Web site worth it ?

[Furniss]

Had our website donkeys years and it gets more expensive to the point that it makes you wonder if with facebook/yellow pages etc that you come up in when searched if its actually worth having one for our work ?
95% is recommended/word of mouth.

Whaddya reckon ?

furnisstp.com

 

[hiluxman]

Had our website donkeys years and it gets more expensive to the point that it makes you wonder if with facebook/yellow pages etc that you come up in when searched if its actually worth having one for our work ?
95% is recommended/word of mouth.

Whaddya reckon ?

furnisstp.com

Same here.

It does get replies through the contact us box but they are jobs you don't want or want a digger and driver tomorrow.

But it's a good reference for me as I've got the Web address on lots of things.

It's not overly expensive to maintain.

But I get lots more enquiries through face ache. Especially the aggregates and grab, not so much for the groundworks jobs.

 

[Storrsy]

Used to have a website. Well still do but it's way out of date and doesn't even work with smart phones properly. Anyway it was good in the early days I did get a bit of work through it- I'm all word of mouth now bar a small parish advert - get far less time wasters because generally people know what they're dealing with before I turn up which helps both parties!

 

[Smiffy]

Surely it's worth it to have the dedicated email address and the ability to have separate emails for enquiries accounts and yourself.

 

[6feetdown]

Mine works fine taken a while but no money spent on adverts.
My website guy is good as gold and a straight talking guy

 

[Simon edwards]

Had one for about a year,had some enquiries but am generally too busy to bother with them.The reason we got it was more a point of reference for customers as a lot of new ones first question is do you have a website( make more sense if they asked for your level of insurance !), for some reason this makes you far more legitimate?.
To be fair it wasn’t expensive and looks alright,wish I had more pictures to add but I’ve never really bothered taking any.

 

[pettsy]

Haven’t got a website, but if anyone searches for me google will bring up my Facebook page. Saying that I haven’t posted anything on there for years

 

[DaveDCB]

If it costs you more than the 5% of jobs it brings in you may as well have afew extra weeks off

 

[Furniss]

If it costs you more than the 5% of jobs it brings in you may as well have afew extra weeks off

Simples

 

[DaveDCB]

I used to pay 2k a year for yellow pages and was similar 95% busy.. so didn’t make sense paying 2k to try and fill that 5% void… cancelled it and was still as busy the remaining years! 2k saved! If your wanting to expand don’t listen to me

 

[Gunners]

Website's as others have mentioned seem to make you more legit - although so does a checkatrade sticker placed badly on the side of your van door
Seriously though, it shouldn't be costing you a fortune. I think mine is under £50/year for hosting and the web address. Its worth having I think at that price, even if its just one page saying a bit about who you are and pointing them towards your facebook business page or instagram that might be more up to date.
Keep it simple I think. Actually, I must update mine......

 

[Silversabre]

Mine cost me £100 pa for hosting and then the domain is every three years can't remember how much that is.

I like having it set me above other freelance site engineers and the guides have been referenced by lecturer's to student on engineering course which was the original idea for it.

 

[Furniss]

I have a couple of websites with 1@1 internet (different name now) and a few domain names registered , costs me best part of 1k for the 2 per year, think they need to be going at that rate.... Ive more work than I want anyhow, sometimes wish it would slow down so I could use that as an excuse to go ride my motorbikes instead while I still can !

 

[V8Druid]

I have a couple of websites with 1@1 internet (different name now) and a few domain names registered , costs me best part of 1k for the 2 per year, think they need to be going at that rate.... Ive more work than I want anyhow, sometimes wish it would slow down so I could use that as an excuse to go ride my motorbikes instead while I still can !

take the time for yourself regularly Kevin ... I was always the same .. more work than I could shake a stick at, or cope with, 99% of the time .. and TBH I DO regret not doing a lot of things differently ... making me time, being fairly well up the list .. getting too old now to do some of them
same applies to the rest of you all .... no one will give you any thanks for 'sacrificing' your own me time to have their jobs done a day or two quicker - trust me

 

[Gunners]

take the time for yourself regularly Kevin ... I was always the same .. more work than I could shake a stick at, or cope with, 99% of the time .. and TBH I DO regret not doing a lot of things differently ... making me time, being fairly well up the list .. getting too old now to do some of them
same applies to the rest of you all .... no one will give you any thanks for 'sacrificing' your own me time to have their jobs done a day or two quicker - trust me

Wise words there for sure. Wish I could actually put them into action. Every year I say I'm not going to work weekends - and every year I seem to revert on that deal even faster than the last year. Partly we never feel secure enough as self employed people to actually give outselves time out. There's always some other drama or fear that it might all be gone next year so make hay etc..... But these things seem to rarely happen - and its another year of being flat out....
I dont know the answer, but I'm too proud to give up what I have now and too stupid to work less

 

[V8Druid]

Wise words there for sure. Wish I could actually put them into action. Every year I say I'm not going to work weekends - and every year I seem to revert on that deal even faster than the last year. Partly we never feel secure enough as self employed people to actually give outselves time out. There's always some other drama or fear that it might all be gone next year so make hay etc..... But these things seem to rarely happen - and its another year of being flat out....
I dont know the answer, but I'm too proud to give up what I have now and too stupid to work less

a major consideration that everyone should take into consideration is that of your health ... you can work towards doing this that and the other, when you have time (which you'll never make for your selves), and think you'll do all sorts one day - but ... if your health lets you down (which is a fairly foregone conclusion for many/most) it will not happen - make the time while you're able to take advantage of good health - I was bomb proof - 'til I wasn't -- I'm lucky TBH - I could be a hell of a lot worse, than I am, but it's restrictive on what I can get up to - travelling particularly, with my weekly need for my 'hamster juice' treatments.
I don't want to be doom and gloom ... BUT -- FFS try and take more time out everyone - while you can enjoy it - I know you'll never switch off whilst not doing it/being there, but ................

 

[Furniss]

Wise words there for sure. Wish I could actually put them into action. Every year I say I'm not going to work weekends - and every year I seem to revert on that deal even faster than the last year. Partly we never feel secure enough as self employed people to actually give outselves time out. There's always some other drama or fear that it might all be gone next year so make hay etc..... But these things seem to rarely happen - and its another year of being flat out....
I dont know the answer, but I'm too proud to give up what I have now and too stupid to work less

Absolutely @Gunners .... I mean we are all pretty stubborn,if we weren't then we wouldn't still be at it, time flies though, I was 35 when we came here and set up the business - our daughter was 3months old, the mrs stayed at home and looked after our daughter, me , the paperwork, and house for the first few years and I got going with my landy and 801 jcb with my dad helping.
20years later and our daughter has moved to Paris to study, my Dads gone and Ive got a yard and more kit than I can bloody drive but the thrill of buying kit and the attainment phase is definitely over and other things are becoming more important!

 

[V8Druid]

Absolutely @Gunners .... I mean we are all pretty stubborn,if we weren't then we wouldn't still be at it, time flies though, I was 35 when we came here and set up the business - our daughter was 3months old, the mrs stayed at home and looked after our daughter, me , the paperwork, and house for the first few years and I got going with my landy and 801 jcb with my dad helping.
20years later and our daughter has moved to Paris to study, my Dads gone and Ive got a yard and more kit than I can bloody drive but the thrill of buying kit and the attainment phase is definitely over and other things are becoming more important!

I was two years younger than you Kev, when my body forced me to 'retire' -- had been working towards it for a while, but wasn't quite ready at that point ... start planning boyo

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Haven’t got a website, but if anyone searches for me google will bring up my Facebook page. Saying that I haven’t posted anything on there for years

Ditto! Our website has been ‘under construction’ for a few years.

 

[Storrsy]

Absolutely @Gunners .... I mean we are all pretty stubborn,if we weren't then we wouldn't still be at it, time flies though, I was 35 when we came here and set up the business - our daughter was 3months old, the mrs stayed at home and looked after our daughter, me , the paperwork, and house for the first few years and I got going with my landy and 801 jcb with my dad helping.
20years later and our daughter has moved to Paris to study, my Dads gone and Ive got a yard and more kit than I can bloody drive but the thrill of buying kit and the attainment phase is definitely over and other things are becoming more important!

I'm a fair bit younger than you, 36. But been at this self employed lark since I was 21 and before that did tree work since I left school at 16- so despite my "youth" I'm feeling pretty worn out already! Like you I'm thinking I'm not sure I want to go buying much more kit tbh and focus efforts elsewhere- just not sure where yet but jobs and kit certainly aren't exciting me like they used to.