Just joined the forum here. I'd like to know if anyone can give me advice on a web site in progress where I will be offering my web development services primarily to local businesses in San Diego.
Now I know this may come across like an underhanded way of getting you all to look at my site and possibly use my services but the truth is that I don't use PayPal (I can't stand them), do not have a merchant account and can't afford one just now, and am just not set up to otherwise receive money from people who do not live in the San Diego area (who can deposit directly into my bank account or where I can pick up a check from them in person). So you can lay that idea completely to rest.
I honestly just want valuable input from internet marketers on the overall look and presentation at my site.
A couple of things that I am particularly interested in getting input on.
Is the overall look and feel too gaudy for a business web site? Overall do the colors and elements blend to together to make it a pleasant experience to read my site?
Are my pages too wordy? I have broken away from the mold of many sites in not being too succint (i.e. short on words). I write well and have used that to write what needs to be said. But I guess I am wondering if perhaps I have overdone it. I may be able to shorten things up some but not by much if I am to get across what I feel it neccessary to get across to propspective clients.
Also on the page about Introductory Specials, at the very bottom, I state that as a committed Christian I cannot in good conscience work on certain web sites. How does that sentence come across in the context of the rest of the page. I think it's important to let prospective clients know this but perhaps I could have placed this sentence somewhere else or reworded it differently.
Any other input, assuming anyone is actually going to go look at my site would be most appreciated.
Incidentally my eventual goal is to do what Lynn is doing over the Internet (though I may not focus exactly on the passive streams of income she has set up for herself) so my goal is in line with what this forum is all about. But I have to generate some faster and more immediate income on my way toward that goal and that is what I am doing and want to do more of with my web development business.
Thanks.
Carlos
PS. Oh...I neglected to mention that the site is in development (won't be completed for a couple of more days) so the multi-colored outlines you see on it, the lack of perfectly colored reflection at the bottom below the footer, and other similar quirks and unfinished business at my site are there because...well...it's unfinished .
Last edited by carlos123; August 17th, 2009 at 12:17 PM.
Reason: Added PS.
I had not yet checked what I have so far in Microsoft Internet Explorer. What version are you using?
So far I have only concentrated on getting it to look right in Opera, Firefox, and Chromium (the underlying project for Google's Chrome Browser). I run strictly Linux on my own computer where I develop things so I can't check directly in Internet Explorer (well...not without the hassle of rebooting into Window that is ).
But there is a site that will actually return to me screen shots of my site running on various browsers on various other operating systems. I had intended to check there soon.
I will especially do so now that you alerted me to this.
I will add that to my list of things to do later today if not tomorrow. I want to get it looking just right in standards compliant browsers like Opera and Firefox first before I start messing with Internet Explorer quirks and trying to get around their sometimes non-standard rendering of web pages.
That's better than trying to develop for Internet Explorer first and then breaking the standards of proper web page rendering being followed by other browsers to cater to Internet Explorer's sometimes quirkiness.
Regarding an email address though. It's been my experience that a lot of web sites use a contact form in place of giving out an email address. Once visitors make contact of course the email address becomes obvious but not until they have first used the contact form. I think I will use that approach rather than providing an email address outright on the site.
I like your idea of a photo. I will definitely have to put that in there.
And the physical address is a good idea too.
I was concerned about the site being too gaudy but it's great to know that it doesn't seem that way to you. So I will leave the fancy, swirly, light show in my header and footer as is.
Your right about the focus on the competition. That might not be so good. I will have to see about either reworking the emphasis of the page or else cutting it down a lot. I might just move the paragraph about me at the bottom to the top and then work my way through the competition toward the bottom instead of the other way around. Don't know about that yet because I do think it's important to address what the view of those stopping by might be regarding the competition (those pesky unspoken but powerful objections that might be rolling around in someone's head) but I will definitely take what you said into account.
You weren't kidding when you said you write a lot, were you?
I like what you've done with your site, however it seems like the right-hand column needs to have something in it. I'm wondering if you're planning to include something there at some point. If not, perhaps you'll consider it. It just leaves the page seeming off-balance.
Re your home page. While I like what you've written "And Then...There's Me", it seems a little out of place. I think perhaps it will be better on your "About" page. The Home page ought to talk more about features and benefits to your customers/clients.
For your Contact page, since you don't want to provide a telephone number...what about if you got an 800 #. I use Kall8 for my 800 #. It costs $2/month, plus tax, for long distance...short messages. I have my calls set to go into my voice mail, Kall8 sends me an email voice mail that I got a call, I do not answer those calls when they come in but rather get the email voice message and then call the person back.
Also, re: an email address...although your form works, maybe you could also consider a gmail account.
And if you don't want to include a physical address, you could get a P.O. Box number. But do, please, at least add your state. People like to know who they are making contact with...or at least how to contact them when they want to contact them. While I do respect that you want to remain private and understand your not wanting to give out information, as your site is now it's a bit shrouded in secrecy.
At the very least, consider adding a sentence indicating when you might be getting back with them when they fill out your form. As in 3-4 hours; or 24 hours, etc.
I also think it would be nice if you have some testimonials from current or past clients. You could include their name, their photo, the name of their business and/or the link to their site.
Thanks very much for your added valuable input. I am so glad I came on this forum and asked for input.
Yeah..I do write a lot. Sort of oozes out me everywhere I go LOL. One word after another. It just flows out of me in an unrestrained free flowing cascade of creative expression. See I am at it again! LOL.
Of course I am never quite satisfied with what I write until like a cow I have had a chance to chew on it some (I seem to have cows on my mind just now...hmm...come to think of it I am getting hungry. Time to go get something to eat...all this thinking and all ).
I will definitely be making some changes in line with what everyone on this thread has suggested. Later tonight or tomorrow.
By the way I am not sure what I could put on the right hand side of the page. Maybe just having an empty sidebar on the right might make the site look a bit more balanced. I will have to try that.
Can someone advise me on my web site?
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