What You Think You Need Versus What You Really Should Have
Next time you hear from them, they ask you to choose which design mock up you like. You panic. Nothing looks like what you had pictured. But you want something, so you pick one of the looks.
A website should be part of an overall marketing plan. So how does it fit? What will drive visitors to your website? What will you offer them when they arrive? Do you need to post updates? Have a forum? Twitter? Link to Facebook? Do you even know why you want to have Twitter and Facebook and who will monitor and update them?
Scenario
You have just hired a web company to create your website. You think you know what you want and you're pretty confident the company knows what you want, too.
They ask you a series of questions, some of which you answer, others you don't quite understand, but you fill out the form and you hope you are going to get what you need.
They give you a quote. It seems reasonable. You give the go ahead.
Next time you hear from them, they ask you to choose which design mock up you like. You panic. Nothing looks like what you had pictured. But you want something, so you pick one of the looks.
They disappear again. Out of the blue you receive an email asking for website copy. What copy? Oh, you think, I am not a professional writer. You ask them to do it. Sure, they say. It will be extra.
Now you have started down the path...of no return. They are doing the job they said they would, but you have not done yours. What is missing?
Some thoughts
Do not assume any web company is going to take your hand and guide you through the process step by step.
Before deciding on a website - decide what the function of the website is going to be. Is it just going to be a basic placeholder? A brochure? A shopping site? A blog? Will it need to be updated constantly or not at all? Is there a time limit?
Are there sites that you like already? What do you like about them? Their look? Their functionality? The copy? Take notes. Find sites you do like, and let them know why. Next, find sites you do not like. Write down what is wrong with them. What you don't like is even more important than what you do.
A website should be part of an overall marketing plan. So how does it fit? What will drive visitors to your website? What will you offer them when they arrive? Do you need to post updates? Have a forum? Twitter? Link to Facebook? Do you even know why you want to have Twitter and Facebook and who will monitor and update them?
What are your competitors doing? What can you do better than them?
Do you already have copy written in other forms - brochures, postcards, etc, that can be re-purposed?
Knowing this before you even contact your first website company will save you time and money. Why build a website that is far beyond what you need or want? Or build a site that will fail to grow with your business? If you need to constantly update a site, you should think of a CM (Content Management) system, which makes is simple for non-techies to post updates.
Knowing this before you even contact your first website company will save you time and money. Why build a website that is far beyond what you need or want? Or build a site that will fail to grow with your business? If you need to constantly update a site, you should think of a CM (Content Management) system, which makes is simple for non-techies to post updates.
Other money saving tips. Buy your domain. GoDaddy.com has very inexpensive deals - check online for coupons that drop the price even more.
Keep control of your website. Make sure the contract stipulates the ownership of the hosting site remains with you. This seems like a bother now. But it won't be if you decide to go with another website vendor down the road. There are horror stories of businesses not being able to access their own websites - and they are true.
The ideal: Finding a website company that is willing to do what you want but still educate you on what you may need. If you've done your homework, you'll know the difference.