one thing, you can feel appreciation for. And let yourself really feel appreciation for it.
This would be a great thing to do at 5.30am by the way, rather than fidgeting and waking Fiona, and then talking business - what a horrible start to the day!!
Let the feeling of appreciation and even gratitude seep into your body and heart. Perhaps it occurs to you that your lying in a warm bed with a roof over your head, something as simple as that.
Then, stretch yourself to find another thing.. and another...
and before you know it you've cajoled yourself out of a negative or 'worry' space into a relaxed and expansive space. And that makes
ALL
the difference to how people will 'feel' you and react to you; and to the ideas that come to you; and to the actions you take.
Remember - as within, so without. That's a key point of power for you.
GOOD LUCK!
And let us know how you get on.
