New outsourcing site - I'd love your feedback!

[FrozenCanuck]

Hi guys,

We're about a week away from the official launch of a new outsourcing site and I'd love your feedback.

The quick "pitch" on what the site is for: Helping online entrepreneurs hire talent to work for them in their business. So, hiring a VA, or a content creator for your blog, or a programmer, or whatever.

It's NOT Elance or oDesk. Instead we target helping people hire actual full time employees. We don't get involved in the financial stuff. We're a job posting / resume posting site. We connect employee with employer.

We're BETTER by being clean and well designed, plus offering lots of training (which I'm writing lots of).

Where I need your help:
Go sign up for a free account and fill out your user profile. It is totally easy to use but we want your feedback. What do you like or not like?

Don't invest a lot of time in creating an account. Just 3 minutes. We'll be wiping out the database before we go live. So this is all just test data.

SITE:
http://OutsourceFactor.com


BUSINESS MODEL AND DESIGN COMMENTS:

For those interested in how the site was built and what the business model is, here you go:

My partner is a brilliant software engineer and very good at architecting web stuff. He built it with Python / Django. It's all done in modules. It's custom stuff that would have cost us a fortune to hire out. My partner did everything except some of our front end design. We hired a HTML/CSS/Photoshop guy for some of that stuff. I used oDesk for that.

The business model is one of building huge value for the user, and building a relationship through quality content. Then, when we make suggestions on products or services, we are likely to have an audience that trusts us and responds to suggestions. It's the ideal, ethical, feel-good way of building a business by helping others.

Later on we'll have paid training and paid upgrades, but for now it's all free.

When we launch, members will get a free guide on outsourcing (pretty much everything I've learned so far). I'm putting the final touches on this document this week. Any requests for additional info in there? Happy to include as many helpful bits of info as I can. This whole site is designed to help people live the 4HWW.

[Musetester]

Having much experience in the market as a co-author of the Warrior Forum's best selling "Outsource Mastery"--I can tell you the niche market for this is huge.

I suggest you laser target "internet marketers" and "local marketers" in addition to 4HWWers. You'll do well.

Another thought........perhaps put a squeeze page leading to your home page and purchase solo ads to lists of IMers to build a list and convert to clients?

v/r

Lane

[FrozenCanuck]

Hey MuseTester - I didn't know you co-authored something on the topic. That's fantastic!

I'll be using WF as a way to promote the site for sure. Initially the copy spoke directly to "Internet Marketing", but we've changed it to "Online Entrepreneurs". Don't want people to get turned off if they have an aversion to the IM term.

Site goes LIVE this weekend!

http://OutsourceFactor.com

[FrozenCanuck]

Update: The site is officially LIVE. So awesome. We have a great story about launch automation here too.

My partner, the tech guy (architect), had a power failure. He literally pushed the "launch button" because the site (coded with Django) was built in modules and when he executes the command line everything is done. Databases created, HTML created, etc, etc. So he builds + tests features offline and executes the launch with a command.

Power failed. He had backup power (battery) for a few hours. Managed to hit the launch button in candle light. Then the ISP backup power failed. So he checked via his iPhone to verify it actually worked. It did. WOW.

OutsourceFactor.com
(http://OutsourceFactor.com)

P.S. forgive me if the technical explanation of the launch is wrong. I'm not a programmer. I just understand bits of what he tells me.

[weinerschizel]

Update: The site is officially LIVE. So awesome. We have a great story about launch automation here too.

My partner, the tech guy (architect), had a power failure. He literally pushed the "launch button" because the site (coded with Django) was built in modules and when he executes the command line everything is done. Databases created, HTML created, etc, etc. So he builds + tests features offline and executes the launch with a command.

Power failed. He had backup power (battery) for a few hours. Managed to hit the launch button in candle light. Then the ISP backup power failed. So he checked via his iPhone to verify it actually worked. It did. WOW.

OutsourceFactor.com
(http://OutsourceFactor.com)

P.S. forgive me if the technical explanation of the launch is wrong. I'm not a programmer. I just understand bits of what he tells me.

I'm just curious, what sets your site apart from other services such as O-Desk and Elance?

Thanks!

[FrozenCanuck]

I'm just curious, what sets your site apart from other services such as O-Desk and Elance?

Thanks!

See my original post:

It's NOT Elance or oDesk. Instead we target helping people hire actual full time employees. We don't get involved in the financial stuff. We're a job posting / resume posting site. We connect employee with employer.

The closest comparable would be OnlineJobs.ph or BestJobs.ph, however we target a global audience and we do not charge the employers to use our site.

[outofbandii]

Edit: some feedback after a closer look:

"It's FREE to use OutsourceFactor (how-it-works) (http://outsourcefactor.com/site/how-it-works/)" implies the "How it works" page will explain how you monetise, and so why I should trust you. It doesn't mention that at all, which reduces trust (if people know how it works, they trust more).

You're doing "reasonably well" attracting jobseeker candidates - but how do I know that by looking at http://outsourcefactor.com/ ? After looking around inside I'm impressed that you've got over 400 candidates, possibly a lot more - show off that you've got X people from Y countries.

You're listing features, not benefits on the homepage. E.g.


Built for Online Entrepreneurs seeking growth strategies
Free access to a global talent pool and their resumes

They set off my business bingo detector. Try something related to cost savings - full time employee for $x per month etc.

It's a nice site, but clearly built by a programmer. Get some sales, graphic and UX design feedback.

[FrozenCanuck]

Hey - how in the world did you get the impression that the "how it works" page is supposed to explain how the site is monetized? You're definitely reading something into it that isn't there.

The "how it works" page explains how the site works. Period. I could add information about how we monetize, but I don't think that's the place for it.

Does Facebook explain how they monetize? Does Google?

Anyway, not attacking your comments, but wondering what gave you the impression that we'd be sharing monetization strategies on the "how it works" page.

As for the home page feedback, good. I like the comments. Useful for sure. It needs to be polished a bit.

As for the site being built by a programmer ... yes, but a programmer who GETS UI / UX (he's my biz partner and cofounder). The site is super fast and super easy to use. Feedback is welcome. It can always be improved.

[outofbandii]

It's FREE. I don't understand why it's free, I don't trust you.

http://www.ethannonsequitur.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/facebook-and-you-pigs-450x360.jpg

[FrozenCanuck]

Too bad the business model seems so complicated :)

See my original post:

"The business model is one of building huge value for the user, and building a relationship through quality content. Then, when we make suggestions on products or services, we are likely to have an audience that trusts us and responds to suggestions. It's the ideal, ethical, feel-good way of building a business by helping others.

Later on we'll have paid training and paid upgrades, but for now it's all free."

Another way to comprehend this: Ever seen a squeeze page? You're offered something free. You give up your email address. Marketer then (hopefully if he is smart) ethically promotes stuff that will help you while simultaneously educating you.

Pretty darn simple.

Our site is a frikkin' massive squeeze page.

[outofbandii]

I get it. I'm not asking you to explain it to me here. I'm suggesting that your visitors might not get it, and you should explain it to them - particularly when you say "It's FREE to use OutsourceFactor (how-it-works)" and then that link doesn't mention it.

Anyway, enough.

/feedback