Get to work: New directory puts Catholic-owned businesses online

HireACatholic.com, a Web-based advertising directory, encourages support for local Catholic businesses. HireACatholic.com then donates a portion of those ad sales back to local parishes and charities.

The concept came about a year and a half ago when Sound Mission Media — parent company of HireACatholic.com — began working with local churches to enhance their outreach, particularly through modern media. Sound Mission Media designs Web sites for five diocesan parishes and helps others with various projects, including videos.

Ad sales funded media outreach while helping Catholic business owners reach more customers.

“Catholics are wired to support one another, but there’s a lack of organization,” said Duke Beattie, HireACatholic.com’s information technology director.

The whole idea of “praying with your plumber” appealed to Chris Muglia, media director at HireACatholic.com. He said local Catholics could be praying next to a qualified plumber, contractor or accountant at Mass each week and not know it.

Muglia hopes to use the power of media to change that. HireACatholic.com supplements what many parish bulletins already offer: ads for Catholic-owned companies that keep local parishioners in business.

They’re working on creating a Web page that looks like the advertising page of each parish’s bulletin. Each company that advertises with HireACatholic.com will have its parish bulletin ad linked to the more interactive ad at HireACatholic.com.

The online directory uses search engine optimization, video, audio and links to create a place where both advertisers and customers can get the most for their money. Some 10 to 40 percent of that revenue will go to the parish.

“We want to make sure that everybody wins in regards to commerce and the Church,” Muglia said.

He added that the directory is in its infancy and is positioned for a growth spurt. The directory already has 116 advertisers in 24 categories. Most groups list a handful of companies or less.

“Home repair and improvement” has the most ads at 22. It’s the only section in the directory split into subcategories.

Each entry includes the business name, address, phone number and, if desired, its owner’s parish affiliation. Others also feature a brief company description and a full-color logo.

More high-tech ads are linked to a full-page, full-color ad that puts perspective customers one click away from e-mailing the company or visiting its Web site. The page also displays more detailed business information and a map to its location.

HireACatholic.com’s video component also makes the online directory unique. Videos automatically play when perspective customers view the full-page ads. Muglia said the videos add excitement and convey a company’s tone.

Beattie said some advertisers shy away from the camera or worry that they don’t have the resources for a top-notch video ad.

“Your video doesn’t have to be pristine to be highly effective,” Beattie said noting the popularity of amateur videos receiving hundreds and thousands of views on YouTube.com, a popular video sharing Web site.

“If a photo is worth a thousand words, then a video has got to be worth a million words,” he added.

Beattie said prospective customers are more likely to watch a 30-second to three-minute ad than read a static text ad. Six Catholic-owned companies, from handyman services to marketing and Web services, hope so too.

They paid for a video ad on HireACatholic.com. The content varies from videos featuring narration, text and music to featuring the business owner describing its services or customers taking advantage of them. Most clips run about 90 seconds.

That’s how long Kevin Boudreau’s video for Boudreau Consulting, LLC, runs in the multimedia directory. It starts with an image of a wobbly toddler holding his parent’s hand and the typed phrase, “Everyone needs a helping hand.”

The remainder of the ad highlights the firm’s financial and accounting services through narration and soothing piano music over a reverse type screen. It talks about trust being the firm’s principal pillar.

“We run a firm that is based on the ethical foundation that our faith preaches, so it is a logical match,” Boudreau said of why he advertised in the directory.

“Hire A Catholic tries to match individuals and businesses that hopefully have common values. In a trust business like ours, that is the type of client we are looking for.”

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