Website Development Philosophy of CM Weston
You don't need a website.
When we meet with new or prospective website clients, the first discussion I always try to initiate is the fact that the client doesn't need a website.
That statement usually creates a pause in our conversation, as they soak it in. For the very reason I'm sitting with them at that moment is to discuss their apparent website need.
I tell our clients they don't need a website for one very simple reason:
Their customers need it instead.
With that simple philosophy in mind - designing for the use of the customer rather than the "need" of the business - we are able to approach the website development process from a marketing point of view.
The website should be treated as a complimentary piece of the entire marketing budget. Not the end all be all and not something to simply do for the sake of having one. Either end of that spectrum is a waste of money.
Keep it simple works for me!
To build a website that is right for your business and your customer, look at what the customer asks for and deliver a bit more.
Make this a team exercise amongst your staff. Find out what the most common questions are and have answers for them; what the most common areas of interest are and provide rich content about them; what the most common objections are and provide winning arguments in your favor.
Keep in mind that the beauty of your site will rest in the functionality, the relevancy of the content and the ease of use. Pay attention to that last one - ease of use.
Again, let's think from the customer point of view. Can I get to anyplace on your site with one click of my mouse?
Does your home page tell visitors what you do in easy to understand terms or must I spend valuable time trying to see if you're the right company for my needs?
Is the layout visually pleasing or is it a challenge to find areas of interest?
In the end, content wins but it must be delivered in a format that is easy to understand, easy to use and useful to the client.
That is the importance of developing your site from a marketing point of view.
Where are now and where will you be?
One of the many benefits of having a website for your customers and your business is the unlimited possibilities that can be developed.
At first it can be a bit overwhelming to try and plan out the entire website, all its pages, all its functions and character.
To handle that process, we recommend developing in stages - must like you've done with your business. When your business started out, it wasn't everything it is now. And, rightly so, because you have vision you also know that what your business is today is not what it be a few years from now.
Planning your website to adapt with your business is a key ingredient to developing your website from a marketing point of view.
We work with our clients to develop in phases. This enables us to do a couple very key things:
It enables us to clearly define what pages and features will be developed within each phase - which makes for a more effective project management plan.
It also allows us to work with each client on expectation management. Developing your website in development phases ensures that we are both in line with our expectations and know what is to be expected from each side.
Developing in phases also allows for "wish lists" and future modules to be created for discussion, functionality and budgetary evaluations. In almost every case, once the website process gets off the ground, excitement runs high and clients get lots of ideas they'd like to incorporate into their website. We advise them to add these features to a wish list so that once the current phase is completed, the wish list can be evaluated for its cost and its purpose, again - in an effort to control and better manage expectations.
By looking to the future, we can plan for growth, additional services, additional features, more employees and more use of the website during the initial development phases.
By working with the clients to take a smart look at what is needed now and what is needed down the road, we can better help clients control their cost, their satisfaction and, most importantly, their return on investment.
All these toys - which ones do I need?
Speaking of return on investment, one of the most important roles we play in working with clients to develop websites from a marketing point of view is look at the website from a productivity vs. cost scenario.
By thinking from the client's point of view, we often advise on which features are available, which features are recommended and which features would be better left for another time.
By combining real-world business experience, a marketing point of view and website design skills, we feel we offer our clients much more than just a website designer. We offer a complete marketing partner.
The long term - what else should I know before going forward
There are other things to consider when planning on developing your website.
1. Evaluate your website development partner from not only a skill set point of view but a business point of view. Is this someone you want to do business with? Is this someone that does this part time or full time?
2. What do you own and what do you have the rights to? Be sure to find out if you will be able to have your website files on CD or DVD or some other type of device so that you can always have a copy. Also, make sure that your files are portable - meaning is the person developing your site with tools that can be used by another developer, if that need should ever arise? Again, from a business point of view, you want to know what your options are should something not go as planned.
3. Website hosts do differ. The purpose behind a website host is to provide your website a home and a method by which visitors can use your site. Make sure you find out about your host, as not all hosts are the same. You will find price differences; however, there are some key points to selecting a host on matters other than pure cost. Reliability, access and value-added features are things to consider.
Developing your website is an exciting, challenging and often misunderstood practice. Choosing a website development partner that can offer more than just design services is a smart decision for your business and for your budget.
Treat your website as a marketing tool and an important and valuable piece to your marketing efforts. Think from your customer's side first and develop to appeal to those that will use your site most.
Remember - a website is a terrible thing to waste.