Simply launching a new website doesn’t guarantee your prospects will show up. Even if your site looks great and offers new conveniences like online ordering, bill pay, and digital contracts, simply having a website won’t bring results, especially if you don’t tell people about it.
Plan Ahead to Meet Your Business Goals
Let’s talk about why a marketing plan should go hand-in-hand with your website redesign. It’s easy to assume, “Well, my regular customers will eventually notice our new site and start using the new features.” And in some cases, that may happen. But if your customers aren’t visiting your website often, or if your goal is to attract new homeowners, businesses, or farms, you’ll need a plan to get the word out.
Consider this scenario:
You launch a new website that allows your customers to get & sign their fall contracts digitally. No waiting for paper contracts and checks to go back and forth in the mail. This should save time, reduce paperwork, and improve cash flow.
Sounds like a win, right?
Yes—but only if your customers know about it.
You Need to Break Old Habits (With a Little Marketing Help)
Your customers are used to doing things the “old way”: writing a check, stopping by the office, or calling you to pay a bill. Habits like those don’t break overnight. Even if doing things online is faster and easier, they’ll keep doing what they’ve always done—unless you tell them it’s time to try something new.
And this is where marketing comes in.
Promoting your new website and online & mobile tools isn’t just about fancy advertising. It’s about communication. Email your customers, post on Facebook, include messages on delivery slips, and put up signs in your office. Train your office staff and delivery drivers on how to tell your customers about the new opportunities available. Do what you need to do to share the news and make it easy for them to transition.
Your Propane Website Is Part of Your Sales Team
Think of your website as a new team member. You wouldn’t hire someone and expect them to succeed without support, training, or a clear plan. Your website deserves the same. With a little strategic planning—like updating your local listings, sharing tips on social media, talking to your customers about it, and sending out reminders—you’ll get much more out of your investment.
Even a small effort can make a big difference. Let your customers know they can:
- Download a mobile app
- Pay bills online
- Request deliveries through a form
- Update their contact or delivery preferences
- Read propane safety tips
- Learn about programs like automatic delivery, tank monitors, bulk buy and any other topics you want to draw attention to.
These features can streamline your operations and free up your team to focus on what really matters—serving customers and growing your business.
Don’t Delay Marketing—It’s Part of the Success Formula
You’ll see better results when you launch a new website with a clear plan for how to promote it, before and after it goes live. At Vivid Image, we help propane marketers create websites that work hard, communicate clearly, and save time. But more importantly, we help you make the most of it with a marketing plan built for your business.
So the next time you consider saying, “We’ll get to that later,” ask yourself:
If I’m not actively telling my customers what I want them to know… who will?
If you’re ready to explore what’s possible, we’d love to talk. From getting found online to increasing customer activity, we’re here to help your propane business grow.
