How to design my offline gold portfolio site

11 replies
Hey,

It seems to me that I need a website to showcase my work to potential offline gold clients, in addition to sending out sales letters and doing interviews.

How do I design the layout for this kind of "showcase" site?
#design #gold #offline #portfolio #site
  • Profile picture of the author Tsnyder
    I'm not trying to be harsh but if you don't know
    how to design your own site why would any business
    owner pay you to design theirs?

    Tsnyder
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    If you knew what I know you'd be doing what I do...
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  • Profile picture of the author ShellySamuel
    Why not build a blog, use flash plugins to showcase the pictures of sites you want to use, or use animoto, put the pictures on animoto, build a video for them to see.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Originally Posted by Nicketas View Post

    Hey,

    It seems to me that I need a website to showcase my work to potential offline gold clients, in addition to sending out sales letters and doing interviews.

    How do I design the layout for this kind of "showcase" site?
    The web is littered with "showcase sites" for real businesses that do absolutely nothing but show off the designer's skills (or their outsourcers') and suck money from the till.

    You'll do far better if you can show business owners a site you built that actually creates leads that become sales. For that, you could set up an affiliate site or a CPA campaign using whatever layout works to achieve the purpose. Document the results. It may not be a "showcase", but it will demonstrate that you know how to use the web to make money.

    Besides, the business owner you speak to may not need a showcase site. He may just need a squeeze page, a static information site for current customers, or a catalog site. The only way to find out for sure is to talk to them without a preconceived notion of what they "need"...
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    • Profile picture of the author dbarnum
      Head to GoDaddy and use their Website Tonight deal. They have professional templates, tons of bells and whistles - even support And it's super cheap, under $10 a month.

      Be up and running there with their stuff in an hour or less, then grow it with their help.

      Here's a short article I wrote on this:

      Introducing WEBSITE TONIGHT, a Professional Quick Site Builder with RSS & More

      Later to think about:

      ...become an affilaite with them, build your client sites, blogs, etc. there, too.

      Diana
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    • Profile picture of the author Linda Van Fleet
      Nicketas, When I read your question, it seems to me that you are asking about how to design your own portfolio site to show your customers your services as relates to the gold business. Some of the others who have answered seem to think you are asking about how to design your own portfolio site to get design business.

      Assuming I have correctly *heard* your question, I would hire a good web designer to create a simple, classy web site detailing what you do, how you do it and the "WIIFM info" your prospective clients want to see. I would list my clients (who do not mind the publicity) and references. And, I would give them a way to contact me. The cost to have that done is minimal compared to the boost it will give your business.

      If I am off the mark with your question - please just ignore my advice!

      Linda
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  • Profile picture of the author Preben Frenning
    How about trying some of the many features of this theme? - Best Wordpress Themes WP Remix

    I'm personally going to use it for my business, and I feel pretty confident it will work out great.
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  • Profile picture of the author artwebster
    Each of your clients will be unique in one respect - they will either believe you or not.

    If they don't believe you, the most glamorous portfolio in the world won't save you and if they do believe you, the most glamorous portfolio in the world won't make a jot of difference.
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    You might not like what I say - but I believe it.
    Build it, make money, then build some more
    Some old school smarts would help - and here's to Rob Toth for his help. Bloody good stuff, even the freebies!

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  • Profile picture of the author hangtimenino
    you better start now, if you plan to impress your clients. because i know for sure , that building a showcase site, is not an overnight project, and it has a lot of trial and error.
    goodluck.
    i think its better, you hire someone to make it for you.:-)
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  • Profile picture of the author artwebster
    Three days and Nicketas hasn't been back.

    Another bot?
    Just building the post count?
    or just bloody ungrateful?
    Signature

    You might not like what I say - but I believe it.
    Build it, make money, then build some more
    Some old school smarts would help - and here's to Rob Toth for his help. Bloody good stuff, even the freebies!

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[861418].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Nicketas
    I know how to build sites.

    I'm attempting to determine an optimal layout for the "offline gold" method by david preston, the type that each type of business is looking for.


    Notice I used the word "design", not "build", in my op.

    What's a good layout?

    Thanks to those who have answered.
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  • Profile picture of the author Preben Frenning
    I would still say this one: Best Wordpress Themes WP Remix.

    I'm currently usingit myself, and everyone who's seen it says it looksextremely professional. Not only that, it has templates for portfolios, products, testimonials etc. and It's very funky. Take a look at the faq template for example.

    I can PM you a link to the website, as it's in Norwegian, and not finished yet.

    Good luck anyways
    Signature

    Content overload? Too many tabs open? Then
    check out my awesome tech startup! - It will make your life easier.


    Twitter? - http://twitter.com/Preben_Frenning

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