Web Site
So you want a web site...
Submitted by John Locke on Wed, 08/29/2007 - 17:00The first thing to ask is, why? Web sites have lots of reasons for existence, but for business purposes, we tend to see some combination of four motivations:
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To act as an online brochure
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To attract new customers from search engines
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To sell things online
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To build a community of people who might someday buy something from you
A web site can do any or all of these, but generally the further down this list you get, the more the site is going to cost in terms of development cost and your time.
Beyond an e-brochure: getting business from your web site
Submitted by John Locke on Mon, 04/30/2007 - 17:06A web site is an essential marketing tool of a business. These days, especially in the Seattle area, people will check out your web site before doing business with you. The work you do with a graphic designer like Peter Mckinnon can have a big impact when someone decides whether you're the right fit for what they're looking to buy.
Just having a web site, however, does nothing to get customers beating down your doors. People need to find your web site somehow, amidst the millions of other web sites out there. For small, local businesses, they don't find your web site online--they find it from your business card, a sign on your car, word-of-mouth, or all the rest of the traditional ways people market their business.
