Make your business visible
Photo: Callum Hill, Unsplash
An interesting new venture has been created to help small businesses stay visible—without breaking the bank—whether they are in the Shuswap, the Okanagan or, ultimately, anywhere across Canada.
It will also help those who have trouble finding the contractor they need.
Owen Fellows, a Salmon Arm tiler, has added entrepreneur to his resumé thanks to JobWorks, a hyper-local website and mobile app he designed to help small businesses connect with clients in a simple and affordable way. The platform is expected to go live in June, with a pre-subscription phase already underway.
The idea began about two and a half years ago when Fellows looked to the internet to advertise his own tiling business. He found the options from the big companies to be out of his price range or simply not addressing his company’s needs. So he grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper, and got to work.
The final product is built for simplicity.
“People who are not tech savvy can use the platform,” Fellows says. “It’s not overwhelming with many things you have to click on. It’s done step by step.”
The service costs $19.99 a month and includes a personalized business profile where users can upload logos, list services, insurance coverage, credentials and communities in which they wish to be discovered. Users can also list their primary trade and secondary skills, allowing for broader visibility across several communities—like Salmon Arm, Enderby and Sicamous, for example.
JobWorks isn’t just for tradespeople. Fellows believes it will appeal to other local professionals like accountants and marketing consultants as well.
The website or app is free for anyone to search for trades or businesses, and customers can make a profile at no charge. That way, when they want to look for a specific trade or business to do work, their location is already in the profile they have made.
Each small business profile includes a unique QR code that can be used on marketing materials and by clients to leave reviews. The points-based review system scores businesses on communication, workmanship and pricing, helping top-rated users rise up the ranks in their respective categories.
“My main goal on this is to make something affordable for businesses to keep going, especially with inflation,”Fellows says. “There’s ebbs and flows in any type of trade. It’s those times when it’s slow that they wish they had something that was still advertising them that wasn’t costing an absolute fortune.”
Fellows says JobWorks is just getting started, with more features in development. For now, the landing page is live and accepting sign-ups. Those who register during the pre-subscription phase will receive their first two months free.
After providing a name and email address, users will receive a link and code once the site officially launches, allowing them to activate their free trial. There’s no penalty for cancellation.
“I just want to help small businesses,” Fellows says.
To sign up or to learn more information, visit the JobWorks website here.
This article is written by or on behalf of the sponsoring client and does not necessarily reflect the views of Okanagan Edge.
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