By CARA LORELLO
Staff Reporter
A new Web site is providing a way for people to locate services they need, or promote their own, free of cost.
It's called WeMoonlight, and it's the creation of John and Michele Sullivan of Medical Lake, and it goes live this week.
The idea for WeMoonlight started six years ago, after John Sullivan experienced issues with the high cost of advertising as a semi-professional photographer looking to promote his services.
“I just wanted to do some photography on the side, more as a hobby, not as a primary income source,” Sullivan said in a promotional press release.
Expensive advertising costs were baffling for the 20-year photo industry veteran, who discovered there was “no easy way to list, or find semi-professionals in any field except the Yellow Pages.” Starting rates for these specialty advertisements were around $100.
More frustration came about two years ago when the couple started a home remodel project and needed assistance with the dry wall work.
“We wanted to keep our costs down and do most of the work ourselves, but still needed some help,” Sullivan said.
They weren't looking for a professional, but mostly extra muscle with the things they didn't have the time, nor interest in. Nearing the end of a 1,200-square-foot addition to their home, the Sullivans went shopping for that help, but found it tough to find a dry wall contractor to bid a room or two for a reasonable rate.
“We really wanted to do the work ourselves, but needed help for certain things. We also wanted to learn new skills. But, we found that professional contractors weren't real interested in this idea,” Sullivan said.
He added that finding people willing to work around his and Michele's full-time jobs as a photo lab technician and state employee “was next to impossible.”
Large professional contractors and businesses didn't want to work nights, weekends, or in tandem with them.
That was when the idea of a free online search tool to locate services took greater shape, and hence, WeMoonlight was born.
Sullivan contacted a web design agency at first to build the site, but they were unable to complete his vision. Then he read about up-and-coming websites who offered major search engine ads to pay for their site, making it free to customers either listing or searching for services.
“Sites using this idea have started to spring up over the last three to four years,” he added, explaining how originally, sites were paid for by customers to maintain them before search engine advertising became a popular option to finance such sites.
Sullivan began working with a different designer who used a database web tool called SQL, which allowed for creating searchable databases that anyone can have access to.
When you go to the website (current available at the link http://64.85.1.221 and at http://www.wemoonlight.com once online), viewers will find searchable advertised services that run the gamut from computer assistance, handyman service, housekeeping, pet care, lawn care, child and elderly care, masonry, horseshoeing, auto care upholstery/sewing, tiling, photography, and a lot more.
What makes WeMoonlight unique is that there are few sites that allow for comprehensive searches of local services, plus it yields more results than, say, a general online word search.
“Search engines are limited to people who have websites; if they don't have a website they can still be on ours,” Sullivan added.
There's a tool that allows users to submit requests if they're not able to find a service they need. Requests must include contact information.
Those offering services can and should include references in their ad. It is up to, and recommended, that those searching for services ask for and check references if they are not included in the ad.
The site will officially launch Thursday, July 10.
WeMoonlight does not endorse any of the services listed on its site. For more information, visit the official homepage, or contact John Sullivan at (509) 995-6266.
Cara Lorello can be reached at [email protected]
Reader Comments(0)