Please Offer Your Comments

[Keith Outten]

Several years ago we developed a business card directory called Cards411 and placed it online. Cards411.com is still up and running but we never made an effort to promote the site. Originally we figured that in time it would take off but it never happened. Of course we registered with the major search engines.

If you have a few minutes to visit Cards411 and would leave me a few comments here I would appreciate your efforts. Just for the record I think we built one of the best directories on the Net but hey I'm biased on the subject. It's FREE and you can search on keywords, first or last nanes, zip codes, cities, states or any combination. If your looking for a plumber in Richmond you simply use those two keywords. Company names are automatically added as keywords.

Anyone can add a scan of their business card and their card has a permanent web address, plus Aaron added the capability of each person having their own personal rolodex. I should also mention that you can type a couple of paragraphs about your company and you will receive a username and password so that you can edit your entry at any time. All entries and updates must be reviewed by our staff before they are active on the web, this way we can prevent profanity and improper pictures.

I have been thinking of taking Cards411 down recently but If enough people feel it has promise maybe I will try again to let the world know and see if we can find major interest. I know that if we decide to keep Cards411 online we should consider a new design for the site.

Thanks in advance to those of you who offer your comments.

http://www.cards411.com

[Ken Garlock]

Well, it looks like a repository for salesmen. When I go looking for something, I want to search on the item, not someone who sells it. When contacting a store, I don't care who the person is just so I get what I want.

Maybe if it were organized by type of business, then people could go to an area of interest, and find people who can help them. But, on the other hand, I could just do a search on the topic keyword. The concept is like a different approach to a yellow pages listing.

It seems that I can always find the bad part of an endeavor. :(

BTW, response time really is poor today. Everything is good until I hit the hroads-gw.nn.visi.net leg, and then the response time increases by 25 to 50%.. Measurement by Ping Plotter.

[Steve Clardy]

I'll check it out. Steve

Went in and checked it out Keith. Looks good to me. I scanned my card, didn't do a good job of it though. We'll see what it looks like when you ok it. Steve

[Brad Schafer]

Keith - there are several web-based services that offer something similar. For example, check out infotriever.com. You might give this site a look while you're considering your options.


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[Doug Keener]

I think the idea is very sound. I agree with you that the page needs some catchy terms and maybe a more interest generating layout. A phrase like "Find what your looking for fast with the click of your mouse at Cards411 ......", or something like that. I always think of the Yellow pages ad.

I did a search using a few key words and I did notice that everyone that came up has an address from Virginia. You would think if a search engine was employed, as you say you did, that there would be a geographically broader base of registrations. I'm not sure what to make of that. You didn't mention what search engines you registered with. Maybe the key words that you have selected aren't genearic enough for a search to pull up Cards411 data base. Just a thought.

A search engine that I have used for years and like very well is "Dogpile.com". It in turn queries other search engines.

I would stick with it and do like you said and make some changes to the opening page. Good luck with it, Doug Keener

[Bob Oswin]

Several years ago we developed a business card directory called Cards411 and placed it online. .

http://www.cards411.com

Hi Keith:
I took a quick look this AM.
I think it would be more inviting if you had a catagory system to get the viewer into the feel of the system.

Then add the search feature at that point too.

It's kind or hard to see ( surf )what 's availalble without some sort of map to the site content.

Regards
Bob

[Tony Falotico]

Hey Keith, I looked a few days ago and have been thinking about it, the idea is good. If it were mine, I would look into setting it up like the major newspapers do their classifieds. Major categories would separate walk in stores from mail order, then basic geographic locations, services from products.

The one I like best is the St Petersburg Times, http://stpete.abracat.com/ if you want to see it. It's easy to navigate, and easy to find what I'm looking for. Most major newspapers are pretty much the same. It would take some modifications, but might give you some organizational ideas.

Just some rough thoughts, may be doable, may not. In CARDS411, I searched 'fl' to locate places in Florida, got 34 hits, but only five were in Florida. When I searched 'Florida', only one hit. Also, the more point and click, less I have to type, the better I like it.

Just some conceptual thought you might want to chew on.

GOOD LUCK!

[Keith Outten]

Thanks to everyone who offered their comments.

I will send each of you my new layout guage to beta test in your workshops for offering your comments and taking your time to help me with a difficult decision.

Please email me your shipping addresses.