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4 bedroom, 2 baths, 2-story 1930's Colonial home for rent in downtown West Palm Beach, FLORIDA close to Palm Beach, the Atlantic Ocean, City Place and Clematis Street,
olivewpb@yahoo.com or call us at 202-787-3819
$3900 month
 Owners
olivewpb@yahoo.com

hey

nice work! I found myself instantly attracted to you and felt I could trust you.

but a photo of you would be a really really great idea. very important in fact.

I also took a look at your alternative designs and I actually found them a bit too corporate. They look slick and in a way I found your original site much more humble and straightforward. Its not that I dont like or understand graphic design (my girlfriend is a web designer www.stylofoam.com plug plug!) but everyone is right - you DONT need a fancy site. in the line of work you are in, people want someone reliable, honest, trustworthy, to the point, etc etc. not sugar coated slick.

I think you should concentrate on the message, layout of info (number etc) and offers rather than the design. just add images that back up your friendly chat.

I think something like this was mentioned in a previous brick (about the online specs site that was too corporate).
I imagine that with a few pictures of yourself, pictures of your work and a few satisfied customers standing infront of their newly plastered wall with their thumbs up with their arm round your shoulder or a cup of tea in hand - this would inspire people to feel that you are an approachable, honest guy. even the small spelling mistakes someone spotted dont bother me. I dont care if the guy who comes to fit my boiler spells a bit like me. I just want him to do a quality job and be honest... :)

so even if the photos you put up are badly taken, out of focus - it would simply reinforce the point that you are a serious, down to earth kinda guy. it wouldnt look staged. Your site is simple, humble but actually I liked it a lot (and I look at and critique a lot of sites as a second opinion for my g/f).

I liked all your offers and discounts. it shows you stand behind your work and want to make long term relationships with your customers, not just take their money and run. builders often have a rep for ripping people off, rightly or wrongly, and recomended handimen (which is I guess where you have started out) are worth a lot. in a funny kinda way, Im not sure that having a slicker site will necesarily help with this!

in my opinion (while im at it) the fact that you did your own site and offer to help people with theirs is not a bad thing. you are selling yourself as a 'can do' multitasker, 'Ill turn my hand to anything' and so someone who knows how to handle a computer as well as plumbing is showing off your flexiblity as a handiman. I agree you might not get a lot of web work out of it, but thats not my point.

so make the testimonials much more detailed, and show off your work in honest photos. it will say everything you want to say.

good luck!

simon
www.bcnsound.com

I agree with the comment that the site is re-assuring. Wish I had a handy man like you in my 'hood'. Three comments:

1. Your phone number is the main piece of info on the whole site. You want calls - stick the number onto your mast head at the top of every page so that a 'convinced' website visitor doesn't have to go searching for your number.

2. Testimonials, in our sadly cynical times, are either made up of provided by friends and family. Get your best and happiest customers to agree to you publishing 'case studies': a few real stories on what the job at hand was and how you provided a great solution. Pics may help.

3. You make 2 promises based on which I'd hire you i.e the money back gurantee and the 25% discount. Make these stand out by at least making just these two statements appear in bold.

Good luck,
Rajhev
rajhev@greenfiremarketing.com

I would cut out the last paragraph in the "Are you ready to call me" section. Whilst this may be a good add-on service, for people visiting the site i would imagine their focus would be on handy-man type jobs not IT-man type jobs. For me, this distracted from your core service offering.

A good test would be to see how many customers used your IT skills as their first service. If it is close to zero (as i guess it will be) then there's little need for the last paragraph...

Charlie Mowat
Standard Office Cleaning (UK) Limited
"Cleaners Who Care"
www.standardofficecleaning.com
020 7091 9721

Yeh liked it. It was chatty and easy going. It's a great idea and i hope it really works (i guess it will) The only thing i didn't notice is how far you were willing to travel or what areas you covered. But good idea.

Good, simple site. You should start a service like this in every major town. I didn't really want to know where you are based because I was impressed by the "say it as it is" approach - if only our MP's where like your site! It's a tough one - it's a service which people will probably go away and think about. So you could try having a button that makes your page their home page, so that when the potential customer starts their internet browser, you're there instead of just lurking in their favourites list.

Clare, www.jobsonsgarage.co.uk

Nice simple site but agree with comments about where are you? Who are you? What are you (qualified to do?. However, also like to add that the style and quality of English is not so great... including American spelling of "neighborhood".
It's all about professionalism.

Good site - gives the information that's needed. Sometimes over complicated flashy websites aren't needed. Only frustration was finding out where you are based.

Hi Nick
have just looked at your new versions. I liked the simplicity of your old site which looked 'reassuring'. Your new sites look a bit 'cheesy'? I think that its the photo - I'd like to see a picture of your face, then I feel reassured that when you turn up I know that its you. Otherwise I would get the feeling that you are a 'front' for a number of tradespople that you have got off the street and I won't know who is turning up in my home. I also agree with the following points: 1. being clearer about your services, 2.having a BIG telephone number on the front page so that stands out and 3. clearly showing your area. GOOD LUCK!
from Bronwen (in Leeds)

Great idea for a site.
Firstly, being a photographer, yep you need some photos!
Its very wordy, and times font can be hard to read, as is black text on a white background - something a dyslexic web designer friend told me, use arial as its plainer.
I would have a map on the first page - even if its a styleized one that shows the area you cover, outline of the M25 or north/south circular, river thames through the middle and then some of the services you offer- and have some fun with it - a shelf in sherness a plumber in pimlico a handy man in harwich.... off the top of my head!
also who are your target clients? is it older people who cant climb a ladder anymore or is it the city exec types who dont have time, but have the money?
just some thoughts for you , hope all goes well...good luck
Michael
www.mrbird.co.uk

I love the simple style; it reminds me of a parish newsletter advert - ignore the recomendation about colour, what you have is something that is easy to print out in black and white and stick on the fridge for when you need it. Which brings us to the problem; it needs the contact details on every page!
If you click rapidly between pages (Wlecome, Service, etc) you will see that the whole page jumps slightly to the left or right. This is due to an inconsistency in the way that you have used the tables to position the text in the page.
Lose the dodgy javascript - the function that isn't called, the call to the function that doesn't exist...
Get somebody to check the grammar and tidy up the punctuation: exactly what does "I am working properly" mean? Not siezed up? Not slacking?
Finally, the website is by "Handierman" Why not add a mailto: link for those of us who would prefer to email rather than fill in the online form?

hi,

thought the idea is great - and I will definately keep your details!!

Home page: too texty - maybe some bullet points?

Otherwise, I would have thought some straight exposure would do the trick

Yeah, took me a while before realised you did plumbing and electrical work. First impression was, "small jobs" = hanging a picture, or putting up a shelf.

Also, it was too difficult to see you are London based. This frustrates.

I agree with Glenda's comment. It took me 2 pages of reading and a mouse link before I could figure out what you provided. Most people take <5 secs to evaluate the site and will leave unless really interested in your offering (i.e. captive market). That's not what you want.

Apart from that, your site functions. It's clear and concise. You don't need an all singing all dancing flash site for the services and message you're portraying.

Your full name and contact number(s) should be clearly visible on every page, especially the first. You don't have an identity otherwise. Being in the trade, that's important to separate you from the cowboys.

Keep up the good work and I hope the work comes rolling in.

Nick, you advertise a great service in a very convincing way but it took me a while to find exactly what you did and if I wasn't being constructive at your invitation I might have given up. I would have liked a one line introduction (the sort you would use at a networking event when asked what you do). Your USP is then immediately obvious in what you've written.

I agree with those who say it would be better to appear to be a company rather than just one man and you've got the name in your domain name!

I also think you need to reassure me that you have the skills and qualifications to fulfil your promise especially in view of the new regulations on electrical work.

You've got a great business concept but I'm not sure how many potential customers would search the internet to find your service (I think Yellow Pages is the more obvious, if expensive, route). You'll therefore have to work hard to promote the website but you've clearly made a great start today!

I wish you lots of luck I'm sure there's a great demand for what you do and just hope you are in West London! (I did try to click on the revisions you mention in your response but the link didn't work)
Glenda Shawley
www.thetrainingpack.co.uk

Edited by author 21-04-2005 07:52 PM
Thanks to everyone for the comments, I really appreciate them and intend to make maximum use of every piece of advice.

So far every second person says I need to put my address details on the site, and make them easy to see. Luckily, this is not hard to do so it becomes the first thing on my list. Thanks Debbie, Jane, Jan, David, Robin, Andy, Geoff, Susie, John Garghan, Lee, Odtaa, Julie, Sampa, Lee Carnihan, Jim, Paul Jennions.

The second most recommended change is some more "wow factor", as Nancy Brown has put it. This is not so easy, but was quite obvious to me as well, so I'm already working on it. If anyone can be bothered to have a look, I have placed a couple of images, working versions of a new design here. Thanks Chris Price, Jane Hogan, ,Hugh Wormington, Liz, Andy, Geoff, Nancy, Sarah, Paul Lakeman, Sampa, Paul Jennions, Glenn.

Next is a photo of myself - I was afraid I would make myself too important by putting a picture of me on the site, but obviously it is not such a bad idea. Thanks Liz, Sarah, Lee Carnihan, Jim.

Then with equal importance come the suggestions to get rid of the computer stuff and use less words/text. The first couldn't be easier; the second couldn't be harder... I will see what I can do. Hugh Wormington gives me an idea in this direction, which I most likely will use. Thanks Matt(not Weston), Andy, Geoff, Lee, Odtaa, Julie, Barry, Hugh.

Chris Wormington, I have tried before to use absolute positioning, which is much easier compared to building a complex table, but it doesn't work in older browsers. I remember seeing all my layers in the top left corner on top of each other and that was the last time I used absolute positioning. May be it is time to revisit the idea though.

Chris Wright, I don't really have any important information that my clients would be pleased to read. If that changes, I would consider starting up a newsletter, but right now my newsletter would end up in people's junk mail folder.

Big thanks to everyone again, you have been very helpful, I hope there are more comments to come.

Good Layout...

Could do with an injection of colour.

Company Formation Wizard

Edited by author 21-04-2005 06:49 PM
Hi there,

I agreed with most of the previous posts pictures are a must. What's your landline number? e-mail address?

Your say your area is London? Big place that!!

I've just started out, 2 months ago who said you look like a "Jack of all trades" and whats wrong with that? I wonder.

http://www.jackofalltradesnw.co.uk

Good luck - Paul

Hi
Nice clear web site -I know what you do and how much you charge.
I don't know where you operate from - forgive me if its there but since you had asked me to crtique the site I probably spent longer looking than I would have done in real life and I still didn't find it. Your service is personal so location is important.

I agree with the other comments about pictures and colour, work you have done, - before + after would help to convince us that you are capable, maybe with an indication of the cost to the customer. A picture of you working would also help. Hopefully you turn up looking smart and leave the house clean - say so since most tradesmen don't.

Any qualifications would persuade me to use you, as would trade memberships if appropriate. It might be worth presenting the site as a company rather than an individual.

Finally the pages did not load quickly but as other people said they were good hopefully that was a glitch.

Nick your site tells us everything but for my taste a little to wordy, a picture paints a thousand words (I sound like Telly Savalas). Business concept is excellent though.

Good luck - Barry

Hi there,
Your site loads extremely quickly - which is always a bonus!!! It has all the necessary information too. These two things alone make it good but not not great. I recommend using some photography or graphics to make your site more visually appealing - people make a lot of decisions based on what they see, and not on what they read (rightly or wrongly). The "any comments" part is a nice idea but I think you need to be more specific about what you want people to comment on.

The "prices" section is of course essential and plainly worded - this could either be interpreted as straight to the point or a little austere. I'd of course tell people how much things cost but perhaps you should also focus people's attention on how much they'd be getting for their money i.e. the "VALUE" to them of paying what you're asking - if you only focus on telling people the price then you will be judged according to price. (Perceived) value, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder - keep your "price" attached to the "reason to buy".

I hope this helps.

Lee

http://www.carnihan.co.uk (web designer)

Edited by author 21-04-2005 05:18 PM
Good site and good business concept. I am sure the simplicity helps with the quick loading (which was really good!), but the web is a visual medium and you ought to put some images in there to make the site a bit more exciting.

It took some navigating to find out exactly where you operate and what services you offer. I think that ought to be on your opening page.

It would also be nice to know immediately one gets to your site what qualifies you for this work - training, eperience, professional certification etc. The guarantee is good, but it only comes in after things have gone wrong - I would like to trust that things will not go wrong because the reason I would go to a specialist in the first place is the guarantee that there is little chance of things going wrong.

I think this site has potential, but it is too wordy at the moment. Consider bullet points, or highlight key words out of the text. Putting your prices up front is good as it gets it out in the open.

The testimonials are good, but probably need a location after the name to give the depth. Plus your location does need to be clearer.

I also think you need to put a landline telephone number on. I would never trust a website that ran from a mobile number only. (you could always set your landline up to ring your mobile anyway).

Finally, I agree with the previous comment - the web design bit is confusing. Put it on a separate website - it is always best to stay focused on what the consumer wants (and expects) and if they are clicking on handiman, they are not expecting web design.

Hope this helps - good luck.

I strongly agree with Lee Choules views. You need

location

I would suggest if you want to do web design do it as a seperate domain with a link from your site.

If the site only used your description of services and prices with the Ronseal 'exactly what it says on the can'approach would have got me to give you a call if you lived near me.

But the web design etc would have put me right off.

The site is clean and clear and understandable. I have acouple of comments, firstly there are no address details, I find that this can put people off, not actually having an address to refer to. Plus it is not clear where you will work. Also, are you a handy man, or are you a website/pc person, I was surprised to see ads for web page design and pc repair, to me it implies your a jack of all trades...which may not be the right impression you want to create to people. Some pics of previous work, of you and your van etc wouldnt go a miss either. Best of luck!
http://www.londonlifeclinic.co.uk

like the idea but agree that the site is too plain and simple. The logo idea is excellent. keep working at it ,it will come

Agree with previous msg cant see you travelling up the M1 to do a job for me. How about a title Nicks Handyman Service in Birmingham on every page

I think this is a very convincing web site but it took me a while to find out where you work...I think it would definitely help to make your desired work location/radius more prominent .....photos of 'past jobs'????? All the best, wish you lived North of the border!

Hi Nick,

This is a great business idea, and I agree with everyone that the site is clear and easy to read. But - the site is just too plain and simple. It's impersonal! We need to know about you, because you ARE the service you're offering. Talk to us as if you're a person, be less formal and more 'user friendly' and yes, get those pictures in!

Good luck!

Sarah
The Datca Soap Company
http://www.datcasoap.com

Hi Nick, great first web site. It took me a while to work out what it was for. I felt that some pictures would make the sight look more appealing. I liked the way the tabs are easy to use and the site is easy tonavigate around, but I feel it lacks a bit of 'wow' factor on your first page.

Hi, having looked at your site I would say on the plus side it is quick to navigate around which alleviates waiting - which I hate. My recommendations would be:
Put you locality and contact details clearly on each page.
Cut the verbage and use bullet points - it is much easier then to see what you do. Personally, if there are too many words I look elsewhere.
Pictures and graphics are good to make the site more attractive.

A nice clean site, easy to read and navigate.

Maybe by setting up a database of customers you could start to build a list of people to whom you could email any marketing (just as an aside, I can help you to do that if you want)

Cheers

Having read the other entries to date on this site, I would agree with most of the thoughts, such as location, location, location.. and some nice piccies.

Like the logo (clean and simple) but it gives an impression of building maintenance / construction (which is part what you do) but the home page doesn't actually say anything along those lines? There is an "additional services" section to the right which talks about computer stuff, which left me slightly confused. I needed to click on your "services" tab to find out what you actually did (and where you did it). That may be one click too far for some. Remember, if people don't "see" the message instantly, their gaze will wander - to other sites.

Another thing that hasn't been mentioned so far is the dotted borders around each section? It makes it look like a magazine article. (Sorry Mr Weston, I know yours also has dotted lines everywhere - but yours are smaller and more subtle).

Good luck

Andy ~ Freeman Solutions Ltd
www.freemansolutions.co.uk

Great site, nice and simple.
The only thing missing is location. I confess, I didn't find it in my quick trawl through. But I think what areas he covers has to be on the front page.

Rob

A good simple site that does the job and that isn't too 'busy'. The only slight frustration for me was the fact that I had to go through the site twice before I found the 'I work in London' line, maybe this should be emphasised on the splash page so it is obvious to those within the M25 and those outwith?
Best of luck with the venture.

Nice clean well organized site. It needs a big fat headline. Hit the reader with a huge benefit right from the word go. And better subheads will help too. Instead of "key benefits" write a few short words (as a subhead) that sum up the key benefit. Do this throughout. :) Hope that helps.

I like the simpleness of the site, but are you planning to remain a one man band forever? Think about how much you would need to change it to increase your service levels to more than just you....maybe you will take on some staff, how do you keep the personalised approach?
Agree you need a picture of you (and then your team!) on it.

I am sure you will be innundated with enquiries about your services soon though, which areas do you cover?

Best of luck

Jan Harrison
The Really Special Events Company
01625 521113
www.reallyspecialevents.co.uk

It has a friendly, personable feel to it but it definitely needs more images and a photo of the man himself! The handyman IS the business, so a photo of him is a must. Customers want to know who they can expect at the door.

Great site - gives the impression you want to get the job done. I think some pictures would help the communication by lightening it up a bit.
I felt that Dealing with one man who does everything is less hassle than dealing with everyone who does something is a key message, and could be in bigger font. Followed by a picture of a smiling handyman (you)!

I think you offer lots of benefits and have really addressed what people hate about other handymen. Maybe there are almost too many, and having the benefits first before I know what you do, where you do it (most important, it will cost you a lot of time fielding enquiries from too far away) and other stuff like contact details loses the effect a bit.

maybe you could split into 'about me' and 'working with me' and 'prices and guarantees' and 'customer testimonials'

Some pics would definitely bring the site to life - if pics of sockets you have fitted would be a bit dull maybe put a montage of your customers in!

Good luck

Jane

What a refreshing change. Someone who believes the website is a tool and not your business.

Its very straightforward and doesn't beat around the bush.

However (there's gotta be a however) I believe people first read a website like a picture. They look for focal points, reasons to read on or click. That's not to say that you necessarily need pictures because the site can be graphically interesting by changing the size, weight and color of the text.

The best way to do that is not by making them bold but using heading tags. Would you consider building the website without tables becasue its a perfect candidate for style sheet based design and you would have concise logical code under the hood.
Chris Price, Choctaw

Basic and to the point. No frills needed, it's almost like a Ronseal site....it says it on the tin. Nick's site says it plain and simple.My only fear is by putting up a site how will you get round the entire country!
One request, put capital letters on your Title Line.
Best of luck speedy
Debbie Short ~ JeaP Clothing & Promotions
www.jeap.co.uk

Nick

I like this site. It's not fussy or clever, so to me it implies you spend your time being practical not playing about - which is what I want in a handyman. I particularly like a) the clearly laid out services and prices and b) the moneyback guarantees.

One small criticism - the link to the second sample web site is broken.

My partner launched as a handyman (who also does PC work and builds web sites!) in Oxford last year and I will be passing this on to him.
Re getting work, I guess that the biggest issue is how to get your site showing in the results pages and selecting good key words for ads.
Well done & good luck

jayne@promotional4u.com
01865 423643