[wecando.biz]

Our site is currently in test and I am interested in all feedback on the concept, design and usability of the site. Our URL is in my signature below.

I have discussed what it does elsewhere on here but for this thread I'm going to keep quiet and see if you as visitors can work it out. That is a key part of determining how effective the website is, after all.

All comments and feedback welcomed.

My thanks in advance.

Best regards

IH

[Indizine]

im just confused now

you were asking people to register on your new site. is it a live site being marketing or not?

[danmaull]

Hi,
I have been away for a few days, and i really didnt get it untill i read the about us, but i dont think i would join as it would only cover a small number of businesses but i'm still a bit iffy on the concept

[wecando.biz]

Originally Posted by Indizine

im just confused now

you were asking people to register on your new site. is it a live site being marketing or not?

Yep, the site is live, of course. We took the decision to make the website available ahead of the formal launch next month. This will help us to test the core functions of the service with our audience of business owners, sales and marketing professionals, business buyers and consumers.

Please make the most of the features you see available, but we would ask you to remember that we are still developing the website, so expect to see changes and additions to the service over the next few weeks.

Business that list now will be getting benefits now, but can expect more as of four weeks or so.

Best regards

IH

[Sam (Mr. Mu)]

Hi Ian, I went through the process of registering then tried out a few searches. They didn't produce any results. I concluded that I'd signed up to a relatively empty site and the 'grunty punter' in me kicked in and got a bit annoyed that I'd given up my time and data and there weren't any benefits yet. But I think the clincher for me was when I realised I had to pay for a logo and a link to my website and I deleted my account.

I've said this many times before (but I'll say it again because its so important):

• Your 'free' membership costs me time & personal data, so its not actually free at all. Consequently, like any sale, you have to sell me a tangible benefit that I will find irresistible.

• Your 'paid' membership costs me time, personal data AND money. Now you have to sell me another, different, and even bigger benefit that I'll find irresistible.

Its very common that online sites undervalue my time and overestimate or completely mis-judge their 'benefits'. The biggest and most fatal assumption we ever make (and we all do it at some point) is when we sit down and write out those 'bullet point benefits' without being willing to test them out.

A few people put up their sites and ask "What do you think of it?". But how many invite people to test the claimed benefits? How many ask "Is this functionality a benefit to you?" or "Would you pay £10 a month for the ability to do this?". Very few.

Its really difficult to challenge our own assumptions with a dose of 'going out and asking' because we may well find out we're totally off the mark.

The good news is that whenever we are willing to challenge our own assumptions about what makes a benefit for someone else, we usually end up finding out what it is they really want - and that makes doing business a whole lot easier.

[openmind]

I can grasp the concept but one of pet peeves (I have many) is having to register for something just to do a basic search. Fair enough to get full info but at least I would have an idea without giving my details away...

[wecando.biz]

Sam & Phil

Many thanks for your posts and for taking a look at the site.

Sam's comments first if I can.

First of all, you do not have to pay for a link to your site. There should be nothing on the site that suggests you do, but tell me if you have found otherwise.

Secondly on the point of the site being empty (by this I assume you mean lacking in businesses), yes it is. We have the core functions there and the site is obviously live, but we are hand picking people to come along and help us prove some of the concepts before we go to market formally with this - we hope to do that next month, and that will coincide with us completing all the "premium" elements. We are planning to list thousands of businesses within a few months.

Everything else you say I pretty much agree with, although I would add that nothing ever is free, of course, as you say - we require some time to register, but we've spent a fair deal of time, effort and money trying to provide something back to you in return. Ultimately, if we come together with the best of intentions and, for whatever reason, it doesn't work, we can decide whether we give it more time to try and get more back down the line. To that end, I am delighted you have come back here to let us have your feedback - many thanks.

Phil - your point concerns me greatly, as you don't need to register to do a basic search. That is a basic function of our site, or at least should be. The only reason we ask you to login relating to searching is so you can see which of your contacts has endorsed the businesses you are looking at.

Could you provide a little more detail on why you aren't seeing what we thought was happening please?

And just as an aside for all, logo and picture uploads are now available in My Profile once you have logged in (if you have a Business profile of course). These will be Business Pro features after that membership level is added at launch, but are free for all to play with for now.

Best regards

IH

[openmind]

Sorry completely missed the search bar at the top

But that does say something though that my eye is immediately drawn to that centre image above all else...

[wecando.biz]

Originally Posted by openmind

Sorry completely missed the search bar at the top

But that does say something though that my eye is immediately drawn to that centre image above all else...

Phil - indeed it does. The images are linked to the... er... links below so clicking the centre image prompts to login to get personal results. But you raise an entirely valid point. If people are clicking there first and baulking then we need to look at that.

Just to emphasise the point, the businesses it lists are real (and number about 70 currently). No one is paying us anything right now and current thinking is anyone who helps out in this test phase will get a promo code so that when all goes live they can feel welcome to use our features for the next 12 months gratis.

We are not getting our content by buying in data, sourcing from Scoot or spidering, so what will always show will be what users have entered.

If you are struggling to find anything through search, DURING TEST try a search on "e", which produces quite a few returns (it is how we test for results). To state the obvious, there will be more to see once we "go large" with the site.

Many thanks to those who have helped/are helping and please continue to let us know what you think.

One other thing: does anyone here use any of the following?

LinkedIn
Xing
Ecademy
Global Business Network

I'd be interested in your thoughts on the above. My thanks in advance.

Best regards

IH