Where to Begin

It pays to do some planning before you call in the experts at interVations. Perhaps the most important question is to think about your target market:

Who are you really trying to attract?

Identify your audience and your message:

• What information do your visitors really want to find on your site and who is it for? If your product is technical, but the decision-maker is in management, you'll need your website to target both sets of attitudes and knowledge if you are to make the sale.
• What functionality do your users really need? Are they likely to be experienced users who will understand a subtle interface and be eager to explore it, or are many of your audience likely to be new users who may not even know what a download is?
• Are they likely to have the high-end technology and fast connections that allow you to push boundaries with the latest and greatest in Web design? Or should you aim for minimal graphics for fast download and maximum content?
• Are you intending to focus on a local or international market? Or do you need to be locale specific?
• Does your business model fit a 'cyber solution'? You won't succeed by building a website first and then hoping people will beat a path to your door. A website should not be created in isolation from the rest of your business - it should be an integrated part of your overall business plan.
• The online world is tough. Fail to deliver in any department, and your visitors will head to the competition. Succeed, and you'll be a hero.
• Ascertain the needs and desires of your target market by asking them! Pose the question on an appropriate newsgroup and get your visitors involved in the creation and growth of your website.
• Most businesses use the Internet for some business-related function, and it is this Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing that should be the major focus for many websites. CRM (Customer Relations Management) and SCM (Supply Chain Management) are also key areas of business related growth on the Internet.

However, there may be issues you have not yet considered, let alone dreamed of. If you have done your pre-planning, interVations will help you adapt your plans and content so that you get the most from your website.

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