Looking to get a website

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goldstar

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Click on this site. http://www.highmountaininternet.com/ . Not sure what you're looking for or how much you want to spend. They built our contractors' association website at http://www.pceca.net . This cost us a couple of grand but you may not need something that elaborate. We have password access to the "members only" section, set up a Pay Pal account for sale items or to pay your dues, etc. I'm the webmaster for the site (by default - no one else wanted the job :roll:). I can access it whenever I wish and it's user friendly to operate.

I don't want to knock Go Daddy but our original site was created using Go Daddy. HMI was able to hack into it within 2 minutes. Internet security is one of the most important things to consider. So, if you choose Go Daddy make sure they can give you a high level of security. If you click on our site and look at the hit counter you'll see that there are about 25 or 30 hits at 5:00 AM. Every search engine checks every available website at least once a day. There are many hackers from foreign countries looking to implant a virus on your site. Make sure the security protocals are set high. As far as design, that's up to you and the website builder.

Good Luck,

Phil,
Gold Star Electric
New Jersey
 
M

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Regularkevin said:
  • Myspace
  • Tumblr
  • Facebook
Free and easy
Click to expand...

I have a facebook page for me personally but it doesn't seem like a place to show my business. I find facebook to be a lot of fooling around. Nothing wrong with that but why would I put my website there? Seems it would make sense to put a link on my facebook page that would direct people to my business website. Am I missing something?

You say it's easy. Are you implying these sites have templates to guide one through the process of setting up a site for an electrical business?
 
Regularkevin

Regularkevin

Member
Location
Auburn, WA
Facebook doesn't necessarily have a customizable template whereas TUMBLR does.

Facebook is more ubiquitous and is an easy way to network with others.
Several small business owners I know have Company and/or Friends of 'company' pages such as The Art Of Plumbing or Friends of Pangaea Coffee


What makes FB easy is that you can control the level of interface people are allowed. You can also add videos, and photo albums of past jobs. You can also buy ad space on there.

So if you go to TUMBLR, it allows you to customize, create your own image, and maintain a straight up website. I started mine recently and it is just a bunch of random stuff.... but this can give you an idea of what you can do.

Remember, these are all FREE. Someone else is hosting the website. No pop up ads, no bills to pay. Change as you go, and mobile phone interface.
 
dmagyar

dmagyar

Senior Member
Location
Rocklin, Ca.
Linkedin, facebook & godaddy

Linkedin, facebook & godaddy

MK' I've found that facebook is indeed about a bunch of nothing, and dropped my personal page. I started a business page on "Linkedin" but I'm finding that not too many indivuals participate, not many posts to questions I've lauched to start some dialog. But I do get a lot of satisfaction reading and responding on this site for all of the collective situations and questions.

As far as getting your business up and running I feel you can't get anything less expensive than having and maintaining a Website. That said the other posts which point out that your content needs to have a current element is something that even though I've got good intentions doesn't happen too often for me.

I use godaddy for my host and found it good. My last host got stupid, changed personnel and I couldn't get logged in to change my site. I had to change hosts (to godaddy), and I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone.

Good luck.
 
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mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
dmagyar said:
As far as getting your business up and running I feel you can't get anything less expensive than having and maintaining a Website. That said the other posts which point out that your content needs to have a current element is something that even though I've got good intentions doesn't happen too often for me. Good luck.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking that you get 90% of the potential of a website by having one even if it is outdated. I don't buy into the importance of updating it much. I picture a customer going to my site once, making an evaluation of my business, calling me for business or not, and never going back to the site.

I also figure if I'm too busy to update the site then I am busy at work and that would be good. I'm using a current slowdown in business to create a site.

Thanks for the responses. As usual, I have learned something from each.
 
H

hunt4679

Senior Member
Location
Perry, Ohio
I would say search domain names and purchase through GODADDY. If you have microsoft office with Publisher you can build your own site easily. You service provider might have web page space for free small (uasually 4 pages)
and go onto godaddy and have your domain "point" to your web page.

You could pay a 15 year old kid $20 to set you up!
 
M

milehiwire

Banned
mkgrady said:
I'm thinking that you get 90% of the potential of a website by having one even if it is outdated. I don't buy into the importance of updating it much. I picture a customer going to my site once, making an evaluation of my business, calling me for business or not, and never going back to the site.

I also figure if I'm too busy to update the site then I am busy at work and that would be good. I'm using a current slowdown in business to create a site.

Thanks for the responses. As usual, I have learned something from each.
Click to expand...

Well along with cadpoint I must be a hack because I built ours from a gd template and modified it some........ If this computer 'tard can do it anyone can.

I like to keep our site updated with recent customer testimonials telling the world how great we are are.. It's nice to keep those current and from last month and not last year.

Usually a nice lunch out, on me, for a property manager will get me a great testimonial regardless of the job we did............. I mean we could have burned their business down but later a nice lunch usually fixes it.

I think testimonials are better than an A+ BBB rating.

I would share a recent testimonial but what she wrote got rather personal, so I think it not all that wise.

I really do not see much of a problem with anyone from some third world country taking much interest in hacking our site........... Could just be me though............. I guess they could insert some text like "Down with yankee skumm trash idiot" or something like that but I am not all that worried.
 
sii

sii

Senior Member
Location
Nebraska
My wife just used Weebly.com to build a website for her business and said it was very easy. Had her first online order within 24 hours.
 
480sparky

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
mkgrady said:
When I see testimonials I always wonder if they are made up by the company.
Click to expand...

Ask to see the originals.

I have testimonials written by customers that I keep on file.

Of course, for privacy reasons, I don't give out personal information unless I get permission from the author of the letter.
 
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