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Professional Websites are an Advertisement about You!

First impressions are lasting. A website is a shop front for your business, so you need to make it reflect your image and products. In marketing, they call this branding. Branding is where you choose a logo that best represents what you are about and is attractive to your target market, you choose corporate colors that are also appropriate to the type of business and potential clients and you select images accordingly. Once you have made these decisions you are ready to set up your professional website.

TWO WAYS TO GO:

1. I HAVE MONEY
Hire a professional. When selecting someone to do your website, ask them for references from people they have already built a website for. Contact these referees and ask them as many questions as possible about the service you were provided during and after the website was put up and how satisfied they were with the service, the price, the flexibility, the design skills etc. Designing your website is a bit like decorating your house. You need to feel comfortable with the person you hire, as with the wrong person, the design process can be a drawn out tedious process. This is a great option because you know that the end product is going to look fabulous and clearly reflect your business. Just remember, at the end of the day they are being contracted to assist you and not the other way around. Speak up if you don't like something and before you even contract someone sit down and plan what you want to appear on each page, what types of images, colors etc you want to use so that you go armed with your own ideas. The disadvantages of having a professional create your website is that you are then reliant on others to upgrade your website as information changes. If you have the time and the money, do a short course on web design and have a go yourself!

2. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CASH
If you don't have a lot of cash don't despair. There are sites that have templates at a reasonable cost. The hardest part is deciding what text to put up. Remember when writing text for your website it should always be customer benefits focussed and not just features focussed. Ask yourself, what does my customer want to know? Does he want to know what I can do or how what I can do can help him? This includes deciding what contact information, endorsements, product knowledge, and other features you want to add to your website. If you are a professional, you may only want people to be able to find your contact details and see that you look professional. If you are an online shop, you want the whole thing going on with a shopping cart, and loads of product information. There are so many different types of websites. A great idea is to surf the net until you find a site you like the look of that has a similar focus to your business.

Over the years I have successfully created many business websites. My most recent website is sharp, professional looking and has really helped to endorse my training and motivation business. I created it using templates and although at times they are a little frustrating, they do bridge the technological gap associated with web languages such as html etc.

You wouldn't try to operate your shop out of your kids cubby house, so don't try to operate your business through a really dodgy website. Do the research, consult professionals where possible and enjoy the benefits of a great shop face!

Learn more about this author, Hayley Solich.
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