Advice from the internet savvy please.

You could do a pic like that, but your site needs to look sharper and less like a tripod template. Re-work the logo so it fits in better (notice how it's just plopped in there and doesn't match anything). Check out the "architecture" template on this page: Free Website Templates

You'll notice that with the above template, it's sharper and just feels refined. It has to do with the color choices, font size, and placement of the page within the screen. Not that it's an ideal site, but it's a good place to start and it's easy to get ideas from.

Don't worry though, most of us started in Tripod or GeoCities, graduated to Frontpage templates, then moved on to really working it out (except for Jockeys- he came out of the womb coding html ";"). I like making Flash websites now. I remember languishing in Tripod's horrible editor and know how hard it can be to get what you actually want out of it. I'm not sure I ever actually got what I wanted from it, lol.

As for swiping templates or ideas from other sites, don't worry about it. Remember- good artists borrow, great artists steal:roflmao

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Originally Posted by JMS

As chimensch suggested I am thinking of putting a picture of me with my children all holding some sort of hand tool. My children are 4,5, and 7. I think it would be cute, and draw the kind of customers that would be nice to do work for. My wife on the other hand thinks it would look unprofessional. What do you guys think?

I think a touch of whimsy would do the website some good and give a more approachable and trusting touch

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I like it. As regards your wife's comment, I think a lot depends on what type of customer you were looking for. To give an extreme example, if you were a nationwide service and were looking for a national contract to service all the MacDonalds franchises you would have a different image than if you were a local family-run business and were looking for other local family-run businesses. Does that make sense? People don't buy from web sites, they buy from people and especially people that are like them. I think the more personal you can make it, the better.

Mark- I think a picture with your kids would only be appropriate on maybe a Bio type page or something specifically about you more than the work you do. For the homepage, a picture of you alone with a tool or working on a machine would be more fitting IMO. I personally would just find the kids a little out of place regardless of the type of person I want to do business with. After all, I would be visiting the page in a business mindset to begin with.

I think it looks fine for what it is, though I do think the suggestions of centering the text are good ones.

If you're looking to improve it I'd look just around at various websites offering similar services to yours and copy one I liked, or take elements from ones I liked. As long as you don't copy any IP this is a common practice. I wouldn't copy a direct competitors site, however.

Make sure you register with the various online business listings, this will help pull up your website on google maps.

The "about me" page listed above seems like a good idea, too. You could reiterate your qualifications, give history and so on.

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Originally Posted by JMS

As chimensch suggested I am thinking of putting a picture of me with my children all holding some sort of hand tool. My children are 4,5, and 7. I think it would be cute, and draw the kind of customers that would be nice to do work for. My wife on the other hand thinks it would look unprofessional.

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No she's just polite and doesn't want to make you cry. In fact she is worried that you'll arrange the kids improperly thus spelling MJS, SJM, SMJ, etc. instead the proper JMS. She has been quick to calculate that there's only 18% chance that you'll do it right.
And, of course, sending mixed signals is worse than sending no signals at all.

Plus it's really corny, not to mention that such evidence can and will be used in court against you when the government aka child protection services takes over the care of your children.

Scared yet? Should've thought about it before you voted for the current president's policies. Go have a beer, make sure it's a forty - the tears in it will be harder to notice!

Hey Mark,

I just heard this story on All Things Considered (NPR's afternoon drive program) about Google advertizing. I think you will find it interesting:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103816296

Brad

I have a picture suggestion......................
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...icture0003.jpg

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Originally Posted by gratewhitehuntr

I have a picture suggestion......................
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...icture0003.jpg

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Now that is funny

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Originally Posted by icedog

Hey Mark,

I just heard this story on All Things Considered (NPR's afternoon drive program) about Google advertizing. I think you will find it interesting:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103816296

Brad

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Mark, don't fall for it, it's the beginning of a slippery slope... next thing you'll be listening to Democracy Now and then....

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Originally Posted by gugi

Mark, don't fall for it, it's the beginning of a slippery slope... next thing you'll be listening to Democracy Now and then....

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:rofl2::roflmao:rofl2: