Anybody that is in business for themselves as a freelancer or starting a full fledged business is met with a new question these days; “Do you have a website?”. If the answer is “No.” then be prepared for the questioner to look at you as if you just arrived from 1972. Most customers will just assume you have one if you are worth your salt. Starting this project may seem daunting at first, yet never fear; I’m here to help clear away some of the smoke.

Let’s clear up a few myths first:

• Getting a website will not make you rich overnight- Not quite sure how this myth was spawned yet it pervades a lot of first timer’s initial expectations and usually leaves them feeling confused and frustrated when reality kicks in. Some ideas like MySpace and Twitter have caught and gone viral seemingly overnight. They are the rare exception. Most will find and should expect the site to be in addition to their current business. Traditional forms of advertising and marketing should still be the main focus to bring in new and keep repeat customers; just add your new web address to the advertising campaigns and signage.

• Developing a website is NOT cut & paste operation - This is another myth that I just cannot understand how it ever began. There are some simple solutions out there that will give you a website of sorts with a little effort. However, the old rule “You get what you pay for.” is just as true for website design and development as it is anywhere else. A poorly designed site will look amateurish at best and be more a liability to your image than an asset. Same for a poorly developed site; the layout may break. For instance, it may look great in Safari with three columns holding the content and in IE 7 everything is may be pushed into one column on the left and it will leave your visitor wondering who you hired so they can avoid them! A well designed site looks great, represents your company in a professional manner and impresses your visitors with who you are, a company that cares what impression the site offers. Same for development, a well developed site looks correct on the major search engines and the major platforms. A really well developed site pays attention to the blind as well so that the content that is read to them is clear and precise.

• Web development is a science – Most of my fellow developers and designers too will know exactly what I mean when I say that you shouldn’t treat your website contractor worse than the kid cutting your lawn! Learning everything that is necessary to build a website takes years and is an ongoing learning experience. The languages we use, the W3C specifications and the browsers (3 different IE browsers; 6, 7, and 8; must be understood alone!) people use are constantly changing and evolving. In order to keep ahead of the pack we must keep up on the latest changes and trends. If we don’t we will very quickly be left in the dust. Please, treat your “web guy” with respect and as the professionals we are.

• What kind of site do I need? – Now, for the rest of the show. This is the first question you need to ask yourself when you are ready to get your business on the net. Will you need a site where you clients can buy your products and/or services? Do you need an online brochure or maybe just a simple page telling them about your location, hours of operation, etc.? Do you need to collect information from your clients? How will they contact you? Will they need to come back and get an update from the site or maybe reschedule an appointment? The answer to these questions are very important and will help your web contractor get your site in the right direction.

• How much will it cost? – One of the first questions that may come to your mind; is this something you can afford. Most companies use funds from their advertising budget to pay for the site design and development. If you are a start up and don’t have much in the budget; don’t panic or think you can’t have a site. A good developer can help you get something that will fit your starting budget. Think of this as just a beginning, a foundation; you can come back when you the funds become available and make additions, changes and upgrades.

• That is a pretty good start on what you should consider when you are ready to get your site live on the web. Depending on what you want your site to do for you and your clients, there can be other things to consider. For instance, if you want to sell things from your site, you will need a credit card merchant account, an SSL and it will need to be PCI Compliant. You will also need to consider how you will get your initial catalogue set up. Most developers and designers do not handle data entry and is almost always best handled in-house.

- Marc Hall

HallMarc Websites

marc@hallmarcwebsites.com

610.446.3346