So, it’s 2010 and your company has finally decided to join the masses online. You start shopping for a web designer or web design firm, you get quotes, you get inspiration, you’ve got photos, mission statements, etc, so what could you possibly be missing? A plan.  Most companies jump in blindly to the Internet, and unfortunately, most web designers / developers are in it for the short term: they don’t consider the following:

1.) Scalability.
If you are using your new web site for sales and lead generation (and I hope that you are), you’ll need someone who will check the company email, someone who will reply to those inquiries, someone to answer phone calls, etc. Granted, the phones won’t be ringing off the hook on day 1, but you’ve got to be able to accommodate a possible influx of new business.

2.) Your Story.
Who is your company? One of the first questions I ask prospects is WHO THEY ARE.  As a web design and marketing firm, it’s critical for us to know how the client stacks up to their competitors.  Do you have something no one else has? Is your product superior? Is your customer service remarkable? You do need to brag on your web site and inform your web site visitors just why they should be buying from you and no one else. Let’s face it, you’re not alone online, define your story and spell it out for your web designer: make certain they express your story in their design.

3.) Your Ongoing Marketing Plan.
Once your web site is live, the real work begins.  If you want or expect your web site to be seen, you’ve really got to work at it. There are of course a few considerations: social media applications such as Twitter, Facebook, etc.: Pay per click on keywords, Organic search engine optimization and of course off-line considerations.  Each of these methods contribute to a well balanced Internet marketing strategy to help your new work of art get found.  In my humble opinion, one of the most effective ways to start getting attention in the search engines is by adding content.  Ask your web designer to incorporate a blog on your domain name so that you, or someone within your organization can keep contributing to the web site.  A lonely web site that is not contributed to, is a nobody web site in Google’s eyes. The more you contribute, the more attention you get.  Plan on contributing at least two blogs a week, spend time in your pay per click account daily and spend some quality time building your tribe through social media.

While this all may seem overwhelming, if you plan ahead, you can set that shiny new web site up for success before it’s even published.  Need some help putting it all together: call me. My company has what it takes and ‘gets’ marketing.  Each web site we build is built for your target market and designed to sell AND get found.  Call me at 407-830-4550 in Orlando or toll free: 866-998-6886.

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