Web Sites Simplified
 by: Cindy Kerr

Web sites are an important tool for marketing and sales. Most companies know they need a web presence, but they’re not sure how it should look or what it should say. Unless you’re a web developer, the steps and lingo of web sites can be complex and confusing. Discussions about URL registration, hosting, content management, search engine optimization, meta tags, and site maps often cause glassy stares, or “oh yeah, I get that.” Right. The pricing can be even more of a mystery. There are many web development companies that want to build a “really cool site” with all the bells and whistles they like. The role a web site plays in your sales process is sometimes overlooked. An effective site communicates or demonstrates your company’s unique product/service in a way that resonates with customers and prospects.

Once the site is launched (goes live), what if the web person disappears with your photos or wants to charge you thousands of dollars to make a few changes and updates? Then, when you type in your product or service into Google, your site does not “come up.” That’s bad web karma. At ckarma, we are passionate about helping clients understand the complex world of interactive marketing so that their web site can be a valuable sales and marketing tool that brings return on investment. Conscious Marketing creates good karma.

Through pictures, messages and audio a web site serves many purposes. It communicates the company’s identity and helps products and services to reach customers. A well developed web site can be a critical avenue to:

Validate & give credibility

Generate leads
Promote sales
Perform transactions
Get sales quotes
Inform with news
Communicate promotions
Keep customers informed and enable orders/account details
Provide resources & education
Hire and attract employees
Give contact info
Provide location and directions
Train and communicate with employees

An effective site is not only functional; it is easily “found” by prospects and users who do searches from search engines (Google, Overture) and portals (Yahoo, MSN, etc.)

Developing a web site generally follows four phases. We’ve simplified them into the steps that ckarma follows and used language that’s simple to understand, we hope.

1. Discovery - “who, what, where, when and why’s”

To ensure that the company’s needs are met, we put considerable effort into understanding your business, your industry, objectives and goals.

In the beginning there are a lot of questions. What is the purpose of the web site? Is the URL [www.address.com] the right one? What is the scope of the products/services – international, regional, local? What is your value proposition? How are you different/better than your competition? What email addresses are used with the web site? Are databases required for information that is updated? Should there be a secured area for customers or vendors to log in to? If there is a site currently, what is not working? In the Discovery process, we pull together the valuable information that drives the design and user experience. We meet in a workshop setting and incorporate customer insights, competitive research, market trends and other pertinent information. Profiles that give the Customer a name and personality are created. The primary and secondary users are identified. We then map out the steps customers and prospects follow along their path to finding and buying.

This is the sales cycle.

What existing sales and marketing tools/presentations do you have? Who is your competition and what sites do you want to emulate? It’s the critical path to our ability to complete all aspects of a project including: Schedule, Market and competition, Creative and Technical requirements, what the site should say (content understanding), the sections and sub-sections flow (site map development) and the various ways the site needs to perform and provide information (functional design specs.)

Workshop

A half day workshop is conducted with key stakeholders – sales, marketing, chief officers, customer service, operations. We dig deep into the goals, company, customer and technical requirements. This forms the foundation for the content and identity. A recommendations document outlining the customer profiles, marketing strategies and messaging will be created. The site map and how the user(s) will navigate through the pages is discussed. Any charts, graphs, etc. that need to be developed will be roughed out at this meeting. If the site is an existing one being updated, we’ll decide what stays and what goes.

Site Map

A flow chart of the site will be developed for review. This will drive the functional design spec and be crucial in the concept process. Information gathered at the workshop will be utilized to create the final site map.

2. Design – the look and the content

Concept Development

Once the Discovery process is complete, the information is compiled and becomes the basis of direction for the Design phase. We “feed” lots of insight and input to the designer so the concepts exceed expectations and capture the company’s look and personality. This visual with some initial copy provides the opportunity to see how the site will look and work prior to development. Ease-of-use and “easy on the eyes” are the main focus. The design appeals to users and prospects while reflecting the company’s identity.

Content Development

Once the content sections are determined, raw content and required sections will be provided by you. Ckarma writes headlines and body text with prospects and customers in mind. The common thread comes from your company’s value proposition and messaging guidelines from the workshop. Ideas and phrases for the meta tags (key words that will enable your site to be found in searches) are presented.

3. Development – the construction

Site Development

Now, let the building begin. All photos and image assets need to be gathered and provided in the correct sizes. Where needed, images will be searched for and purchased or a photo shoot will be conducted. Graphs and charts are created. HTML code (building the pages) and programming navigation is developed. For Search Engine Optimization, the right “key words” that customers and prospects will use to search for the company/products/services are programmed. Databases and site features like a site search are configured. Internal testing is conducted with programmers and designers. Based on our findings a punch list of corrections will be created.

Content Optimized for Web

Final content will be scrutinized to make sure the right words (meta tags) are used so that the site “comes up” on Google, etc. Editing will take place and all copy will be optimized for the web. This step is crucial in helping search engines recognize the site and the important messages/content that prospects use to search.

4. Deployment – test and launch

Beta Testing

Finally, it is time to deploy the work and “go live.” Development has stopped, content is finished and the components are ready. More quality assurance is performed, all documentation is completed and reviewed, a pre-flight check is done and the site is launched. Site traffic and

measurements are confirmed. We take all the steps to ensure that everything is delivered on time and within budget. When content updates, news and revisions are needed, ckarma ensures that changes are timely and economical. Plans to monitor site traffic and report results are put into place. When the site launches, we help you “get the word out” with marketing ideas to leverage the new site

with customers and prospects.

There you have it. We hope you are enlightened and have learned some valuable tips about the ways a web site can effectively promote your company, give you credibility and connect with customers.

Does your company need better karma?

Karma : for every action that occurs, there will follow another event whose existence was caused by the first.

Take action today.
Marketing strategy and plans
Web site development & messaging
Customer research – focus groups, phone surveys
Implementation & execution – sales tools, campaigns

cKarma, Inc.
Cindy Kerr, Principal
3424 W. 33rd Ave. Denver, CO 80211 720-635-7675 [email protected] www.ckarma.com

About The Author

Cindy Kerr

Being the catalyst that helps companies reach their goals” is what Cindy lives and leads. She created ckarma in 2003 with energy and passion to help companies grow through aligning marketing and sales efforts. Her commitment is to focus on actions that bring results. For 16 years Cindy has been been a leader in both business to business and consumer marketing. Her career includes marketing agencies in Chicago including Frankel & Company, leading McDonald’s Happy Meal promotions, Sears promotions and Federal Express sales support. After moving to Denver in 2000, she led the Red Robin Gourmet Burgers advertising, promotions and sales tools for Dex Media at McClain Finlon Advertising.

Her expertise extends in marketing and sales disciplines including positioning, identity, creative development, writing, business development and interactive. She is an accomplished writer and communicator. Her industry expertise includes technology, manufacturing, professional services, restaurants, health, publishing and non profit. As an active member of her community, Cindy is a member of the Women's Business Executive Network; American Marketing Association and BMA - Business Marketing Association and serves on the board of Kerr Engineered Sales Company. She tutors with under-privileged kids through Whiz Kidz Tutoring and is an advocate for children in Africa. Cindy has a B. A. Journalism/Business from Penn State University. Her Masters Degree is in Communications & International Broadcasting from Wheaton College.