I have been “on the net” since the mid-90s, initially working as a COBOL programmer. After this I moved into company intranets, process documentation and ISO9000 Quality Assurance. This business has been running since 1995, and has customers from all parts of the UK but these days I am mainly doing web sites for people based around the West Country and have been since 2001. Most of my sites are created using WordPress, and steer clear of using advanced tools and techniques that might require the web site owner to have specialist technical knowledge. These days I also help people to use Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and many other social media sites and apps.
Away from web sites I am a keen board game player, and I also do volunteer driving for NHS and social care passengers.
Natural design and flow
I look to create web site designs that fit with my personal philosophies of working towards a more minimalist, “keep it simple” approach to life. Using the same concept as “The Naked Chef” but for web sites, I use the simplest approach possible without over-complicating or over-engineering things. Below are some examples of the many types and topics of web site I have created and/or maintained over the years:
Photographic consultancy Glamour photographer Woodcraft Signwriter Landscape photographer Garden designer Opera singer Everyday services Car servicing Security and alarms Fencing Estate agent Private investigator Pest controller Dog grooming Dating agency Community portal Engineering services Acoustics consultant Health and safety Glazing contractor Building contractors Paving contractors Solar panel fitter Sporting and equestrian Golf trainer Horse bedding retailer Racing tips service Health and well-being Dentist Physiotherapist Nutritionist Massage services Therapists Grain-free diet blog Mindfulness counsellor
Healing therapist
Healthfood store
Naturist philosophy
Taoist / tantra philosophy
Tipi hire
Transport
Haulage firm
Taxi services
Consultancies
Marketing consultant
Business coach
Healthcare consultant
Trade show organisers
Insurance consultant
Property consultant
Dredging consultancy
Business troubleshooter
Food safety consultant
Bed and breakfast
Caravan park
Campsite
Pub
Restaurant
Holiday cottages
Apartments
Gîtes in France
Shopping and lifestyle
Water filter retailer
Herbal retailer
Fancy dress retailer
Local food magazine
Hardware store
Florist
Toy retailer
Hobby clubs
Scouts group
I concentrate on designs that are easy to maintain and with a natural flow to the content. Clubs and associations, campsites, pubs and B&Bs, alternative therapists and holistic healers, small shops, consultancies, trainers, healthcare providers, artisans, and other small-scale traders or home-based businesses who need web sites that they can maintain themselves, are all typical sites you will have found in my portfolio over the years. I’m patient in explaining site maintenance and it’s no problem to move as slowly as you need.
In the past, some new business was directed to me via the now-defunct Business Link and I still have connections with their former business improvement consultants. I receive many requests for “first” web sites, for companies that are looking to e-commerce stores to enhance an existing bricks-and-mortar venture, or to tie their web site in with existing printed literature and corporate identity. Clients will often ask me to take input from their own copywriters or graphic designers and I’m more than happy to do that. I also provide fair and impartial advice on all web-related matters, including email configuration, blogging, social networking and Google marketing, to fully support your web presence.
Cheap or free web sites
It is possible to get web hosting very cheap or even free these days, usually based around Google site templates, blogging platforms like Blogger, or special starter packages put together by hosting companies. These are OK as far as they go, and if you only want a basic site of a page or two then they are worth a look. But in my experience I have picked up several customers who started out with such a package and quickly realised its limitations. Although cheap, those packages are usually limited on features, or space, or bandwidth, the look and feel of the site is sometimes not very customisable, and they often don’t feature very well in Google rankings. In terms of a cheap “managed” service, what I offer customers is full-on business-spec web space with someone friendly on the end of the phone you can talk to, who can help you through the technicalities and jargon, at a very reasonable cost.