Sole Trader Site

[GhostOfDixie]

Anyone know of any websites that advertise sole traders? You know if your looking for a plumber, and you type in Plumber > Wirral. And then you sort by rate and ratings?

I know Yell do it, but there's is a little one dimensional, and just an extension of their book.

I'm looking for something better designed, and more intuitive.

 

[chicoazul]

Try this mate:

Plumbing local solutions

Problem solved.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Very good.

The reason being is I am doing some research on it.

Been working on a project with a friend for a while, and I just want to test out the competition.

 

[atrottel]

Lots of people fighting in that space, although I doubt any would come up to your design standards.

Take a long look at the organic results or Adwords on a sample search or five. Or you can use tools like this:
http://www.semrush.com/search.php?q=plumber&x=58&y=7
(That's limited obviously as it's the free version but it should still be fairly useful for you.)

You interested in UK, US or global?

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Lots of people fighting in that space, although I doubt any would come up to your design standards.

Take a long look at the organic results or Adwords on a sample search or five. Or you can use tools like this:
http://www.semrush.com/search.php?q=plumber&x=58&y=7
(That's limited obviously as it's the free version but it should still be fairly useful for you.)

You interested in UK, US or global?

UK initially, but it could go global.

 

[atrottel]

Open Directory - Regional: Europe: United Kingdom: Business and Economy: Directories

 

[GhostOfDixie]

thanks, it doesn't do what mine will. I'm after a more detailed experience. A bit like eBay where you rate the buyer/seller.

 

[Blue_in_london]

What about this...

Find Local Recommended Tradesmen - ratedpeople.com

 

[atrottel]

thanks, it doesn't do what mine will. I'm after a more detailed experience. A bit like eBay where you rate the buyer/seller.

I meant look at the sites listed in that category, but never mind....

Or indeed typing in "rating plumbers" in your favourite search engine produces

Consumer reviews on contractors, plumbers, dentists, doctors | Angieslist.com | Angie?s List
Reviews on Plumbers Look at tests, reports and read reviews: dooyoo.co.uk
Find Local CORGI-Registered Plumbers with Reviews on ratedpeople.com
Plumber Rating and Reviews

etc. etc.

I think that wheel's been rolling for a while now.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

tbh ghost, as a sole trader i know that a lot a lot of these websites are not what they say on the can, and many are the latest advertising ruse to try and pry some money out of the self-employed, often by claiming that you have taken out an ad with them months before and therefore owe them ridiculous amounts of wad. they also get set up by the call centres who proliferate the telephone books and although there will be many numbers listed you will inevitably get the same bloke at a call centre in birmingham. there are so many ways of advertising now that it confuses the consumer, the advertisers and uncle tom cobbly.

go by word of mouth or if you go in the phone book look at the lineage ads that bear the businesses address, then you have a better idea of who you are getting and where thay are from.

also if you start up such a site then dont just ring around from the phone book trying to get people on there, the law says you have to run all the numbers through the tps database to check if they are registered as if you cold call them it is classed as nuisance calling, i regularly enter companies details on the website to report them , as i get pestered endlessly. the fine is about £60,000 btw.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I'm thinking of starting an online auction website......

... or a website were users can upload their own videos?...



I think you mentioned something a while ago like this and it sounded decent? Not sure on this though.

 

[GhostOfDixie]

I'm thinking of starting an online auction website......

... or a website were users can upload their own videos?...



I think you mentioned something a while ago like this and it sounded decent? Not sure on this though.

It's not meant to be something to take money off people. I don't really want to divulge too much...not yet anyway. Still waiting for my developer to sort out his end.

If money is to be generated I am looking at the advertising side of things and not actually taking money out of the user itself.

Oh, and you really are cynical at the moment aren't you?

 

[GrandOldTeam]

It's not meant to be something to take money off people. I don't really want to divulge too much...not yet anyway. Still waiting for my developer to sort out his end.

If money is to be generated I am looking at the advertising side of things and not actually taking money out of the user itself.

Oh, and you really are cynical at the moment aren't you?

Lighten up you miserable sod.

 

[atrottel]

If money is to be generated I am looking at the advertising side of things and not actually taking money out of the user itself.

I think that's what most of those sites attempt to do, one way or another, and what Reidy was referring to from a trader point of view.

My rhetorical question would be - and I accept you probably don't want to discuss it if it's a project - what you would bring to the table that is different from everyone else and how you plan to market it in light of those greater or lesser differences...

What is your defensible proposition?

 

[GhostOfDixie]

Lighten up you miserable sod.

Your darkening my mood recently mate. Insinuating so much stuff about my life. You really don't have a clue about what my life is about. Like you I am unable to divulge most of what I do. But I can show you a stack of NDA's I have had to sign.