I'd appreciate feedback and suggestions on my website, please.

[work4me]

Hi All,

I've launched a website that offers people free registration and free listing of work they need somebody for on a non-permanent basis, called a Project.

The service provider who is interested in doing that work would then bid against others for that work. Service Providers pays a subscription to be able to bid on a Project but they also get a directory style listing for the subscription.

Can you please let me know what you think of the concept, the site and what would prevent people from using the service to list a Project/job?

The site is www.work4me.com.au.

What would the best way to market the site be?

Thanks,

[Samh]

Hi,

Here is my feedback on work4me, feel free to disagree and disregard as you see fit

You have a good idea, and I know how hard it is to get a website and/or business idea started so keep going and good luck.

1 - People don't read. There is a lot of text on the homepage. I know how hard it is to cut text but it's

always a good idea. In fiction writing I've heard the phrase "Kill your darlings", meaning, some of that

text that's absolutely essential, you have to cut.

2 - People need to know what to read. If you scroll up and down the homepage all the text is the same size,

it all looks of equal importance. Key points should be big or bold or red. Imagine you have to hook

visitors in two sentences, what are the two sentences and how do you make sure they are the first two they

read.

3 - Following on from 2, the description text in the title ("Work4Me is an innovative website that...")

should be big and bold and easy to read.

4 - At the top you have a dual menu going on. "Available Projects" and then underneath "Looking for Work",

"Sign Up" then "Register Here". I would suggest picking one set of wording and going with it (I prefer the

bottom more casual text). Having two sets of text makes it less clear its a menu and less standard.

5 - The bright "register for free" and "login" buttons "above the fold" are great. But they could be even

bigger and bottom aligned together, so they are all at the same height. Probably the three columns "Service Providers", "Project Owners" and "returning members" should each be a different color. All that whitespace makes it hard for the eye to find structure and edges, it makes it less pleasant to read.

6 - Why have "Home" on the top menu in prime screen-estate, I don't think it ads much value. Better to

have a logo or image maybe saying "Kicking off Strong in 2010".

7 - I wouldn't bold "FREE" or even use it as the selling thrust. It lowers the value of the site. It sends

the message of desperate.

8 - Maybe you would be better off picking a single industry, perhaps one that currently doesn't have many

online market places to start. So not graphic design or programming, something else where people can do

remote work that isn't already well catered for. No matter how small, if you own that space you will do

well.

9 - For these 'network effect' / 'chicken and egg' ideas, where they only become useful when people use them

you really have to seed them a lot yourself to start with. In your case I imagine that will mean

contacting lots of organisations and offering to put their projects into the site yourself.

I have heard of some people having a BBQ/Pizza night for all their friends and in the space of 6 hours they

all call around and enter data into their site, so they get it reasonably full reasonably fast.

I really think you need a niche, trying to cover legal and building maintenance and graphic design on one

new site is _hard_. I mean even if you get 15 graphic design projects and 15 legal projects in the site for

any one user there is only 15 projects because it's unlikely their interest will span both categories.

Better to choose 1 category and get 30 projects in for that.

10 - The repeat of the same comic icon for all the new service providers on the home page looks strange,

like it's a template
not a live site, I would randomize the icons so there is some variety.

11 - What's unique or special about your site ? Obviously there are many other market place sites for

services, designoutpost, rentacoder, elance etc etc etc What is it that makes your site different or better

? It doesn't have to be something amazing, maybe just a different emphasis.

Examples :
- "The easiest way to get your project done" - make everything simple, as few clicks as possible
- "The premier place for high quality service providers" - Only accept high paying projects and high quality
service providers
- "The Building and Maintenance Services Marketplace - If it's on site it's on the site!" - Specialize in

one vertical


12 - Currently there just isn't enough data / activity to entice people to submit in my opinion.

How to market it ?

I will have a think about it.

I hope you found some value there.

Cheers
Sam Howley
www.querycell.com
www.customercradle.com