| Raise your hand if you have a website for your small | | | | 4) Social Media – Social media such as blogging, |
| business. Now keep it raised if it is generating a | | | | Podcasting and other web 2.0 tools can greatly |
| significant volume of prospects or sales. Not holding | | | | enhance customer communications. Your web |
| your hand up anymore? You are not alone. | | | | services company should be able to help you |
| Just a few years ago, small companies flocked to the | | | | evaluate how social media tools can best benefit |
| web in droves, rushing to post their first website, | | | | your web presence and business objects. |
| anxious at the prospect of low-cost instant exposure. | | | | 5) Small Business Website Hosting Services – All |
| The web was going to be the great equalizer, putting | | | | web hosting is NOT created equal. There are many |
| small business on par with the big brand names, | | | | nuances and technical consideration involved with |
| dangling the promise of visitors flocking to a | | | | hosting solutions. It is best to stay away from |
| company’s site to purchase its wares or partake | | | | budget hosting companies. Look for a managed |
| in its services. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, for most | | | | hosting provider who can help you select the right |
| small businesses and organizations, the promise fell | | | | plan for your web solution goals, get your website up |
| short and company sales did not skyrocket from an | | | | and running and support you as it grows and evolves. |
| unending march of site visitors. | | | | 6) Website Maintenance – How will your site be |
| So, what happened? For one, the web quickly | | | | maintained and updated? Having both small business |
| became ultra competitive. Millions of sites sprang up in | | | | web development and managed web site hosting as |
| every business category making it virtually impossible | | | | a package is immensely helpful for maximizing web |
| to be found in the search engines. What little bit of | | | | server resources, identifying problems and keeping |
| traffic the businesses may have enjoyed when the | | | | the site maintained and updated. |
| site was first launched began to dry up. Also, as the | | | | 7) E-Commerce – Will you be actually selling on |
| web evolved to become a more interactive user | | | | your site or using it for lead generation or information |
| experience, it became more technologically complex | | | | dissemination? If you are selling products, who will |
| and many small business websites did not keep up. | | | | create and maintain your product database. How will |
| The other part of the problem was in the approach; | | | | transactions be handled? What about web server |
| not understanding that just putting together a | | | | requirements? Working with a professional can help |
| website, even a pretty one, and finding some | | | | ensure you make the right choices for your |
| faceless company offering cheap web hosting | | | | e-commerce site. |
| services is not likely to make you the next great | | | | 8) Business Process Interaction (database |
| success story. A large hurdle that many small | | | | development, customer relationship management, |
| business owners and managers face is the tendency | | | | integration with your business management systems) |
| to compartmentalize the web into a few | | | | – A website needs to be more than just an ad |
| oversimplified tasks: grab a cheap domain name, find | | | | on the Internet to be effective as a business tool. |
| a budget small business website design and | | | | There are many ways the web can be used to |
| development person, look for some impossibly | | | | improve your business processes and integrate with |
| low-priced website hosting, and then expect their | | | | your existing systems such as accounting or contact |
| website to magically appear on page one of Google. | | | | management. |
| Unfortunately, this ends up being a waste of time | | | | 9) Website Marketing – How will people find you |
| and money. | | | | on the web? Will you optimize your site for organic |
| A Solutions-Based Approach with Professional | | | | search or employ paid marketing techniques or a |
| Guidance | | | | combination? What directories should you list your |
| To create an effective web presence requires a | | | | site in? Search engine marketing has evolved to be a |
| solutions-based approach with clear ideas about what | | | | complex specialty. It’s critical that you |
| you want to accomplish and who the audience is you | | | | understand the tools available for driving traffic to |
| are targeting. The right elements have to be present; | | | | your site and if needed, know how to evaluate and |
| a well orchestrated website design with cohesive | | | | engage a web marketing specialist. |
| branding, solid technical acumen, clearly defined | | | | 10) Website Analytics and Conversion – Having a |
| objectives for the organization, reliable small business | | | | great site isn’t enough if your visitors aren’t |
| web hosting services and some method of marketing | | | | doing what you intended; buying something, |
| your site and tracking the results. The web is | | | | contacting your company or using your site for an |
| constantly evolving and search engine competition is | | | | information source. Does your site have usability |
| fierce. Being successful on the web requires | | | | issues? What kind of reporting will you use to track |
| consistently evaluating the site’s effectiveness | | | | site visitors? What do you need to know and do to |
| based on your objectives, understanding the latest | | | | convert your visitors into action-takers? |
| technologies and trends, having a dynamic website | | | | It’s a Process and a Work in Progress |
| marketing plan and constantly fine tuning. | | | | While there is certainly a lot to think about, creating |
| While you don’t have to spend a fortune to | | | | the best possible website solution for your business |
| create real value on the web, you should also be | | | | doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Your website |
| realistic. Understand that being successful will require | | | | can and should be a work in progress, evolving as |
| an investment that you should plan for and a clear | | | | your business grows. Because most small businesses |
| vision of how your website fits into the goals and | | | | do not have an internal IT staff to handle the |
| objectives of the organization. If you don’t have | | | | technical elements of web development and planning, |
| the experience and technical resources in-house, | | | | working with a web solutions provider that specializes |
| working with a professional web solutions provider, | | | | in small business website hosting services and small |
| preferably one specializing in small business web | | | | business web design and development is a good |
| design and development can provide great benefits. | | | | start. Such an organization can help you identify your |
| A good starting point in the process is to have an | | | | goals, manage the technical aspects of your site and |
| understanding of the core elements that are part of | | | | guide you in your marketing efforts. They can also |
| a successful website strategy and how they fit | | | | help you work within your budget to develop a plan |
| together. | | | | that combines all the elements into a cohesive whole |
| The Elements of a Web Solution | | | | for creating and maintaining a successful web |
| 1) Domain names – Choosing the right domain | | | | presence. |
| name is an important branding decision which impacts | | | | Conclusion |
| how your organization is perceived and also how it is | | | | The web has grown up to be a terrific marketing |
| found in the search engines. Purchasing from a cheap | | | | medium for small businesses and organizations. Done |
| bulk registrar or choosing can spell trouble. | | | | right, it can be the most cost effective and powerful |
| 2) Website Design & Development Services – | | | | marketing and communication tool in your arsenal. |
| Find a provider that specializes in small business web | | | | The promise is still there. However, to truly leverage |
| design and development. An organization that offers | | | | the power of the web, it is important to take a |
| a solutions-based approach can assist your company | | | | good, hard look at the website you currently have or |
| in doing thorough needs analysis and in designing all of | | | | the one you are thinking about creating. The |
| the elements to work well together. First impressions | | | | elements of a successful web presence: small |
| count! | | | | business web hosting, website design and |
| 3) E-mail Management – E-mail is a key | | | | development and web marketing are only the |
| communication tool for your business. The right | | | | framework for a well thought-out web solution |
| system will help you maximize communications within | | | | designed to reach your customers and truly benefit |
| the company, on the road and with your customers. | | | | your business. |