A Web Site That Is Right For Your Business

Want to take advantage of the internet opportunities?

Start by developing a new web site or revamping your old one that is customized and it addresses your business needs and your market’s requirements.

You can limit your costs and angst by planning your web marketing initiative efficiently and pro-actively. The following are some action steps to follow that will keep you “on track” and within budget.

1. What are your goals for your web site? Are they branding and/or sales goals?
   
2. Outline your objectives (be as specific as possible) and understand how your internet strategy fits within your strategic marketing and growth plans.
   
3. Allocate a budget for web site design and internet marketing.
   
4. Do some market research by visiting competitors’ sites and communicate design ideas you like to your web design team.
   
5. Decide on the main pages that will be linked to the Home page. Link additional pages to the main pages. What’s the total number of pages?
   
6. Now you are ready to write the content and identify the visuals that you would like to include. May need to purchase stock images, schedule a photo shoot or both.
   a. Are you planning a slide show and/or incorporate a video clip?
   b. Do you expect to harvest contact information on your web site?
   c. How about password protected pages for customers, reps, etc.
   d. Plan to do sales on-line? Do you have a merchant account?
   
7. Assign someone with a good understanding of your market positioning to liaise with the web development team. The web team needs to know your overall marketing goals and expectations. This is a marketing initiative as much as it is a web design one.
   
8. The web design team will present their proposal on costs and time requirements. Is it within your budget?
   
9. Once the site is up and running, implement your SEO and web marketing programs and monitor performance.

Choosing to outsource the web site design does not end your involvement. There are marketing and branding implications on the way your site is structured. Take advantage of the opportunities that the internet provides by not viewing your web site as an “after thought”. Place your web strategy on the center of your marketing campaign and you will see results.