t has been one of my thought out and underutilized. A
continual themes when good website is a lot more than
talking with clients about good design. A good design and
their websites that their site some content means only that a
needs to serve their business. website is acting as a glorified
When I work with a client, I look brochure. Its better than nothing
at their website as an extension and any business today which does
of their business model. I take a not at least have that really
look at their overall business needs to get on the ball.
and evaluate: However, beyond design, you can
look at how the site will achieve
* How do they make their money? the points above.
* Who is their public or target
audience? Now, a business which is all
* How can their public be web-based is very
promoted to? straight-forward in this
* How can the web be used to help department. A web-based business
automate their business? is going to want to collect
payments from customers via the
I'll listen to what they want to web, so we're going to want a
achieve with their website and secure payment system on that
then recommend options to help website. We also want that
that website achieve the points website to be well-designed so
above: making money, automate and that it does not confuse people
promote to their target audience. and attracts the customers' eyes
to those things which make the
Anybody looking to put up a business money. We're also going
website for business purposes to want to discuss how the web
needs to look at this. Too many can be used to promote. A
business sites are very poorly business which is not web-based
would want to consider what they customers want
can provide on the web to extend * Running free articles which
their business. Traditional educate your customers on the
brick-and-mortar businesses may subject matter of your business
have a storefront or may need to and get them interested.
deal with clients in person, but
what can they do on the web to A website is a footprint on the
extend their reach? internet which is viewable
worldwide. Depending on the
Promotion is paramount to success nature of your business, visitors
in business and on the web. A located well away from you may
website can perform any of many not be that useful in terms of
promotional tasks such as: potential clientele. However,
there is no reason why you cannot
* Collecting sales leads by still gather information from
asking visitors to fill out a them to use with your local
form. Perhaps give them some clientele. After all, if they
free, valuable content in arrived to your website, they
exchange for their information. were interested enough to come.
* Collecting email addresses for They are a public for you
use on a mailing list regardless of their location.
* Auto-responders sending Perhaps you can even find a way
targeted emails automatically to change your business model to
based on customer's indicated include these people which are
interests on a form not located locally to your
* Providing metrics on customer business.
interest using landing pages and
keyword advertising In terms of automation, keep
* Running polls and surveys to something in mind. A web server
find out what your potential is simply a computer. Computers
are great at doing repetitive
tasks that humans either hate or There are a number of ways a web
would find a huge waste of time. server can be used to serve a
For this reason, it is always a very real business function and
good idea to look over those actually do some of the work for
business functions which are you.
repetitive and see if your
website can serve to make your A lot of this comes under the
life easier. For example: heading of programming. Design is
design, however making the site
* Sending your email newsletters actually DO something means it
could easily be done using your has to be programmed. So, if you
web server. Click a button and are skilled in this area, you can
email your entire mailing list. do it yourself. Or perhaps you
Easy. can hire it out to somebody.
* Auto-responders can take care Before any of that, though, look
of automatically emailing your over your entire business and the
customers relevant information at website you have and see how it
regular intervals. can be utilized to make your
* Automatically compile sales business easier to manage or
statistics and email them to you actually drive in business.
each morning (if you do web Unless your website is personal
sales) in nature, then it is through the
* Export sales transactions lens of business that your site
directly into your accounting needs to be evaluated.
software to avoid typing them all
in manually.
About the Author:
David Risley is Founder/CEO of PC Media. PC Media specializes in creating web properties which achieve the aims of your business. Offering design and development, with services in web multimedia, video and e-commerce. Creator of Miraserver, a powerful CMS
Read more articles by:
David Risley
Article Source: www.iSnare.com 
