Web site design

[TommyFlockton]

Given that your time is probably limited, you need to separate the content (your job) from the presentation (what you'll pay the web designer for).

Content:
Decide what you want to sell, write why a potential customer should use you, get your company logo done, and then logically split it into a few pages of details, i.e.
The sales blurb as outlined above
detail of product/service A
detail of product/service B
detail of product/service C
contact info
etc.

Presentation:
Pay a webdesigner/hosting company, should only be a few hundred quid if they just cut n paste your carefully crafted content into a DreamWeaver/Frontpage template. A lot more if you want someone who know's what they're doing to make a bespoke site for you (unless you want cheap n nasty). If you want help with the content then pay a pro tech writer or copywriter. Then there's an annual site hosting fee, and content update charges should you wish to do so.
Whether or not it's worth learning how to do the above yourself is a decision for you, but the investment is time is significant.

HTH

[DimPrawn]

Re: Acronym...??! Translation required.

Fiddle re PCG - Agree 100%.

[dephunked]

As well as a window on your expertise, I suggest adding value to a website by, for example:

-adding any technical documentation you have produced (anonymise of course)
-adding any papers showing your contribution to *original* knowledge
-explain what your raison d'être is - in language Aunty Agnes will understand

Write out your content first.
Try to keep it technically simple (i.e. justify why java script, why CGI, why PHP?)
Stick to w3c standards.

Get your own domain name.
Host it (you could use your own machine if you point the DNS A or CNAME record to your broadband home machine)
Get someone else to host it.

[datestamp]

404

www.ephgroup.com/design.php
Not Found

The requested URL /design.php was not found on this server.
Apache/2.0.51 (Red Hat) Server at www.ephgroup.com Port 80

Ooops !

[Freddy3000]

crappy cumpulsory field

So have any contractors here with a web site ever got any business directly from it? Just curious.

[Vetran]

Re: crappy cumpulsory field

Indeed, I'll slap dave around with a wet fish.

[fiddleabout]

Re: crappy cumpulsory field

So have any contractors here with a web site ever got any business directly from it? Just curious.

Well I'm making some money from websites but had no return whatsoever from www.itdoctors.co.uk apart from numerous IT body shops aking if we want to outsource and at least 100 job applications.

We (that's Rhino & Fiddle Inc) did have one business enquiry but when we responded enquiring what sort of hourly rates they were considering paying for the work everything went very very quiet.

The only sites I've made anything from were those selling advertising in some way and those selling actual goods.

[stackpole]

I am keen to establish a website for my LTD company to increase my exposure.

Who do you want to expose to, and what makes you think they will find, then look at your site? "Company" websites seem to be full of the same impenetrable waffle.|I

Have some fun by all means, but if you really want to increase your exposure, there are more productive methods.

By the way, "The PCG is full of smug arses" - it certainly has its fair share!

[expat]

Re: crappy cumpulsory field

So have any contractors here with a web site ever got any business directly from it?

Well, I have my CV online and it's well indexed by the search sites. I get all my new contacts from people who have found it, but they are all agents searching for CVs, which may not be what you had in mind.

[darmstadt]

Re: crappy cumpulsory field

So have any contractors here with a web site ever got any business directly from it?

Yep. I have just a basic site (created with Namo) but looks quite professional. I have an introduction, a summary of projects I've worked on, a summary of skills, links to download my CV in PDF, Word and text (in English and German), some links to sites relevant to my skills and some code samples. I've managed to get 4 projects out of it so far.

Don't be too flash, people haven't got time to wade through a load of crap graphics and Flash stuff. Be succint and informative.