A website is a powerful marketing tool but you won't get much out of it is you don't use it effectively.
- Define the purpose of your website.
- provide general information about your company?
- promote your products and/or services?
- provide value-added services to your customers and potential customers?
- provide an alternative and effective method of communicating with your customers?
- increase your visibility within your target market?
- increase the efficiency with which your company shares information with the public?
- provide effective information sharing and internal communications within your organization?
- Determine your target audience.
- Become familiar with the websites of companies who are your direct competitors or are involved in the same kind of industry.
- Make note of the things you like about these sites and what you don't
- Decide what content you wish to include in your website. Remember your competitors will likely be visiting your site when they learn of it.
- Review all promotional information you currently use and make note of the information you may choose to use in your website.
- Develop a plan outlining how you will promote your website.
- Decide how much money you are willing to commit to the project and develop a budget.
- Develop a plan that includes all relevant content, value-added features and any additional functions you would like to develop.
- Interview a number of website development companies and ask for quotations based on your content and features plan.
- Choose the one that is best suited to meet your needs and budget.
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