Site – Bernard Henderson,
Custom Furniture Artisan
"I wanted to put my portfolio on the web and use the site as a way of pre-qualifying customers. They can visit the web site without me having to go out and do a presentation. And if they call back, it means they’re serious and not just shopping around. It’s worked. I’ve been able to screen people. We’re able to talk more about the specifics of the job than whether I was the right artisan for their project. So basically it’s a sale before the customer gets to the studio."
Bernard Henderson, Custom Furniture Artisan
The Problem:
Browsers. We’re talking retail browsers. People who contacted our clients high-end custom woodworking shop looking for a cheap, quick cabinet to store their kitty litter. Being a nice guy, Bernard Henderson was always willing to give a presentation and studio tour, but this took valuable time away from his work as one of the country’s most talented cabinetmakers. He wanted us to design a site where he could send prospective customers so they could check him out before coming in for a visit. He had no logo, text written in green marker on a napkin, marginal photos—and vision.
The Solution:
Voyeurism. That’s right, let them look all they want. We tweaked Bernard’s text, retouched and optimized his photos and designed an elegant, gallery-like site to showcase 30 exquisite examples of his work. We even designed a logo and a corporate look for his business. Now prospective customers can get to know our client, and his art, before the first handshake. So when a client calls back after visiting Bernard on line, it’s a hot lead, not just a browser..
The Results:
Outstanding. Philadelphia Magazine loves it. Bernard adores it. His e-mail is flooded with compliments on the site — everything from how quickly it loads to how perfectly the photos are arranged. Bernard has been able to screen potential customers and get right down to the specifics of a job on the very first meeting. It’s cut down on the getting-to-know-you time. So when a prospect comes to the studio after visiting Bernard’s site, they’re ready to get down to business. These days, Bernard only spends his face-to-face time with viable prospects. That gives him more time to create. And more time to sell. Bernard is smiling.
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