Spring 2016 - Angie`s List Business Center

Spring 2016
Leads You Want,
When You Want
eCommerce Makes
for Easy Hiring
Angie’s List Connects
with Businesses
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURE
TOOLBOX: STAFF
International
Builders’ Show
CEO AND PUBLISHER
Scott Durchslag
10
FOUNDER
Angie Hicks
SR. DIRECTOR OF CONTENT STRATEGY
Scott Goldman
SENIOR DIRECTOR OF B2B MARKETING
Bob Owens
PLATFORM & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
Sarah Branham
CONTENT DIRECTOR
Sue Wiltz
CONTENT CURATION MANAGER
Kristy Broering
SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER
Lesley Spellmeyer
SENIOR COPYWRITER
Carolyn Duncan
ADVERTISING SALES
Michael Benz
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Tanja Pohl
DESIGNERS
Amanda Gohlert, Matt Mukerjee,
Leslie McFarland
DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA
Mike Fender
SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR
Brandon Smith
DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER
News From the List�������������������������������������������������������������������������4
A Note From Angie�������������������������������������������������������������������������5
Ready with the Offer���������������������������������������������������������������������6
Doug McSchooler
Line Up Your Leads������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7
PHOTO EDITORS
Short-Term Business Loans����������������������������������������������������������9
Frank Espich, Eldon Lindsay,
Steve C. Mitchell
Spring 2016 • Vol. 1, Issue 3
Angie’s List Toolbox is published quarterly by Angie’s
List, Inc., 1030 E. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.
Reproduction of any material from this issue is
expressly forbidden without permission of the
publisher. Angie’s List assumes no responsibility
for the return of any unsolicited materials. The
publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any
editorial or advertising material. The publisher is
not liable to any advertiser, contributor or reader
for any errors or omissions in advertising or editorial
copy appearing in this magazine; however, the
publisher will print a correction in the next issue of
Angie’s List Toolbox published after the publisher
has been notified of the error or omission, which
must be made in writing to the publisher within 30
days of the original publication date.
Cover: Leslie McFarland
International Builders’ Show�����������������������������������������������������10
Experts Contributors Program................................................. 12
Business Center
CONTACT US:
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Angie’s List Business Center
1030 E. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Thank you for being a valued reader.
Your feedback matters!
Phone: 866-843-LIST (5478)
Mon. – Fri. 8:30 a.m. – 8:15 p.m. ET
Fax: 888-822-5414
FOLLOW US ON…
toolbox@angieslist.com
facebook.com/AngiesListBusinessCenter
@AngiesListBC
NEWS FROM THE LIST
TAX SEASON IS HERE!
Whether you’re an early bird
or tend to drag your feet when
it comes to filing taxes, here are
three things to remember this year.
HOME OFFICE DEDUCTION
If you work from home, then you might be able to write
off that home office. Find out if the simplified option or
regular method is best for calculating your deduction.
If your business doesn’t qualify, you can always explore
writing off depreciated office equipment.
COMING SOON!
We’ve been busy at Angie’s
List revamping our user
experience for both members and
service companies. The new design
makes it easy for you to update your
profile, read and respond to reviews,
and look at or add inventory to your
eCommerce offerings. Keep an eye
out for an email communicating when
the new Angie’s List Business Center
website will be live in your area.
4
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
CAR DEDUCTION
3
AVOIDING MISTAKES
First, check to see if your car qualifies as a business
expense. If it does, then there are multiple other deductions
besides mileage that you can look into, including gas and
oil, maintenance, insurance, loan interest, and so on. If you
don’t already have a detailed record of mileage and expenses for your 2015 taxes, then start keeping tabs on it for 2016.
The best way to make sure your taxes are in order is to
keep your records as up to date as possible. If you don’t feel
comfortable filling out forms yourself, Angie’s List has many
highly qualified CPAs who can help you out.
PUT A FACE
TO THE NAME
Your business profile on Angie’s List is a great way
to make a good first impression. Now’s never been
a better time to update your profile with photos of
your company’s owner, team and examples of your
work. Send your company information and photos
to photos@angieslist.com.
PHOTOS ©THINKSTOCK
1
2
ANGIE
A NOTE FROM
ANGIE
INTRODUCING
LeadFeed
BETA
Get new leads.
Leads expire after 24 hours or sooner.
Pick the ones that fit.
Only pay for the leads you want.
Get hired.*
Call the customer, provide a quote
and tell them why you’re right for the job.
Angie Hicks, founder
of Angie’s List, is
a 1995 graduate
in economics from
DePauw University.
“We have more
than 100 million
unique visitors
coming to the
Angie’s List website each year
searching for
home improvement services.”
5
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
*Customers ultimately choose which provider to work with. Price of the lead
is non-refundable. LeadFeed is currently in limited markets.
The “Why” Behind
Our New Offerings
There’s a revolution going on in how
consumers access home services and Angie’s
List will help you stay on the cutting edge.
That’s why we’re using our 20 years of experience and our state-of-the-art technology
to create LeadFeedBETA, new guarantees, and
other innovative products and services to
better connect you to interested customers.
We have 10 to 12 million visitors
coming to the Angie’s List website every
month searching for home improvement
services. Our LeadFeed was born as a way
to connect these consumers with highly
rated service providers.
What we think is helpful for service
providers to know is that with LeadFeed,
you are the only one in control of the leads
you want to pursue. We will send you
customer leads as often as they come in your
market and category, but you decide when
it’s right to welcome additional customers
in your schedule.
In addition to creating LeadFeed,
we recently introduced our new Fair
Price and Service Quality Guarantees.
Our Fair Price Guarantee promises
consumers will receive exactly that, a fair
price for their eCommerce purchases
made on Angie’s List. Our Service
Quality Guarantee promises that if a
member purchases services through
Angie’s List and is not completely satisfied with the quality of service provided,
we’ll make it right or refund the price of
the eCommerce purchase up to $100,000.
We want our members to know that we’re
willing to stand behind their purchases.
Send your thoughts to me at
askangie@angieslist.com.
Angie Hicks, Founder
askangie@angieslist.com
@Angie_Hicks
SERVICES
ANGIE’S LIST STAFF
Ready with the Offer
eCommerce offers
makes shopping for home
improvement services easy
BY CAROLYN DUNCAN
With the Internet readily accessible
at our fingertips, consumers have an
easier time finding the information
they need before purchasing a service.
A recent survey from the Pew
Research Center, indicates that “81
percent of online Americans report
their Internet and cell phone use has
made them better informed about
products and services today than they
were five years ago.”
This type of access brings about
a new consumer. Nowadays, we can
purchase just about anything online,
including home repairs and services.
It’s evident homeowners, particularly
Angie’s List members, are ready to
make home improvement-related purchases toward their homes.
“A majority of our members are
gearing up to invest in their homes
6
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
at the same or greater level than last
year,” says Angie’s List co-founder Angie
Hicks. “We found even greater optimism among service companies, with
many of them saying they’re already
booking more jobs than at this time last
year and expect to have a great 2016.”
Providing eCommerce or online sales
is one way to help fill the schedule books
with appointments, as well as show current and potential consumers popular or
even lesser-known services businesses
offer. These offers conveniently live on
Angie’s List, via your profile and the Shop
Deals page, or even through social media
outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.
Consider the benefits:
• No upfront costs to post offers.
•Offers are year-round and fairmarket priced.
•No limit to the number of offers
you post.
•Dedicated team to assist making
offers competitive.
• Increased business exposure.
• Opportunity for additional revenue.
Along with these benefits, eCommerce gives businesses more opportu-
nities to collect reviews and feedback
from their consumers.
Once work is completed from an offer they purchased, members are encouraged to leave a review on the businesses
they hired. Since consumers do not have
to be members to purchase eCommerce,
this gives businesses an opportunity to
build a relationship with those not quite
ready to join Angie’s List.
Feedback is valuable, whether from
a member or not. The Angie’s List
Business Center provides several options for businesses to gather the reviews they need to better their service.
From classic review forms to business
cards with a personalized review link,
businesses should be prepared to
ask for feedback after every fulfilled
eCommerce job.
Both eCommerce offers and reviews
work hand in hand to build a business’
presence and reputation on Angie’s List.
READY TO SET UP
YOUR OFFERS?
Contact your representative or the
Business Center today at 866-843-LIST (5478).
LINE UP
YOUR LEADS
BY STACI GIORDULLO
Finding potential work is time-consuming.
Returning calls, answering emails and
catering to homeowners who may or may
not end up needing your services is part
of the job — but what if there was an
easier way?
LeadFeedBETA is a new Angie’s List
program that will email you job leads that
fit within your business’s category. You’ll
have access to the description of work,
7
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
the customer’s zip code and the desired
timeframe to have the work completed.
After you review the particulars, you can
decide if you want to purchase the lead.
The price varies per market and lead type.
Once purchased, you’ll receive the customer’s contact information and he or she
will receive the details of your company.
You’ll get the chance to provide them a
quote and explain why you’re the best for
GET ON THE LIST
Currently, LeadFeed is only
available in the limited markets
and categories listed on the
following page, with plans to
expand. To start receiving leads
in your inbox, contact your
Angie’s List representative
or the Business Center
at 1-866-843-LIST.
THINKSTOCK
LEADFEED
the job. Typically, only three businesses
can purchase each lead, on a first-come,
first-served basis. If no one buys a lead
within 24 hours, it expires.
“The benefit of LeadFeed is you only
buy the leads you want,” says Mark
Brodahl, Angie’s List product manager.
“If the service provider sees a lead that
is a good fit for their business, they can
choose to buy it.”
Angie’s List has more than 100 million
unique visitors every year — and not all of
them are members. With LeadFeed, every
visitor now has the opportunity to reach
out and submit a lead directly to a service
provider through Angie’s List.
“LeadFeed allows service providers
to purchase leads when they want them,
and connect with consumers that need
local services,” Brodahl says. “It’s a great
way to keep your business busy during
slow times or simply to supplement
existing advertising.”
LeadFeed is designed for ease-of-use
and convenience. “We’re continuing
to improve on the experience, with
the goals of sending the most relevant
leads to service providers and empowering them with technology to both
purchase and manage those leads
efficiently,” Brodahl says.
Companies already using LeadFeed
enjoy the ability to choose their next customers and supplement their schedules.
“LeadFeed is a fantastic program,”
says Kip P., owner of Millenium Remodeling in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. “With
control of where, when and what type
of projects we target, LeadFeed allows
us to have total control of our marketing. As we get booked, it’s so simple to
reduce leads.”
“With control of where, when and what type
of projects we target, LeadFeed allows us to have
total control of our marketing. As we get booked,
it’s so simple to reduce leads.”
Kip P. | Owner of Millenium Remodeling
COVERAGE AREA
LeadFeed is active in the following markets:
Albany
Albuquerque
Austin
Baltimore
Boston
Chicago
Cincinnati
Columbus
Dallas/Ft. Worth
Dayton
Detroit
Greensboro/Winston-Salem
Greenville/Spartanburg
Hartford
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
8
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
Kansas City
Knoxville
Las Vegas
Los Angeles
Madison
Memphis
Milwaukee
Nashville
New York City (tri-state)
Northeast Ohio
Oklahoma City
Orlando
Philadelphia
Phoenix
Pittsburgh
Portland
Providence
Raleigh/Durham
Richmond
Rochester
Sacramento
Salt Lake City
San Antonio
San Diego
San Francisco Bay Area
Seattle
Southwest Florida
St. Louis
Tucson
Tulsa
Twin Cities
Virginia Beach/Norfolk
Washington D.C.
West Palm Beach
THINKSTOCK
LEADFEED
SERVICES COVERED
LeadFeed is active in the
following categories:
Appliance Repair
Carpet Cleaning
Ceramic Tile
Countertops
Decks & Porches
Doors
Drywall
Electrical
Flooring Sales/Installation/Repair
Garage Doors
Gutter Repair & Replacement
Handyman
Heating & A/C
Housecleaning
Insulation
Landscaping
Lawn & Yard Work
Moving
Painting-Exterior
Painting-Interior
Pest Control/Exterminating
Plumbing
Remodeling-General
Remodeling-Kitchen & Bathroom
Roofing
Tree Service
Windows
ADVICE
Is a Short-Term Business Loan
RIGHT FOR YOU?
THIS CONTENT IS SPONSORED BY ONDECK
MORE ONLINE
Click HERE to learn more about a small business loan from OnDeck.
9
Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
What Loan Purpose is a Good
Fit for Short-Term Financing?
Here are four examples of loan purposes
suited for a short-term loan:
1
2
3
4
Project start-up costs: Ramping up a
new project can include upfront costs
that can be recouped in 60 or 90 days.
Overcoming a short-term seasonal cash
flow slump: Many seasonal businesses
sometimes require additional capital
to meet expenses between seasons.
Launching a marketing campaign:
Financing a marketing campaign could
be a good use for a short-term loan.
Covering unexpected expenses:
An unexpected expense could be solving
an emergency plumbing crisis or repairing
a piece of critical business equipment.
MATT MUKERJEE/ANGIE’S LIST
Loan purpose, credit profile and other factors play an important role in
determining where a business owner should look for financing. Buying
a new warehouse or heavy piece of equipment has very different financing needs than a service business launching a new marketing campaign
or filling a short-term cash flow gap.
Most of us would never use a 30-year mortgage to purchase a new
automobile — the total interest expense would make the automobile
prohibitively expensive. Loan purpose helps determine whether shortterm financing or long-term financing make sense.
Business expenses like purchasing equipment that can be amortized
over several years may not always be a good way to use short-term
financing, however a short-term business loan can be a great tool that
allows you to take advantage of unexpected opportunities or meet other
short-duration challenges.
There are more financing options available today than ever before,
but knowing which type of financing makes the most sense might not
always be obvious. For example, while the total cost of a short-term loan
will often be lower than a longer-term loan, the periodic payment will
likely be higher. Considering loan purpose before you start your search
will help you know which could be a better fit.
TRADE SHOW
Angie’s List Draws Crowds at
International Builders’ Show
BY CAITLIN DELK
For the first time, Angie’s List
exhibited at the NAHB International Builders’ Show from
January 19 to 21. More than
110,000 builders, general contractors, remodelers, designers and flooring professionals
gathered at the Las Vegas
Convention Center for the
largest annual light construction show in the world.
“Working at the IBS
show was a great
opportunity to connect
with thousands of
service providers
and discuss the value
Angie’s List offers.”
Attendees were able to
complete a free business profile or optimize their existing
profile with Business Center
experts, and hundreds of
providers took advantage of
the opportunity. Angie’s List
specialists had conversations
with thousands of business
owners that stopped by the
booth about advertising
opportunities and our new
product, LeadFeed.
“We know consumers
want to find best-in-class
Service providers received help updating their Angie’s List business profiles
during the International Builders’ Show.
DOUG MCSCHOOLER/ANGIE’S LIST
10 Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
TRADE SHOW
Brian Stiegelmeyer of Angie’s List, above, talks with an attendee
at the show. Jason Ryan of M. Johnson Contracting (below left)
won a GoPro camera at the Angie’s List booth and poses with
magician Lee Lentz (below and right) who entertained and
educated attendees about Angie’s List throughout the event.
DOUG MCSCHOOLER/ANGIE’S LIST
products and services. This show allowed us
to both introduce LeadFeed to some of the most
engaged contractors in the country and evaluate new building products in the market,” says
Michael Benz, Director of Strategic Accounts.
Angie’s List employees enjoyed meeting the
contractors they often don’t get to meet in person.
“Working at the IBS show was a great opportunity
to connect with thousands of service providers
and discuss the value Angie’s List offers,” says
Brian Stiegelmeyer, Manager of the Angie’s List
Business Center. “We were able to show that we
care about building successful relationships with
businesses. It’s important to us.”
Thanks so much for everyone who was able
to stop by and visit.
SAVE THE DATE
The 2017 International Builders’ Show will be held January
10-12 in Orlando, Florida. Don’t forget to mark your calendar!
11 Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
ARE
YOU AN
EXPERT?
BRANDON SMITH/ANGIE’S LIST
If you’re a highly rated company with serious industry know-how and insider information for consumers, you could be a great fit for our Experts Contributor Program. We’re looking for knowledgeable
service providers, such as yourself, to provide regular articles for readers of our website and magazine.
Submitting articles to our Experts Contributor Program is about much more than getting your
name in a byline. Your articles inform consumers looking to hire and build your brand as an expert
service provider in your field, expanding your reach to consumers. Consider the following benefits:
BRAND EXPOSURE
AN OPEN-ENDED COMMITMENT
By sharing articles, you can promote your
company’s in-depth expertise and experience
to the AngiesList.com audience and beyond.
Contribute as many consumer-focused
articles or high-quality photos as you
prefer – there is no limit to how many
articles you can share.
CONTENT MARKETING AND SEARCH
ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
If you’re already using advertising, website or
social media efforts, supplement your efforts
with this free content marketing channel. If
you and your articles qualify, we can link to
your company’s social media accounts and/or
possibly your company website.
12 Angie’s List Toolbox | Spring 2016
FEEDBACK FROM EXPERIENCED
CONSUMER EDITORS
Angie’s List has been creating articles and
information with consumers in mind for
almost 20 years, so if you’re not sure where
to start or what to write about, Experts’
online editors are more than happy to help.
We have published
more than 1,000
Experts articles
on topics from
plumbing to
interior design
to roofing.
Think you have what it
takes to be an Expert
with Angie’s List?
What are you waiting for? Get started
today by submitting
a 300-800 word
consumer-focused
article with a highquality photo HERE.