So, today it happened again & I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes. Red Adair said, "If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."
What happened, you ask? Yet another example of "I can pick your brains & then do it myself for free."
I just visited the new website of someone I know. He has a small business & had needed a website. After spending time speaking w/ him, giving him advice & then sending a proposal to which I never received a response (nor the courtesy of a call/email as to why) I just found out he did it himself using some pre-packaged DIY website program.
Well, to say it is worthless is putting it mildly. He left most of the pre-filled brackets untouched (you know "List your products and services here") so it is very obvious he didn't finish yet let the site go live anyway. The website program company is located in California. How do I know? Their own address is pre-filled in the brackets in which the business owner is supposed to insert their information.
The funniest of all is the testimonials page...they're all greeked out with John Doe in a made up CA company - yes, ALL of them!
In his feeble attempt to try his hand at programming, turns out you cannot get from one page to another without going back to the home page. I ran the stats & the site gets a "D". I also Googled his company name - up to page 6 in the rankings all I got was another company with the same name located in the Midwest.
His copy is filled with sayings such as "quality work" and the like in several places. Sadly, no one will take him seriously.
I should have guessed this would happen. He had all the signs. Too bad he completely ignored all of my advice because had he applied at least some of it, it may have been at least somewhat useful to him. Now it's simply an embarrasment.
While I have nothing against DIY folks, after all I just redid several rooms in my house myself, I did hire an electrician to do the dangerous work (Ms. Sparky, anyone?); an interior designer to create a plan for me to follow; and a plumber - and I PAID them.
Someone once told me they won't pay for ideas...but the best companies/products/services all began with an idea. They're worth paying for. Unless of course, you WANT to fail.
