The web is working for
New Jersey businesses.
Noah’s Park and Playgrounds
Edmond, Oklahoma
Shannon Shepherd, Co-owner
Husband-and-wife team Shannon (Shan) and DeAnn Shepherd started Noah’s Park and Playgrounds in 2001, designing and installing custom park and playground equipment. They built their first website in 2005, but it wasn’t until they hired Brenda Flesher as their website/marketing director in 2007 that their focus turned online. Shan recalls, “It was clear that the Internet was going to be important, and that’s where we were headed.” In 2011, they started doing online sales, and that’s when they first looked to Google.
The company started using AdWords, Google’s advertising program, at the end of 2011. Brenda recalls, “We stuck our big toe in, and realized it was going to have a really good impact. In the year we started AdWords, we had over 30 percent growth in our profit.” In the next three years they saw profits rise as they began offering their products and services online. DeAnn explains, “While we still have sales representatives in several states, thanks to our Internet presence, we have seen continual growth patterns in states where we do not have boots-on-the-ground sales reps. That’s pretty remarkable.” The company also uses Google Apps for Work. “Due to file size and our image-driven products, it helps to have Google Docs, to be able to share product designs with customers and suppliers,” shared Brenda. And they rely on Google Earth to capture images of the outdoor spaces they are going to design.
Today, the company’s custom playgrounds are being enjoyed on a national scale. “We’re getting customers from all four corners of the country,” says Shan, including the contiguous 48 states and even Hawaii. To achieve this reach, they spend 75 percent of their advertising budget online and continue to see a huge return through AdWords. “In 2014, every dollar we spent on AdWords resulted in over $20 in profits,” shared Brenda. “Google took us from a small family business to a full-fledged company with nationwide exposure. And it has broadened our borders further than we could have on our own,” says DeAnn.
www.noahsplay.com