Whether I’m preparing to build a new website from scratch or am about to redesign a site so it’s more effective, I always ask my clients what they really want their website to do. The reason I ask this question is twofold.

First, this helps us determine the all-important features we need to include in the site to effectively market it. After all, no website gets seen unless you do something to get people to the site. Figuring this out before we start building the site saves lots of time and $$.

Secondly, knowing what the site is supposed to accomplish helps us develop an offline marketing strategy that makes the website an effective part of your sales process. So, ask yourself: what do you want your site to achieve?

- Sell products via an online shopping cart

- Provide more info when I send prospects to the site after I talk with them.

- Find prospects who are interested in my services and products because they found my site.

If you want your website to appeal to prospects who find your site through the search engines, you have to consider a variety of online marketing strategies.

These include heavily promoting your site through the search engines, participating in pay-per-click bid programs such as Overture and Google, and getting your website’s link in all the right places. You also need to capture email information from those prospects who don’t buy the first time and need further convincing. Consider opt-in enewsletters, direct email, etc.

If you plan to primarily sell your products or services online, you, too, need to use the above strategies, plus make sure your site is customer-friendly, easy to navigate, offers a clear privacy policy, guarantee policy, etc. Your shopping cart should be easy to use (ask me about using DXCart), clear about shipping charges, secure in collecting payment information, and provide every bit of information necessary for the prospect to make the purchase.

If you plan to use your website as an information-only site, you need to ensure your marketing strategy includes ways to push prospects to the website. After all, your website may need to be your next-strongest selling point for those who want a little bit more information before they commit to buying.

There are lots of tried and true ways to succeed on the Internet. I constantly keep up on the trends, test the new ideas, and can recommend proven concepts to find the right mix of marketing strategies for your website. If you need helping building and/or promoting your site, please email me at nancy@cuttothechasemarketing.com or call me at 425-415-6427 for a free initial consultation.