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Can a Website Really Help My Business?

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

It’s pretty obvious that the internet is here to stay for a long time, if not forever. As long as the internet is around, people will always be using it.

Whether that be for pure entertainment, research, or searching for and buying products and services.

Did you know that there are almost 2 BILLION internet users across the world? Or perhaps that over 77% of the US population is online?

(source: http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm)

It should come as no surpise that no matter what industry you are in, no matter what type of products or services you offer…there is someone online RIGHT NOW searching for what you have to offer.

So, let me ask you a question:

If you want to really get the word out about your business, does it make sense to find out where all the people are and put your business in front of them?

Of course it does!

“When done right, your website can be your most valuable asset. A well designed website is a powerful marketing tool working for you around the clock on auto pilot. Continuously pulling in new prospects by the hour and converting them into customers.”

Sound to good to be true?

If it does, then my advice would be to check out our free 3 day e-course and see where I talk about this in more detail and show you some real life examples.

A poorly designed website can actually do more harm to your business then it can good.
It’s not only the looks that matter, but the marketing funnels that are setup WITHIN that website. Sure, an ugly or outdated website can hurt your image and people will have a hard time taking you seriously.

However, the prettiest website in the world is USELESS without the correct marketing funnels in place. Without the the marketing funnels, it is nothing more than a really expensive business card.

No, a website by itself cannot miraculously transform your business.

  • You MUST make sure it is properly optimized for your target keywords so that the search engines know where to place you in the search results.
  • You MUST have a specific call to action on EVERY page so that your visitors know exactly what you want them to do. Otherwise, they’ll just leave.
  • You MUST capture their contact details before they leave your website so you can follow up with them, otherwise they’ll just leave and forget about you.
  • You MUST have an automatic follow up process in place, so you can keep your marketing on auto pilot.
  • You MUST provide valuable content to your visitors and they should leave your website a little bit smarter then they where before. If you all you do is SELL  on every page, they’ll just leave.
  • You MUST connect with your visitor on a personal level. Social media sites like Facebook provide the perfect platform for this. When integrated into your website’s marketing funnel it is DEADLY effective.

So, there you have it.

Hopefully this article has answered some of your questions about whether or not you need a website. The short answer is obvious…YES, a website can help your business if it’s setup the right way.

Please don’t make the common mistake of hiring a web designer that knows nothing about internet marketing. When searching for a web designer you must always make sure they are experienced in internet marketing…otherwise you’ll get nothing more than a really “pretty” yet over priced business card

Keep this article handy and ask them questions about the stuff we’ve talked about here on this page.

If they can’t answer the 6 “MUSTS” above, keep looking.

My shameless promo…

It wouldn’t make sense for me to write this article and not tell you that we build websites that CAN actually help your business.

We are internet marketing experts who happen to be web designers. If you’d like to speak with us about how we can help your business, please contact us with your questions or request a quote.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: maine web design

How the Web Design Process Works

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you’ve never worked with a web designer, you might have some questions rolling around in your head about how the process actually works.

Here’s a simplified summary of how the website “creation” process goes from start to finish. In the best situations, a simple website can be completed and online in as little as 30 days or less. However, depending on the complexity of the website the process could take longer.

For demo purposes let’s assume the client’s name is “Bob” and he wants a simple website that takes about 30 days to complete. Let’s say that Bob is a personal trainer in Portland, Maine and that’s where he wants to target his local online advertising.

Days 1-4

Step 1: Bob decides he wants to have Maine Media Pros create his website, and fills out the “Web Design Questionnaire“. By filling out the form on that page, Bob gives us all of the necessary information that we need about his business to understand his personal needs and provide him with accurate pricing along with a proposal of what we can offer.

Step 2: We respond to Bob within 1-2 business days with our proposal. This usually comes in the form of a phone call so we can answer any other questions Bob might have. Based on what Bob wants to accomplish with his website, as well as his target audience and the products and services he will be offering, we work together to devise an online marketing plan around the website.

Step 3: Bob decides he wants to move forward and makes a 50% deposit on the agreed cost of the project so that we can begin the work. If another meeting is required, we will meet with Bob if he is local to the Portland, Maine area. If Bob lives out of driving distance everything can be handled over the phone. We also get any additional information that we need from Bob to begin the website, such as a company logo, written content for the website etc.

Days 4 – 28

Step 4: Within 7-14 business days we contact Bob with our 1st draft of his new website. At this point the layout will be 90% complete but we will still need to add content and put the “finishing touches” on everything. Assuming Bob likes the design and layout, we move forward. If Bob wants changes, he tells us what he likes/dislikes and we make the changes until Bob is happy.

Days 28 – 30

Step 5: At this point Bob is 100% satisfied with his website and the finishing touches are complete. The final steps are for us to optimize his website for the search engines to make sure his ideal customers can find him online. If Bob ordered any other services from us, we begin on those at this time.

Step 6: Bob’s new website is now complete and he is ready to reap the benefits of having his business online. Since Bob is 100% satisfied with his website he now pays the remaining 50% balance and we make his new website live on his domain name (.COM name).

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: maine web designer

How Much Does a Web Design Package Cost?

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

One thing is for sure, the cost to get a website designed has gone down significantly over the past 15 yrs. What used to cost $10,000 can now be accomplished for around $2,000 or less.

Website design should be considered a smart investment in your business instead of a “cost”. When done by a professional, it is an investment that you will get a return on relatively quickly.

“Many business owners seem to think that they need to pay thousands of dollars per year to keep their website online. That’s not usually the case.”

Sure, some very large websites that get massive amounts of traffic will need to pay a lot more.

However, the average small to medium sized  business owner can expect to pay a lot less.

The only recurring fees associated with a small to medium sized business website are:

  • Web Hosting ($50 – $300 per year)
  • Domain Name ($10 per year)

You might have noticed that we don’t list exact prices here on our website for most of the services that we offer, especially web design.

We do this because everyone’s requirements will be different and it’s almost impossible to put a solid price tag on something that is…well…custom to each business.

Instead, we like to give everyone a customized quote. Which you can get by filling out our Web Design Questionnaire.

However, we’d like to give you some estimates to give you a “ball park” idea on how much you’ll need to invest for a website based on your needs.

Here are some prices with examples of what might come with the website. Again, these are only estimates for demo purposes.

$597 – $997

  • 5-10 pages
  • Customized from one of our Pre-Designed Layouts
  • Small Photo Gallery
  • A Contact Form
  • Email Newsletter Sign Up form
  • A Blog
  • You Already Have a Logo Design
  • Basic On Site Search Engine Optimization

$997 – $1997

  • Up to 30 Pages
  • Unique Design & Layout
  • Large Photo/Product Gallery
  • Up to 3 different Web Forms
  • Email Newsletter Sign Up form
  • Email Newsletter Shadow Box Popup
  • Ability to accept Basic Online Payments
  • A Blog with Multiple Categories
  • Online Video
  • Includes a Logo Design
  • In depth Keyword Research and On Site Search Engine Optimization

$1997 – $4997

  • Up to 50 Pages or More
  • Might Include Flash or Multi Media
  • Full eCommerce Setup (online store)
  • Unique Design & Layout
  • Large Photo/Product Gallery
  • Up to 6 different Web Forms
  • Email Newsletter Sign Up form
  • Email Newsletter Shadow Box Popup
  • A Blog with Multiple Categories
  • Online Video
  • Interactive Web Applications
  • Includes a Logo Design
  • In depth Keyword Research and On Site Search Engine Optimization

Need a better answer? Fill out our Web Design Questionnaire and we’ll have an accurate quote back to you within 1 – 2 business days!

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: maine wordpress web designer

How Long Does the Website Creation Process Take?

March 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

One of the most common questions potential web design clients ask me is “how long will it take before my website is online?”

The answer to this question will vary a great deal depending on a few key things, but the average timeline is 30 – 90 days (1 – 3 Months).

Why such a big timeline gap?

Well, everyone’s situation is unique. If it’s a really simple 5 page website you’re after, then you can expect your project to be completed failry quickly…usually 30 days or less.

If you’re company is in need for something a bit more complex such as an online store, online ordering system, forms, video, presentations and the like, then you can expect the process to respectively take a bit longer…usually 30 – 90 days.

The time it takes for you to respond to our design mock ups also plays a big role in the amount of time it takes for the project to be completed. The quicker you can respond and tell us what you do or don’t like about what we’ve designed, the quicker we can get back to work on your project.

We sat down and looked at all of the websites we’ve worked on over the past few years and here are some common website traits that might help you get a better idea on how long before you can expect your website to be online:

Websites completed in 30 days or less usually:

  • Have 5 pages or less
  • Represent a local small business
  • Don’t have video
  • Require less design consultations as the client has a good idea of what they want
  • Don’t have a lot of online competition and don’t require a powerful online marketing plan

Websites completed in 30-90 days or more usually:

  • Have over 10 pages
  • Represent a medium sized business or online store
  • May have several videos throughout the website
  • Require more frequent design consultations because the project will need to be split up into “phases”
  • Require a powerful online marketing plan to out rank competitors

The above are only estimates and every project is different, however. It is very important to us to get your project completed on time so that you can get the exposure you’ve been wanting from having your business online. However, it’s also very important the website creation process is not rushed. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it’s the same with your website!

 

Filed Under: Blog