RE: websites

[bobbin]

How important are they?
How did you decide what you wanted to include on your's?
How important is updating them, and how often do you do that?
Do your customers find you "via the web"?
Are you inundated with millions of e-mail requests? how do you deal that aspect?

(no website yet, but am working hard to come up with a comprehensive package that presents my myriad skills in a concise, fun, inviting way... .  And it's a lot harder than I though it'd be, lol)

[sofadoc]

Mine is still under construction, but you can view it here:   http://www.paynesupholstery.com/
A teenager threw it together for me, it has some page sizing problems, as well as spelling/grammatical errors  that I haven't taken the time to iron out.
I haven't had time to upload many photos to the gallery. It's mostly just some family pics. In fact, I haven't even advertised my website to the public, or any else (until now), yet I still get 3 or 4 jobs a week from it.
There's a whole new generation of kids now that don't even understand the Yellow Pages. When the next phone book comes out, my plan is to advertise my website on my Yellow Page ad for a couple of years, and then downgrade to just the free YP listing.
Bobbin: Since you do so many different types of upholstery, and other sewing work, I suspect that you will spend an enormous amount of time responding to E-Mails.
Yellow Page ads are expensive, websites cost virtually nothing. I don't think you can go wrong with a website.

[Mojo]

Somewhere on this site is a couple write ups I did on websites. I used to consult to companies ( large and small ) on marketing and PR programs and it also included websites. I was just getting ready to retire when the internet took off in a big way so I had a ton of work to do on research.

There have been thousands of studies done on websites and I found the ones I read fascinating. I was also part of focus group research which was very interesting. Layout and color selection is a big thing and research has proved that just selecting the wrong colors and layout can turn off potential customer - big time. I have seen some websites that were so poorly constructed and or written that the business would have been better of not having one.

Websites are extremely important in today's business world. They go much further then the yellow pages of yesteryear. Now days consumers do a lot of their shopping online and while they may not order upholstery work from you online, they are " shopping " you online through researching you against another competitor. This includes looking over your work and researching your level of expertise and professionalism.

I have confidentially looked at several members websites for them here ( for free of course ) and gave them my opinions and the recommended changes I thought they needed. If anyone else wants an opinion they can PM me. I promise not to send you a consultants bill. :)

Will you get deluged with e-mails if you put up a website ? Not likely in this business. But a website should be part of your overall marketing plan. It gives customers a chance to research you and your company in a non obtrusive way and from the comfort of their own home.

Do a search and see if any of my earlier posts pop up on this subject.

In a nutshell, a web presence is very important in any modern day business.

Chris

[Mike8560]

many peoplew find me on the web. thoose that dont can look at my work after seeing a paper add we somtime run.I dont update much but using homestead I can easily if i want. and my costs are under $200 for two years.
I just shoe all thet we do
www.bayviewcanvas.com

[JuneC]

I get a lot of jobs from my website, but very few emails.  Most find me then call.  I haven't updated it in years, mostly because I'm too busy doing what I do.  When things get slow, I'll update with new pics and info.  I think it's a terribly important marketing tool and I wouldn't be without one. 

June

[fragged8]

hiya
I get a few jobs from my site, i made it myself and Chris helped arrange the wording
to make it more user friendly .

Sites needn't cost the earth mine costs me about £50 a year thats GBP
or $75 ish

Rich