Thanks for pointing out other listings that may not meet our standards today. You must bear in mind that the ODP and the sites available have constantly evolved since our foundation and sites considered "state of the art" at the time they were listed may now be sad shadows, overtaken by others. From time to time sites are re-reviewed and removed if they are not up to scratch but it is like painting the Forth Bridge, especially in categories that are for marketing type sites.
As for your own site, there are other ways to make an impression other than by trying to be a general catch-all national site up against unlimited budgets. Focus on a niche the others don't do so well, or a geographical area that is under-represented. We still might not be interested but at least you'd stand a chance in the marketplace. The basics of marketing include, after all, the need for a USP (Unique Selling Point). That's what we look for in a site, unique points that sell it to us as a valuable addition. Good luck anyway.
