Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Okay. go ahead and beat me up!

My site is up at http://stoneshiner.com and its time for some kind of a reality check, take a look around the site and tell me what you honestly think.

Thanks in advance

Rick

Ditch the MS free site and hire a web developer to help you.

Well, that's not a lot of positive help at all. How about some specifics? Like, what's wrong with it.

And so, the Ford salesman says to the prospective car buyer, "Don't drive that Chevy of yours, even if it is free! Junk it! You don't need to know why car is better, faster, cheaper and nicer to look at! Just buy mine!"

You didn't give me any reason to consider doing business with you. You didn't say how your efforts could positively affect the results of my efforts. You just said, "Junk yours, buy mine!"

I guess you have so much business, you don't need mine. Tomorrow you can read about this on my facebook.

Since you've created your site with Microsoft office live...you have design limitations and coding issues. So, I'm not going to go into the pros and cons of using microsoft live or other DIY web site creation tool.

What is the purpose of the web site? If it is to sell your products, then that should be the focus of your site. Right now much of your site talks about your adventures, trips, and you rather than your products. So, the site comes across like more of a hobby.

Design-wise you'll see that your site looks similar to many many other microsoft live web site. So, it is important to use a good header graphic/content and web site content to communicate your marketing message.

I think your header graphic and content could be better... using a portion of the image you now have on your home page would be good. Also, use the same or similar fonts.

In general - do not underline text unless it is a link.

Menu/Navigation - Your menu/navigation colors are not my favorite.. and do not seem to go with your web site. The pink and grey do not work (for me).

The order of your menu should be changed. It is typical to have the "sitemap" link at or near the bottom of the menu. I'd suggest putting the more important links at the top under the home page link.

Your HOBBIES link...... you might have a typo - "Beach Glass JewelrY" (Capital "Y")? The Hobbies page - use one color font... multiple colors give the impression of an amature web site.

Beach Glass Jewlery page - you have two slide shows? One is more than enough.

Gift Ideas - there are a few page links under the gift idea link...but only some provide the ability for people to make a purchase. I'd suggest reworking the pages so tha it is clear from what page(s) products may be purchased and what pages are just for show.

Product Images - Most of your product images are of background and not of the product. I'd suggest first, cropping the images so the product makes up most of the photo...then resizing the image to fit the spot on the web page.

I see you have a disclaimer on your site saying you are not a professional photographer..etc. That's understandable, but you should realize that a potential buyer needs to see the product clearly. If the photo and description does not communicate enough information for the person to make a purchasing decision - they will not buy.

~Roland

Right off the bat.  Dump your text into Word and hit spell check and make sure the grammar checker is active.

Having the hard to read black text pasted over the image on your home page is just that.  Hard to read.

On your left hand navigation panel you should have your available products first.  Things like the Site Map and About US a the bottom or top of the page along with the Contact Us.  Take your GIFT ideas and break those 5 things out of the drop down and make them the 5 main areas of your site.  And the first ones on the left hand menu

I don't see anything terribly obvious on a first quick glance to tell me what you are selling.  Your top banner.  I would do away with the Welcome to stoneshiner.com and change that to Welcome to Stone Shiner.

I don't see prices for everything.

You need to work on your photos.  I saw your disclaimer that you are not a professional photographer.  Don't apologize for that.  I would take that off.  To make your photographs better and more professional.  Get a light kit that uses a constant light source, not flash.  Do a google search for "Smith Victor 402049 Imagemaker" and buy something like this.  It does not have to be this one but this one is decent for the money.  Use a kit like this with Full Spectrum Fluorescent Bulbs.  Adjust your camera to the setting for Fluorescent Bulbs.  USE A TRIPOD.  Go for a slightly longer shutter speed on a tripod and you will get better color and tone.  And to get the glare off your stones USE A POLARIZER,  If you have a DSLR it need to be circular polarizer.  Increase your depth of field a couple of stops.  Not enough sharpness.

Open the photos in Microsoft Photo Manager.  There is an option to auto correct photos.  It will make the look much better. If you can afford it get Photoshop or Lightroom or Corel Draw.  Use Photoshop and it can work wonders on a photo, especially to enhance colors.