ok time for more opinions

dudeinaroom

A while back I asked for some opinions on invoices. This time around it's for a web site i created. I have no html, or java skills, and this is a learn as I go(surprised I got this far with it). So for all you that are savvy to web site creation, and even those who are not , let me know what you think.

My web site.

Thanks for your time,
Ted

RuSsMaN

$20 an hour is way too cheap. It needs to be at least enough to cover your truck roll fee. MSMoney and Quicken offer basic accounting and invoicing, look into it. You can always create your own db in excel merged into word, if MS Office is how you roll.

Cheers,
Russ

dudeinaroom

I got the trial version of Office, and the free version of Quicken. I like Quicken better. As far as the $20/hour, that's just until things get rolling, for the area I am serving 20 bucks will get my Astro van there and back and still leave 3-5 bucks in my pocket. I'm most likely going to add a $20 service call fee just for driving to the locations. It's a slow work in progress, but I gotta start some where. I've been hooking stuff up for people since I was 10, but really didn't start doing it for money until I was 14. I've got a few references I can use from around the area so hopefully that will help. I'm also going to include graphic design at some where around 30-70 dollars a job depending on how intensive it is, and if it take way too long, It will be a straight 35/hour. I am also kicking around the Idea of doing Home alarm/security systems, just gotta see if I can become an ADT installer:)

Keep 'em comin' guys I wanna hear what you have to say, don't worry about hurting my feeling(I lost them along time ago), I asked for opinions, so give it to me straight

Later,
dude

Sansui

dudeinaroom wrote: »

I am also kicking around the Idea of doing Home alarm/security systems, just gotta see if I can become an ADT installer:)

Later,
dude

So you want to learn from the best! Good for you!

dorokusai

If you're covering home audio installation, alarm training or certification is an absolute must have skill. Home automation is in depth and multi-faceted. Add a direct email link instead of a cut and paste address. I'm sure some rocket scientist on here is able to help you. I like QuickBooks.

If you aren't already a Residential Systems AND CEPro subscriber, you're behind the curve already. You should be thinking about CEDIA as well, so set aside a couple bucks every week.

polrbehr

Ted-

Pretty good job you're doing so far.

A couple of things I picked out...

First two sentences- you use "I", then "We". I would say keep it the same, preferably "We" ( implies you have a good staff, IMO ). Save the "I" for
a bio/information page if you want.

When you go to your prices/products page, include a Home link to get you back to your main page.

I don't know about Michigan, but here you have to be very careful about what kind of wiring you're offering to do, as even H/T installers need to be licensed, IIRC.

I would also not put on my home page that I would recommend someone else
to do a job/installation if I could not do it, but keep the part about asking for a service if you don't see it listed. You can always sub out work once you do the estimate. By the way, other than for troubleshooting, do you do free
estimates? If yes, I would say let everybody know it.

Good luck to you, and keep at it.

mrbigbluelight

Ditto on the "I" vs "We" thing.

I like the clean look of your page; it's not cluttered up.
I wonder, though, if the list of services you provide might give a slightly better presentation if they were bulleted.

Regarding certifications from the various organizations, if you do have them, it would look great, IMO, if you placed some BMP/JPG's of those certifications in the open white spaces on the right.

Also, when you become successful (and you will), and become rich (and you will) you do know that we're going to hound you unmercilessly for free stuff, huge discounts, and free swag totally out of proportion to the minimal help you've received, right ?

Good luck, and keep up the good work.

dudeinaroom

mrbigbluelight wrote: »

Also, when you become successful (and you will), and become rich (and you will) you do know that we're going to hound you unmercilessly for free stuff, huge discounts, and free swag totally out of proportion to the minimal help you've received, right ?

Hey, if it comes to that, there might be a few deals, and everyone would be on the look out for dude's monthly karmas,as I have received some pretty cool gifts and karmas myself from polkies on my home on the internet Club Polk

dudeinaroom

Made a couple small changes, thanks polrbehr

polrbehr wrote: »

When you go to your prices/products page, include a Home link to get you back to your main page.

It's already there, which ever one you click (prices/products) switches to home.

dorokusai wrote: »

If you aren't already a Residential Systems AND CEPro subscriber, you're behind the curve already. You should be thinking about CEDIA as well, so set aside a couple bucks every week.

This is some thing I really want to do as well, I just can't afford to throw a couple of bucks aside right now, every thing is really tight on the home front right now.

thanks for your time and suggestions all, it is really appreciated.

Later all,
dude

TheReaper

My suggestions:

1) Personally, I would drop the "Traffic Exchange". Your target customers are local, so I don't see any bennefit in it, other than possibly annoying potential customers that find the site. Check other local bussiness sites and listings, to see if there is something more locally orientated in your area. Finding ways of generating local traffic to your site (for free) is worth pursuing.

2) Buttons should be more aligned to the left, always the same order, home always on left.

3) I would do my footer more like this:

Jezowski Sight and Sound
615 S. Main St Suite 7
Au Gres, MI. 48703
248-679-8779

Copyright © 2007 Ted Jezowski. All Rights Reserved.

4) Possibly add your phone number and email somewheres in the header.

5) Possibly a picture somewhere, showing a friendly, trustworthy, professional looking image of you.

6) Page title should be your company name (not "Website Powered by Bravenet.com").

7) Consider adding a 1 or 2 line list of areas served underneath the list of what you do. For example:

Areas Served: Local Area Name, Your County, Town1, Town2

This might help your page to come up when someone does a search which includes a locality.