My first website...

[Jonathan Ford]

...no, it's not a toy I want for Christmas!!

I've never had a website before, so I'd love to share my first ever website with you. I suspect it will be pretty "Marmite"... All comments welsome, good or bad.

Martin Harris (Vectis) has done all of the hard work, and I can't recommend his service highly enough.

http://www.jftd.co.uk/

[Booche]

Different ill say that but the thing that got me is why is there a link to wikipedia for Tony Manero lol

[Matty12]

Mmmmm! I'm not that shore! who designed it for you? my first reaction was that it is not designed that well and I wouldn't of thought it was a DJ website I'm trying to be nice!
Matthew.:)

[Spirits High]

Mmmmm! I'm not that shore!

What like Brighton Beach?



who designed it for you? my first reaction was that it is not designed that well and I wouldn't of thought it was a DJ website I'm trying to be nice!
matthew.:)

If you read the whole thread it tells you all you need to know :bang:

[Matty12]

Ow sorry! but it is still horrible!!!!!!!

[Jiggles]

When I scroll over the menu links the page flashes. Its abit busy imo

[Jonathan Ford]

Ow sorry! but it is still horrible!!!!!!!

I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask that you qualify that with examples.

I agree that it doesn't scream mobile disco, and that was the very idea. I wanted it to be off beat, cheeky and daft, but not cheesy...or at least ironic, self-depreciating cheese. The key thing I wanted to happen was that when a prospective client is sat in front of their PC, looking at a number of DJ websites, mine will be different....make them stop for a while.

[Booche]

Anothe thing i have noticed is the text on the gallery page is quite hard to read due to the background image being quite bright, maybe tone it down abit so that the text isnt lost and maybe bring the text in abit as it seems all pushed up to one side :sofa:

Will stop now before Martin hails lightning on me :)

[Matty12]

mine will be different....make them stop for a while.

First of all it is very different! But if it was me looking for a DJ, I wouldn't go for you at all and I wouldn't stay on the website at all! I'm sorry I just really don't like the website!:(

[Charlie Brown]

Great...that's me out of work!

...Design wise - it works on the eye & it's very clever.

Did you have a lot of input on the idea of the desk etc?

I think it's magic. Really really good. I love the woman and the wine glass. The pictures sell it...

I just hope people read more and don't click off straight away.

Well done both of you. :beer1:

Best design from Martin by far.

[Jonathan Ford]

First of all it is very different! But if it was me looking for a DJ, I wouldn't go for you at all and I wouldn't stay on the website at all! I'm sorry I just really don't like the website!:(

Not trying to be an arse, but what aspect don't you like? What would turn you off?


Great...that's me out of work!

...Design wise - it works on the eye & it's very clever.

Did you have a lot of input on the idea of the desk etc?

I think it's magic. Really really good. I love the woman and the wine glass. The pictures sell it...

I just hope people read more and don't click off straight away.

Well done both of you. :beer1:

Best design from Martin by far.

Thanks Charlie. The desk concept was in the brief I gave to Martin, but then I had massive problems getting a photographer to take the image....so ended up taking the picture myself. All I can say is that Martin truly has "polished a turd"!

[Charlie Brown]

Seriously, I can't get over it. (sorry for harping on)

The more I like it...the more I love it. It's so unique and clever...from the bold/brass images to the stethoscope on the desk.

Bloody brilliant.

[Charlie Brown]

Thanks Charlie. The desk concept was in the brief I gave to Martin, but then I had massive problems getting a photographer to take the image....so ended up taking the picture myself. All I can say is that Martin truly has "polished a turd"!

What!? You took the pictures yourself???

Of the wedding couple, desk etc? :eek: :eek:

[Jonathan Ford]

What!? You took the pictures yourself???

Of the wedding couple, desk etc? :eek: :eek:

I only took the desk image on the home page. It's actually my eldest daughters desk/dressing table.

[simon1969]

Great website don't see how it is too busy, all the information is there that you need, only a few testimonals instead of loads that people usually put up.
Well done to you both!!

[simonp]

I love the 'weddings' page - that's the sort of website I want (just the weddings page) - i.e. picture taking up the whole page with all the text over the top of it - I'm not sure about a lot of it and some of the literature I'm unsure of as well - the site itself is clean and bold and I like that sort of design, although not your content, except the wedding page - I LOVE the wedding page

[discomobiledj]

If I move the mouse over it it flashes all over the place.

I wouldn't think of it as a entertainment website at all.

[Charlie Brown]

If I move the mouse over it it flashes all over the place.


:agree:

That's annoying.

[simonp]

If I move the mouse over it it flashes all over the place.

I wouldn't think of it as a entertainment website at all.

I didn't get any flashing but agree with not thinking it was an entertainment website

[Pe7e]

I like it, it's different, a bit quirky but it encouraged me to take the time to have a good look round it. I think it could do with a bit more info on your services, and a phone number on each page so the client doesn't need to go looking for it. I would also change 'contact us' to 'contact me' and 'about us' to 'about me', and also put more general party pics in the gallery, other than that, it's great.

[Paul The Party Dj]

WOW ~ that's raised the bar!

I really like it, it's different, it's clean, it's tidy, and it's clever.
Because it doesn't scream mobile disco it should knock back muppets wanting something for nothing - it sends a message of bespoke, quality service.

I couldn't see a picture of you Jonathan - have I missed it?
Personally I feel the DJ should always be featured.

Great work both of you - very well done.

Cheers, Paul ;o)

[Jonathan Ford]

I like it, it's different, a bit quirky but it encouraged me to take the time to have a good look round it. I think it could do with a bit more info on your services, and a phone number on each page so the client doesn't need to go looking for it. I would also change 'contact us' to 'contact me' and 'about us' to 'about me', and also put more general party pics in the gallery, other than that, it's great.

I definitely need to add more pics, but I'll have to take some first! The "us" instead of "me" is on purpose. Part of my plan for this year is to end up in the position to pass on a fair amount of work to sub-contracted DJ's. I also included a line about "sometimes having to bring in a trusted colleague".


WOW ~ that's raised the bar!

I really like it, it's different, it's clean, it's tidy, and it's clever.
Because it doesn't scream mobile disco it should knock back muppets wanting something for nothing - it sends a message of bespoke, quality service.

I couldn't see a picture of you Jonathan - have I missed it?
Personally I feel the DJ should always be featured.

Great work both of you - very well done.

Cheers, Paul ;o)

Ha! No pics of me. Infact, I don't think a pictue of me exists since the mid-1990's. I might take a couple later though, and add it to my Movember thread. Thanks for the psoitive comments, that's exactly the message I am hoping to convey.

[Steve Cheese]

Sorry John, I don't like it at all.

Every page is like a different website.

There is no theme running through

[Shaun]

I really like the unusualness of it. The one thing I didn't like was the links were in a different place on every page, I didn't actually view your whole site for that 1 reason, it just made it feel a bit 'schizophrenic' and detracted from the overall feel of what the site could potentially be. Apart from that it's quirky. I like quirky!

[AndyC]

I like the site it's very different but i agree with Shaun about the navigation
it does not seem to flow very well. The pictures load very slowly for me but that may just be the connection we have at work it can be snail like some times

Andy

[Charlie Brown]

Its still magic. Your clever for coming up with the idea.

[discomobiledj]

I would of said that the site was for the services of a virtual business.

[StarZSoundS]

Martin has done a great job.....


The three highlights for me are ....

Desk.
Wedding Page.
Gallery on an easel.


Can't make my mind up about the theme of Thoughtful though....Would I book a thoughtful Disco for a Function...I can think of one it would be very suitable for....Nonetheless Thoughtful makes you unique and that is what you were trying to acheive...A good read.

[supersound]

Sorry John, I don't like it at all.

Every page is like a different website.

There is no theme running through

Steve for once I have to disagree with you.
I think it is V cleverly concepted.I also think theres a Dick Barton or Sherlok Holmes theme running through it.

The Desk Homepage is a bit thowing,the doctors theme and others.

I can see you ply other services Dancefloors,moodlighting ect but its not accentuated.You need to express the different services and use more pics,however I dont think that will work well on that site.
I think you need to create other sites to sell these services in depth.(this is someting I'm looking into).
As you designed it yourself I say well done and work on other sites for other services.V clever fella.

Paul

[James]

Personally, i think you may have tried too hard on the design.

Don't forget 99.9% of customers couldn't give a rats about fancy graphics, they want info, and they want it now

Look at some of the best designs on the web they're always simple to navigate, that's the biggest problem with your site i'd say, the other one would be consistency, each page looks like a new site.

Copied from a web design mistakes to avoid website...

"Use a simple navigation structure: sometimes less is more. This rule usually applies to people and choices. Make sure that your website has a single, clear navigation structure. The last thing you want is to confuse the reader regarding where he should go to find the information he is looking for"

[supersound]

To be honest it dosent really matter what we think too much as we are all DJ's and have our own perceptions of how a website should look.
What I suggest is ask some potential brides and brides mothers (prefferbly who dont know you too personally)to give their opinions as they are your customers.

Paul

[James]

we all visit websites though, so we know what's annoying and what's not

[paulg]

I looked at the site and thought mmm, very different. Reading on though:

A travelling discotheque sounds positively victorian. These travelling traders were usually of ill repute, selling shoddy goods and fakes!!!!! Not a good image. Off beat and different is fine. Off the mark is no good at all.

How come I have to sit and wait for the pictures to change in the gallery? Websites are not about wandering around and waiting - they are about immediate infromation. Looking at the pictures, I felt like I was evesdropping on someones wedding but it told me nothing about you.

Also - "thoughtful wedding entertainment without the risk" what risk?

To be frank, the tenuous links between the page pictures such as the 50's microphone or the balancing groom and the text is dreadful.

Slagging off other DJ's references is plain wrong. By not naming names names, you look like a coward and effectively infer that everyone (apart from you) could be dishonest. This sort of thing is typical of most DJ websites - and you're trying to be exactly the oppositel. Delete the negatives and concentrate on your good points.

Telling people you're a medical student and part time DJ is admirably honest but it's superfluous information.

Jonathan, it needs a bit more work but I reckon it could be made to look very good whilst being informative.

Before anyone says it, my website is a bit pants and needs an update but the hit rate and booking returns are very good.

[StarZSoundS]

Slagging off other DJ's references is plain wrong. By not naming names names, you look like a coward and effectively infer that everyone (apart from you) could be dishonest. This sort of thing is typical of most DJ websites - and you're trying to be exactly the oppositel. Delete the negatives and concentrate on your good points.



Thats it....its the Holier than Thou attitude I didn't like...."I wished I'd booked Johnaton"...etc:eek: :eek: :eek:

Iagree with every wors you said Paul....aoart from OPPOSITEL of course!!!:D :D :D :D :D :D

[Megamix]

I like it - maybe not as boringly professional looking as some might expect, but it conveys quirkiness and shows a sense of fun - hopefully that’s the message you are hoping to send out to your clients.

[Jonathan Ford]

Steve for once I have to disagree with you.
I think it is V cleverly concepted.I also think theres a Dick Barton or Sherlok Holmes theme running through it.

The Desk Homepage is a bit thowing,the doctors theme and others.

I can see you ply other services Dancefloors,moodlighting ect but its not accentuated.You need to express the different services and use more pics,however I dont think that will work well on that site.
I think you need to create other sites to sell these services in depth.(this is someting I'm looking into).
As you designed it yourself I say well done and work on other sites for other services.V clever fella.

Paul

Thanks for the comments. I haven't gone to town pushing the add ons, largely because I don't believe in them. The text that reads something on the lines of "you probably like the way your venue looks, but uplighting can enhance even the most striking venue" started off as "you probably like the way your venue looks....so why bathe it in daft coloured lighting". I tend to advise most clients against uplighting, so it's not something I particularly want to sell hard.


Personally, i think you may have tried too hard on the design.

Don't forget 99.9% of customers couldn't give a rats a**e about fancy graphics, they want info, and they want it now

Look at some of the best designs on the web they're always simple to navigate, that's the biggest problem with your site i'd say, the other one would be consistency, each page looks like a new site.

Copied from a web design mistakes to avoid website...

"Use a simple navigation structure: sometimes less is more. This rule usually applies to people and choices. Make sure that your website has a single, clear navigation structure. The last thing you want is to confuse the reader regarding where he should go to find the information he is looking for"

Again, thanks for the comments. I'm perfectly happy with every page looking almost like a new site, because the aspects of my business that the page represents are pretty different. I also suspect that a considerable proportion of those customers that just want the info, rather than being prepared to read the content, are the type that only want to know one thing - "how much", and therefore probably aren't my client.


I looked at the site and thought mmm, very different. Reading on though:

A travelling discotheque sounds positively victorian. These travelling traders were usually of ill repute, selling shoddy goods and fakes!!!!! Not a good image. Off beat and different is fine. Off the mark is no good at all.

I'd not thought of "Travelling Discotheque" that way. When I first started to think about the site and my business, I came up with a Python-esque, circus type thing, and the name is derived from that. However, I like it as it is different.


How come I have to sit and wait for the pictures to change in the gallery? Websites are not about wandering around and waiting - they are about immediate infromation. Looking at the pictures, I felt like I was evesdropping on someones wedding but it told me nothing about you.

Dunno. I don't have to sit and wait, they change pretty quickly. Connection speed? I'm not sure what you mean about the Gallery page saying nothing about me. I don't think a Gallery shopuld say much about me, there are plenty of other pages on the site that do that.


Also - "thoughtful wedding entertainment without the risk" what risk?

The risk that you book a Sid, who turns up with no thought or planning and bangs out a shed load of inappropriate music. My approach is considered, honest and non-formulaic.


Slagging off other DJ's references is plain wrong. By not naming names names, you look like a coward and effectively infer that everyone (apart from you) could be dishonest. This sort of thing is typical of most DJ websites - and you're trying to be exactly the oppositel. Delete the negatives and concentrate on your good points.

I did think long and hard about the negative marketing, both in terms of the Feedback and the Parties page. I've justified it to myself by saying that both are true, to varying extents. I think the parties page, in keeping with the rest of the site, is pretty tongue in cheek, and I would hope that my average client would "get" it. In terms of feedback, we've all seen sites that over do it. If you can find it, there's a thread on here from a couple of months back about dishonest feedback.


Telling people you're a medical student and part time DJ is admirably honest but it's superfluous information.

That's a little confusing as you're stating that one page doesn't say enough about me, but now this says too much. The reason for inclusing things like that are to promote the collaborative nature of my service. I want to know a little about my clients, and am happy for them to know about me.


Thats it....its the Holier than Thou attitude I didn't like...."I wished I'd booked Johnaton"...etc:eek: :eek: :eek:

Iagree with every wors you said Paul....aoart from OPPOSITEL of course!!!:D :D :D :D :D :D

I wouldn't say it's a holier than thou attitude. It is tongue in cheek, but I am also confident that I'm better and more reliable that a Sid.


I like it - maybe not as boringly professional looking as some might expect, but it conveys quirkiness and shows a sense of fun - hopefully that’s the message you are hoping to send out to your clients.

That's pretty much what I want to convey. Self-depriciating, cheeky, quirky, daft. The same as my Barry Manilow fetish (see threads passim). I reckon that my average client will "get" it,

[paulg]

jonathan

Just thought I'd clear up a couple of points. I thought the site was so wide of the mark that a customer might think everything else you do is equally quirky. Some people would welcome that, but many more would not? What's wrong with a picture of some speakers, some fat ladies doing Oops Upside Your Head and a PLI badge (preferably a flashing one)?

For the pictures, I thought that the scrolling was a bit slow, especially if you add more pictures at a later date. I think thumbnails are better or those fancy flickerbook things. You can click on the ones that interest you and ignore the rest.

I like the Python-esque idea but I'm not sure people will get it. The connection completely passed me by and unless your going to slap the bride with a fish during the first dance, then it might pass others by too. Please post a video if you do! It's basically 40 years old humour and let's face it, most of the seemingly endless hours of Python stuff was rubbish. A lot of people can't stand that genre of outdated humour. Even worse, a lot of younger people will have no idea what you are on about.

I got the impression of victoriana above all else and a feeling that I'd expect Emile Berliner and Nipper might turn up with 4 magic lanterns and a gramophone (Sixty Shilling Sid?). It's a wonderful thought but that's where the concept goes wrong for me.

I understood what you were trying to say about risk from "Sid", but your customers possibly won't. Trouble is, you run the risk of introducing more negativity if you go on about it.

You mention being non-formulaic - but that's exactly what many people want. You can sometimes go too far away from the norm.

I quite like the hype thread but I hope you can live up to it. Around my part, people usually insert the word 'crazy' before their name to give an impression of quirkiness and spelling crazy with a 'K' is the ultimate accolade. Invariably though they are crazy and often have certificates to prove it.

I still think slagging off other people is not the way to go on a website - you just don't see that approach on professional websites. You look as though you've more than enough plus points to win a customer over. I have to say that if you were competing in my area, I'd ask you to include a disclaimer that your claims did not refer to me or any of my partners. If you want to say this sort of thing, have the courage (and evidence) to name names.

The bit about being a part time DJ and medical student is not necessary. You're customers want you to be a 100% DJ and mentioning part time jobs can set alarm bells ringing for some people.

Only trying to be helpful but feel free to tell me to tell me get on my dandy horse!!! I really wish you well with it and it would be good if you updated soon, hopefully to prove us nay sayers wrong.

[Jonathan Ford]

jonathan

Just thought I'd clear up a couple of points. I thought the site was so wide of the mark that a customer might think everything else you do is equally quirky. Some people would welcome that, but many more would not? What's wrong with a picture of some speakers, some fat ladies doing Oops Upside Your Head and a PLI badge (preferably a flashing one)?

For the pictures, I thought that the scrolling was a bit slow, especially if you add more pictures at a later date. I think thumbnails are better or those fancy flickerbook things. You can click on the ones that interest you and ignore the rest.

I like the Python-esque idea but I'm not sure people will get it. The connection completely passed me by and unless your going to slap the bride with a fish during the first dance, then it might pass others by too. Please post a video if you do! It's basically 40 years old humour and let's face it, most of the seemingly endless hours of Python stuff was rubbish. A lot of people can't stand that genre of outdated humour. Even worse, a lot of younger people will have no idea what you are on about.

I got the impression of victoriana above all else and a feeling that I'd expect Emile Berliner and Nipper might turn up with 4 magic lanterns and a gramophone (Sixty Shilling Sid?). It's a wonderful thought but that's where the concept goes wrong for me.

I understood what you were trying to say about risk from "Sid", but your customers possibly won't. Trouble is, you run the risk of introducing more negativity if you go on about it.

You mention being non-formulaic - but that's exactly what many people want. You can sometimes go too far away from the norm.

I quite like the hype thread but I hope you can live up to it. Around my part, people usually insert the word 'crazy' before their name to give an impression of quirkiness and spelling crazy with a 'K' is the ultimate accolade. Invariably though they are crazy and often have certificates to prove it.

I still think slagging off other people is not the way to go on a website - you just don't see that approach on professional websites. You look as though you've more than enough plus points to win a customer over. I have to say that if you were competing in my area, I'd ask you to include a disclaimer that your claims did not refer to me or any of my partners. If you want to say this sort of thing, have the courage (and evidence) to name names.

The bit about being a part time DJ and medical student is not necessary. You're customers want you to be a 100% DJ and mentioning part time jobs can set alarm bells ringing for some people.

Only trying to be helpful but feel free to tell me to tell me get on my dandy horse!!! I really wish you well with it and it would be good if you updated soon, hopefully to prove us nay sayers wrong.

Paul, that's really useful feedback. Thanks for taking the time over it...plenty of food for thought. You have no idea how tempted I am to take a wet fish to the next wedding.....

[Jonathan Ford]

Strike a light, Guv'nor.

It occurred to me during my mammoth drive home last night, that you had mentioned Victoriana.

Look what I've gone and grown for Movember.....:o http://www.forum.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk/showpost.php?p=494180&postcount=2