Website Development--i.e.WashMinder

[Rudy]

I got an email solicitation for WashMinder.com. They have a pretty slick setup but I'm not sure about the charges.

Basically, they want $500 to set up a website for you, and $50 a month to host, maintain, and update.

Has anyone used them?

For those of you with Websites, how did you develop the site, and what did you pay? What are you paying for monthly fees?

 

[Waxman]

Talk to Bill P about a website.

 

[robert roman]

$500 is about the going rate for a basic website design package that will include maybe 1 to 2 hours of actual consulting/feedback time with a design technician. This fee may or may not include the cost of registering the domain name.

For $2500, you will get a fully functional website and, in most cases, no shopping cart or credit card processing capabilities. Extra cost usually kicks in with a merchant account or having the capability to embed PayPal function.

My website service provider only charges me $20 a month for design templates, hosting, maintenance and 24/7 updating.

Shop around, there are a lot of good deals out there.

 

[robert roman]

Sorry, I meant to say $500 not $2,500.

 

[MEP001]

You can register a domain with godaddy.com for two years at $18, which includes hosting, and you can design and maintain it yourself, but unless you're very skilled it won't have the appeal of what a real pro can do.

 

[Rudy]

Roughly how much business can a website boost a self serve (3/2) car wash?

I've been established for a long time, but I'm always willing to spend a dime to make two....

 

[MEP001]

Roughly how much business can a website boost a self serve (3/2) car wash?

That question is dependent on too many variables to be answered. You could put up a website with your wash's name and address and do nothing more with it, or you could create something that people would want to visit over and over and use methods to draw new people to it, and your boost in business would be completely different. In fact how would you measure a boost in business created by a website?

 

[Andyjmyr]

Concur with MEP

I would have to agree with MEP on this one. Being a web developer and admin for a university taught me a lot. Websites serve as a medium of communication. In my opinion you have to understand what communication is about. To inform, persuade, or entertain. Make sure you have a general idea of what you'd like to have on the web site before writing any checks. I wouldn't even consider seeing a consultant until you have an idea on what it is you'd like on the site.

In this day and age many generations are adapting to the tech world. They're getting information from websites, iPhones, google, etc. I would like to warn everyone out there looking at creating a web site....... If you go cheap, you'll look cheap. There are many options out there. Do your research! If you'd like to edit the site and your inexperienced, look up a "WYSIWYG" (What You See Is What You Get".

Today, website development can offer and do many things you probably would never imagine. There are many options in development (iWeb, DreamWeaver, Photoshop, Adobe Flash, Microsoft Expression, Evrsoft RapidWeaver, CoffeeCup Visual) hosting (Godaddy.com), editing, and costs (FREE-$3,000 for a good "lots of options site"). The worst mistake you can make is NOT doing research.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

^All good advice.

Have you thought about possibly trying out some of the free social marketing you can do? i.e. facebook, twitter, linkedin? They have worked well for me, check them out.

 

[JustClean]

I would get a simple, professional looking website that I could easily edit myself.
I also would make it "timeless". The worst thing is a NEWS page that is 2 years old because you didn't find time to update it.
Registering it with Google is probably the most important thing. Open an account with Google and get your site on Google maps. That brings in new customers who moved to your area recently. Many forget what people really want: "Car is dirty! Get me a car wash!" That's it. Often web designers are so involved in their business that they forget the purpose of the site. If people want entertainment they can go somewhere else unless you do it that great that they will show it to their friends. But this means a lot of good ideas and time. I think this time is better spent in keeping the place nice and clean.