ZoomConcept Reviews
Serious Problem Design alone won't make you stand out
I see more of a marketing problem then a design issue. ( I guess I think more marketing then design these days) Actually the design is fine – You need a hook – you need to get their attention and separate your self from all the other designers. You also need to give more value directly to the reader right on the site. You know this stuff you do it for your clients. Question: When you work with a client to create a design that establishes a memorable and trustworthy brand where do you start? Ask yourself what is memorable and trustworthy about you, about your site and about YOUR brand? Seriously the design is not the problem. Keep in mind that no one cares what you (or me for that matter) want. They only care about what they want. So talk about what they want. Most importantly talk about what is in it for them. Talk results, talk benefits, above all talk about what matters to them. Then give them value – real value that they can use Very Important Drop the free quote part. Replace it with something like this: -- For a free assessment of how your brand, your message and your website can all work as one to bring more customers to you in less time - call us. Your free assessment will show you the secret language that great branding and design speaks, directly to your customers and how you can use to …. Build your reputation, Expand your client base, Generate more sales, reduce your costs and make you more money…. -- When they contact you for the free assessment ask: to make the best use of our time together which of the three areas are you most interested in? Branding, Web Design or Graphic Design? That way you know what to focus on. Then ask them what they want to accomplish from which ever one they picked. You can also offer a free report on for any one of the three areas. The when they call in as which of the three reports they want, Get their information and tell you that you will send it right out. Then ask them out of curiosity what they are trying to accomplish with what ever area they picked. If you are non-salesy most people will talk your ear off. And guess what you have just taken a major step in building rapport Write up a 3 free report they only need to be 5 or so pages each and they should give real value and offer a discount of some kind on your services. Now you have the skeleton of an inbound marketing program. Like I said I have my marketing hat on. Hope this helps.Summary:
The design is fine - you need a hook and to think more like a marketer.
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Robert Hubbs commented:I am glad it helps you. Sometimes I come off a bit harsh as I tend to be really focused on the marketing message. Actually I think you have some good hook material on your site already in the three topic in the middle, they just need to be expanded.
Regarding Effective: Do not be hard on yourself. If it was easy everyone would do it and it would not be as valuable. The fact that it is hard works in your favor because you are working at it and once you get it you will be far ahead of the competition. PLUS and it is a big plus, you are open to feedback and know how to test what you do... Those two things are huge. Not being able to do that sinks a lot of bright people.
Keep at it till it rocks.
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Please review my changes in picture 2, thanks
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Serious Problem Menu
on your website, it's not the same menu, and you have a broblem about italignements
problem with information alignments. It's not easy to read !Positive Feature Very good ! Summary:
Hello,
The design of your site is simple, class, pleasing and meets the current visual. Maybe a little too simple, but it's very personal!
Be careful, you have a bug on your menu, a triangle in the background remains visible on the home button. Attention also to alignments, for example in the portfolio, the buttons "view projects" are not aligned and it destabilizes the harmony of the whole. The contact is too small to make a dedicated page is not necessarily required, but a little short form would be interesting, or simply to enhance the contact information.
Hoping this helps,
Maelle
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
I made some changes, Please review my changes in picture 2, thanks
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Mlm Marie commented:I like it very very muche !! great ! In picture 2, the shadow under the pictures, the color grey/blue, the background, navigation in javascript, with automatic scroll ?
instead of repeating the menu, you can set the logo and the menu position: fixed, in this way, your menu is always visible, and your logo too;
Very good work
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Will incorporate the fixed header idea. Thanks great suggestion!
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Minor Problem on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 Hoping something is going to be here? A center piece of some sort? 2 Why is all this cool stuff way down here? If there's a hero-graphic or something major thing up top, this is a cool, laid back follow up. If the top is intentionally empty - not sure why this is way down here..... 3 Better suited as in footer area Critical Problem Again, whats with the blank space? Positive Feature Love this tabular treatment; very nice transition and keeps the edge on the style a little more creative. Positive Feature on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 Nice subtle treatment on the thumbails 2 Nice tie in to the color scheme all around.... very cool, attention grabbing without interfereing with the presentation of the work. Kudos :) New Idea Call to action
So, you wanna convert? Well definitely need an angle. This looks like a great (and again, a bit generic) website shell. Would be great to see some "hire me" or "get a quote" interlaced through key focal points. What can they tangibility click on to bring them closer to connecting with you? How can you more easily bridge that communication gap for the client / employer? Open doors, put the welcome mat out, and a big neon sign that says 'YES, WE'RE OPEN'-
Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
There is a call to action on the right side of the screen that links to a contact page, not visible on the screenshot.
Other Clean, Cool, [Un]Creative
So overall, kinda has the ol' template stamped look to it; very what I would call "word-pressy" feel. No need to always re-invent the wheel though; its well balanced and recedes enough to let your work be the focus; which is good.Cool, so is this just an enlarged image, or another page with a case study / project & client details? I like! Other on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 On the fence with the lower-cased, kinda foot note copy wrting. Is this place holder text or exactly what you were thinking? 2 Right hand menu - cool, but to what point & purpose? Very curious to see the balance once the top is completed.....you may find this menu not as effective as it is while the top is empty 3 Scrolling vs. Clicking - the never ending debate. Again, not sure about why all this awesome stuff is sooooo far down...maybe you can help me out? What are you thinking - is this internal scrolling, or whole site / browser window scrolling? Summary:
Overall, I think its a good, clean start. Lots of little notes throughout, hope they help!
Biggest underlying concern is the missing call to action and the dead space in prime real estate.
Biggest asset to the design is a familiar look and feel with crisp graphic treatments.
Cheers! Jamie
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
With number 1, on my live site the links are next to each other not below each other, thus this screenshot does not truthfully represent my real site. Don't know why it made such a bad screenshot.
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Jamie Linder commented:Yah, sorry - just going by whats on CF!
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Please review my changes in picture 2, thanks
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Jamie Linder commented:
I sure will, but honestly, I put time into my thoughts, and would appreciate them being awarded as helpful by you. If they are not helpful, not sure if you need my comments for round 2 ;)
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New Idea Portfolio Page
One thing that annoyed me when I was viewing your portfolio is when I clicked on an image to enlarge, if i had scrolled down to find the thumbnail, it scrolled me back up. Something easy to fix but it really broke up my experience of looking thru your work from one to the next flawlessly. It also shows all thumbnails, then glitches, when you click mouse.Homepage
Possibly consider a simplier landing page to add to this, that is the qoute and an image of one of your portfolio works to minmize opening content.Color
I like the blue & grey. I think you can use the blue more, this can also be used to sucessfully draw more attention to certain areas or text.Other Print Ads
I dont think it would hurt to have an addition image accompany your photos of print ads, while I get the overall feel of the spread it would be nice to see a little more detail.Homepage
It looks very clean and well anchored, but its also a lot to take in. Maybe reconsider the hierarchy of different call to actions and section. I'm not sure what more important....the qoute or the services because everything carries the same weight.Summary:
Overall you have a good theme going, simple and clean. Although I would like some kind of little creative surprise somewhere. Be more aware of the hierarchy of your sections to make it more user friendly to guide us along, show us where you want us to be and whats most important, that will also help make it look less "print ad" like and more "website"
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Michelle Rauh commented:check out some of these portfolio sites, a couple of the arent but still cool.
http://www.everyoneassociates.com/?pid=1
http://work.mabu.dk/#
http://www.pekkafinland.fi/
http://www.imagethemusic.it/
http://www.iwc.com/
http://www.letermedowling.com/index.php/newwork
http://www.onebyfourstudio.com/
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Michelle Rauh commented:
I looked at your site again, it has deff improved. My biggest comment would be on portfolio page, I dont think you need the mini photo thumbnail and the arrows in the lower rigth corner hwne the image enlarges because I can click the "x" and go back to the large thumbnail easily. I also think the mini thumbsnails when hoovered on obstruct your image a little.
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Michelle Rauh commented:
Forgot to mention, i like the new logo as well, although I didnt think the lower case was bad the caps does stand out. i was also thinking what if the text that says "designer for hire" was a rollover that then said "hire me" and was clickable.
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Please review my changes in picture 2
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Michelle Rauh commented:
I like it! I think it works much better now, spec. the homepage. Will look for when you update it live to see it better first hand but it seems you tackled everything that seemed lacking or out of place. The only thing I have to comment on from the pictures is the wording on the hire me page. "drop me a mail" just sounds a little funny to me but at the moment I can't think of anything to replace it well.
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Michelle Rauh commented:
Also like how you combined the testimonials and hire me page.
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Thanks, I did some research on email marketing and applied it to my site. Always end with a PS this is why you should you me so I placed the comments there. To end with what others have to say I think helps with getting them to call.
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Website to go live by Thursday next week.
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Minor Problem on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 To small different in this quota comparing to text above. Work on typhography here. 2 Your showing your biggest skill very low, and as it was marginal feature here. You should place this box in fold at least, Why not make thes 3 services vertical, and show 9 projects? 3x3 rows? Serious Problem on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 Remove this link from menu. This brings more damage than profit. Keep in mind that you are showing all testimonials on main page, and allowing to scroll them to see more. Who reads all testimonials these days ;). Keep site minimalistic if you dont have content. Dont search for new views in purpose. 2 To much width. Around 80 char per line is what you need here. Text is much to long, who will read it ?... 3 In testimonials box, arrows work in reverse direction. I click and it scrolls up. Positive Feature on BRILJANTSITE.jpg 1 Much better copy :) New Idea on BRILJANTSITE.jpg 1 Make it bigger, also i would make it horizontal , easier to read. You have a lot of space for that. Also why not change color to some warmer? Orange? It should be better visible i think (important button for U;) 2 I hate to have prev/next buttons small, you have space to make it bigger 3 Make it shorter. 2-3 sentences tops. If you want to write more, hide rest of content behind button ("more") which will show more desc after clicking (also make button "hide") 4 This should also be visible after scrolling, its main navigation New Idea on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 I will create for you ( be sure of your skills) 2 You own? Will create a brand? As far as i know, this process is long, requires more than 1 man etc. I suspect that you can only help in creating it, by making well matched/orginal logo, make good copywriting etc. If you want to say that your big, and everyone see that you're small...its called bullshit. Say sth reall, like "I will create for your website a better internet image" - this i.e. sounds more reall. -
Jakub RóG commented:Agh i read it after a few hours sleep. I'm sorry i didnt mean to be impolite :( I just wanted to point out some dangerous sayings , which may lead to lose your credibility in customer eyes.
Summary:
Hi, I generaly like colors and style, but i dont like typhography. I would also work on copywriting. Porfolio view - remove descriptions, place only photos with action buttons. Picture express more than words.
I have feeling its some small designer / freelancer site. I can easly notice, that you dont have much content. Do sth with that, fill pages with some graphic elements or sth. Check notes.
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Please review my changes in picture 2, thanks
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Jakub RóG commented:
Hi, I added some notes to pic2, it looks much better , and whole site will be looking more advanced if you'll use one page view idea. Copywriting is much better for me now, good work :) Only suggestion - if you want to show all on one page, header have to be always visible (you have main navigation there).
Check http://justcreate.optart.pl/ , click English to better understand. This is new website of one of agency that i work with, similar idea. Link should be ok for few more days .
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Hi thanks will be doing the fixed header thing, Do you know of a good tutorial to achieve the fixed header as the one used in the site justcreate? I am a newbee to programming.
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Jakub RóG commented:
position:fixed - it's css feature , read about it :) Download firebug for firefox to check code of this website, or simply view code in browser, it should help you to understand (i'm not a coder too, but when i need to understand sth, i use firebug and look into code itself ;)
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Thanks, will do so!
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Minor Problem Why the huge space to the left and right the view project button should always be at the vertical distance from the image if no description then leave space Minor Problem on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 Why would any one get help from some one who when a user hits there site in 800x600 you can't see the point of the web site Serious Problem on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 Get rid that just takes up far to much of the screen and leave far to much space i know white space is nice and clean but that look like your menu is just broken CSS on a site 2 nice design but you don't want customer reviews to be the first point of you site Positive Feature on http://www.briljant.co.za 1 this is nice clean to the point using whitespace correctly and provides the point of your site Summary:
I like the Idea the design is good but you have a little problems your not thinking about this is a nice colour set-up on the site just a couple of things that would annoy a user of a site and this is supposed to promote your design skills need to stand clear above most of the internet site out there
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Hendra Van Niekerk commented:
Hi, thanks for feedback, I made some changes, please review my changes in picture 2, thanks
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That is what I was aiming for in this, did research on how to hook them, but obviously my attempt was not effective. Thanks for great advise.