Don't hire a web developer (yet)

Know the rules

Imagine walking up to a car salesman and telling him you want to buy a car. He asks you what you had in mind and you tell him you want “a big red one.” Many business people do exactly that when they want to build a website. They place themselves in the hands of the developer and often pay the price.

Web Developers

Don't get me wrong - most web developers are pillars of the community -but developers are primarily concerned with the look of the website. They will develop the navigation system and the code behind the pages - but ultimately they'll be judged by the appearance of the site. That's important, but it's only a single ingredient in the mix that makes a successful site – a site that will make money for the business.

Making Money on the Web

It's worth remembering that there is money to be made on the web – and not just by technological companies. One of my clients – a plumber in a rural area – now gets nearly 75% of his business from the web. Paul Bouquet, a teenager in the US is reputed to have made over $200,000 in a single month. There seems to be no limit to the money that can be made or the type of business that can be successful.

Return on Investment

The reason some business websites will never give a return on investment is because they weren't designed for business. It's like walking up the drive of a beautiful house. You open the front door to find nothing behind it - no floors, no plumbing, no electrical system. If your website isn't doing business it's probably like that house.

Revenue Stream

What do you want from your website? Most business owners say they want a predictable revenue stream. Depending on the business this can come directly from the website or through email and telephone referrals prompted by the site. So why can't someone develop a website that will do just that for you?

Technical Jargon

The main problem is that you're depending on the web designer to do all the work and that's like asking a plumber to build the entire house and install the electrical wiring. They have their area of expertise but more is needed to develop a working business website. Some will even confuse you with technical jargon until you hand over your money.

Performance

That may sound a little harsh – but it describes what I've found when carrying out post-mortems on websites that haven't performed. Many of those business people have been talked into developing sites that are totally unsuited to their needs (remember that car salesman?). Most have to re-develop them from scratch.

The Solution

It doesn't have to be that way. There's a relatively inexpensive way of making sure you're getting value for money and a highly effective business website.

Presentations

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