Building A Site is Not Enough

The same principle applies to business websites. And this does not even account for the issue of content or usability. At least with a brochure, most people force themselves to put some content (read “useful information”) in it somewhere. Most of the time the margins are also aligned nicely, and the colors tend to not annoy most color blind people. But I’ll save those topics for future articles

When you build a website—or hire someone to build it for you—think of it not only as an online brochure for your wares (which it is and many designers forget this), but as your business’ own walking, talking, near flesh-and-blood salesperson. Do you want your salesperson to be a wallflower, sitting in the corner of the ball room at a Rotary meeting, chain smoking and nervously looking away whenever someone tries to make eye contact? Or do you want your salesperson to work the room, shake hands with many interesting people, and give each one a taste of what your company has to offer? Hey, smoking is passé. But networking is so now!

The point is, no one but you and your webmaster is going to be stopping by your site very often if no one but you and your webmaster knows about it. Websites must be marketed just like anything else. There are countless ways to bring traffic to your site, many you may not have even heard of. Whether you hire a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) expert or simply rely on word of mouth generated by you and your staff, one thing is certain: you must purposefully seek ways to bring traffic to your site and then follow through religiously. If you don’t, I’m afraid your website will most likely end up just another diamond in the rough.

Karri Flatla is a business graduate of the University of Lethbridge and principal of snap! virtual assistance inc., a small business consulting firm providing on-line marketing services to the progressive entrepreneur. Karri also produces Outsmart, the newsletter for small business with big purpose. Visit http://www.snap-va.com for more information.