Building a Small Business Website: Save Time, Money and Sanity During Development

Building a Small Business Website
How to Save Time, Money and Sanity
During Website Development

Table of Contents 2

Common Small Business Complaints ………….... 3

Saving Time, Money & Sanity…………………….…..4

Questions to Answer Before You Start …….………... 5

Web Design Options……………..……………..….….. 6

Understanding Website Development: Process…. 7

Understanding Website Development: People…… 8

Choosing Your Best Fit Solution ………………..…….9

Choosing Your Best Fit Solution –
Pros & Cons of Web Design Options…………10-12

Communicating with the Creative Team –
to save time & money …………………..…………13

Top Complaints Answered…………………..…...14-15

Success Checklist….………………….......………16-17

Additional Resources………………….......….….... 18

© 2010 by Kathleen Peters, KMP Marketing, Inc. I www.kmpmarketinginc.com I (407) 977-9370

Common Small Business Complaints 3

- During Website Development
1.  This is taking MUCH longer and costing more money than I
anticipated!

2.  Why is my web designer asking me for ‘content’? I sent them
all our marketing materials?

3.  Can’t I make these simple copy changes myself?

4.  What do you mean I have to pay for photographs and
illustrations?

5.  After all this time and money…I’m not sure I like this website.
Now what?

6.  Why aren’t I in the top 10 search results for my industry?

7.  My website isn’t generating much business


Saving Time, Money and Sanity 4

•  Help is here for small businesses!
–  Avoid the most common complaints and
frustrations of developing a professional
website

•  This guide will help you:
  Set realistic expectations for budget, time and
quality of various web design options
  Choose the best design option for their
business objectives, time constraints and
budget
  Understand the process and the people
necessary to successful website development
  Improve communications with the creative
team to save time and money


Questions to Answer Before You Start 5

What is the purpose of your website & how complex should it be?
  Is the main purpose of your website: marketing, commerce or community?
  Who is your target market & how will they use your website?
  What do you want the website to do?
  Will this be a “static” site, or do you want Web 2.0 interactivity?
  Do you want to integrate e-mail and other lead gen marketing into your website?
  How often will you update your website? Who will host & technically support the website?

How much help do you need to develop your website?
  Are you computer savvy enough to feel comfortable with online design templates? Will you
read the manual & call tech services if you get stuck installing a shopping cart?
  How much time do you have to devote to this project? Do you have the time and talent to write
your own content copy?

Which web design options should you consider?

1. Do-It-Yourself 2. Get Some Help 3. Full Service Agency

$ $$ $$$


Web Design Options 6

So many choices
Today, there are many options for building a website – from “Do-It-Yourself”
design templates to full service creative design agencies 

1. Do It Yourself 2. Get Some Help 3. Full Service Agency
$ $$ $$$
•  On-line Design Templates •  Freelance Web Designers •  Internet Marketing or
•  On-line design templates •  Others design and build Advertising Agency
to build a basic website website with your in-put •  Experts design, write and
build website and integrate
•  Cost*: From $50 - $150 •  Cost*: From $400 - with overall Marketing
(including domain name $8,000 (plus domain •  Cost*: $8,000 - $25,000
& 12 months hosting) name, art/photos &
hosting services) •  Your Time: Moderate
•  Your time: Extensive You give in-put, approve
You will choose design •  Your Time: Significant design and content at
elements, install You define functionality,
key checkpoints. Agency
interactive functionality give marketing in-put to
designer and provide all
can provide all functions
and write all content copy and coordinate all
content copy
services

* The stated price range is an average for small business websites in each service category depending on site size & complexity

Understanding Website Development 7

The Process
•  Website development is not a one-step process
  While web designers and agencies may describe their process
differently, I like the “5 D’s of Web Development.”1 But whatever the
labels…be sure all these key tasks are present to build a website that not
only looks good, but is a powerful tool

Client Review Client Review

2.Definition 4.Development
•  Identifying •  Creating the •  Publishing
goals & •  Developing Visual Design •  Producing & your site &
sharing the user Engineering telling the
information experience the Site world about it

1.Discovery 3. Design 5.Deployment
User Testing User Testing
Client Review

1 Used with permission from © Scribblefish Media, an Orlando Interactive design agency


Understanding Website Development 8
The People
- One person can fulfill multiple roles, but be sure all key functions are included

Website Owner Define purpose, objectives & budget, approve progress

Marketing Develop marketing strategies Provide marketing & content
Director to fulfill business goals in-put to creative team

Information &
Expert of user experience Build wireframe & sitemap
System Architect

Communication between Keep project on time
Project Manager
client & creative team & on budget

Graphic Responsible for look & feel of website:
Designer design, style, color, animation, sound...etc

Turn marketing in-put into copy content
Copywriter
for each page of website

HTML Translate visual design into computer code
Programmer & store files on web server

Coordinate hosting services & provide
Webmaster*
on-going IT support of website

* A software engineer or programmer may be needed if it is a complex site and/or requires systems integration.

Choosing Your Best Fit Solution 9

- Who Is The Best Web Designer For You?
  Now that you understand the:   Compare apples to apples
  Three categories of web designers   Not all web designers are created equal
  Website development process   Take the time to understand how a
  People & key roles to site development prospective web designer works &
exactly what technical & marketing
services they offer
  Compare the pros & cons of each
option. The next 3 pages list:   Choosing the right level of
  Pros & cons of each web design category expertise & service vs. price
  When this option is a good choice for you   You can’t build eBay with basic on-line
  On-line or local resources for each option design templates
  You don’t want to pay for a level of complexity
you don’t need, but you don’t want any
  Beware the pitfalls of option 2: surprises or unexpected charges for services
you assumed were included
  For many reasons “Getting Some Help”
from freelance web designers poses more
problems than “Doing it Yourself” or hiring   Be realistic about budget – time –
a “Full Service Agency” quality
  This category has the widest range of   As the saying goes… you can only get two
talent, expertise & price including: of three
  Your neighbor’s nephew that built his   If you get a good price & it’s done really fast,
church’s website the quality will suffer
  Up & coming young talent   If you get a good price & great quality, it will
take longer
  Seasoned professionals that choose to
  If you get it fairly fast & high quality, it will cost
freelance you more


1. Do-It-Yourself
+ Choosing Your Best Fit Solution 10

$ Option # 1: Website Design Templates

  Pros   Cons
  Least expensive solution   Most time consuming option
  You must write all marketing copy &
  Don’t need html programming find/buy all photography & clip art
or engineering skills   Installing shopping carts & other
  Availability of some high quality functionality can be frustrating
templates designed by   May not look unique, or professional
professional graphic artists enough for your business

  Good choice if you:   Resources: Website Templates
  Want a small static website
  http://www.templatemonster.com/
  Are somewhat tech savvy
  Are patient & willing to learn
  http://templates.arcsin.se/
software application   http://www.godaddy.com/
  Have a lot of time to devote to
website development
  Are a good marketing writer


+ 2. Get Some Help
Choosing Your Best Fit Solution 11

$$ Option # 2: Freelance Web Designers

  Freelance designers vary widely in
  Web design expertise expertise & price
  Technical assistance for interactive &   Still time consuming as you provide all
commerce functionality direction, content & proof-reading
  Customized design and architecture   Web designers tend to be better in either
building structure or graphic design
  Often less expensive than agencies (rarely both)
  Additional costs if you must hire a graphic
artist, copywriter or html programmer
  Good choice if you:
  Know exactly what you want in terms   Resources: Orlando Freelancers
of functionality, navigation, & content   Rocky Segarra: rocky@eskee.com
  Understand the process, interview
designers rigorously and get   Jim Cooper: jim@twisttopgraphics.com
references   Sam King: sam.king@yahoo.com
  Have significant time to devote to
website development
  Are a good marketing copy writer


+ 3. Full Service Agency Choosing Your Best Fit Solution 12

$$$ Option # 3: Internet Marketing or
Advertising Agency

  Full service solutions: design, write,   More expensive
build and market websites
  Agencies vary in website expertise
  Strategic, creative and technical
expertise   Some agencies are better at technical
  Professional quality websites with functionality than graphic design
unique graphic design and custom   Not all agencies can optimize and market
architecture websites (SEO & SEM)

  Good choice if:
  Your website is a crucial part of your   Resources: Orlando Agencies
marketing or buying process   www.risecreativegroup.com
  You need complex functionality or e-
commerce capabilities   www.whoiscarrus.com
  You want to integrate website into an   www.alianda.com
overall internet marketing strategy
  You need guidance determining
usability, navigation & messaging for
your target audience


Communicating with the Creative Team 13

Communicating to Save Giving Constructive
Time, Money & Sanity Feedback on Creative Work

  Confirm key details upfront:   “I don’t like it” is vague and non-
  Understand your web designer’s development productive. Take the time explain why.
process, people & expectations of what they
expect from you & when   Refer back to your marketing in-put &
consider these questions when evaluating
  Timelines & budgets and how you will be notified
of potential overages
creative design or writing:
  Is it on strategy? Does it achieve your
marketing goals and strategy?
  Provide good marketing input
Summarize key marketing objectives and   Does it reflect your brand image? Is the
information into one document, including: look, tone and feel appropriate for your
  Target audience you want to reach positioning?
  Marketing goals & desired functionality for website   Does it communicate your key
  Top brand marketing messages messages clearly? What is the most
  Key product & service information important message(s) for your target audience?
  Competitive information & keyword research   Will it be appealing to your target
audience? Will it motivate desired action?
  Provide website content & edits efficiently
  Compile electronic files of logos, photos & other   Creative design is a process
assets for use on website
  Don’t be discouraged if it takes a couple of
  Use an outline or “site map” to organize copy content rounds to agree on the best creative concepts
and edits for the creative team
  Although your marketing materials will be helpful
background info, you need to provide page-by-page
copy content for creative team (or hire copywriter)


Top Complaints Answered 14

Unless you are designing a simple
1.  This is taking MUCH personal website with on-line
templates, your website will involve
longer and costing more multiple steps and people to design,
money than I anticipated! write, program and host a quality
business site with a professional look
and functionality
2.  Why is my web designer Web designers are not copywriters. You can
asking me for “content”? either write your own copy for each page of
the website, or you will have to hire a
I sent him our marketing copywriter. Even with a pro, you will want to
prioritize marketing messages and not send
materials? a data-dump of all your marketing materials

3.  Can’t I make these Unless you’re an html programmer, you
won’t be able to make copy changes
simple copy changes directly on your website. It is possible
myself? to set up a client interface or “content
management system” that allows you to update
content to web pages. This needs to be
decided before beginning design because it
costs more & impacts SEO


Top Complaints Answered (cont.) 15

You don’t pay for your company’s own
4.  What do you mean I photography, and there is some free
have to pay for photographs art available on-line. But just because
it is on the internet, doesn’t mean it’s free.
and illustrations? Be sure you have permission to use any
copyright protected materials

You NEVER want to get to this point! Take the
5.  After all this time and time up-front to: 1) Ensure you pick the right
level of web design expertise 2) Ask for 2-3
money…I’m not sure I like creative options (of homepage & one interior
this website. Now what? page) upfront 3) Approve a roadmap or
“wireframe” of website pages & navigation

6.  Why aren’t I in the top Your website may not be optimized for search
engines. Don’t assume your web designer is a
10 search results for my Search Engine Optimization expert (SEO).
Understand SEO basics so you can ask about
industry? keywords, meta tags, page titles & alt tags

7.  My website isn’t Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is not considered
part of the web design process. You will need a
generating much business Search Engine Marketing Plan to specifically
drive traffic to your site


Success Check List 16

Be prepared:
  Define website purpose (tied to business
1.  Be prepared… do your objectives) & its role in overall marketing
homework   Look at competitors’ websites for industry
standards & do keyword research
  Clarify what users want & need & how they
will interact with website
  Define desired functionality & how often
and who will update site
  Identify actions you want users to take &
how will you measure success (conversion).

2.  Clarify all roles and Clarify roles:
functions of website   Website owner
development team   Marketing & content contact (client side)
(internal & external)   System & information architect
  Project manager (creative team)
  Graphic designer
  Copywriter
  HTML programmer
  Webmaster & hosting

Success Check List 17

Summarize key in-put
3.  Compile & summarize key
  Summarize website goals, objectives & key
in-put for easy access by marketing information into one document
design team   Compile electronic files of logos, photos &
graphics
  Use a site map to organize content information
for products, services, “About Us,” etc
  List all other websites & media to be linked
(give user name & passwords for social media
sites etc.)

Timely approval and feedback
4.  Give timely feedback &
  Approval of budget and timeline
approval at key check-
  Approval of website architecture (wireframe )
points of design possess
  Approval of homepage design concept
  Approval of interior page design concept
  Content approval for each page


Additional Resources 18

On-line Marketing Resources About The Author

Visit www.kmpmarketinginc.com for Kathleen Peters, owner of KMP
additional advice and resources: Marketing, Inc., in Orlando, FL
has over 20 years strategic
  Orlando Marketing Directory for local marketing experience.
marketing providers including web
designers, copywriters & full service
agencies that have been recommended Her mission is to make world-class brand
by clients or industry experts marketing strategies accessible and affordable to
small businesses and not-for-profit organizations
  Free Marketing Tools for a listing of the in Central Florida. Ms. Peters holds an MBA from
best free online tools, articles & other
Georgetown University’s McDonough School of
resources for small businesses, B2B
Business, has worked in brand marketing at
marketing and non-profit marketing
Disney, and taught business and marketing at
Seminole Community College.

Kathleen Peters has helped numerous clients
develop strategic marketing plans and select
quality vendors for all their creative development
needs, including website development.


Building a Small Business Website: Save Time, Money and Sanity During Development

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