Before you build - a guide to developing a winning website (Part 1)
by Randall McCarley
October 21st, 2006
The least important part about building a website is actually building the site. The most important part is the planning and preparation. This is going to be a multi-part post breaking down the steps to create a winning web site and this mini-series is inspired by this post at Cre8asiteforums (thanks Rashar, it is an interesting question).
With proper preparation the actual building of the site won’t take much time and the problems encountered will be few making production much more cost-effective. You also won’t be yanking your designer around which will make them much happier!
Oh, and your site will be at least 100% more successful. I promise.
Step 1: Decide who the site is for
Here is an insight that will save you hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars up-front. Your web site is not for you. If you invest the time, money and energy into the creation of a great website and build it for yourself you should have given the money to charity. It would have done much more good for you as a tax write-off and branding blunder.
If you want a successful site that your customers will value, you have to build it for them.
This means having a design that suits their needs, a style that appeals to their emotions, and answering the question they need answered so they can move forward in their buying cycle. It means giving them whatever tools they need to move forward. It also means taking away anything that might distract them from their (your) goal.
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