Web page design help

[Wil Ferch]

Folks:

Here's the deal.

I'm starting my new consulting company and want to show an "example" template of the kind of web page I would like.... to show to my local web designer.

I *know* I've come across this kind of web site before...and now I can't find a good example as an illustration. Maybe you guys have come across one that looks like this and can identify a few examples for me ?

Very simple format, really....show me an example with these traits:

- "home page" ( welcome screen, basic info, high-level overview of services offered, etc)
- "about us" ( or "who we are"....gives some background on key personnel, and how this background relates to the services offered)
- "Industries served" ( self explanatory....helps focus where we can serve, the kind of clients that match well with our services)
- "capabilities" ( the kinds of services we can provide, broken down into a bit more detail, maybe with examples)
- Contact us ( obvious....contact info, address, phone numbers, email addresses, etc).

Funny... I come across this kind of format all the time and now can't find a good example. Any help out there?

[Don Plumley]

Just a few examples here

[Sapporo Guy]

Check out MODx http://modxcms.com/

you'll be amazed with what you can do with that system

Also, there are lot's of template sites out there.

But do you really just want to copy everybody else's site?

[Wil Ferch]

Carsten:

Thanks...not really "copying" but I need to start somewhere with a simple format that I know works... I've seen many "too busy/all-inclusive" formats that end up being so cluttered as to be unusable..for the the client get a quick "fix" on what kind of service is being offered.

The rule is...if you open the new web page and can't get what it's all about in about 4 secs....you're toast. You can't make someone "work" to simply find out who you are and what you're all about.

But...you've picqued my interest. If you think I'm simply copying...what approach do you suggest instead?

To all...I'm also looking for fully operational web sites to look at too...not just "template" sites.

[911Rob]

Good Luck Wil,
I've been hiring geeks on and off for marketing some of my larger projects. I've found that if I show them a sample, then my site ends up looking like that too. Often it works best if I just explain my concepts and let them be creative, I usually end up much happier. Some of these geek designers can be very creative and the results can be impressive.
Just a thought,
Have fun and once again, good luck.

[Wil Ferch]

Rob:
Maybe not a bad idea....thanks....

[Don Plumley]

I have a lot of experience working with mid and high-end interactive agencies. Any great designer can design a cool website with an intuitive navigation scheme. However, for this site to capture (visually) what is unique about your business and connect to your customers requires the type of creative brief, market understanding and design time that is well beyond simple web dev projects. Not even touching on content, photography and multi-language. It's pretty easy to spot the difference between a $10K website and a $100K website in seconds.

In other words, you want your designers not to design something that you think looks nice, you want them to design something that will engage and involve your customers. Superficially, you might like "blue", but your customers gravitate towards "purple" because everyone else's website is blue and blue makes them think about that big company that screwed everybody.

What Rob was saying is essentially this - there are some process steps and ways that you can take or you can pay an interactive agency to do this for you.

I could rant and on, but would be happy to chat with you (or anyone else) about how to get something done cheaply and professionally using your local resources.

Don

[Sapporo Guy]

Sorry ,

What I meant by "copying" was that a lot of folks go to a template site and then just change their name on it. I should have been clearer.

I mentioned modx because:
1.) it's a pretty dam good system and is very versatile (comparable to ruby-on-rails and zope) joomla and other nuke derivatives are facing some very stiff competition from the new web 2.0 folks.
2.) the page presentation is just amazing ... you can go with templates or pure tradtional html
3.) the folks there are very clued into what works for those $100k sites
4.) their write ups and what not are highly thought out
5.) license is great
6.) personal opinion -- I like the way they do things

Wil,
Before you go further ... I really recommend to site down with pen and paper and write out things about your business, various things that you like -- ie, colors, food, cars, etc ...
Basically brain storm in a rather disorganized fashion.

Then move on to writting up what you want on each page.

You are right about the 4 second approach. Actually I'd almost narrow it down to 2. People have very limited attention spans.

Do you have a MVV statement?

Take a look at the company that did that dashboard program ... or was it basecamp ... lolo, it's been a while since I rummage through some sweet sites.
Ones I used to like were, ikea, crate and barrel, mysql, american airlines ... to name a few.

I agree with Don and Rob a lot too, but think that you can do some of the ground work first and then contact somebody.

I personally stay away from flash heavy sites ... the load times even on dsl can be a bummer.
Navigation and simple, eye catching presentation is there at the moment. google and apple.

[Wil Ferch]

All interesting and noteworthy comments..... thanks

[rattlsnak]

www.rustypineapple.com

something i threw together in @ 15 minutes... has a few examples inside.