A bit of advice please

Design is very subjective so take or leave what I say

I don't like the way the site stretches right from the top of the browser window down to the bottom without having a border around it. I guess its a small thing but it just distracts me and takes my focus away from the center of the screen.

Big green gap to the right is a waste of space, fill it up with something useful: testimonials or whatever.

w3c says there are 56 errors on the home page so you cannot say you adhere to web standards. I am not one of these people that think web standards must be done on every page of your site because with some stuff its just not possible but not having any of your pages validating is just going to make you look bad

If you could make the pictures in the portfolio section direct links to the websites that would be handy.

No prices, clarity is something clients really appreciate

The contact form has that drop down but no option for for web design enquiry or just some sort of general enquiry.

You have a 0 page rank so you need to put major work into that before you start gaining business from search engines. Until you start to get a decent rank you will have to rely on word of mouth and getting out in the field to win some business.

Coming first for web design in cleveland in the uk doesnt mean anything as I can't imagine many people search under that term.

I hope you found my comments useful and practical
Terry

Hi James,

You've already got some cracking advice. Hope this random collection of observations gets close to a similar standard.

When you read it please don’t mistake my occasional well-meaning bluntness for me being a grade one know-it-all. I’m not and I most certainly don’t. I’m just passionate about making a difference if I can (even more so when I get paid for it!).

1. Your website home page begins with the words 'We are a small web design company'. You might want to think about what your customers want to hear from you - as opposed to what you want to tell them. This is a subtle yet crucial point. If your customers choose you because you're small then keep it in. However, something like 'Best Value creative web design company' might be stronger USP? I’m sure you can do much better than that. Tell people why they should use you and no body else? And tell them in the first words on your website.

2. As a rule of thumb use the word ‘you’ instead of ‘we’ in the copy. It’ll make it easier for you to focus your copy on your customers needs.

3. Make it as easy as possible for customers to buy from you. Most people cannot be bothered shilly shallying around briefing and discussing projects to get an indication of price. ‘Just tell me how much!’ Work out a few (four or five) fixed page packages and put the price up front. Use your experience so far to guess what most people want in a basic website. Price it out. You can always tweak the level of service once they’ve bitten. But make sure you make it as easy as possible for them to bite!

4. Personalise, personalise and personalise. Brand your packages in accordance with who your key customers are likely to be: e.g. Small Business Starter package – 5 pages £250 and so on. Personalise associated email and written promotional communication along the same lines. Make customers think ‘I’m a small business - so this must be what I need’. Copy should read: ‘Every small business needs XYZ. Our Small Business Website Package gives you XYZ for just £250. Call today etc.”

5. Speaking of personalising communication, Yahoo and Thomson are as impersonal as you can get. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it just keep it personal. Remember you are a ‘bloke’ wanting to help out ‘another bloke’ (or woman). Pick up the phone, knock on doors, visit business events and get your personality winning business for you.

6. Add a bit extra in your pricing so you have room to offer exclusive discounts to key groups. e.g. Business Link exclusive discount 20% off all standard packages.

7. Consider contacting local marketing agencies, printers etc. without a current web design offering and offer them a commission on any of your packages they sell. Mobilise them into a sales force for you. They get to enhance their offering and make a bit too! Be wary of conflicting interest by signing up competitors.

8. EWS? This won’t necessarily directly win you business but consider another trading style (perhaps ‘powered’ by EWS) in the ‘websites4u’ style. Something that does what it says on the tin. Another approach which proves quite memorable and makes you sound a bit cutting-edge creative is the popular colour/animal combo. redelephant, bluekangaroo etc. or opposites like our friend at hotigloo. But not EWS. Sounds like a train company. People like to deal with exciting people not train drivers – with apologies to train-driving forum members. (Take ‘RGPR’ for example – who’d want to do business with a company name like that??!!)

And I haven’t even started on PR! Lucky for you.

Good luck with it.

Cheers,

Richard

PS And what’s that hut in a field all about on the home page?

kyber said:

Richard,

I am not used to you. I have a small poll going with myself on which of our regulars would ask about the hut first. You have come from nowhere and win the lack of a prize.

Stuart

Click to expand...

Hi Stuart,

My wife still isn't used to me. Thanks for letting me know about the lack of prize. Feel free to not mail it to me. Or just not email it me if its easier.

Richard

i like your website, the width is slightly thiner than mine but i have had great reviews of my website, clean easy on the eye and all that. Have you considered payperclick, that way you can target your audience much better. so if you only get a few click they are clicking for a reason and costs will be down low if you have only a few click, and be more expensive if you have lots however if you have difined your ad it will be people you can work with if you see what i mean

www.top-click.co.uk

Hi James,

No probs. I'll give you a bell today.

Richard