Throwing up websites fast for offline businesses

[digidoodles]

Someone posted a realllllllllllllly nifty letter in pdf that they had been sending offline businesses that gave them a sample site for their business.

Question: What's the best method to throw up a quick site for a dentist, chiropractor, etc? What software? What templates? Etc.

I can do all of this manually but... the issue is time. I want fast, served up NOW!

Thanks in advance!

[Simon Ashari]

If you wanted fast, then a wordpress blog is probobly your best bet.

call it a 'web portal' as most offline business owners most likely wont understand the power of blogs (thinking they are basically just for journals).

[Norma Holt]

If you are expected to do a web site then don't cheat. It can backfire. Do a good site and use a template is necessary. There are plenty around, especially in Site Studio etc. A blog does not pass the muster in my opinion.

Norma

[digidoodles]

Originally Posted by Norma Holt

If you are expected to do a web site then don't cheat. It can backfire. Do a good site and use a template is necessary. There are plenty around, especially in Site Studio etc. A blog does not pass the muster in my opinion.

Norma

Can you explain how a blog can backfire? Or why you (and maybe others?) don't feel it's a "legit" website?

I ask for curiosity and to try to understand.

I have a love/hate relationship with wordpress. When it's good, it's really good. When it's bad, it's really bad. Formatting is a nightmare (posts, for example) and image placement is... horrid.

At any rate, just trying to get a better feel of why/why not a blog? And, if not, then what else CHEAP? (templates, etc. ?)

Thanks!

[Spark]

I am not sure whether this help and i didn't really use it. I though about it yesterday after reading one of the topic here. Let me know whether its work?

Method -

Find a few FREE template. upload those free template to any free hosting plans, its will look even better if you purchase a domain name. [www.yourdomain.com/template 1] then using link, email them to your clients.

Mention that you don't really have a website of your own but do have a few samples for them to view. [Which is the FREE templates that you source for. ] If they really like it, they might contact you through your number or best a landing page if they are interested in any updates of your stuffs.
For those that have appointment with you, talk to them regarding the layout. or best, ask them which template they choose then from there edit the template they choose or even outsource to people to work at the choose template.

Actually there's so much ideas to look at it. Just sit down and think, mix and match and everything will come into one piece. One last thing..ACTION! Cheers!

Hope this help.

[jan roos]

I'd say Xsitepro2 is really great for this. Check my blog in my sig for a video which shows how quick you can do anything with XSP. XSP also lets you do SEO, add videos, autoresponders, RSS feeds etc etc with a click of a button.

HTH

[Spark]

Hey Jan,

Thanks for your help on this. I have some inquires, actually i did purchase XSitePro2 and have been sitting there for 3 months... Was wondering whether does XSitepro2 really create a good layout? I understand it's has lot of functions..

Also how do you normally charge? Man..i feel like trying out all this 'offline' going on currently..

[VegasGreg]

Originally Posted by Norma Holt

If you are expected to do a web site then don't cheat. It can backfire. Do a good site and use a template is necessary. There are plenty around, especially in Site Studio etc. A blog does not pass the muster in my opinion.
Norma

Most people confuse Wordpress as JUST being a blog.

In fact, you CAN use Wordpress to make a web site and very nice looking web sites. They are also easier to update and manage for your clients.

[Glenn Leader]

MODS: If it's inappropriate to post this, please feel free to delete it.

I have a method of building business websites in about 90 seconds, this time includes prospecting for clients too. The idea is to use a simple niche specific template to build dozens of sites, with a blog frontend. A very simple method to build a business directory with very little work. You offer a free membership to the directory, and a few other related useful features. You'd charge a monthly 'Maintenance' fee. If you worked at it, you could easily build 50 a day, and still have time to do other stuff.

I posted about this a little while ago, I even created a video demonstrating how this works to get some feedback. The problem was, people got my demo link, but never had the courtesy to even reply with their comments. So this free offer is no longer available.

I don't have a sales letter you'd send to businesses to get them onboard, at the moment, but am considering creating a very low cost, or even free WSO on my methods. would that interest folks?

Glenn

[Quentin]

So when was it decided that a blog is not a website.

It is the delivery that is different however most people will end up viewing it as a page and I always get my customers blogging first to build the traffic and experience and that also gives us time to concentrate on the sales page.

Once we are all happy we change it over to a cms site with a static front page.

Works like a charm.

Quentin

[tonyscott]

Didn't see the demo Glenn. Very interested in this, how do I get further info?

cheers

Tony

Originally Posted by Glenn Leader

MODS: If it's inappropriate to post this, please feel free to delete it.

I have a method of building business websites in about 90 seconds, this time includes prospecting for clients too. The idea is to use a simple niche specific template to build dozens of sites, with a blog frontend. A very simple method to build a business directory with very little work. You offer a free membership to the directory, and a few other related useful features. You'd charge a monthly 'Maintenance' fee. If you worked at it, you could easily build 50 a day, and still have time to do other stuff.

I posted about this a little while ago, I even created a video demonstrating how this works to get some feedback. The problem was, people got my demo link, but never had the courtesy to even reply with their comments. So this free offer is no longer available.

I don't have a sales letter you'd send to businesses to get them onboard, at the moment, but am considering creating a very low cost, or even free WSO on my methods. would that interest folks?

Glenn

[Glenn Leader]

Originally Posted by tonyscott

Didn't see the demo Glenn. Very interested in this, how do I get further info?

cheers

Tony

There is no demo right now Tony, but I have had enough PM's asking me to
release them. I'll re-record them and do a free WSO some time next week.

HTH

Glenn

[Preben Frenning]

Wordpress can easily be used to create static websites.
Here's and example template: WP Remix - Home (Not aff.)

I plan on using this, and sell websites to people with "Free webdesign" and a monthly/yearly fee for hosting and support.

There's also a tool called "Wordpress cloner" which let's you clone a blog with settings, plugins etc. intact.

Now just make a well made wordpress blog, without a template, install all relevant plugins, modify the settings etc.

Then, whenever you need to build a site, just find a good, related theme, make a sample on your own domain, and clone it over to the new domain.

Easy? Yes...

[Glenn Leader]

Originally Posted by Preben Frenning

Wordpress can easily be used to create static websites.
Here's and example template: WP Remix - Home (Not aff.)

8< snipped

With a startup cost of $275, that's gonna be way out of reach for
most who are just starting up. Are there any cheaper alternatives?

Glenn

[Preben Frenning]

Yeah, MANY!
That was just an example of what kind of wordpress templates you can get to make a website look static and proffessional.

Just google it. For example: "Free wordpress templates" "Simple wordpress templates" "free wp templates" etc. Or "*niche* wordpress template".

Here's a few I found after a quick google search: (Not all are extremely high quality, but you will eventually learn to sort them out)

100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes | Developer's Toolbox | Smashing Magazine

Free WordPress templates and themes

Arcsin Web Templates - Free Website Templates & Wordpress Themes

Here's even the google search if you feel lazy =P: Free Wordpress Templates

Now just browse through a few, and I'm 100% sure you will find a few nice ones.

[new2ebiz]

I used to create brochure type sites for local businesses in my area. As to whether you should use a blog or the traditional html type web page would depend alot on the client I had. Some were verrrry Internet savvy and other were just the opposite. If I were not careful I could 'make their eyes cross' with options. So I first found out what they hoped to accomplish then make a recommendation.
As to whether I used XSitePro, a 'normal' html template, or suggested a blog depended greatly on their ability and willingness to learn, how often it needed changed, etc.
As to your XSitePro 'look'; I have found you can do a great deal with a little practice. But it's not for everyone. It helps to know a little html to customize their templates and they do have a blank page option.
As for suggesting a client use a blog; it works well for some, it's confusing to others.
Sometimes figuring out what the client is capable of and willing to do is one of the hardest things to determine.
As for fast; I can put up a small brouchure type website fast using any of those methods. Templates, etc. are easy to find. It's the content that takes time.

Do they know or have they already written out the content? Do they have a photo to include? Do they know or already have the domain chosen and bought? It's amazing what 'little' things can trip a timetable up.
I used a little checklist with my clients to help them 'work through' the decisions they needed to make. It also helped them understand that "quick" is sometimes defined two different ways. The checklist was also used at a later date in case a misunderstanding occured because sometimes they 'thought' they said one thing or they forgot something that was agreed to.

Good luck.

[reikidad1961]

Throwing up a website fast is a recipe for disaster. Put everything you have into creating a site especially when you're going to charge money for it. No shortcuts to success....

[Roger Mayne]

Originally Posted by Glenn Leader

There is no demo right now Tony, but I have had enough PM's asking me to
release them. I'll re-record them and do a free WSO some time next week.

HTH

Glenn

Glenn

I'd be really interested to see those videos when they're done. Keep me posted please. I have a Wordpress blog with a county as the domain name, then I have a bunch of XSitePro sites with STD codes as the domain name, which I'm using to build directories on. Sounds like you may have an easier method.

Any other advice?

Many thanks.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Originally Posted by Spark

Hey Jan,

Thanks for your help on this. I have some inquires, actually i did purchase XSitePro2 and have been sitting there for 3 months... Was wondering whether does XSitepro2 really create a good layout? I understand it's has lot of functions..

Also how do you normally charge? Man..i feel like trying out all this 'offline' going on currently..

I use XSP - and my layouts are effective for getting response - I wrote
some stuff about how and why template websites can be a really good
thing for your clients:
copywriting|direct response|marketing|consultant|search engine|copy|sales copy|sales|selling - Why Your "Artistic" Website Sucks At Making You Money

[Jesus Perez]

It's almost impossible to answer this question since we don't really know your skillset.

Can you use Wordpress? HTML? What are YOU faster in?

More importantly, what does the business need?
If they want a 5 page site, with no future scalability, HTML or XsitePro2 is perfect. Will they scale up to blogs/newsletters later? Wordpress and Joomla are better choices.

Will they want to setup static pages, calendars, blogs, newsletter, shopping cart, directory...Joomla is a superb choice.

Answer these questions...and you'll in turn know your client better and offer the best solution.

I personally use Joomla. I can set them up quickly and edit content even faster. It also scales superbly for even the craziest requests from businesses.

Then again, all my offline client gigs start around $2k

[digidoodles]

I have dreamweaver, photoshop, paint shop pro (I actually love this program) and have been designing websites for years.

I am just looking to be able to toss something up fast -- I think people are thinking that this is something permanent. It's a teaser for what it could be, therefore, why I need something I can do fast.

I wish I could find the post that talked about the letter that someone send out to offline businesses that has a mini-site test url in it. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Thanks everyone!

[Preben Frenning]

Originally Posted by digidoodles

I have dreamweaver, photoshop, paint shop pro (I actually love this program) and have been designing websites for years.

I am just looking to be able to toss something up fast -- I think people are thinking that this is something permanent. It's a teaser for what it could be, therefore, why I need something I can do fast.

I wish I could find the post that talked about the letter that someone send out to offline businesses that has a mini-site test url in it. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

Thanks everyone!

I'm not sure, but I think you are talking about the "Stupidly Simple Cash Cow" thread? It's gone somehow.

I wrote a blog post about it some time ago - The Easy Way To Offline Riches | The iMarketing Blog

Anyways, I just wanted to add something here:

I'm using both wordpress and xsitepro, but I feel that if you are used to using wordpress, static pages from xsitepro aren't quite as satisfying.

Wordpress makes everything so dynamic, and you can update it from anywhere, google loves it, it's easier to update, customization is fairly easy, many awesome plugins, it's cheap, LOADS of templates, and you can even make static websites with it, and it still looks great.

Oh, and another thing about wordpress - It's easy to get support, since there are so many people using it.

[Glenn Leader]

Originally Posted by swiftdeal

Glenn

I'd be really interested to see those videos when they're done. Keep me posted please. I have a Wordpress blog with a county as the domain name, then I have a bunch of XSitePro sites with STD codes as the domain name, which I'm using to build directories on. Sounds like you may have an easier method.

Any other advice?

Many thanks.

OK..I relent. Below is a link to my first draft video.

But before you visit it, I need viewers to understand several things;

1. The video is very crude. There is no polish at all.
2. I made a number of mistakes (corrected later in the video).
3. It's boring at places (trust me on that one).
4. This is not a step by step guide... If you can take basic ideas and run with them, then great... if not, wait for the detailed (and free) WSO sometime next week (please don't waste my bandwidth if you can't use a basic idea.
5. I've not covered in enough detail for most people how to build the template sites, or their contents.
6. The videos were recorded simply to solicit opinion from a small group of people I work with.
7. Please don't clog this thread up with you comments about it.... email them to me instead.
8. I reserve the rights to use your comments to improve my ideas, or to scrap them completely.
9. Anything else that get me off the hook for a crap video that goes on for too long like this post that never seems to end.
10. The video is 25 minutes long. The WSO version will be broken down into smaller bite sized chunks, assuming people like the actual ideas behind the system.
11. Some of my ideas are not covered by the video, so it's incomplete in many ways.

Video: Sorry, free crude videos are no longer available, due to conflict of interest with my full video set.

HTH

Glenn

[Harry Behrens]

Yes WordPress can easily do for a real non-blog website... and even power your entire web design business as it does for me... *IF* you are really good at the code, or *IF* you are ready to spring good money for premium themes when needed.

But for someone who is not fluent in PHP and WordPress Tag code and is hoping to make a go of it using purely plugins and free themes, well it's certainly possible, but I would advice caution and being aware of the learning curve ahead.

[JL Melvin]

I use the Free Countryside theme from Ithemes to create a "quick" website for local businesses, as a matter of fact in the middle of creating one for a client right now. It's easy to modify and keeps things simple.

http://ithemes.com/free-wordpress-themes/

I also use Xsitepro 2 for creating websites for my local businesses too. It really all boils down to what you find "works for you." Recently I purchased a domain name to use for a website I'm building with XSP2 for local chiropractors. It's going to be a lease site.

Jeff