 Poster: A snowHead
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I am not very good at web design (in fact the codes tend to baffle me) but I like to try.
I made our old site a couple of years ago and have started to make an updated site.
What do you think ?
(Note that none of the links work yet – it’s a beta)
New site here
http://folgarida.co.uk/new_site/
Any comments ?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The first thing that jumps out at me is under fully inclusive price, a big wad of cash is not exactly what I would like to see!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi Wayne,
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We are truly local to the Brent Dolomites, in fact, as well as being the largest UK tour operator to the Brenta Dolomites, we are the only UK tour operator with staff living full time in the area.
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Brent or Brenta ? 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
a big wad of cash is not exactly what I would like to see!
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Yeah swap it for scrooge mac duck swimming in his vault 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Chattonmill wrote: |
| The first thing that jumps out at me is under fully inclusive price, a big wad of cash is not exactly what I would like to see! |
about £8,000 sitting there, trying to make up the money you lost?
Seriously, it looks a bit made at home, not the quality I expect your holidays are.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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putting fully in quotes kinda implies it aint fully
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The link didnt work for me, have you taken it down already?
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| NickyJ wrote: |
| The link didnt work for me, have you taken it down already? |
No, it's still there. Am on train at the moment (web on phone) so can't change the site from here but will sort the layout when get back to office.
The cash picture was from microsoft clipart.
The design is done with Expression Web
It's just a layout idea at the mo. May need redoing
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I only get the home page. The links / menue bars don't work for me.
Drop the 'fully Inc' logo/pic, visitors will make there own decision anyway.
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I'd steer clear of clip art and any other 'amateur' features and don't use too many clashing colors. Pick a small palette of complimentary colors and stick with them. I also think there's far too much copy. Websites should be visual, people do not generally sit and read huge chunks of text.
And yes, I am a professional... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| people do not generally sit and read huge chunks of text. |
Looking at the site's analytics; peolple look at the price page - more than all the other pages added together.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Wayne, to be honest from the look of it it doesn't really add anything that your current website hasn't got. One question what airports do the flights you book go from, keeping options open for season 2014!
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Looks like once the links and buttons are working the layout is fine and potentially easy to navigate but to me it seems dated and doesn't shout quality. Loose the wad of cash as others have said. Work on the design. To me it shouts small non professional enterprise which I'm sure you're not.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wayne, those drop down menus don't work with the over archaic Windows explorer 6 and under.
Unfortunatley tons of people at work only have this as there are loads of web based things company uses that they can't afford to update to a better browser. So always make sure you lnks are found somewhere else on the site.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Formats on screen OK for me but the mid page section where the info is could be improved visually.
On that note I'm not sure about the ski photo at the top with the green back ground or some of the fonts.
I don't think it's far away with a few CSS changes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| RichardB wrote: |
| Wayne, to be honest from the look of it it doesn't really add anything that your current website hasn't got. One question what airports do the flights you book go from, keeping options open for season 2014! |
Agreed.
And whilst I also think the old site could do with a facelift, possibly, the proposed one looks like a step back in all honesty.
Personally, I'd keep the old homepage page as far down as the navigation tabs and work on the content from there - refresh the layout/images/message.
Didn't have time to look at the other pages.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Wayne wrote: |
Thanks for the feedback. Seems I have some work to do.
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| I'd steer clear of clip art and any other 'amateur' features |
But I am an amateur at web design |
So why are you bothering trying to design a website when you probably have much better things to do.
Nowadays there are things called CMS which stand for content management systems - these allow you to focus on the text and content rather than fiddling about coding links and what not. With a modern CMS running your site it's relatively easy to get a good modern looking website up and running. Given you have lots of content you can 'cut 'n' paste' from your existing site then why not make life easier for your self, by basing on a CMS solution rather than hand cranking. There are a number of systems out there e.g. drupal, joomla etc, but frankly there all somewhat hard unless you're going fully into it - so save yourself the bother and you could do a lot worse then having a chat with these guys - http://www.toolkitwebsites.co.uk and no it doesn't cost a fortune. Have a look at some of their portfolio examples and rate them objectively against your site. I think others e.g. Dot. have commented on the 'look and feel' of your site against a more modern looking site.
this is not a pimp - I have no relation to toolkit
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'd agree with queen bodecia, about complimentary colour palette. I think the banner based on italian flag colours looks ok and the colours work but dont link with the rest of the page ie the blue band above clashes. You could use the italian flag colours through the page in a more restrained way. The browny text on light blue gives it a slightly homemade feel and again doesnt relate to the banner. As an example I think the winterhighland site has a similar banner to yours but the colour scheme links through the rest of the page.
Hope this helps and good luck with it
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Basically feels home made (I know it is, but that may not be the look you are aiming for). Too much green at the top (the colour is off putting somehow). The stack of cash definitely gives a bad impression. Too text heavy. Looks rather 1990s.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wayne, a couple of trivial points:
There are a couple of typos in the blurb about Folgarida.
You give the piste mileage for Folgarida, but not for Madonna di C. I think people would want to know that.
And, when you're there, can you tell me how to pronounce Folgarida (i.e. where's the stress - penultimate syllable?)
I agree with the other posters about the wads of cash - what impression was that supposed to give?
I know nothing about web design but as a browser of brochures for holidays I don't agree it's too text heavy - I like LOTS of information and websites full of beautiful but ultimately irrelevant and uninformative images make me cross.
Rather than a picture of Phil Smith (does he charge?) I'd prefer a picture of someone skiing in the area, or a local handsome and sexy ski instructor (you answered to that description the other day) or the view from one of your hotels.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Rather than a picture of Phil Smith (does he charge?) . |
No he didn't charge anything, although I do have his permission to use the picture.
Thanks for all the feedback
I have now completely redone the site and I think you'll agree that the new layout answers everyone's concerns
(Don't forget to refresh the page - press F5 - if you have looked at it before)
A slightly more complete layout will be rolled out in good time, maybe.
Thanks again
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Wayne, link no worky even with F5. Getting this message New site layout ? "Well let's just say it's currently in the planning stage.What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left. (pinched from Oscar Levant)"
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| Wayne, link no worky even with F5. Getting this message New site layout ? "Well let's just say it's currently in the planning stage.What the world needs is more geniuses with humility, there are so few of us left. (pinched from Oscar Levant)" |
It's working fine then
I have a short amount of time now that the summer hols are here, so will have a go at the new site.
I know I could use a "ready made" site where you just add the text and pics; but I like to learn new stuff, so the codes will come to me.
Oh god. Spied the first wad of freshers yesterday being dragged around by excited parents.
Poor me.
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| Wayne wrote: |
I like to learn new stuff, so the codes will come to me.
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 Good stuff. Wouldn't even know where to begin myself!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Cyan and navy colour scheme is horrible. The boxing around things is inconsistent (some things have 4 edges, others have 2).
Given the predominantly blue scheme, having a couple of random things in green and red is monstrous. Four exclamation marks after 'no hidden extras' makes it look like quite stupid!!!!
Quotes around 'only' demonstrates, quite clearly, that you are telling a fib on that point.
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Also the Hotels And Flights drop down looks hopelessly broken with "Folgarida" and "Madonna" having the same type as most websites have for a clickable link.
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You know it makes sense.
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Mr Piehole other than that, you love it, right ? 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I'm really sorry, but no. I think it looks cheap. Like 1997 Geocities. All it needs to complete the look is a scrolling 'marquee' title bar, and some 3fps rotating snowflake gifs.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I don't like the fact that the website name implies the business is called Folgarida.co but the business name is Brenta Ski.
I don't give a hoot about people "in the know" and the fact that it's referred to and put in wanky quotes make me think my fellow clientele might be tossers. Also I don't have tight white trousers so probably won't fit in the apres scene.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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fatbob,
Yeah - I should have explained that. ooops
The url will be changed to Brentaski (already registered.)
In past years we did have most people in Folgarida, but next year it's 70/30 McD to F, so the name will be changed to reflect the difference.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Wayne, if this is impt to your business, how about invest some cash and pay a web design pro to do it? They're probably crap at ski instructing, and you're certainly....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mr Piehole no worries, I know that if you put your head above the parapet it will get shot at.
Fair point about the blue behind the header div (already changed as I never did like it), the same for the “only”
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Do a competition. snowHeads members submit 'remixes' of it, and the one you like best gets a free holiday.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Site structure is good.
Crisp, tidy and simple to navigate.
Could do with "who are we" and "what we do" tabs.
Site design and coloring is gash.
Looks cheap and nasty.
Spelling mistakes in text.
Needs another upgrade.
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I'm afraid I agree I don't think it'll do your business many favours, I'd say a decent business deserves a professionally designed website!
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"is quite simply one of the best ski location in Europe"
Should be "locations".
I don't like the cyan under the writing either.
Looks like it would be perfectly acceptable I suppose. Not the most professional.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Too much on the landing page for my liking and tend to agree with other comments - it does look a little cheap and amateurish.
For a start, get rid of the bulk of the text about Folgarida and MdC - either have a drop down box from hovering or clicking to read more
Colouring looks very dated IMV.
Mr Piehole's competition suggestion is a good one.
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I'll probably be unpopular for saying this, but please don't run a competition! Much as I would love a "free" holiday in Italy, competitions are just another way of asking designers to work for free, when their work should be valued like anybody else's and paid for appropriately. A professional, custom design for a TO would probably cost more than a holiday, anyway.
Wayne, while I think your website could be smartened up a lot, it's not the worst I've seen by a long way! You would probably reap the benefits of investing in your website by paying a professional, so it is worth considering, as well as there being other features they could help you with.
Cards on the table: I works as a print and web designer (my OH is a designer/developer too), and much as I would love to put together a beautiful website for Brenta Ski, I have neither the time nor inclination to do so unpaid.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Fri 2-11-12 16:55; edited 1 time in total
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