Planning your website makes for less stressful experience.
We all know that planning is the right thing to do. Taking shortcuts while planning your website will cause confusion not only during the creation, but can leave your users scratching their heads. The good news is, you don’t have to use project management methods or charts for your every step.
Have a clear vision and make sure everyone with a vested interest in it’s end result is consulted. Here are the basic stages that should be addressed:
- Understand the big picture-what are you really trying to accomplish?
- How will you determine if your project is a success?
- How does your project compare to your competition?
- Who exactly is your target audience?
Knowing your goals and your target audience will help with your decisions on what content to include and actions you would like your users to take while visiting your website.
What makes a good website?
Great website ownership.
Let’s talk about the importance of ownership. A devoted, well-informed website owner makes a difference. There seems to be a lack of great manuals for us, yet an abundance of information all over the web. The problem may be too much information.
Concentrating on the “big picture” can help us keep it all in perspective. Think of it like a doctor. Specialization on every aspect is just too much to expect, especially since technology changes at such a rapid pace. By knowing “just enough,” you can better manage the specialists you may need from time to time.
Here are some of the priorities you’ll want to keep in balance.
- Make your website easy to use as possible.
- Focus on objectives.
- Aesthetics.
- Content is still King.
- Accessibility.
Knowing your role as a website owner can help to lessen some of the anxiety.
- Have a vision.
- Stay focused on your objectives.
- Seek out ways your website my help other departments within your company.
- Keep content fresh.
- Coordinate projects.
Planning for the future to ensure your website success.
- Don’t underestimate the commitment needed for long-term success.
- Periodically reevaluate your website goals and performance.
- Promote your website by:
- Search Engine Optimization
- Offline promotion with your site listed on business cards, letterhead, etc.
- Email marketing
- Pay-per-click campaigns, industry based ads.
- Online promotion like social networking, blogging, forums.
Having the website owner’s specific role defined, you’ll be ready to plan your objectives, implementation, time-line, and manage your website’s performance to ensure success.
Suggested Reading: Don’t Make Me Think by Steve Krug
Tags: webmaster, website
A happy couple talking over coffee.
Outsourcing can save you time by delegating tasks that don’t need your personal touch. When turning over tasks to your Virtual Assistant you can free up time for more important things, like building your business relationships.
So why not dating? Narrowing down your options when finding that special someone takes time, energy, and money.
Here’s how…
- Make a detailed list of attributes and values you feel are most important in a partner, the “must-haves.”
- Make a list of the things you do not want in a partner, the “deal-breakers.”
- Create questions using possible situations that will help you to determine ones compatibility, their goals and/or dreams that may be similar to yours.
- Next, write a standard response letter to be sent to potential candidates. Add a little personality to it …but be “you.”
- Have a current photo taken of yourself, to include with your response letter.
- Search the Internet for “Virtual Assistant Directories” to find sites that offer VA Services like LauraJeanBiz.com, VirtualAssistants.ws, Elance.com, GetAFreelancer, or VANetworking.
- Place a request for bids; you can start out with a specified amount of hours or set a price for the project. Note: the geological location of the VA isn’t important, that’s what they do best
- Send the questions and your response to your VA. Talk over your search criteria and preferences to ensure they have a clear description of the type of profile you are seeking.
- Your VA will then search through dating sites or personals to find matches to your criterial and send your introduction letter and questionnaire to only selected matches. Trust your VA to select prospects that they think are compatible, at this point they are still just candidates.
- Your VA can then read through any replies, weeding out any unqualified responses, and passing on the most compatible to you.
- Now that you have your list of pre-screened, pre-qualified matches to contact…the rest is up to you.
Just think of all the time and money you’ll have saved!
How much is dinner, a movie, and hours of wasted time costing you?
Good Luck!
