A con, or worth doing?

[snufflepuff]

A man phoned me yesterday from a website designing company, offering a 'deal'- apparently I just have to pay £99 every 12 months for the domain name/ web address and that's it, they design the website and make it up for free. To be honest i'm not sure if that's a good price or not. The man was very pushy, very much a salesman! Friendly enough though.
I would like a website but the thing is, from September i'll be full (Well, as full as I want to be) so I almost think what's the point in spending the money on a website when i'd have to tell any parents who contact me as a result of the website that i'm full!?
Anyway, I asked him to call back tomorrow when I've had a think about it. Should I say yes please or no thank you?

[chrissie250]

I would say from my experience i have not needed a website only word of mouth and a brief time on childcare.co.uk, but it is up to you obviously factors that are apparent to your area and competition should be taken into consideration and....................pauline on here apparently does fab websites at a reasonable cost x

hth
chrissie

[sarah707]

A company rang me a while ago and I said no thank you.

I am not a technical whizz but I am ok to design my own which does the job... and Pauline makes some lovely websites...

[Playmate]

If you really want one and can't do your own, then speak to Pauline, So easy to do business with and she knows what CM's want. I wouldn't trust anyone that rings me selling something

[aly]

If you really want one and can't do your own, then speak to Pauline, So easy to do business with and she knows what CM's want. I wouldn't trust anyone that rings me selling something

agree

xxxxxxx

[miffy]

I would be wary of someone just ringing to offer this service - it might turn out to be a con.

If you're full atm then I can't see the point in having one.

Miffy xx

[Stormy]

My brother did my website for me, the domain name is only a few pounds per year. It depends what you get for the £99. Who updates the website and maintains it and how professional the site looks.

[JCrakers]

Paulines making my website for more or less half that price....

Ive had no enquiries since Nov so hoping it brings some business my way as when I search for childcare in my town it comes up with the 7 nurseries we have...

I would be on my guard if someone rang me up offering things...I never say yes to anything as i dont trust anyone

Beckyx

[emmadines]

my word of advice is dont agree to anything over the phone, ask for everything in writing........ I got conned out of £350 a year ago, strawberry ed ltd - and Im not the only one!!!. They said they were an advertising company (which I never saw the end product) they skirt so close to the law that your screwed if you even imply that you might.... even the NCMA couldnt get me out of it (although I do wonder if they can get out of a paper bag at times).


Be careful, plus you can do websites for free, I have one and I havent touched it in years, I dont think its got me any work either if I have to be truthful.


all the best xx

[kindredspirits]

my .com domain and hosting cost me £25 for 2 years - which means that you are paying a minimum of £175 every 2 years for the website being built for you - and in all honesty its a doddle to make websites - it will prob take the company no more than 30 mins for that sort of simple website and if they buy your www. address in their company name then you will plaster it all over your advertising and then if you decide that £99 is too expensive in a few years you'll have to change it as you can guarantee they won't release the domain name to you.

[nat222]

I designed a website and got a personalised domain free for to years. It is part of getting british businesses online scheme. I would say give it a go your self and then it wont cost you anything.

[snufflepuff]

Thank you everyone, seems I was right to be wary- going to say no thanks! Or maybe i'll just ignore the phone!

[pinkbutterfly]

I got a graphic designer overseas to do my website then I bought a domain and space separately. The design cost me £17 and the space is a few pounds a year. The running cost is a few pounds a year. I think £99 is a lot for a website that is more of a viral business card really.
I have had a lot of enquiries through my website as I knew how to place it correctly into search engines so that I come up on the first page. I would say a website is certainly worth having but for a small business like us £99 a year is a lot ...
If he rings I would say answer it and say that now you've had the time to look at other providers and found somebody who will do it for £40 for the first year and the following years' cost will be just renewing domain and space which will be less than £10 ... see what he says ...