One of the most frequent complaints I get from my fellow inspectors is that they hired some "guru" to design and maintain their website and have absolutely no idea how it was created or how to change it, and that it doesn't matter because "It's not a significant source of revenue generation" for them--So much of an opportunity for the rest of us that have the benefit of Dom's SEO--
I suggest that this is ancient thinking and bad website design--The current world of choice is that just about everything is going to be based on how well you present your case electronically, because this is where future generations will look first to decide on their options. Do well on your SEO and content and you might get a second look. Do "not so well" and you are a heartbeat away from an exiting click away from your website and absolutely no second thoughts.
If you graphically look like hundreds of other home inspection "me-too" sites, a simple click can send prospective clients elsewhere. In my opinion, placing your site in the hands of someone that does not participate or understand your business is foolish. Website designers are experts at web design, not business marketing. Only you know what your strengths are and how to market them, and I suggest that a strong and professionally-designed (by you) website is a fundamental building block to sustain your business.
If you look at a lot of the sites, the grammar and text are bad, there is no clear philosophy relating to your participation in the business, and many of the links, if they have them, are broken. I suppose that's why many of us are here at the InspectorPro site design forum--trying to take charge of what you intuitively know needs constant maintenance and changing to make your business look and perform professionally.
There's lots of generic web design support out there-some easier and less expensive than others-For those of us that have decided that we need to take control of our sites and their content, it seems to me to make sense to use someone that has focused on our home inspection industry and its unique needs. I have done a boatload of research, and Dom's business is the only truly home-inspector-focused e-ware business that I can recommend.
I met Dom at Inspection World 2009, and I wish in retrospect that he would have been there in IW 2008--It would have saved me a year of torment regarding this business and my inspection software. Like some of you, I have been thru several different iterations in both inspection software and website design.
I'm an engineer, and I have a strong need to "mess with" anything that's out there because I think I can do it better--I have tried many home inspection software platforms, and I can honestly say that homeinspectpro offers the simplest and most fundamental platform for customization that I have reviewed. On the surface, its a little short for some of us that promote a "comprehensive narrative report", but after reviewing the customization options that appears to be a minor issue.
Some things I didn't absorb (or didn't read) from the information provided when I started my design and may be wrong about--
1) Dom sets you up with a genuine on-line website--if you don't want your "website under construction" work to be available on the internet, make sure it is not "Published"
2) "Templates", in my opinion, are not well-defined--When I started I figured that all of the website stuff was modifiable regardless of what template you chose--Not the case and not necessary--Dom has done the work for you on each of the templates, and gives you the option of a "look" for what you want to include in your site and a simple and modifiable means for including your information--
3) As most users will tell you, and I agree wholeheartedly, you will not find a resource that is as responsive to your needs--this guy (Dom) is unbelievable and a very good reason to commit to the HIP site design and software--
4) Getting started is problematic--seems like from what I have read in the forum that this can be a sticking point for some folks--I know it was for me--I can honestly tell you, however, that once you figure this programing stuff (which doesn't take that long) that your website detail is something that you will ultimately easily control for as long as you decide.
5) Hats off to the guy (Dom)--In my opinion these days its hard to find someone who is as dedicated as this guy is to making your business a success
