BACK TO WEBSITE DESIGN ARTICLES

WEBSITE 101: A BEGINNER'S COURSE

A WEBSITE CAN:
• Offer inexpensive exposure to people planning to visit your area
•Provide greater familiarity with your business/staff-- make people feel like they are part of the inner circle
•Explain your products and services in detail and allow more frequent revisions
•Act as a reference source for products/services people tend to research before they buy
•Help you create a mailing list
•Allow customers to give feedback -- communicating that you care and will respond to customers' needs
•Sell specific products -- setting up a "storefront" on-line
•Encourage ongoing interaction with you and your company through frequent visits to your site -- becoming a bookmark

TO BECOME A BOOKMARK:
• Provide ongoing information (newsletter, product updates) ¥ Entertain (colorful company history, interactive promotions)
¥ Teach something fun & useful related to your business -- the site becomes a resource and you become a trustworthy expert
•Reward visitors (coupons, giveaway promotions, incentives)

TO GET MORE MILEAGE OUT OF YOUR SITE:
• Include your web address on all marketing materials
•Kickoff your new website with some promotional products
•Check with local chambers of commerce to be included in on-line listings of businesses with links to your site
•Categorize creatively with search engine listings to maximize your exposure (a Starkville, MS business listed as "Mississippi State's dining hot spot" could piggyback University publicity)