Well, this should be fun. Since I've created so much of a stir in another category, I thought I'd post a new site that I'm working on for my web design biz.

Here's my issue, I like the layout, and it's easy for me to update and compliant and all that fun stuff, but I don't think its visually inviting to engage the visitor to contact me.

Where am I going wrong? Tips would be great. I'm trying to figure out how to make the site a little warmer and also engage visitors and talk them into contacting me.

www.worldfire.com is the domain. Please be kind as I've only spent about 6 hours on this design.

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Web Design, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization are our tools. Building business for our customers is our mission, if we are willing to accept it.

Well, your site really lacks any focus, theme, or colour scheme.

Try and develop a theme and build from that...that's about all i can suggest right now.

You need photos.

Also, instead of using the royal "we" everywhere, you might consider presenting yourself. Include an actual photo of yourself. Include a short bio. Put your name on the "contact" page and indicate that you will be the person answering the phone... because your company is concentrated on providing personalized service and you plan to take personal responsibility for making sure I'm happy.

Don't forget to add an e-mail address or a form to the "contact" page. (It's missing at the moment.)

Unless I downsize my browser window, the first LINE of text in the main column on your homepage reads:
"WorldFire Business Services has been developing the online presences for business for over a decade. We've worked with countless clients and helped build numerous"
IMHO, that's too many words to have appearing in one line of text. Put another way, the column is too wide for easy reading. (I wish I knew a good trick to use all of a window's width up-to-but-not-over a certain number of pixels!)

Cjacobson - I'd have to agree, this is why I hate doing my own web site. I don't have photos for things having to do with building someone's business. If I'm working with a client with a certain product they are selling, life is easy.

Regarding the royal "we" the company is actually a team. We've been around for quite a while and there are various people you'll meet in the midst of working with us, all dependant upon the services you choose.

Now, I am the one who answers the phone most often, so I guess I could do the "personalized" thing from the "president/owner" point of view. I'm not sure how much I'd want to add my own picture, as that may make people not want to work with me, wink wink.

Here's a random question, does anyone have any "seo / web design / sem / hosting / business building photos"? Or know where I can find some to work from?

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Web Design, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization are our tools. Building business for our customers is our mission, if we are willing to accept it.

For some photos I use www.istockphoto.com - cheap, high quality stock photos.

I think you might need to concentrate on generic business pictures for the company - just to add some brightness. But make sure you don't go too far with it.

Good luck, it's a good start - I always find making my own site the most difficult!

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The biggest challenge I find is designing for this full width type of a site. I may have to dumb the design down a little and contain within an area.

Maybe that will add a little ease to my site.

Thanks for the link to the photo site, I'll have to take a peek and see if they have some stuff that will help.

I feel like I need a site for reference, but since most of my biz comes from referrals I have no idea why this is so important to me.

Oh well, once we start a task, we might as well finish it. Keep sending over those ideas.

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Web Design, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization are our tools. Building business for our customers is our mission, if we are willing to accept it.

I would encourage you to establish a relationship with at least one local freelance photographer. My little company uses two: basically one for people and one for products. We met the "people" photographer when our local newspaper sent him out... he works CHEAP, FAST, and can make ANYONE look good. (Frankly though, who cares if you look "good"? What matters is that you look friendly and professional, and that the photo is interesting to look at.) Shoot digital, of course, and you'll have the photos immediately. You can photoshop them yourself, right?

Whenever you have a local customer and they need photography for your web work - you'll be able to give a referrel.

While you're at it, you should get to know at least one local sign shop and a few local graphic (print) designers. Ultimately, you're serving the same customers and by networking you can all improve your businesses.

Graf, thanks for the heads up with Istockphoto, that is a very nice site. And I like how you can search by where you want to overlay text in the image and the such. Very very nice.

CJacobson - I actually do have relationships with some photographers locally, why should I think of using them for my own work? It's like brain is off today. Geesh. I do have a team for the graphic design side, and normally I'm pretty decent at this, but I'm having trouble because it's my own site I think.

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Web Design, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization are our tools. Building business for our customers is our mission, if we are willing to accept it.