Web sites and their utiltiy

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy *LINK*

RevDoug

>Bob,

My site is new and very small at the moment, but I would say definately worth the effort. About two weeks after getting mine online, I began talking with a gallery about displaying my work with her. After looking at an even cruder web-site than it is now, she was sure she wanted to see my work in person. I've also been able to send a few other folks there and have gotten some interesting commissions based upon what they saw (which isn't much yet). I guess they knew I was concerned about holding to a certain quality standard or something.

Try starting with the free service your ISP provides. As you get it to a better state of completion, there are services you can subscribe to that will let you use the address you want.

Plus, it's kind of fun to play with. Have fun, but don't spend so much time that you neglect your turning.

Turn 'em round,

RevDoug


Wood Spin Round

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy *LINK*

Russ Fairfield

>Doug has described the best use of the website, as an accessable resume of your work.

If you are going to enter the world of galleries and art fairs, the Website is the best investment you can make. The Website is becoming a necessary part of the artists portfolio, both as a resume and as credible evidence that you are what you say you are. It has replaced the brochure, the notebook of photographs, and the CD's that we used to carry with us. The first thing that most galleries, and a lot of buyers, will ask for is your URL (website address). If you don't have one, end of conversation.

The Website is a wonderful instructional tool for sharing information and providing tips and techniques for doing some particular item. Follow the link to mine, where you will see both the resume and the sharing of information.

If you are planning to use the website for primary sales of turned wood, forget about it. I always hear about some 3rd party who has been making 1000's from selling turnings from their Website, but I can't do that, and I have yet to meet the first person who does.


Mu Website

Correction to Russ's URL *LINK*

RevDoug

>That should be:


Russ's Website

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy *LINK*

Joel Hunnicutt

>I'll echo Russ's comments. I view my site as an online brochure. I have sold about 3 pieces from people that found it by accident but I have probably sold 15 pieces to people that picked up my card at a show and later visited my site.

I used citymax.com They have online software and template for those of us that are severly html impared.


http://www.joelhunnicutt.com

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy *LINK*

Lloyd Johnson

>If you don't mind viewing a site that isn't finished yet, you'll see a different kind of site I recently started. It is a Flash site which means that you'll be prompted to install a small Macromedia flash player if one isn't detected. The other caution is that it may be slow over a dialup link.

The main reason to do a Flash site is to add sound, motion and better enable multimedia. There is a fairly steep learning curve with Flash, but no more so than learning to make 1/8" walls on a deep hollowed vessel.

As to why to do a web site - it's hard to know much about people from reading news posts. When you visit their web sites, though, you feel like you know them better. It's also a great way to expose your kids to technologies they're really going to need in nearly any career they choose.


http://www.lloydjohnson.com

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Hi Bob

My site has gone through several cycles as well as changes in what is on it. I was one of the very first pen turners on the internet. If you were to do a Yahoo search back in the day, you would find five of us, and I was the only one who had a toll free number, the ability to take credit cards, AND did laser engraving. I sold hundreds of pens from that site. Do a Yahoo search now and you will find in excess of 60,000 sites I believe.

I have two websites, one commercial and one personal. The commercial site sells enough turnings to pay for itself, although as has already been mentioned, if I sold not a thing from it, it would still be worthwhile as a catalog/portfolio. It is much cheaper than any printed literature I used to hand out.

My personal site also generates income after a fashion, in that there is a lot of instruction on it, and while no one pays me for that, it inspires people to come in person for more instruction, and for that they pay me. In reality, it is a combination of the two sites that generates the student flow, plus the occasional kind word here and in other places from people who have been to see me, but aside from that, I get enough cold calls to make it worth while.

I would say that if you can get some space at a reasonable price, and then build and maintain the site yourself, go for it. Don't fork out a bunch of money for someone to put it together - simple is the word. I get many compliments on the simplicity of my site, which arose from me knowing next to nothing about HTML. All the fancy glitz does is waste time in downloading the important stuff.

Good luck with it. You never know what will come of it.

Bill

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy

YoYoSpin

>That's very cool...good job.

best regards,

Ed D.

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy

Phil Clevenger

>FYI, Lloyd, doesn't do much for netscape browsers.

--Phil

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy *LINK*

John McAtee

>Hi Bob,

I had three reasons for putting my my web site, which went live a little over a year ago. First was the desire to showcase my work. Second was to provide some degree of utility to the woodturning community, if possible. Third was the felt need to have a "technical sandbox" in which to learn and try things like HTML, Javascript, CSS, SQl, etc.

At the present time, the site doesn't provide an easy way for people to buy things; however, I have sold enough work through it to pay the ISP's monthly bill. Perhaps most rewarding is the number of contacts made and the extent to which some of the content has been of value to others.

Finally, it's been a fun learning experience that doesn't require a lot of my time. The site is database (SQL Server) driven, which means I don't have to write much HTML to add/change/delete things.

Hope this helps,

John


http://www.johnsturn.com

Can't get there from here

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Lloyd, I tried to see your site. It just sat there "spinning" without anything actually appearing. I do not have a flash player, and do not want one on my machine, but I thought I might at least be able to see pictures. After close to five minutes of waiting, I gave up. I have a rural phone line with dialup. There is no such thing as high speed access here.

Bill

Re: Web sites and their utiltiy

Robert Savit

>Thanks to all for the helpful comments.

Bob Savit