Web Site Design FAQ

The best way to answer this question is for you to ask yourself: What do I plan to have this site do for my business? If your plan is to launch a site and have thousands of customers race to your door and hand you vast amounts of money...Then save yourself the disappointment and don't bother building a site. It simply doesn't work that way, unless maybe, if you have an incredible product idea and a ton of money to promote it thru other media as well.

Web sites do work well for business when you understand the "Truths" and build your site to accomplish realistic goals. The World Wide Web is without a doubt the most cost effective way to advertise and promote your business but like anything else, it takes planning and constant attention to be successful. Why advertise on the Internet?  Here's one good reason: The estimated 2002 Internet population is 330 million users!

Truth #1: It will take a minimum of 6 months to get a new site placed firmly on the web. Why? Because the search engines responsible for listing your site are being bombarded with new submissions and are simply very slow at getting your site listed. Don't expect much from a new site for 6 - 12 months. Sorry, we don't make the rules, we just report the facts.

Truth #2: If your web designer doesn't design your site properly to rank high with the major search engines and monitor it closely, it will never produce results. You can have the best looking site on the web and if no one can find you it's virtually useless. It's the same as spending $20,000 for a "state of the art" phone system and then having an unlisted phone number. We have found this to be the #1 problem our clients have experienced in the past. Their original designers handed them a web site and simply "walked away" to let it fend for itself. A total waste of time and money. Successful web sites require constant maintenance and attention.

Truth #3: (ok, now some good news!) Good web sites are the best thing to hit the business community ever!!! When have you been able to place your business in front of millions of potential customers, 24 hours a day, world-wide for a few hundred dollars a month. Easy to answer...No where, until the web came along. Now there's a new game in town. But keep something in mind; While the Internet is a great place to advertise it is not "Free". Magazine and newspaper ads can cost 5, 10 or $20,000 per/month in a single publication, your web site works world-wide for a  very small percentage of that cost, but it will still require spending a few dollars. An attractive, well maintained and efficient site is going to take time, effort, and someone with the knowledge to lead your project. (Hint)

Various business types can expect different results from their web sites and require different types of sites to address their individual needs.

Example 1: A new home builder certainly doesn't expect anyone to order a new home over the Internet with a credit card, therefore, there is no need for a full E-commerce site. A brochure/information site to steer customers to his model homes works the best. Keep in mind, if this company sells just 1 house a year from their site, they are way ahead of the game in relation to the cost of maintaining their site.

Example 2: A growing manufacturing company wants to expand outside their local area. The cost of magazine and newspaper advertising, salesmen and business trips can be astronomical. A web site can replace all this and more. It can be your sales/advertising staff for a lot less money.

Our point...A good web design/marketing company will build the site that is right for your type of business and your individual needs and goals. The site will require constant attention and updates and most of all be closely  monitored to track search engine ranking and general site traffic. Changes must be made routinely to insure high search rankings and customer visibility.

The reality of web sites is: They are  an incredibly powerful marketing tool when designed and used properly. Take your time, look around and do some research before you "Jump" into the game. Remember that one of the great things about web sites is that in a lot of ways it levels the playing field between large and small businesses. Site visitors can't see if you are in a ten story company owned glass building, or a one room rented office. When a prospective customer comes to your site they will form an image of your company based on the appearance and professionalism of your site. Give them a good site and they form a positive image of your company, give them a poor site and the reverse is true.

We have tried to be as informative and up front as possible on this page. If you take a look at our portfolio page, you will see samples of work as well as actual letters from our clients. We are very proud of our products and service, and our customers have also become "Our Friends". We work very hard to provide our clients with successful web sites. See for your self... Portfolio

We will be adding additional pages from time to time in an effort to share our knowledge with you. In the interim, if you have any specific questions we can answer, please feel free to send them to us and we will do our best to help you. Just click on the "Contact" link and ask us. Thanks for stopping by.