by Rhonda Shanahan and Emma Shanahan.

Whether you’re just starting with your upholstery business or you’re looking for a way to streamline your work a website can help take your business to the next level. In developing The Whimsical Chair website I have learned some aspects that can help take anyone's business to the next level and connect you with the ideal client. The most beneficial pieces came by developing an About Page to give background, showing the client the step-by-step process along with answering common questions on my How it Works Page, and crafting a Cognito form to organize requests on my Estimate Page. 

ABOUT PAGE

When developing an About Page I focused on conveying who I am as a person but more importantly what my work has been and the types of furniture I look for to help give potential clients a reference. Another key feature of my About Page is it gives clients an idea about how long I’ve been in this business and where my passion for upholstery comes from.

HOW IT WORKS PAGE

Another portion of my website is the How it Works page which walks clients through the process step by step. I cover both the estimate process to get started on their piece, what you should be able to expect from me, and what I need to reserve a spot and get started on a client's piece. Additionally, I showcase what the process of upholstery looks like in a photo gallery of pieces from start to finish demonstrating the energy I give to each project.

To ensure my clients have all the information they would need I cover the most asked questions by clients on this How it Works Page. Working through a summary of my process and these questions help to give a potential client an idea of what they can expect before they even submit a request for a quote. 

ESTIMATE PAGE

For my Estimate Page, I used the Cognito format to help me build the questionnaire for potential clients. It allows me to gather all of their important information; name, email, phone number, furniture type, etc. Another key thing is that I’m able to put an update above my Cognito which talks about how far out I’m booking or if there are any limits to what I’m able to handle at the moment. 

Once the clients have finished filling out the questionnaire I’m able to see all of their information and keep track of how many new requests I’m receiving in a day. I also can keep track of who I’ve contacted and when they submitted their request to keep client jobs in line and organized. Overall the Cognito form has helped to create one central location where I can keep track of all client-related information which has improved my client communication.

In my development of this website, I have found that these key portions have best helped me to capture my ideal client. I believe that a well-designed website can improve any upholstery business. Allowing you to develop an outline that will help to capture the right client match for your business. 

Rhonda is the owner of The Whimsical Chair in Castle Rock Colorado. You can find her at her website, facebook and Instagram.

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