Websites

In today’s world, having a website is as important and necessary as having a phone or a listing in the Yellow Pages. In fact, I’d argue that not having a site often comes across as “unprofessional” in the eyes of many potential clients, partners and distributors.

A good website has balance between content (page copy) and graphics, one without the other and people will go to your competitors website.  The general rule of thumb is to be informative, with related graphics that are ecstatically pleasing, and a website that is overall easy to navigate to find what you want.  Most people looking online need to find what they are looking for within three clicks or they move on to the next website in their search. 

It is also important to understand that if they do find your website it should be unique and be able to pull in a visitor, just like a good book pulls in the reader. 

What’s the goal of your website?  

To inform? To build a community?
To gain valuable market research?
To reduce support and customer service costs?
To reach a broad audience with a message?
To find sales leads?
To conduct e-commerce?
To gain advertising revenue?
To brand your company?
To build trust?
To reduce printing and mailing costs?

These are just some of the many possibilities. Remember, the web is not just a marketing tool – it’s a business tool as well. While it is perfectly okay to have an Internet billboard that simply contains contact information, why settle for that when your site can do so much more? Even the smallest local business can utilize the power of the Internet to be more efficient and to build revenue. Once you start thinking about it, it’s easy to get excited about the potential for your site.
 
What One Of Our Clients Thinks About Us:

“I can recommend a friend of mine who has an IT consulting business to help you get started with your website.

I’ve had three different web designers work on our website. Originally, a girl who use to have a business in Cambridge offered to do the design work pro bono. She has since move to CA and we lost touch. Prior to that, as happens with pro bono work, it was difficult to get her to do what we wanted when we wanted it. Anyone who needs to make money to survive needs to place their attention on clients that pay the bills.

After that, I was introduced to a friend of a friend who was starting a web design business. I wanted her to redesign our site. We paid her a discounted rate, but she was so green everything took twice as much time as it might otherwise. Lots of delays. Plus she didn’t have the creativity that I was seeking. I had to do mock-ups of what I wanted. Very time-consuming for me. Everything took a very very long time. As a result it was impossible to keep the web site current.

When Joe Giggey started his business, he offered to take over our site. He got it to a place where I could then purchase software and do the updates myself.

It’s one thing to maintain it yourself. It’s something else to design the site. You’re welcome to give Joe a call and see what he might be able to do for you and at what price.”

    Debra Curtin
President and Founder
New England Primate Sanctuary
www.neprimatesanctuary.org