Well boys & girls, we had to send the old guest book on its way...We'd started, (after 2+ years of zero troubles), to get spam postings on the guestbook from everything from meds to adult websights...

Not good for a guy targeting 45+ crowd...

So, as of a few minutes ago, we swapped out guestbooks completely...this one has a nifty "Captcha" program script that requires someone to enter the letters/numbers viewed in a box...

I'd appreciate it if any of you could visit the website at: www.billcorfield.com, and leave a brief hello on the new, improved GB so I can check out a few things.

By all means, enjoy some audio, avoid the pictures, lol, etc...while you're there...

Thanks!

------------------
Bill in Dayton

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 10-24-2008).]

Bill,

That's a damn shame. The captcha is ok, but that is not going to stop the spammer as they have ways around that. Do you know how I stopped spammers from hitting my client's websites????

Don't call it a Guestbook!!! All I did was rename it to "Leave a message" or something else like "Feedback" and they leave it alone because all their search engines are looking for "Guestbook". Try it out and let me know if it stops the spam onslaught.

Regards,
Al


------------------
Al Giordano
Visit us at ARRANGER WORLD! http://www.arrangerworld.com

Korg Pa2xpro, Roland VK8-M, DW Collectors Series Drums, Roland TD-12 Vdrums, Roland SPD-S.

Bill,
another solution could be to choose the option that every new entry in the book must be approved by you first.

I've also incorporated a feature that limits how often someone can post...

I just need some entries...all my good ones are history now...



------------------
Bill in Dayton

I had the same thing happen to mine. I'm a kids performer, even worse for me....

------------------
God Bless,
Mikey

www.mikeymaestro.com
www.myspace.com/kidconcert
www.balloonanimal.com
www.1000colorcards.com

Well I gave it a shot but it blew me off. Anyway, all the best.

Joe

------------------
Songman55
Joe Ayala

How did it blow you off, Joe?

------------------
Bill in Dayton

Bill what are the advantages of a guest book pro/con.....?

My feeling is that its one of those "complimentary" items that can demonstrate to a potential client your credibility. Its basically an expansion on the testimonial section I also have. The guest book, by design, isn't compliments I've specifically picked out and potentially edited, however. People leave a posting directly about their experience.

Can you have a great site without it? Sure, but I think you'd be missing another opportunity to tilt the scales in your favor in a clients mind.

Finally, I know of at least 2 jobs I got because of the guestbook. In one instance a client saw a peer's name with a comment and felt if that person was so pleased, that was all she needed to know to decide to hire me. The other was a long term care facility who called me out of the blue because of the number of great compliments of similar type places.

IMO, a guestbook isn't one of the primary componants to a website, but an important secondary one that can have some nice payoffs. My degree in marketing (Robert Morris College/Pittsburgh '85) also tells me its unwise to pass up on a (usually) free method of getting feedback from your clients...For four years, my Mkt. & Sales Profs were beating it into our heads to never pass up an opportunity to communicate...in either direction...with current or potential clients...



------------------
Bill in Dayton

Yes, not what an act like you want at all...



------------------
Bill in Dayton