Website opinions please

[rob1963]

Morning all!

It's probably been at least a year since I got opinions on my website.

Since then I've made 40-50 amendments to the content and a number of new members have joined the forum.

Therefore, I'm asking for your opinions again. Just click on my banner below to see the site.

I really don't mind whether the comments are good or bad. The most important thing is that you're honest.

Thanks in advance!

:)

[Goodfellows Discos]

Good FAQ's - really detailed. Good job! You may want to add a photo gallery of some sort, considering that is where the majority of the visitors go straight away.

Alex

[soundtracker]

considering that is where the majority of the visitors go straight away.

Alex

Interesting..Could you let us all know where you obtained this fact?:)

[Vectis]

Interesting..Could you let us all know where you obtained this fact?:)

:agree:

Not in my experience (and I keep a VERY watchful eye on my logs)

Second most popular page on my website after the index page? Special Offers.

Third? Contact Us.

[Chris1984]

I really like it, its smart and simple.

I looked at it from the view of a potential customer and found all the info i would need quick and easily, the FAQ page is brilliant and very useful.

The only thing i might change is to add a small gallery with some classy pics of the 2 different rigs and maybe of a couple of quizzes in action?

But i wouldn't really change it unless your looking for a revamp?

[rob1963]

Good FAQ's - really detailed. Good job! You may want to add a photo gallery of some sort, considering that is where the majority of the visitors go straight away.

Alex

Thanks Alex.


Interesting..Could you let us all know where you obtained this fact?:)

From his webstats, possibly?

Or don't they show that information?

I'm not very technical, so I don't have a clue...it was just a thought!



I really like it, its smart and simple.

I looked at it from the view of a potential customer and found all the info i would need quick and easily, the FAQ page is brilliant and very useful.

The only thing i might change is to add a small gallery with some classy pics of the 2 different rigs and maybe of a couple of quizzes in action?

But i wouldn't really change it unless your looking for a revamp?

Thanks Chris.

I'm not looking for a revamp, just any ideas on what could be added, removed or changed to improve it.

[jeff wood]

Hi Rob,

nice site !

Theres a few things that I would change, but this probably down to my opinion, you'll probably disagree, lol

but anyway...

on the home page...just add "our" rates are competitive.

and maybe Occasions "we cater for" include....


and i would lose the bit about replying to emails within 6 hours..

just put that you reply "promptly"

i think the 6 hour bit will put people off emailing, if they think theyve got to wait 6 hours for a reply.



on the disco's page..

is there enough difference between the two options ?

youve said that the standard disco comes with a "full lightshow"

whereas the deluxe one comes with a larger lightshow

that could confuse people,

think about it,, if a glass if full, then you cant get anymore in it ...



and, why put 150 people max ?

what about those functions where they are expecting more than 150,

they might just go to another disco website at the point ???



FAQ's

not read them all yet...

but, i wouldn't put that you dont do 18ths and 21st's

if you dont want to do them, just say you are booked:)

but by putting that you dont do them, it makes you look as if you dont have new music, and are a bit of a "dad dj",, which im sure youre not of course,,,


anyway, thats enough for now ,,,

[rob1963]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for taking the time to reply, and for giving me some things to think about.

Much appreciated.

:)

[rob1963]

Nice to see the opinions of some of the newer members, but I'm also after comments from some of the usual suspects please.

:)

[rob1963]

Hi Rob,

nice site !

Thanks Jeff.



on the home page...just add "our" rates are competitive.

and maybe Occasions "we cater for" include....


I don't feel those changes are necessary, as I think it's pretty obvious.



and i would lose the bit about replying to emails within 6 hours..

just put that you reply "promptly"

i think the 6 hour bit will put people off emailing, if they think theyve got to wait 6 hours for a reply.


We'll agree to disagree about that, because I think a reply within 6 hours is very quick, and think it would ENCOURAGE people to email me rather than put them off.

I know that a number of discos take several days to reply.

My work is nearly all weddings & most of my bookings are taken 6-18 months in advance, so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to wait up to 6 hours for a reply to their enquiry.

However, if people DO want an instant response to their enquiry, they can telephone me...as my landline & mobile numbers are also shown on my site.



on the disco's page..

is there enough difference between the two options ?

youve said that the standard disco comes with a "full lightshow"

whereas the deluxe one comes with a larger lightshow

that could confuse people,

think about it, if a glass if full, then you cant get anymore in it...

True, but you can add another glass!

My larger disco has another stand & t bar with extra lighting effects.

I do see what you're getting at though, so I'll try and come up with a more appropriate phrase than "full lightshow" for the standard disco description. Maybe just "lightshow"



and, why put 150 people max ?

what about those functions where they are expecting more than 150,

they might just go to another disco website at the point ???


I had thought about this, although I think most wedding discos have less than 150 guests. However, I might change "150 guests" to "150+ guests"


but, i wouldn't put that you dont do 18ths and 21st's

if you dont want to do them, just say you are booked:)

I'd rather be honest & say I don't do them...just like some venues don't allow them.


but by putting that you dont do them, it makes you look as if you dont have new music

I disagree, as the answer to FAQ 2 states that we carry most of the current top 40.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond with your thoughts.

:)

[Goodfellows Discos]

Interesting..Could you let us all know where you obtained this fact?:)

Google Analytics. Besides, that's the first thing that I look at when checking out the competition's sites :p. A picture is worth a million words, more than any of us could ever write about the equipment we use or the good experience our clients have - easily shown in a couple of photos.

Alex

[rob1963]

I'm rather disappointed, as there have been 68 viewings of this thread so far, but only 3 on topic replies.

Come on folks...you can do better than that!

Surely the other 65 people don't ALL think my website is perfect?

:shrug:

[Vectis]

Besides, that's the first thing that I look at when checking out the competition's sites :p


Right... but (I would hope) that the vast majority of your site visitors are not other DJs!

So the original statement was actually a fact that only applies to you. Glad that's cleared up.

[Corabar Steve]

What have you changed Rob? I don't remember it being any different the last time I looked at it.

[Vectis]

OK Rob. You asked :p

The things I look for when these 'Review my website' threads appear are generally:

1. Colour scheme and easiness on the eye.

Your site is good. The lettering in the small buttons ("Home", "Discos" etc.) is a little on the 'thin' side and doesn't stand out too well against the swirly backgrounds. I'd probably make the backgrounds a little more opaque and either add some drop shadow to the letters or find a slightly 'thicker' font. Or bigger buttons!

I'd also probably have a slightly smaller font size for the customer feedback as at present the key rider at the top of the page isn't differentiated enough for my liking. That, or put the rider in a slightly more emboldened font or a box with a slightly darker or lighter background. I wouldn't increase the size, as I feel the font is borderline too big anyway.

2. Navigation.

No worries there - it's a clear simple layout, limited page count, same set of tabs across all the pages.

3. Pictorial content.

Nice to see it's all your own (well at least I think it is :D) but I can't help feeling the pics could be a little bigger to use up some of that blank space on today's bigger monitors.

4. Programming quirks.

a) I'd try to get all your pages the same height - or at least put your footer in the same fixed place. Flicking through the pages and the footer is all over the place

b) When clicking the FAQ button, the whole page (including the top banner) jumps to the left a couple of pixels. Tested on Safari 4/OSX and IE8/WinXP.

5. Content.

No issues (surprise surprise!) with the copy, grammar or spelling.

I'd be tempted to lose the "6 hours" thing and replace with something along the lines of "We will respond the same day, usually within a couple of hours". I just don't like the 6 hour thing... it's an weird number and with a consumer's hat on it's just ... well, a bit odd. Sorry but there it is :zip:

FAQ #30 says the email response time is 8 hours.

6. Behind the scenes.

All pretty standard stuff - not bloated hence the fast load times. Page TITLE tags could potentially be tweaked a little for better SEO but the general keywording is good.



IN GENERAL it's a good site - certainly in the top 10% of the hundreds of disco websites I've seen. I can't help feeling after having had a good rummage around though that:

a) The overall tone of a lot of the copy, particularly the FAQs, is a little on the "negative" or "can't-do" side.

b) There's a lot of screen real estate that is not exploited

c) I don't see any killer USPs - the premise is quite ordinary, yet I know for a fact that your service is anything but. I just don't feel this coming through on the website. You're a passionate guy; the site doesn't feel passionate. Nothing about your index page entices me in to learn more.


Happy to elaborate if anything's not clear :cool:

[rob1963]

What have you changed Rob? I don't remember it being any different the last time I looked at it.

To be honest Steve, there are at least 40 changes to the content, but as I don't keep a record of these once they've been done, I can't remember most of them!

However, there are a few which I CAN remember, and these include:

On the home page, "We can send our full music list" has been replaced with "We can provide testimonials"

Also on the home page, the heading "Recent customer comments" has been changed to "Recent customer feedback (originals available)"

On the discos page, I've removed the reference to the larger disco having 50% more lights than the standard option. It's now just described as a larger lightshow.

I've also increased my deposit from £50 to £75, my daytime set up charge from £30 to £50 and my deluxe disco price from £350 to £375, but I've held the price of the standard disco at £275.

These are the only changes I can remember at the moment, but most of the others have been on the FAQ page, which additions or amendments to existing answers in order to make them clearer or a bit more informative.

[Corabar Steve]

So just changes to the content as opposed to cosmetic (easily noticable) changes?

[rob1963]

OK Rob. You asked :p

The things I look for when these 'Review my website' threads appear are generally:

1. Colour scheme and easiness on the eye.

Your site is good. The lettering in the small buttons ("Home", "Discos" etc.) is a little on the 'thin' side and doesn't stand out too well against the swirly backgrounds. I'd probably make the backgrounds a little more opaque and either add some drop shadow to the letters or find a slightly 'thicker' font. Or bigger buttons!

I'd also probably have a slightly smaller font size for the customer feedback as at present the key rider at the top of the page isn't differentiated enough for my liking. That, or put the rider in a slightly more emboldened font or a box with a slightly darker or lighter background. I wouldn't increase the size, as I feel the font is borderline too big anyway.

2. Navigation.

No worries there - it's a clear simple layout, limited page count, same set of tabs across all the pages.

3. Pictorial content.

Nice to see it's all your own (well at least I think it is :D) but I can't help feeling the pics could be a little bigger to use up some of that blank space on today's bigger monitors.

4. Programming quirks.

a) I'd try to get all your pages the same height - or at least put your footer in the same fixed place. Flicking through the pages and the footer is all over the place

b) When clicking the FAQ button, the whole page (including the top banner) jumps to the left a couple of pixels. Tested on Safari 4/OSX and IE8/WinXP.

5. Content.

No issues (surprise surprise!) with the copy, grammar or spelling.

I'd be tempted to lose the "6 hours" thing and replace with something along the lines of "We will respond the same day, usually within a couple of hours". I just don't like the 6 hour thing... it's an weird number and with a consumer's hat on it's just ... well, a bit odd. Sorry but there it is :zip:

FAQ #30 says the email response time is 8 hours.

6. Behind the scenes.

All pretty standard stuff - not bloated hence the fast load times. Page TITLE tags could potentially be tweaked a little for better SEO but the general keywording is good.



IN GENERAL it's a good site - certainly in the top 10% of the hundreds of disco websites I've seen. I can't help feeling after having had a good rummage around though that:

a) The overall tone of a lot of the copy, particularly the FAQs, is a little on the "negative" or "can't-do" side.

b) There's a lot of screen real estate that is not exploited

c) I don't see any killer USPs - the premise is quite ordinary, yet I know for a fact that your service is anything but. I just don't feel this coming through on the website. You're a passionate guy; the site doesn't feel passionate. Nothing about your index page entices me in to learn more.

Happy to elaborate if anything's not clear :cool:

Wow...thanks very much Vectis!

This is just the kind of response I am after.

You've certainly given me some things to think about and I'll definately be making some of the changes you suggest.

However, I'm very flattered to hear that my site is in the top 10% of disco sites you've looked at.

Regarding your comments about some of the FAQs being a little on the negative or can't do side, I think you're referring to the questions asking "do you do 18ths, 21sts, kids parties & karaoke" all of which have a negative response. I can't change the responses to these questions without lying, so do you think it would be better to just remove these questions completely?

I'd appreciate it if you could explain what you mean by the comment about how there's a lot of screen real estate that is not exploited.

I understand what you say about me being passionate but the site not coming over this way, and this is something I need to think about. My main problem here is being able to change some of the text so it sounds more passionate...but NOT more desperate!

Thanks again for your thoughts, which are much appreciated.

:beerchug:


So just changes to the content as opposed to cosmetic (easily noticable) changes?

Yes Steve...pretty much.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

yes I would lose the 18th/21st bit as the person booking you for their wedding might have guests of that age at the wedding (not loads but if they read that it may put them off)

6 hour thing is strange for me too. As Jeff said customers will read that as "I'll have to wait 6 hours".

I have the email set up on my phone Rob along with a template response so I can check when Im at the day job and reply straight away.

Not sure about the Quiz photos either? Do you get many enquries for quiz nights through your website?

Paul put me onto a great tracker program and it allows me to monitor all sorts of customer behaviour and it allows me to tweak things about the site (which I know is far from where I want it to be)

[rob1963]

yes I would lose the 18th/21st bit as the person booking you for their wedding might have guests of that age at the wedding (not loads but if they read that it may put them off)

6 hour thing is strange for me too. As Jeff said customers will read that as "I'll have to wait 6 hours".

I have the email set up on my phone Rob along with a template response so I can check when Im at the day job and reply straight away.

Not sure about the Quiz photos either? Do you get many enquries for quiz nights through your website?

Paul put me onto a great tracker program and it allows me to monitor all sorts of customer behaviour and it allows me to tweak things about the site (which I know is far from where I want it to be)

Thanks for your feedback Neil.

I will probably lose the questions about not doing 18ths or 21sts, as I can see why this might put some people off.

Also, I'll be losing the 6 hour email response message and replacing it with something along the lines of "We answer most emails within a few hours"

To be honest, I don't really need emails set up on my phone, as I'm rarely away from the PC for more than a few hours at a time!

I don't get many enquiries for quiz nights through my website, and whilst it may be something to do with the photos, I'm not too worried about this, as I only do a few corporate quiz nights each year, and I'd rather be doing discos anyway, as they pay much better!

However, I will consider getting one or more better photos...possibly of a few teams at one of my regular pub quiz nights.

Thanks again for your comments.

:beerchug:

[Vectis]

Wow...thanks very much Vectis!

This is just the kind of response I am after.

:angel:


Regarding your comments about some of the FAQs being a little on the negative or can't do side, I think you're referring to the questions asking "do you do 18ths, 21sts, kids parties & karaoke" all of which have a negative response. I can't change the responses to these questions without lying, so do you think it would be better to just remove these questions completely?

Well those are specifics, yes, but there's more. I think the whole tone of the page could be lifted. Maybe fix these and the page won't look so bad.

I generally don't do 18ths/21st - the real reasons being that they usually involve trouble and the music is very hard work and really not my cuppa. But if someone comes along that genuinely wants a family-type party, or if it's a group of people that I have some affinity with and they're looking for general party type music, then I might go for it.

So how do I handle the negative items on my FAQs? Simple - I have one entry at the bottom of the page titled 'What DON'T you do?'. One negative amongst a whole page full of positives.



I'd appreciate it if you could explain what you mean by the comment about how there's a lot of screen real estate that is not exploited.

Screenshot attached - I think the comment speaks for itself really. Look at all that beige! There's plenty of it on each page. Don't you have a DJmark that you could use somewhere?



I understand what you say about me being passionate but the site not coming over this way, and this is something I need to think about. My main problem here is being able to change some of the text so it sounds more passionate...but NOT more desperate!

Rob, you're a man of many words with a good command of the language - it shouldn't be a biggie ;) If there's anything you want to bounce off me feel free.

[jeff wood]

Thanks Jeff.



I don't feel those changes are necessary, as I think it's pretty obvious.



We'll agree to disagree about that, because I think a reply within 6 hours is very quick, and think it would ENCOURAGE people to email me rather than put them off.

I know that a number of discos take several days to reply.

My work is nearly all weddings & most of my bookings are taken 6-18 months in advance, so I don't think it's unreasonable for people to wait up to 6 hours for a reply to their enquiry.

However, if people DO want an instant response to their enquiry, they can telephone me...as my landline & mobile numbers are also shown on my site.



True, but you can add another glass!

My larger disco has another stand & t bar with extra lighting effects.

I do see what you're getting at though, so I'll try and come up with a more appropriate phrase than "full lightshow" for the standard disco description. Maybe just "lightshow"



I had thought about this, although I think most wedding discos have less than 150 guests. However, I might change "150 guests" to "150+ guests"



I'd rather be honest & say I don't do them...just like some venues don't allow them.



I disagree, as the answer to FAQ 2 states that we carry most of the current top 40.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond with your thoughts.

:)




Hi again Rob...

re first point...

well, its a not question of whether its obvious or not,

to me it was bad English:)

when you write something,it really should "flow" nicely,



and you say a 6 hour wait will encourage people ???

you're kidding right ?

people will ask; why 6 hours ?

they will assume that you are a part time dj, who maybe has a day job and just does discos as a bit of sideline,,

you've said that you spend a lot of time at your pc,, so whats the problem, just say you'll give a fast or prompt reply...


also forget what other discos do..

you should aim to be the best,,, not just better than other disco's:)



also,, re numbers,,


im not sure about this at all..

if you put 150+ etc

then people will think they should choose which package by the number of guests...

so people will think, ok weve got 140 guests, therefore I'll choose the up to 150 option,,

see what i mean ?

personally i wouldnt mention numbers at all...

just use some other descriptions like silver and gold,

i wouldnt say standard or basic,, as they makes it seem too ordinary...


and also, i always do weddings for more than 150,, I dont think its uncommon..




18ths and 21st's


well to me,, it definatly looks as if you saying that you arnt up to doing 21sts ,,

which will put people off..

lots of people assume that mobile djs arn't up to date etc etc and just play abba, lol

you got to remember that lots of brides and grooms are fairly young,,

why would they want a dj who says he cant play the sort of music that a 21 year old would like ???

thats how it "looks"...

[rob1963]

:angel:

Well those are specifics, yes, but there's more. I think the whole tone of the page could be lifted. Maybe fix these and the page won't look so bad.

I generally don't do 18ths/21st - the real reasons being that they usually involve trouble and the music is very hard work and really not my cuppa. But if someone comes along that genuinely wants a family-type party, or if it's a group of people that I have some affinity with and they're looking for general party type music, then I might go for it.

So how do I handle the negative items on my FAQs? Simple - I have one entry at the bottom of the page titled 'What DON'T you do?'. One negative amongst a whole page full of positives.

Screenshot attached - I think the comment speaks for itself really. Look at all that beige! There's plenty of it on each page. Don't you have a DJmark that you could use somewhere?

Rob, you're a man of many words with a good command of the language - it shouldn't be a biggie ;) If there's anything you want to bounce off me feel free.

Thanks again Vectis.

Lots of great advice & stuff for me to think about, and I might be taking up your offer of bouncing some ideas off you.

My website is crucial to my business, which is why I'm always looking at it & making small changes & improvements to the text here & there.

However, I always thought it was fairly good, simply from the number of people who've asked if they can use parts of it on their own website, ie the FAQs, terms & conditions & the style of the contact page.

There is always more that can be done, though, and I now have some great ideas from your good self!


Hi again Rob...

re first point...

well, its a not question of whether its obvious or not,

to me it was bad English :)

when you write something, it really should "flow" nicely,


Hi again Jeff,

Wow...that's probably the first time I've been accused of bad English! However, I will have another think about what you say.



and you say a 6 hour wait will encourage people ???

you're kidding right ?

people will ask; why 6 hours ?

they will assume that you are a part time dj, who maybe has a day job and just does discos as a bit of sideline,,

you've said that you spend a lot of time at your pc,, so whats the problem, just say you'll give a fast or prompt reply...

Having thought more about this I've decided that you're completely right.

I will be replacing the "within 6 hours" bit with something like "within a few hours"


also forget what other discos do..

Good point and something which I do. I have no idea what other local discos do (apart from those run by my friends, obviously) or what they charge, and I don't mind.


you should aim to be the best,,, not just better than other disco's:)

That's exactly what I AM aiming for.


also,, re numbers,,

im not sure about this at all..

if you put 150+ etc

then people will think they should choose which package by the number of guests...

so people will think, ok weve got 140 guests, therefore I'll choose the up to 150 option,,

see what i mean ?

personally i wouldnt mention numbers at all...

just use some other descriptions like silver and gold,

i wouldnt say standard or basic,, as they makes it seem too ordinary...

and also, i always do weddings for more than 150,, I dont think its uncommon..


This is something else I've been thinking about.

You're right...people WILL think they should choose the package by numbers, and that's exactly what I want!

The numbers are there & what they are for a reason. My market is nearly 90% weddings. Most weddings have more than 70 guests, which means most people will book the deluxe disco, and that's exactly what happens. 85% of all my clients book the most expensive disco...so it's clearly a policy which is working very well. I bet there aren't too many other discos who can say that 85% of THEIR customers book their most expensive disco!

I disagree with your suggestion about not mentioning numbers but just using phrases like Silver & Gold. After all, these have do be quantified in their descriptions, and surely the easiest way to do this in a way that people understand is by the number's that each package is designed for?

I also disagree that it's not a good idea to use words like standard of basic, as these make it sound too ordinary.

While I probably wouldn't use the word basic, I see nothing wrong with describing something as standard. This could actually work in my favour, because if people think like you & are put off by booking something which is just standard, this could encourage them to upgrade to the deluxe disco...due to them wanting something really special for their wedding day.

I take on board your point about sometimes doing weddings for more than 150 people, and understand why this might be putting off some of my potential customers, so I've decided to change the numbers quoted for each of my discos.

Although I haven't made any firm decisions yet. I'm thinking of changing the standard disco numbers from 30-70 to 20-60, and the deluxe from 70-150 to 60-200, although I'm still thinking about this & haven't decided on the actual numbers yet. The main thing is to increase the upper end of the deluxe disco from 150 to at least 200, so I'm no longer alienating people in that bracket.




18ths and 21st's


well to me,, it definatly looks as if you saying that you arnt up to doing 21sts ,,

which will put people off..

lots of people assume that mobile djs arn't up to date etc etc and just play abba, lol

you got to remember that lots of brides and grooms are fairly young,,

why would they want a dj who says he cant play the sort of music that a 21 year old would like ???

thats how it "looks"...

Fair comment, and I'll probably remove the reference to not doing 21sts, as I don't want to give the impression that I don't have any current music (especially as I always have at LEAST 85% of the top 40!). Apart from that, I DO cover 21sts, although only when they're family events.

Thanks again for taking the time to give your thoughts, which I really appreciate.

:)

[Marc J]

Hi again Rob...

re first point...

well, its a not question of whether its obvious or not,

to me it was bad English:)

when you write something,it really should "flow" nicely,



and you say a 6 hour wait will encourage people ???

you're kidding right ?

people will ask; why 6 hours ?

they will assume that you are a part time dj, who maybe has a day job and just does discos as a bit of sideline,,

you've said that you spend a lot of time at your pc,, so whats the problem, just say you'll give a fast or prompt reply...


also forget what other discos do..

you should aim to be the best,,, not just better than other disco's:)



also,, re numbers,,


im not sure about this at all..

if you put 150+ etc

then people will think they should choose which package by the number of guests...

so people will think, ok weve got 140 guests, therefore I'll choose the up to 150 option,,

see what i mean ?

personally i wouldnt mention numbers at all...

just use some other descriptions like silver and gold,

i wouldnt say standard or basic,, as they makes it seem too ordinary...


and also, i always do weddings for more than 150,, I dont think its uncommon..




18ths and 21st's


well to me,, it definatly looks as if you saying that you arnt up to doing 21sts ,,

which will put people off..

lots of people assume that mobile djs arn't up to date etc etc and just play abba, lol

you got to remember that lots of brides and grooms are fairly young,,

why would they want a dj who says he cant play the sort of music that a 21 year old would like ???

thats how it "looks"...

Is the return key on your keyboard stuck, Jeff? It seems to be randomly inserting new lines in your post....making it take up about 5 times the scrolling space it needs to :eek:

[jeff wood]

I always type like that on forums,,

I find it more pleasant to read,

Also they are not random, I always leave a line between sentences, and then 2 or 3 lines if the subject changes.

[Marc J]

I always type like that on forums,,

I find it more pleasant to read,

Ah, I see....I noticed that the BBC News website has started doing the same to make it a more pleasurable read....














....oh wait...no...they haven't :bang:


Also they are not random, I always leave a line between sentences, and then 2 or 3 lines if the subject changes.

Congrats to you on inventing a whole new style of writing, let's hope it doesn't catch on :cool:

FYI new sentences usually use a full stop followed by a capital letter. That's how everyone else does it, anyway :shrug:

[SC Events]

I didn't want to say, but you picked up on Rob's spelling and grammar and you space sentence a line apart :lol:

[rob1963]

Okay folks, let's get this thread back to your opinions & suggestions about my website please.

:)

[Steve the DJ]

I always type like that on forums,,

Indeed he does.

Being old he needs the space to read the words properly... :p

I find it less distracting than "txt speak".

As far as Rob's site goes I like it. Simple and to the point. Always loads quickly and easy to navigate.

Improvements?

I would like to see a more in depth "Bio" about Rob rather than the sentence on the front page because I think it makes things a little more personal.

I would also like to see the customer feedback expanded and more pictures of people dancing added to the same page. Keep the most recent ones on the front page by all means but client testimonials and pictures of people having fun are marketing gold and should be exploited.

[rob1963]

As far as Rob's site goes I like it. Simple and to the point. Always loads quickly and easy to navigate.

Improvements?

I would like to see a more in depth "Bio" about Rob rather than the sentence on the front page because I think it makes things a little more personal.

I would also like to see the customer feedback expanded and more pictures of people dancing added to the same page. Keep the most recent ones on the front page by all means but client testimonials and pictures of people having fun are marketing gold and should be exploited.

Thanks very much for your comments, Steve.

I'll certainly think about what you said.

:beerchug:

[jeff wood]

Ah, I see....I noticed that the BBC News website has started doing the same to make it a more pleasurable read....














....oh wait...no...they haven't :bang:



Congrats to you on inventing a whole new style of writing, let's hope it doesn't catch on :cool:

FYI new sentences usually use a full stop followed by a capital letter. That's how everyone else does it, anyway :shrug:




christ,, are you having a boring day today ???

[jeff wood]

I didn't want to say, but you picked up on Rob's spelling and grammar and you space sentence a line apart :lol:

yes,, but this isnt a website thats trying to promote my business is it ???

:bang:


and the reason i picked up on robs grammar is because that's what he asked us to do, remember ???

[rob1963]

To be honest, I don't mind how people give their responses to this thread or what their grammar is like.

The main thing is that they answer my OP & that I can understand what they're saying.

Meanwhile, back on topic.....

[jeff wood]

exactly rob,

unbeleivable that someone had a problem with me leaving a few lines between subjects,,,:D :D :D

and also of course, when you type on a forum like this, you don't really have to worry about capital letters etc,

its only being read between forum members,

but on a website, totally different, grammar then becomes very important,,



another thing with your site,,

those pics of you doing the quiz,,

i'd be tempted to remove them,,

nothing wrong with you, but you're not dressed for a wedding reception,

and people might just assume that's how you always dress..

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

its only being read between forum members,


You'll be surprised. We rank very highly on Google.

I've actually taken a booking from the forum on the strength of a playlist that I posted on here and a member of the public came across it in a Google search.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

isnt this forum now closed to non members Darren???

I argee it ranks highly on google because Ive done some research on where disco sites rank on certain searchs and this and uk disco are always quite high. Not sure how much thats to do with the fact im on both sites a fair bit and so the cookies might change the results????

Thats a good point about the quiz photos Rob people may think that you'll turn up looking like that and Im sure you dont.

Like I said get a tracker program installed on your site gives you loads of information. Such as if people visit the site go to the prices then quizs then click off?

My one is great, it tells me whos refered me (alot from this site oddly enough) what people have searched for when my site comes up in the search, how long people have spent on each page, where they are located etc....

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

isnt this forum now closed to non members Darren???



No.

[DazzyD]

Ok, Rob. Here's my thoughts on your site.

On the whole it's very well laid out and quite gentle on the eye. However, I don't understand why the text column in the "Disco" page is somewhat narrower than the other pages on the site. It doesn't follow the formatting for the rest of the site.

Also, I know it's been done to death already but your 6-hour email response time is, imo, pretty generous. For example, how many hours do you sleep? Email is a 24/7 servlce 365 days a year. What if someone emails you when you've just gone to bed? Or Christmas is coming soon. What if you've just gone to town to do your Christmas shopping? I offer a 48hr enquiry turnaround (although my actual times are much quicker) but I think this is reasonable. Some companies have targets of 5 days!

My last thought is not really website related. But, £100 for a quiz night??? With all the research that goes in to preparing quizzes I think that is real value for money! Either that are you're seriously under-valuing yourself.

[rob1963]

On the whole it's very well laid out and quite gentle on the eye. However, I don't understand why the text column in the "Disco" page is somewhat narrower than the other pages on the site. It doesn't follow the formatting for the rest of the site.

I'll have to look into that.

:shrug:


Also, I know it's been done to death already but your 6-hour email response time is, imo, pretty generous. For example, how many hours do you sleep? Email is a 24/7 servlce 365 days a year. What if someone emails you when you've just gone to bed? Or Christmas is coming soon. What if you've just gone to town to do your Christmas shopping? I offer a 48hr enquiry turnaround (although my actual times are much quicker) but I think this is reasonable. Some companies have targets of 5 days!


I'm aware that some companies have response targets of 5 days, but I aim to be better than all other discos, especially with my enquiry response times.

After all, this is the first impression people get of my business when sending an enquiry after reading the website.

I think the problem with the 6 hour response time is (as a couple of people mentioned) that 6 hours is a funny number. In reality I send most replies in less than half that time anyway, so it's also misleading. I've therefore decided to change the text to something like "We answer most emails within a few hours"

Obviously if someone emails me when I've just gone to bed, then they won't get a reply until the following morning, although this is extremely unlikely, as I probably go to bed later than most people. However, if this DID happen, I'd be covered...as my new message will say that we answer MOST emails within a few hours.



My last thought is not really website related. But, £100 for a quiz night??? With all the research that goes in to preparing quizzes I think that is real value for money! Either that are you're seriously under-valuing yourself.

I DO aim to provide real value for money with my discos AND quizzes.

However, the quiz preperation doesn't take as long as you might think, as I always have a number of old quizzes which I can either use in full or just use bits of them. Therefore, a corporate quiz booking will probably take less than an hour to prepare and no more than a couple of hours to run, so I think £100 is a very reasonable price.

It's also worth bearing in mind that some corporate quizzes start & therefore finish early, like the last one I did...which ran from 6.30pm until 8.30pm!

Thanks again for your comments.

[ppentertainments]

I must say, I would be happy with £100 for a basic general quiz night midweek. However could it be worth considering the magic word 'from' before the price to give you a bit flexibility ??

Only an opinion, but I removed most prices from my sites as, even with 'from', most people were wanting the service for that price regardless. Also it has allowed me to increase prices without anyone noticing. Tonight for example, I have done a corporate race nights at 4 times my 'basic' fee (on a Thursday), due to requrements, location etc. The customer was delighted with the night, however when I had prices on display, I rarely achieved more than the advertised amount

[Tony Scott]

Also, I know it's been done to death already but your 6-hour email response time is, imo, pretty generous. For example, how many hours do you sleep? Email is a 24/7 servlce 365 days a year. What if someone emails you when you've just gone to bed? Or Christmas is coming soon. What if you've just gone to town to do your Christmas shopping?


....I'm aware that some companies have response targets of 5 days, but I aim to be better than all other discos, especially with my enquiry response times.

After all, this is the first impression people get of my business when sending an enquiry after reading the website.

I don't advertise how quickly I do it but I usually respond to email within 30mins between the hours of 6.30am and mid-night. The power of BlackBerry and Mobile broadband.....simples! :)

[wensleydale]

If I'm honest I find the whole "will respond within x hours a little strange".

I cant see why that would be a massive deal for people unless you make it a big deal- assuming you dont take days to get back to them.
If that's the deciding factor in choosing a disco then I think its a very strange way of choosing a disco.

From personal experience if I get a reply from a business email within 2 days I am very rarely unhappy, but if they said "6 hours" and then took 12 I might think that they'd fallen at the first hurdle.

[ppentertainments]

If I'm honest I find the whole "will respond within x hours a little strange".

I cant see why that would be a massive deal for people unless you make it a big deal- assuming you dont take days to get back to them.
If that's the deciding factor in choosing a disco then I think its a very strange way of choosing a disco.

From personal experience if I get a reply from a business email within 2 days I am very rarely unhappy, but if they said "6 hours" and then took 12 I might think that they'd fallen at the first hurdle.

Agree with that. My own thoughts are that if a 'quick' reply was neccesary the enquirer would telephone instead. I reply to emails quickly but can often take days, weeks, or even know to be months to get a return reply. Normally due to the fact the booking is well in advance and not yet taking priority in the enquirers life. ;)

[rob1963]

If I'm honest I find the whole "will respond within x hours a little strange".

Having read the responses in this thread, I agree, although not strange for giving potential customers an idea of my response times, but strange because the number 6 which I quote is a funny number, and also because it's misleading, as I usually reply in less than half that time anyway. I will therefore be changing this to "We answer most emails within a few hours" or "We usually reply within a few hours"


I cant see why that would be a massive deal for people unless you make it a big deal - assuming you dont take days to get back to them.

That's the whole point...a number of discos DO take days to get back to them, and some don't reply at all! I want to be better than everyone else, which is why I usually respond to them within a few hours.

The reason I make it a big deal is because it IS a big deal, as it's something which my customers clearly like & which also gets me extra bookings.


If that's the deciding factor in choosing a disco then I think its a very strange way of choosing a disco.

What's so strange about choosing a disco due to their fast & efficient response to your enquiry?

I know for a fact that this IS a very important factor for some people when choosing a disco, certainly with MY clients. On the few customer visits I make each year, I always ask why they contacted me, and the same two things always come up: firstly my website (professional, easy to get the info they need, answers all their questions etc) and the other is how quickly I responded to their enquiry. I've heard countless stories about discos that either took many days to reply or didn't reply at all!

Therefore, it's a proven fact that I DO get some bookings based largely on my quick response times.

If this is something I do better than most other discos & if customers appreciate it, why SHOULDN'T I make a big deal out of it on my website?


From personal experience if I get a reply from a business email within 2 days I am very rarely unhappy

Fair enough, but that's you, and some people would like a reply faster than that.

If you email an enquiry to a business you're thinking of hiring and you had the choice, would you rather they replied within several days or several hours?


but if they said "6 hours" and then took 12 I might think that they'd fallen at the first hurdle.

True, but I've never said I always reply within 6 hours, merely that I USUALLY reply within 6 hours, but as already stated that's being changed to "within a few hours".

The first dealing most people have with a business like ours is when they email that business with an enquiry. In my opinion, it's the ones that take a good few days to reply that have fallen at the first hurdle...not the ones which give an efficient reply within a few hours.

After all, first impressions last, and you only get one chance to make a first impression.

[rob1963]

Okay folks, I'll be making many of the website changes which have been suggested.

For starters, I've been working on a slightly amended version of the summary text on my home page. It is shown below, with the changes / additions highlighted in red for clarity, and I'd be interested to know if you think it's an improvement on the current text.

CURRENT TEXT
Established in 1984, Rob James Entertainment supplies mobile discos & quiz nights in Surrey. We've played at various venues from small houses up to The Savoy, and have worked with some well known people from the world of entertainment. With about 10,000 songs, our music covers all tastes. We can provide recent testimonials and can visit you to discuss your requirements. Our DJs are professionals, rates are competitive and all bookings are confirmed in writing. We are fully insured and PAT (portable appliance) tested. Occasions include weddings, anniversaries & most birthdays. Please see our site for details & prices, then use the contact page to get in touch. We aim to answer all emails within 6 hours.

PROPOSED NEW TEXT
Established in 1984, Rob James Entertainment supplies mobile discos & quiz nights in Surrey. We are passionate about what we do and will tailor our service to your exact requirements. With about 10,000 songs, our music covers all tastes. We can provide recent testimonials and can visit you to discuss your requirements. Our DJs are full time professionals, rates are competitive and all bookings are confirmed in writing. We are also fully insured and PAT (portable appliance) tested. Occasions catered for include weddings, anniversaries & most birthdays. Please see our site for details & prices, then use the contact page to get in touch. You are assured of a prompt reply, as we answer most emails within a few hours.

[wensleydale]

That's the whole point...a number of discos DO take days to get back to them, and some don't reply at all! I want to be better than everyone else, which is why I usually respond to them within a few hours.

But I dont think it means you are any better- just perhaps not working as much as other DJs.
I also think its safe to say that ones that dont reply at all can safely be discounted from this discussion for that reason.



The reason I make it a big deal is because it IS a big deal, as it's something which my customers clearly like & which also gets me extra bookings.
Fair enough- although I have never ever heard anyone say "I booked you because you replied first- if only it were that easy.




What's so strange about choosing a disco due to their fast & efficient response to your enquiry?

Because it has no correlation whatsoever on their ability to put on a decent show- just that they can send an email quickly. Granted, its part of the service but a fairly small one.





Fair enough, but that's you, and some people would like a reply faster than that.

And you asked for peoples opinion- this is mine, and apparently that of a few other people too.


If you email an enquiry to a business you're thinking of hiring and you had the choice, would you rather they replied within several days or several hours?


It depends on the other factors too.



After all, first impressions last, and you only get one chance to make a first impression.
I couldnt agree more. But the first impression is the website. The email is the second impression.

[rob1963]

But I dont think it means you are any better- just perhaps not working as much as other DJs.

How can answering emails quickly mean that you're not working as much as other DJs?

As far as I know, most DJs are usually only working on Friday & Saturday nights, so unless you're answering emails on a Friday or Saturday night, I see no reason why someone would think you're working less than other DJs.


I have never ever heard anyone say "I booked you because you replied first - if only it were that easy.

As already mentioned, a number of people have booked me equally for two reasons, firstly my website & secondly my quick reply to their enquiry, do it DOES happen...and that's why giving a quick efficient reply is important to me.


Because it has no correlation whatsoever on their ability to put on a decent show- just that they can send an email quickly. Granted, its part of the service but a fairly small one.

Surely if a business replies quickly & efficiently to your initial enquiry, you're more likely to think that they will be equally as efficient with the rest of their service? I would, so I disagree that it's only a small part of the service.


And you asked for peoples opinion - this is mine, and apparently that of a few other people too.

Yes, and I appreciate your opinion, Rich.


I couldnt agree more. But the first impression is the website. The email is the second impression.

Indeed, but your reply to their email is their first impression on how fast, effiicient & professional you are in running your business.

After all, a fantastic looking website is no good if you take a week to respond to their enquiry!

[wensleydale]

Rob- I dont want to get into a big arguement about this-you asked for peoples thoughts which I and a few others provided.
You cant then start picking apart my feedback because you happen to disagree with it.

I was not the only person on the forum to make the comment I made and therefore I am pretty certain that means that there are many customers out there who share my opinion.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one.

[rob1963]

Rob- I dont want to get into a big arguement about this-you asked for peoples thoughts which I and a few others provided.
You cant then start picking apart my feedback because you happen to disagree with it.

I was not the only person on the forum to make the comment I made and therefore I am pretty certain that means that there are many customers out there who share my opinion.

Lets just agree to disagree on this one.

Rich,

As far as I can tell we are having a discussion. I'm not picking apart your feedback, merely giving my opinions on it (& more importantly the reasons for those opinions), which is surely what the forum's all about?

Anyway, as you say, we'll agree to disagree on this one.

Now folks...I'm still after some opinions on the amended text I've been working on for my home page, which I put up in post #45.

Do you think it's an improvement on what I have at the moment?

[Vectis]

I'm still after some opinions on the amended text I've been working on for my home page, which I put up in post #45.

Do you think it's an improvement on what I have at the moment?

Rob - when I said you need to add some passion to the website, I didn't mean write the word 'passionate' in the copy :D :D :D (although it's a good starting point) :)

The text is marginally better than previously for the reasons discussed, but my main point about this text is that it needs more prominence on the page - at the moment it's the same font, colour scheme and size as the testimonials which follow. It's your main 'shot-between-the-eyes' so make it leap out at the casual visitor.

[rob1963]

Rob - when I said you need to add some passion to the website, I didn't mean write the word 'passionate' in the copy :D :D :D (although it's a good starting point) :)

The text is marginally better than previously for the reasons discussed, but my main point about this text is that it needs more prominence on the page - at the moment it's the same font, colour scheme and size as the testimonials which follow. It's your main 'shot-between-the-eyes' so make it leap out at the casual visitor.

Thanks for your thoughts, Vectis.

I thought the simplest way to get over the message about being passionate was to spell it out. After all, you can't beat the direct approach!

I'll have a think about the other points ou made.

Thanks again!

:)

[rob1963]

Okay folks, update time.

I've now made a number of changes to my website, mostly in response to the advice given to me in this thread (so if anyone thinks I always know best & don't listen to people or take on board their advice, think again!)


on the home page...maybe Occasions "we cater for" include....

Changed.


i would lose the bit about replying to emails within 6 hours...just put that you reply "promptly"

All references to email replies being within 6 hours have been removed and replaced with "We answer most emails within a few hours"


on the disco's page..

is there enough difference between the two options ?

youve said that the standard disco comes with a "full lightshow"

whereas the deluxe one comes with a larger lightshow

that could confuse people,

think about it,, if a glass if full, then you cant get anymore in it ...


I've now changed the standard disco description from "a full lightshow" to simply "a lightshow"



and, why put 150 people max ?

what about those functions where they are expecting more than 150,

they might just go to another disco website at the point ???

Good point, so I've changed the numbers each disco is recommended for. The main difference is that I've increased the upper limit for the deluxe disco from 150 people to 200 people, so as not to alienate those who are having 150-200 guests at their function.



FAQ's

i wouldn't put that you dont do 18ths and 21st's

if you dont want to do them, just say you are booked :)

but by putting that you dont do them, it makes you look as if you dont have new music

Good point, so I've now removed all references to 18th & 21sts from the FAQ page, along with the fact that I don't do them!


I'd be tempted to lose the "6 hours" thing and replace with something along the lines of "We will respond the same day, usually within a couple of hours". I just don't like the 6 hour thing... it's an weird number and with a consumer's hat on it's just ... well, a bit odd. Sorry but there it is

As stated above, all references to email replies being within 6 hours have been removed & replaced with "We answer most emails within a few hours"


FAQ #30 says the email response time is 8 hours.


Not any more!


The overall tone of a lot of the copy, particularly the FAQs, is a little on the "negative" or "can't-do" side.

The three consecutive negative FAQs asking "Do you do do 18th & 21st birthdays?" "Do you cater for childrens parties?" and "Do you offer karaoke?" (all of which had the answer "No") have now been removed & replaced with three different FAQs, all of which have more positive answers.


I don't see any killer USPs - the premise is quite ordinary, yet I know for a fact that your service is anything but. I just don't feel this coming through on the website. You're a passionate guy; the site doesn't feel passionate.

I thought I'd spell it out, so the home page now says about being passionate. I've also added that we tailor our service to their exact requirements, just in case they thought a disco with set packages & prices did not do this.


yes I would lose the 18th/21st bit as the person booking you for their wedding might have guests of that age at the wedding (not loads but if they read that it may put them off)

Already done as previously mentioned.


6 hour thing is strange for me too. As Jeff said customers will read that as "I'll have to wait 6 hours".

All references to 6 hours replaced with "within a few hours" as already stated.


Screenshot attached - I think the comment speaks for itself really. Look at all that beige! There's plenty of it on each page. Don't you have a DJmark that you could use somewhere?

Good idea, and I'm looking to add that to the right hand side of my discos page in the near future, ideally with a link to the page that details the aspects of my business that were checked before it was awarded to me, but I need to speak to someone about that first ;)


and you say a 6 hour wait will encourage people ???

you're kidding right ?

people will ask; why 6 hours ?

they will assume that you are a part time dj, who maybe has a day job and just does discos as a bit of sideline,,

you've said that you spend a lot of time at your pc,, so whats the problem, just say you'll give a fast or prompt reply...

As previously mentioned, all referenced to the 6 hours reply time have been removed.


i always do weddings for more than 150,, I dont think its uncommon.

Agreed, so I've increased my upper recommended number for the deluxe disco from 150 to 200.


18ths and 21st's

well to me,, it definatly looks as if you saying that you arnt up to doing 21sts ,,

which will put people off..

lots of people assume that mobile djs arn't up to date etc etc and just play abba, lol

you got to remember that lots of brides and grooms are fairly young,,

why would they want a dj who says he cant play the sort of music that a 21 year old would like ???

Agreed, so all references to the age groups I don't do (kids parties, 18ths & 21sts) have been removed.


From personal experience if I get a reply from a business email within 2 days I am very rarely unhappy, but if they said "6 hours" and then took 12 I might think that they'd fallen at the first hurdle.

I usually respond within 2 or 3 hours, which is one reason why I've removed the mention of 6 hours. It was actually misleading, as it suggested I take longer to reply than I actually do!


Rob - when I said you need to add some passion to the website, I didn't mean write the word 'passionate' in the copy :D :D :D (although it's a good starting point) :)

I know it's a good starting point. The most blatant way to get a message across is to spell it out...so that's why I have!

:D

In addition to responding to lots of the advice given, I've replaced the last couple of recent customer feedbacks with two more recent ones. This now means that ALL recent customer feedbacks on my home page are from the last few months alone.

Thanks again to everyone who has given their advice & opinions. It is very much appreciated, which you can probably tell by the fact that I've already implemented lots of it!

Apart from adding the DJ Mark logo to my discos page, the only other changes I'm looking to make now are to replace one or two of the existing pics & to add some new ones. However, this will have to wait a while, as I need to get some good pics from appropriate gigs first.

I'm still open to advice, because I'm always looking to make improvements to my website, because it's crucial to my business, as it brings in at least 80% of all my disco work.

[jeff wood]

good stuff rob

thats what forums are all about

[rob1963]

good stuff rob

thats what forums are all about

Absolutely!

That's why I joined this one.

:)

[DeckstarDeluxe]

yes indeed what goes around comes around as Rob has helped me out greatly recently concerning my own website. :D

[Vectis]

All good positive changes Rob. Still a bit beige though in places ;)

PM coming.

[rob1963]

yes indeed what goes around comes around as Rob has helped me out greatly recently concerning my own website. :D

:thumbsup:


All good positive changes Rob. Still a bit beige though in places ;)

Not for much longer! ;)

Group hug, everyone.....

:grouphug:

[rob1963]

I've now taken some more advice & filled in some of the blank space on my discos page.

That's about as far as the amendments can go until I get some nice new pics for the site.

Thanks again for everyone's help & advice.

:beerchug: