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A Fast and Simple way to Update Your Business
You open your computer, the flashing button says, “We have a new update for your software program. Do you wish to update now or later?” You choose the Update Now button and immediately your computer begins to download a new version of the...
Create a Blueprint For YOur Success
Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving,profitable life and business. A simple method to create this foundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning and Benchmarking, the four cornerstones of your life as well as your business....
How to Get Your Small Business to Succeed
When I’m in Omaha on business, I stay with an old friend, Richard. This is how our day begins. “I’m going for doughnuts,” he says. “What would you like?” Much as I hate to begin my day with doughnuts, I also love to begin my day with doughnuts …...
Organization Tips - How to Set Up Your Database
What's in a Name?
Everything.
What do you do with all the contacts you make in your organisation? Do you:
Collect business cards and throw them in the bottom of your desk drawer hoping one day one of these people will ring and do...
The Power Of Niche Marketing
Have you ever been over whelmed by all the competition on the internet. All the other companies going after the same customers that you are. Well panick not the world wide web is a MASSIVE market place and the best strategy is to create your own...
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Planning Is A Must With A Small Business Website
Is your business ready for the 21st century? Remaining competitive today requires a small business to have a website. Most business owners realize this but getting started seems to be the problem. A business owner wears several hats each day while working on day to day issues. Trying to manage cash flow, supervising employees, dealing with difficult customers, juggling multiple tasks and still finding enough time left to spend with their family. Running a business is hard work and taking the time to think about a website and other business planning frequently takes a back seat.
Having a plan or roadmap for developing a website can save you a lot of valuable time. The best thing to do is grab a piece of paper, a pencil and a cup of coffee or beer depending on your preference, and of course, the time of day. As with any project (building a house, saving for retirement, taking a family vacation or building a website) all would require planning in order to be successful. As the saying goes fail to plan, plan to fail.
As you plan your website you will need to answer several questions. What is the purpose of the website? What is the goal of the website? Who is the target audience of the website? What will the target audience want from the website? Answering these questions is the first step to developing a website for your small business. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to develop it yourself or if you plan to outsource it to a web designer; you still need to be involved in the planning. Generally a good web designer will guide you through this process.
A website can have many purposes for a business. One thing they do is let the audience know that a business isn’t still stuck in the dark ages (pre-internet). A business website is like a business card and telephone, it is just part of doing business today. Businesses can use a website to help create sales leads, provide customer support, keep customers informed, create brand recognition, develop a database of prospects, sell products, collect payments, and much more. More than likely your website will have some, or all of these
purposes.
What is the goal of your website? To make you millions so you can retire early on a private Island, sure it might be a goal, but what else? The goal of your website will depend on what the purpose of your site is. If you are not directly selling products or services online then a goal of your website will be to inform the audience about your business. Your website needs to sell visitors on your business by displaying your products, service, philosophy and culture in a format that will impress and convert prospects into customers.
Typical goals include: Increase Sales,Collecting a database of prospects, Free up time of employees by distributing information via the web, Have information available to prospects 24/7, Compete for and gain some of the online customers in your industry, Level the playing field with the big boys
Once you understand the main goals of your website you need to plan the design accordingly. One of your goals may be to collect names and email addresses of prospects. This information can be used for newsletters or email marketing campaigns. If your site offers directions or maps to your business locations or instructions for your products, a goal may be to reduce the number of calls and time employees spend on the phone answering the same questions over and over.
Putting together a website just to say you have a website does very little good and could even hurt your businesses reputation. Before you create a website, remember, this may be the first impression of your business that a customer sees. It is important to plan your website and establish some obtainable goals so that you will be able to realize a proper return on investment.
About the Author: Chris Cook is the Owner of Majestek Solutions LLC, A Web Design and Development Company for more information regarding internet marketing and website development go to: http://www.majestek.com
Source: www.isnare.com
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| United States Small Business Administration |
| An electronic gateway of procurement information for and about small businesses. Search engine for contracting officers, marketing tool for small firms, ... |
| www.sba.gov |
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| SBA |
| The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle. ... |
| www.sba.gov |
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| Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
| Find Small Business plans, advice, tutorials about organization, corporations, entrepreneurship, and smallbusiness. |
| www.smallbusiness.com |
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| Yahoo! Small Business: Domain Names, Web Hosting, E-commerce ... |
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| smallbusiness.yahoo.com |
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| www.smallbusiness.co.uk |
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| Smallbusiness.gov.au redirect to business.gov.au |
| Business Entry Point - Helping small business in big ways. An Australian Government initiative. The content from this website has now been consolidated into ... |
| www.smallbusiness.gov.au |
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| Business & Small Business |
| Online and print small business publication. Information to help start, grow or manage a small business. |
| www.entrepreneur.com |
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| Microsoft Small Business Center |
| Your home for information about Microsoft's small-business products and services, tailored business advice, technology tools, and more. |
| www.microsoft.com |
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| The Small Business Advisor - advice for starting and operating a ... |
| Advice and assistance for starting and operating a small or home based business. |
| www.isquare.com |
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| SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" |
| A nonprofit association dedicated to encouraging the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide through counseling and mentor programs. |
| www.score.org |
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| Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource |
| IR-2006-2, January 3, 2006 - Temporary and proposed regulations will significantly reduce tax filing burden for nearly 950000 small business owners. ... |
| www.irs.gov |
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| Welcome to Small Business BC your business resource in British ... |
| BC Business Services offers assistance and resources for those running or starting a business in British Columbia and Vancouver. |
| www.smallbusinessbc.ca |
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| Small Business Service | Home |
| Provides information and advice to help small businesses realise their potential. |
| www.sbs.gov.uk |
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| NSW Small Business |
| A site developed by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development for small businesses. Topics include management, resources, current issues and ... |
| www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au |
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| Business Management & Advice: Small Business Resources & Information |
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| www.businessweek.com |
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| Small Business Lawyer, Attorney, Law, Legal Help - FindLaw for ... |
| Information and legal sites relevant to small business. |
| smallbusiness.findlaw.com |
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| Small Business Funding Opportunities (SBIR and STTR) |
| Links to Small Business Funding Opportunities and SBIR / STTR Applications. |
| grants.nih.gov |
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| Microsoft bCentral Small Business Directory |
| Directory categorized by industry with company business card feature. |
| sbd.bcentral.com |
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| Our site has moved! Please update your bookmarks! |
| Facilitates the sharing and exchange of information among small business development centers, the small business administration and other business-oriented ... |
| sbdcnet.utsa.edu |
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| Small Business Development Corporation |
| Our business information services provides guidance to improve business skills and knowledge on advice on starting, buying, selling and expanding a small ... |
| www.sbdc.com.au |
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