Ready To Trash Your Website?

Oct 10, 2006 business, marketing, small business marketing, web design

Ready To Trash Your Website?

Do you really need your website? Is it truly an asset, or is it just another expense? If it’s just a liability, are you ready to get rid of it? Let’s face it…no business really wants a website. After all, a website is just another expense that any smart business owner would rather avoid…and I applaud him for it. I don’t even think every business needs to have a website. “Stop wasting your money!”

So now you’re asking, “Why is he saying this? After all…he builds websites.” Well, to an extent that is true. I spend some of my time building websites. But that’s not really what I do.

Just Another Expense

You see, the fact is that most businesses out there already have a website, and some of them are pretty good. However, most of them end up as another expense that the business just can’t afford. It doesn’t generate revenue, it doesn’t bring in any business, it hardly even has any traffic. If this is the situation your business is in…GET OUT! Stop pouring your precious capital down the drain! Shut your site down forever….or convert it into an asset.

Can You Turn It An Asset?

A well designed and well marketed website can be an extremely valuable asset to your company. But you must treat it as such. Simply creating a website will not bring in more business, no matter how pretty it is. Most website designers are just that, designers. They have no idea how to make your site successful, (most don’t even know how to tell if a site is successful,) they just come up with attractive designs, then build them.

Any Twelve Year Old can Create A Website

These days, almost anyone can create a website. Just hire a local teenager. He’ll download some open-source software or buy a template and get going. But be aware, by the time he’s finished with your website, you’ll have spent much more time and money than you anticipated and the site will be a homely-looking, cash burning expense.

How To Choose The Right Website Developer

When looking for a developer, find one that knows how to monitor your site’s success and make the adjustments necessary to make your site even more successful. This means using a combination of analytics tools, online advertising, a content management system, graphic design, and more.

Tip: Ask your website developer for your website statistics…and let me know what you find out.

You need a developer who can execute all of these critical website creation tasks: 1) conception; 2) design; 3) creation; 4) maintenance; and, 5) optimization. If your website developer does all of these tasks – and does them WELL – only then will you have the valuable partner that your business needs to thrive in the competitive world of online marketing. He will be able to help lift your business to the next level.

3 Requirements for Turning Your Website Into An Asset

To be successful online, you need to have:
1. An Online Marketing Strategy. To be successful online, you need to have an online marketing strategy.
   • How will you send traffic to your site? brochures? letterhead? business cards? online advertising?
   • Do you have a budget for generating site traffic?
   • How will you want the website to compliment your other business activities?
2. Specific Purpose. Decide on a particular purpose for your website.
   • Is your site’s primary purpose to generate leads? serve as a brochure? sell a product?
   • Look at the sites of your competitors. What do you like? What don’t you like?
3. A Competent Developer. A competent developer is one who:
   • understands your business’ needs
   • understands your customers
   • knows how to monitor your site’s success (traffic patterns, user data, etc.)
   • knows how to use the information gathered above to adjust your website for your particular visitors. If your designer just wants to jump in and start designing, step away slowly. Make sure they adequately understand your needs so they can develop a customized solution.

Contact us today for a (no cost) tool to help you develop the 3 areas above.

Tags: growth