the build process

1. We talk. You tell me about your business, your customers and your objectives for the website.
   
   
2. I make suggestions on how better to focus the site.
   
   
3. We look at your corporate identity. The website should reflect that.
   
   
4. We look at what resources you already have (photography, data in appropriate formats).
   
   
5. I make a detailed, costed proposal. If you don't subsequently move the goalposts, this is what your website costs.
   
   
6. We negotiate a timeline, with deadlines by which each party will reach certain goals. If you do your homework on time, the site will launch on time, even if I have to go without sleep for a while.
   
   
7. We build it.
   
   
8. Training sessions for your staff on how to keep it up to date where appropriate.
   
   
9. The site goes live.

building your website

I really hate the phrase "mission statement", but the key step before you move forward is to come up with a one sentence statement for your prospective web site. What will it do, what will it be the definitive reference point on the net for? If your mission statement looks like "reproduce our printed brochures online" then please don't call me. Buy yourself a copy of the Cluetrain Manifesto before going any further.

Part of what I do is to help you decide how to focus on your customers' needs, break up the content on your web site, and in conjunction with your business, help you prioritise. (This doesn't necessarily mean I can write your content for you, just help you address the right questions). I do however, enjoy writing the content for wine websites - as long as you have an interesting story to tell.

You're not going to be able to keep all your departments happy, so decide on your top two customer groups and focus on their needs. Look at the online competition, decide what they do well and what you would like to improve on. What is going to make people prefer your site?

Which areas will be based on customer involvement? (Interaction doesn't mean flashing things!) Will you (or your company) maintain the site internally? How often will you be able to update things?

What domain name should we use (and is it available?). If you say the domain to someone over the phone do you have to spell it? Is it easily remembered?

All of these issues are addressed in the web site project planner document that will help you define your needs and help any designer make you an appropriate proposal. (Yes, it's probably overkill, but worth the time).

Once you have addressed these issues, the next step would be to contact a designer. If you would like to consider my services you can contact me here.