When a hazardous waste company has the goal of generating more leads, sales and long-term customers, it must often rely on one of its most important assets … their website.
But oftentimes, their website is a forgotten piece of the puzzle, merely serving as an online brochure rather than a lead generation tool.
As more and more businesses are using the internet to seek out reputable companies to help them manage the hazardous waste that they generate, it’s important to ensure that your website is designed specifically for lead generation or you could be losing out on prospective clients.
Here are the top four mistakes hazardous waste companies make with their websites, and what you can do to avoid them.
If your website needs a facelift, or worse, features a little construction worker with a hardhat holding a sign that says “under construction,” you could be missing out on
a substantial amount of business.
One of the most common mistakes businesses make with their websites is using it as a brochure or menu. There are two problems with this approach.
First, you’re telling potential customers that you are adequate at a bunch of different services, but don’t necessarily specialize in any of them. Most visitors are going to your website because they have a problem that needs to be solved. Hazardous waste issues are extremely complex, and they want someone who is an expert at solving the problem that they have…not someone who is adequate.
Second, if potential clients can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, you will lose them faster than a click of a mouse. More than half of website visitors spend fewer than 15 seconds on a website. That’s all you have…15 seconds to address your customers’ issues and let them know you have a solution.
Websites that throw everything and the kitchen sink at you simply are not effective, and visitors don’t want to spend their precious time reading through tons of text to find what they are looking for. So, how do you know if your website is in need of a revamp? Here are three signs that your website is likely not up to par:
If it’s been awhile since your last website update, it’s likely time for a fresh new look that offers potential customers a clear look at how you can help solve their problems and also paints a picture that you are a leader in the hazardous waste management industry.
Hazardous waste is a complicated subject, so it’s important that you educate your prospects. When you fail to do this, you miss out on a golden opportunity to provide your prospects with valuable content and to build trust.
One of the best ways to offer value to your prospects is through blogs and offers, like eBooks or checklists.
Blogging, when done consistently, is a key source of traffic to your website. With each new blog, you provide an opportunity for your prospects to find you, receive a solution to a problem and subsequently learn about the solutions that your hazardous waste company provides.
Blogging also establishes trust and allows you to become an authority on relevant topics in the hazardous waste industry. By clearly communicating your expertise through carefully crafted posts that answer your prospects’ most important questions, you are demonstrating credibility and authority, which in turn creates trust.
It’s important to keep in mind that companies like to do business with experts who have taken the time to educate them by offering free, unbiased and informative content. In addition to blogs, this content can come in a variety of mediums, from eBooks to guides, presentations and videos.
When offering this type of valuable content, make sure you receive something in return…the client’s information. An easy and effective way to do this is to create a landing page for the content you are offering, such as an eBook, and include a lead capture form that a potential client must fill out to receive the offer.
The best way to drive traffic to a landing page is by having calls-to-action (CTAs) on other website pages. These CTAs take visitors directly to the content you want them
to see and the lead capture forms that will collect their information.
Once you are able to collect prospective clients’ information, you can continue to nurture them with more valuable content until they are ready to contact you and possibly become a customer.
One of the biggest mistakes hazardous waste companies make is not utilizing enough CTAs on their site. Often, companies will place a “Contact Us” CTA on the bottom of their homepage, but if potential customers are not ready to enlist your help for their hazardous waste needs, you have lost the ability to capture their information.
When CTAs send prospects directly to a landing page, they also eliminate any distractions that might be present on your main website pages. This also allows prospects to access the information they want more quickly.
So where should these CTAs be located? Every time you publish a blog, send an email or upload a video, you should include a CTA that takes visitors directly to an offer that is relevant to the information provided in that content piece. For example, if the blog topic is about flammable liquids, you should include a CTA that links to the landing page where the visitor can download a safety checklist for handling flammable liquid hazardous waste.
Keep in mind that the wording of the CTA is important. For example, “Download our FREE guide” offers far more clarity than “Download Now.”
It’s one thing for you to say that your hazardous waste company is the best in the business. It’s another for other companies that have utilized your services to say it.
Social proof, or “the concept that people will conform to the actions of others under the assumption that those actions are reflective of the correct behavior,” is widely used in marketing today. If you aren’t taking advantage of this compelling tool, you could be missing out on a way to show prospective clients that you are a leader in your industry.
While social proof has been a marketing concept for several years (think celebrity endorsements), they can be especially helpful in the hazardous waste industry since so much is at stake for companies that must safely store or dispose of this highly regulated waste.
Social proof can come in a variety of forms, including testimonials, reviews and case studies. Testimonials are typically a few sentences or a paragraph that is written by one of your customers endorsing your product or service. Keep in mind that it is always best to have your customer’s name, company and picture with their testimonial. This shows your prospect that it is a legitimate testimonial.
Case studies, on the other hand, feature a success story that shares a favorable experience that one of your hazardous waste clients have had working with your company. They typically address a problem that your client had, what challenges the client faced and how you helped the client overcome those challenges.
Case studies help increase confidence in the service that you are offering, as well as provide proof that you are an authority and trusted company in your industry. They also give a prospect the opportunity to see if you have solved a problem like theirs.
Social proof can come in other formats as well, from industry leader quotes that are strategically placed on your website to special certifications or accreditations. Make sure you include the logo of the agency that has provided you with this accreditation on your site.
Hazardous waste regulations continue to evolve, and in many cases, become more stringent. There is a significant need for hazardous waste disposal companies to better meet the needs of companies that generate this highly regulated waste.
You could be missing out on a great opportunity to grow your business by making any or all of the mistakes above. While it may seem like a daunting task to redo your website to make it a more effective tool in generating leads, the good news is that there is help available.
An inbound marketing agency can help by providing your hazardous waste business with the knowledge and resources needed to create a compelling website that will draw potential clients to you and allow you to capture their information for your sales team.
Because hazardous waste companies have unique needs, it is a good idea to work with a marketing agency that is experienced in working with companies like yours. Our article, How To Choose The Best Digital Marketing Agency For Your Business, offers additional tips that will get results for small businesses like yours.
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