Choosing a web company to plan, design, develop, market, support and continually improve your website will be one of the most critical decisions your company will make in the next few years. The decision comes packed with repercussions, and the whole process could potentially snowball with anxiety before you know it. Future customers, current customers, sales, marketing, IT, leadership, shareholders — they’ll all be impacted directly. I won’t sugar-coat things, this is a big deal.

However, you can feel more empowered during the interview process and better your chances in hiring the right company. First and foremost, take your time. Don’t feel rushed. Take a minimum of 4 weeks to find, research, interview and narrow your list. During those interviews, be prepared with your own questions. Their willingness to answer and how they articulate their responses (keep an eye on body language) should be factored into your decision making process.

Continue Reading “5 Uncommon Questions to Ask the Web Company You’re About to Hire”

The first few months of 2013 have been defined by a few existing projects, and an exciting new relationship with a client located in Melbourne, Florida. We’ll be proud to reveal two of these websites in the upcoming weeks.

Here’s what’s keeping us busy.

Continue Reading “April 2013 Update — what are we working on?”

The word “strategy” has always irked me. “Strategy this, strategy that”. “Organization strategy”. “Product strategy”. “Market strategy”. “Buy this strategy and get your ROI tomorrow!” Yes it’s ubiquitous to all things business, but I’m sure at the very least you’ve observed overuse and misuse at one point and can empathize with me. Web companies can be notorious for using this word to describe the first phase of a project with hazy deliverables, undocumented milestones and no formidable explanation to why one is even needed. I know this because I once offered “Website Strategy Services” with those shortcomings — naively of course.

After a few blank stares from prospects and some valuable lessons along the way, I finally understand what it should be all about. And you should too.

The short and long-term success of your website is vastly dependent on how your Website Strategy is executed, who contributes to it, what specifically comes out of it and most importantly — when it happens.

Continue Reading “Your Website Strategy: Why it’s critical and should be done first”

It can be alarming for clients to hear “that doesn’t impress me” after extending enthusiasm in ranking #1 for their company name. So, Google/Yahoo/Bing can put a search for (“company xyz”) and index your website (www.companyxyz.com) — great, but I’m not impressed. Though establishing this optimization is certainly relative to your company’s digital footprint and brand integrity, it won’t help you reach the huge pool of prospects that are unaware of your company’s services and/or products.

Continue Reading “Stop Focusing on the Search Engine Ranking of your Brand”

As project manager, the team leans on my guidance to get to the finish line. To ensure the finish line doesn’t turn into a moving target, it’s critical to stay organized and on track. Managing a website well requires a focus on a core component of the project – communication.

Continue Reading “The Core Components to Managing a Website Well”