Take some time to think about your website. Use the following checklist to help guide you.

 

1. What’s Your Objective?
First, figure out what you want your website to do. Is it to generate more income? Enhance your brand? Provide information and resources to your customers? Sell your products? The better you define your objective, the easier it will be to plan your site.

 

2. Select Your Domain Name & Register It.
Choose your name carefully. Consider how easy it will be to remember and spell. How will look when it’s printed? Then check to see if it’s available and register it. Annual registration costs anywhere from $15 - $35 per year depending on what registrar you choose. If you prefer, we can register the name for you at no additional charge. We can also help you in the process of selecting a name.

 

3. Establish A Budget.
Your website budget needs to include the costs for initial design & setup, monthly website hosting fees, future changes and modifications, and the marketing of your site. A website is not a one time expenditure. Keeping it updated and fresh is critical if you want to compete in today’s marketplace.

 

4. Check Out Similar Websites?
Perform searches for websites of similar businesses. Keep a list of things that you like and don’t like about those sites. Not only can you get an idea of what others have to say on their sites, but you may also see specific design elements or functionality that you like.

 

5. What Makes Your Business Different?
How do you stand apart form your competitors? Do you offer better pricing? Better quality or service? Is the service you provide unique? Determine how your business competes and what message you want your website to deliver.

 

6. Who’s Your Target Market?
Will your site target consumers or the trade? Who are you reaching now? Do you want to reach others? Think about your website from the viewer’s perspective. Think about their needs.

 

7. Determine What Features You Want Your Site To Have?
Consider interactive forms, SSL security, newsletter subscriptions, etc...

 

8. Assemble Your Site’s Content.
Put together a file of the content you already have from brochures, ads and newsletters. Then determine what additional text, photos & graphics you’ll want to use. We can provide you with photos, design custom graphic elements, and offer copy writing and copy editing services.

 

9. Develop A Marketing Strategy.
How will you promote your website? You’ll want to include your website address on all your current promotional materials. And you should determine how to coordinate the website’s marketing with all of your other marketing efforts. Consider using print advertising, direct mail and email marketing campaigns.

 

10. Set A Realistic Schedule.
You may be saying to yourself, “I need this done yesterday!” but you need to be realistic. Select a completion date that you think is reasonable. It’s easier to work back from that date to determine whether or not it’s feasible. You’ll need to keep yourself on a tight schedule. You should expect to spend a good amount of time reviewing your site’s content & design before it even goes in to development. The planning stage is the most critical. The quicker your responses are, the quicker the process will be.