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