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a little advice... |
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Are you just getting started? Are you not sure where to look, or even what questions to ask? This is a great place to start! Take a few minutes and read some helpful hints below. Is it worth it? What it all boils down to is this: will your site generate business? If it generates more business than it costs to produce and maintain, then it's worth it. If not, then it's a high-tech toy. Developing a website can open possibilities for expanding your customer base beyond your local area, and even worldwide! If you think about it, the web is the Great Equalizer: every business, no matter how big or how small, can represent themselves (and represent themselves well, I might add!) on the internet. Traditional advertising done on print media (newspaper ads, billboards, mailers) are great methods of spreading the word about your business, but they are expensive, especially when compared with the potential cost per person reached. For example, you can ideally send a full color postcard (designed, printed and delivered) for less than a quarter, but you're almost guaranteed that each postcard will be viewed only once, by only one set of people. Imagine the possibilities if you could put the same information on a web page that is viewed by millions of people every day! The cost per contact decreases significantly, Not to mention the overall cost of a web page is much lower. A web page designed one time can be viewed an infinite number of times, by an infinite number of people, for a very long period of time! Can't you just do it yourself? If you have someone else develop your site, you will have some up-front costs to build the site, but once it is built, you should only have a monthly hosting fee (unless you need ongoing development). The big question is, is it worth it for you to spend your time designing a website, rather than build your professional business? It's been said that every opportunity is another opportunity foregone. If you decide to build your own site, that takes valuable time away from the focus of your business. I’m a big believer in the “only do what only you can do” ideology – in other words, keep your main thing your main thing. I don’t change the oil in my vehicle, I take it to Wal-mart. Not only do I not want crawl around under a car, but when I count the cost of doing it myself, I find it’s not even close to worthwhile. The first cost is time: it would take me longer to change clothes, get under the car and actually change the oil, dispose of the waste, shower and change again, than it would for me to drop it off and let an expert do it. My time is most valuable when I’m doing what i’m an expert at. The next (and most obvious) cost is money: I could probably buy the materials to change the oil for less than $10, but when the guy at Wal-mart will do it for less than $20, is the savings really worth it? I encourage you, if you want a website that looks professional, is appealing, functional, and easy to navigate, hire a web designer. You'll have fewer headaches, you'll be able to spend your time doing what you're actually good at, and you'll probably have a better site in the end. Prepare yourself Starting your website can be an intimidating process! Many people don't know where to begin. Here's the way I walk through the initial process of understanding what a customer wants: 1 – Start general. What is your purpose in developing a website? Are you expanding your current business market? Does your business have the potential to reach customers from a wide geographical base? Think about who will be viewing your web page, the need that drove them to your site, and what information will help them make their decision. This will help you determine your answers to the following specific questions of design and function. 2 – Next, think about how the information should be displayed. How should the information be divided and categorized? Will you have main pages containing links to sub-pages with more detail, or is your information related enough to be combined onto only a few pages? Many businesses prefer to keep the information per page to a minimum, so as not to overload the online guest with information that may not be related to their search. So, that said, will a basic site (5 or so pages: a home page, contact info, basic product info) fill your needs? Or will you require a premium site (over 50 pages)? 3 – Think about design. Are there other websites out there that contain features or design concepts that you like? Does your company have logos, graphic and color schemes already established? Are you wanting Flash or other animation techniques? A great way to prepare is to get out there and do a little research. Visit the websites of some other companies in your market, or even outside your market. Keep track of websites that you like, and make note of what captured your attention. Be specific! You don't need to know all the answers! for more personalized help with your questions, get your forty-four page website planner workbook, designed specifically to help you think through the organization of your site! If I can help you think through this process, don't hesitate to contact us! Rob Riggs |
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