Getting Started with Your Website

Running a successful business requires successful online representation. Your customers are your bread and butter for your business, and getting new customers is what is going to help your business grow. A good website or online presence means that you are making a good first impression with potential customers. The first part of building a good website is to find an experienced web designer that has worked on similar projects that fit your industry.  This is a crucial part of developing a web presence that is going to fit your needs. Therefore, we recommend that you communicate with your web designer ahead of time. If you are a business owner, below are some questions to  keep in mind when deciding to collaborate with a web designer.

Is this website for a new or established business?

The first order of business that should be discussed when building a website is to know whether or not this will be a rebuild or a brand new project. This  will help  guide you in how to proceed because a new business will always have a longer list of items that will need your full attention. Whereas, an established business will have a lot of items already completed. Keep in mind that this is not always the case, sometimes, an established business needs a full revamp filled with new ideas.

Do you have a logo and branding already made?

A proper branding idea and a good logo are the very first steps needed in order to create an attractive website. We typically recommend that a company determine their mission statement before building a website. This helps a web designer or any creative person shape their designs around this mission statement. While it’s always best to come to your web development team ready with your branding, it’s not always going to work out that way. Your web development team should be able to either help you come up with these concepts, or at least point you in the right direction.

Can you describe your business to me in one sentence?

I’m pretty sure you have heard the phrase “elevator pitch”. This is a key element for many business owners on how well they can sell their business. Yet, most business owners still struggle with this. Creating the answer to this question or phrase, can help a web designer simplify your website. This is similar to the mission statement, except that this is based more on a call to action strategy. This one sentence should be completely represented with design within the first few seconds of a visitor opening up your website.

What are your objectives with this project?

Keeping a goal in mind will help a business owner determine the direction that they choose for their website. Building a website is not an easy task, and it definitely takes a lot of time and a lot of brainstorming. Many owners expect their web designers to “just do it”. Design doesn’t work like this. It takes a clear and concise message that is created by the person that knows the mission of the company the most. Decide what your goal is and work towards it. This is probably the best piece of advice we can give you for web design and marketing.

What’s your marketing budget?

Websites  give you the opportunity to maintain an online presence for your business. It’s important that you think hard on what that means for you. Ever since the start of the internet, the options for web design have multiplied and continue to do so. There are free options, there are cheap options, and there are extremely expensive options. It’s important to work with what you believe is going to work for you. If you are a start up, then a free website would probably make sense. However, it usually means you have to do all of the work. If you have the ability to do so, I always recommend going with a web designer, because he’s going to take away so many headaches from you.