The Framers Forum

Hello everybody,

First I'd like to thank all who commented on my last plea for feedback - it really helped. So here is the new improved website version number two for your approval.

http://www.freelanceframer.co.uk/

Any and all comments (good and bad) massively welcomed, in particular relating to rates as I've still not advertised them - mainly because someone told me it would look tacky. What do you think?

Also - sorry to beg so blatantly for acceptance but if you "like" me and you have a spare 10 seconds, maybe you could go to https://www.facebook.com/FreelanceFramer and "like" me there!

Thanks so much guys, I love this forum, it's really helped me so much, Best wishes to all, x

Just had a quick look, great fun website Emma. Particularly like the 'Keep calm and hire me" frame!

Hi Emma

It certainly grabs your attention and is nice and clear to navigate round. Maybe through time you could add some extra info behind the frames such as sample rates (that way people get an idea of how much you charge without appearing 'tacky'), some pics of you in action (I'm thinking framing, not the making/drinking tea part ) and some more finished frames. How are you going to get your page known? Could you expand and offer training as well - just a thought?

Keep us posted

Amanda

"The service offered by Freelance Framer is a glittering one-man-band of framing greatness, prepared to swoop into your workshop and frame like a champion for a reasonable fee."

'Let me ask you this…. Have you ever had to turn down a really big job because you just didn’t have the man-power?'

One man band and man power! What about girl power?

Looks great to me Emma.

BigBazza wrote:How are you going to get your page known?

Thanks for the feedback. Phase two of my plan (phase one being the website) is to send out letters of introduction to local framers, possibly with business cards, sweets, cash, deeds to my soul, etc...

Can I ask all framing business owners - how would you react to unsolicited mail like that? I want to promote myself but I'm not a naturally pushy person and don't want to tic any one off! I just want to make myself known in case anyone does need any help....

I think I'd put your card in a safe place! (If you were closer of course) Could have used a hand last month, my framer retired and only gave me 3 weeks notice; it took another 3 or 4 to find a replacement and then do the training while the show went on - it was hell!

Looks absolutely fantastic. I love it.
I can't offer any work from the opposite end of these fair Isles, but I really hope this brings in work for you.

It's an excellent website - it shows you have genuine creative flair which is quite an important but hard to find aspect of a framer.

I notice like me you have a penny farthing on your homepage - great minds...

I guess there's a balance for you to strike in convincing framers you can bring new skills, without worrying them you will leak any of their sensitive info or little secrets.

Likewise if you were near to York I reckon I'd have some work for you perhaps every few months. I suspect you may also be very in Demand at Xmas.

I can see a penny farthing on JamesC's website but not on EmmaS's website? Am I missing something?

David McCormack wrote:I can see a penny farthing on JamesC's website but not on EmmaS's website? Am I missing something?

Hi, well spotted! This is probably because the site appears differently on different size monitors. If you play around with the screen size it'll shuffle around and re-hang all the pictures and cut out some of the less important ones on smaller screens. It even shrinks down to iPhone size. Not that I understand any of this - hats off to my awesome boyfriend/website designer! Any one needs web-work doing let me know, the guy is a total wizard.

And thanks for that feedback JamesC, if only I could be in a dozen places at once I'd have a better chance at finding steady work! I wonder which city has the most picture framers - perhaps I'll move there?!

Ah Ha!, now I see it, just had to make my browser window bigger

Very clever the way all the frames re-hang.

Well Emma, I would actually like unsolicited mail if it is useful and informative. The stuff I don't like is mobile phone, internet offers which are nothing to do with the business, but I just dump them.

ideas of price for your service would be useful, but I fully understand you not wanting to put these on your website. There are often times when an extra pair of hands would be useful and to know your charges means I could factor those costs into any quotes. However perhaps the most important thing is how far are ypou prepared to travel. We are in the Midlands (of England) which is one hell of a way from where you are so you need to define your bounderies.

I do like the OCD bit. probably the most important qualification for a picture framer.

The BA helps though

Just fantastic, don't change a thing, wish I was set up in Scotland, so I could use your services, I wish you all the best with your venture

Great looking page!

If I had your leaflet come though the post, I would think it very useful and hang on to it. Maybe some framers would not want someone coming in an out of their workshops, but I think most would welcome the idea and the option if the need arises.

I would also suggest an idea of rates, and more images of work you have done. The volunteer work with the National Galleries of Scotland’s is a very good thing in my view.

The only possible thing I can think about is on your 'contact me', when you click on email, if it brought up a simple contact form in another nice looking frame instead of a standard outlook express box.

framemaker wrote:The only possible thing I can think about is on your 'contact me', when you click on email, if it brought up a simple contact form in another nice looking frame instead of a standard outlook express box.

You demand, I supply!

Check out the contact bit again and see what you think. www.freelanceframer.co.uk I think this looks much nicer now.

Thanks so much, it was a great suggestion

Hi Emma, I absolutely love the site. I do a little bit of web design when I'm not framing and it's impressed me.
There is a slight issue in that since the contact form change, the site doesn't look right in chrome (I'm using linux). Firefox it's absolutely fine.
I'm in Scotland but I'm not yet busy enough to need you, although I'd definitely be happy using you if things change.

Thanks pramsay, that's really nice to hear

As for the fault on chrome, the boyfriend/website guru says it may have something to do with old versions of the site being remembered somewhere so erasing browsing history and clicking refresh should fix it. That advice to me seems right up there with 'turn it off and turn it on again' and 'hit it with a spanner' but then what do I know?! I'll stick to framing Hope that helps.

Aha, your boyfriend / website guru is right and it looks wonderful. I showed my wife / tea making guru and she is very impressed also.
Just a few more pictures now and I think it's all set.
I'm pretty sure your boyfriend could put a small link on the bottom to promote his own web designing services, and if he doesn't do it freelance then he should. You could be a freelance web design and framing duo