opinions please

Its bargain basement image might appeal to some but a majority of customers will assume such a poor low budget site means the yachts are similar.

A solid colour background, san-serif font and some pictures might be all it needs to convey a no-nonsense back to basics business message.

The 2001 newsletter indicates the site and maybe the business has been abandoned.

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Sorry, but it\'s crap.

Your eyes go funny when you start adressing the menu links.

Selling is about 100% presentation. The site that you are punting doesn't even reach 5%.

But the results should be with the owner of the site. If he's happy that he's taking incoming bookings from this site then this site is working wonders ... There's NO WAY that given what I've seen that I'd book any course with him: IMO: Crap site = crap courses.


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too many font changes size and font
to many icky colours
little order
don't use backround bmps
no alts
Absolutely zero regard to accessability and web readers, so partially sighted and blind cannot read your pages
many browsers will see it even worse

sorry to convey bad news

This is what it looks like in <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.cgi?url=http://www.yachting-school.com/new_page_2.htm>linux</A> -- it works but your tables don't.



good - 2 clicks to anywhere, but zero continuity

Sorry to bear bad news, but to be fair, I just found it too painful on the eyes to read. Good start though, it may take many attemps before you get it how you want.




<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk/TC_IrishCruise_2003_00.html>Irish Cruise</A>
 
oh dear me

i put up a site similar to this in 97 and was very proud of it, www.llangollen.org.uk, used word assistant to write and we got 5000 hits a week from day one but in this day and age it could be a lot better, sorry
stu

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.beneteau-owners-association.org.uk
 
They haven't approached the website from a marketing perspective: Identify strengths and Unique Selling Point.
This is a father and son business - that's great! It may not be as slick an operation as Sunsail etc. but it communicates the idea of the customer being a name not a number; of homely comforts...
Look at how Lymington Cruising School (I've forgotten the URL but it comes out top of Google if you type Lymington+ cruising) emphasises the "small family business" aspect with a message of greeting from "Neal and Miggy". That site does the simple things well and I think this school doesn't have a printed brochure.

The experience of the two main instructors is considerable. They don't rely on passing freelances whose teaching styles may be inconsistent. Having more mature instructors can also be a plus point - 40-somethings taking up sailing for the first time may not want to be instructed by someone half their age.

Weaknesses - they're very vague and apologetic about the skill levels of their handful of other instructors. There's a point in the Zero to Hero Course page where the principal says "I try to teach the whole course myself but sometimes have to short change you with one of the instructors while I catch up with the paperwork". Those aren't his exact words but the implications - this school teeters on the brink of administrative chaos and we have little confidence in our hired staff - are clear.

They're equally vague about numbers on board: If I'd read Sunsail (5 students per yacht) then Southern Sailing (4 students per yacht) and chanced upon this school - we're the cheapest and our yachts have ten berths each - I wouldn't be encouraged. Before anyone corrects me, I do know the RYA maximum pupil-teacher ratio but many prospective Comp Crew wouldn't.

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Websites are like bits of art work, there are certain types of art like a Damian Hurst cow in a box that only works for a few people and then there is a Turner painting that work for more people.... I have learnt the hard way when it comes to web design over the years starting by doing my own pages to then getting someone to set up a fully blown database driven site. In my experience if you are trying to sell a product or service on the internet these days you need to gain peoples trust, the website you point to has got lots of interesting content which is about 75% of the site, you just need to try and work out a corporate identity that can be carried across the website professionally in a clean, eye pleasing (Turner), fast loading and easy to navigate way. At the moment there is lots of content in a muddle of different pages and colours and all looks a bit like a quick first time attempt on front page or something.

You have done exactly the right thing in getting peoples opinions, its a great way to find out what works for most people, don't forget that you can also use a bit of art work like a Damian Hurst cow for impact such as a Flash introduction page or something like that.

I wish you luck.

Cheers

Stephen



<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.yachtinguniverse.com
 
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