Small Business Websites

Before undertaking the design of any website, it is crucial to first understand what you are trying to achieve. Is it simply more sales, or is it a platform with which to create awareness for your company.

Some of the benefits of using a Website for your business are shown below:

• Increased website traffic, enquiries and sales
• Building awareness for your brand and company
• Expanding into new markets
• Cost effective advertising (greater return on investment)
• Showcasing products and services on your website
• Building customer loyalty by offering informative information about the particular industry

Before starting the design of any project we feel it is crucial to research into the market sector, as this is truly the only way to understand what the best approach will be. This could involve meeting for a coffee to go throw a list of criteria, or alternatively it could be as simple as answering a few questions via email. It is not possible to simply "go and create a website", without looking into these areas first. This is in no way an excuse to charge more money; it is instead a necessity which all website design companies should undertake. It may be that you will need to change the website content on a continuing basis; therefore we would integrate a very 'easy to use' "ECMS" (Elite Content Management System), which will allow you to make these changes at no extra cost.

The research may undertake looking into the following:

• What do you want to achieve through a website
• Would you like to edit the website on an ongoing basis
• Understand the market
• Understand the customer
• Who are the competitors
• What is your budget
• What approach will give you the highest sales growth for the smallest investment?