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Why have a website?
Choosing a web designer
Making your own website
Getting your website noticed
Making money from your website
Don't get a website...
Until you have read this very important and totally FREE advice
Ok, this is the most serious issue to consider when deciding to have a website presence for your business. There is a lot of choice out there, probably too much choice to be honest; there is also a very high chance of being ripped off by over-priced website design companies, so please read on and don't become another one of their victims!

I got a phone a few weeks ago from someone looking to have a website made for their business. A very simple site is all they wanted, the website was just to promote the fact that they had a bridal gown showroom. So there were now shopping carts or loads of images to be shown, just a simple 4 or 5 page website to point potential customers within their town to their shop. I was abaolutely amazed and disgusted to learn that they had just been quoted £5,000 from a website company to create this for them. Not only had they quoted this amazingly high and unjustified price, but three months later they hadn't even began the first page!

With just two weeks until her shop was due to open, a frantic lady was begging me to help her out. One week later I had not only got her a website presence in time for the opening of her new bridal shop, I had also got her website creation costs down from £5000 to just £550.00 saving her an outstanding £4450.00 which she put towards more stock for her business. Although unbelievable, I promise you this is a true story!

So what more would the website design comapny charging £5,000.00 would they have done for this customer than I did? Well, not surprisingly, to me anyway, they would have actually done a lot less for her.

Most web design businesses are entirely interested in only getting your money. Once creating your site, most will offer no optimization, no marketing and very little or no back-up support for their customers.

FREE INTERNET MARKETING ADVICE
It is exceptional circumstances where a website design business can make a site for you and leave you to it. In most cases, if you do not keep the web designers on board on a daily basis to market, optimize, maintain and update your website then you are destined to failure. Find yourself a company that will charge a very realistic price to construct your site for you. The smaller the web designing business the better as you are much more likely to get a more reliable service and stand a chance of getting your website optimized more fully as these guys are more likely to take pride in what they do. Also do consider paying your web designer a small monthly fee to act as your internet marketing manager.

I know that when I make a website for a client, I get just as excited seeing it get to the top of the search engines as they do! I treat all my websites as my own, it's something I have created and so I want it to do just as well as my customer does, it's a pride thing as well as giving a good service. I also treat my smallest customers exactly the same way as I do the bigger ones. There is no excuse for not providing a good customer service.
FEEL FREE TO BROWSE MY WEBSITE TO READ UP ON MY SERVICES
YOUR WEBSITE IS YOUR SHOP FRONT
Don't go too cheap when thinking about a website, you have the web designers at the other end of the scale that will make you a site for £50. I don't need to explain to you as a business person that 'you get what you pay for' in most cases. If it's too cheap ask yourself why?

You should be looking to pay between £300 to £800 for a 5 to 10 page site depending on your requirements.

Don't take the web designers word that they are good at what they do. Ask to see some of their work. Don't be scared about asking for contact details of previous clients. If the web designer is as good as he says then he will be happy to provide you this information. I offer this as standard before I am even asked. If you can prove how good you are then I feel you should do so!
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CHOOSING A WEBSITE DESIGNER?
Your web design company should appear to take a genuine interest in your business, asking questions about your background, how you operate, how you market your service and/or goods already. They should also ask you to explain in great detail exactly what you expect from the website promotion. If you don't feel they are taking any real interest in your business then put the phone down on them. Chances are you are just another cheque to them. Choose a website designer who wants to stay with you throughout the whole process. I look after all my client's websites on a lifelong basis, making myself available 365 days a year to them if necessary. I act not only as their web designer, but also their internet marketing manager. Clients should not have to waste time working on their websites, they should be working on what they do best... their business. Let someone who knows what they are doing work on promoting you over the internet. If they are good at their job, then the amount they may charge you on a monthly or yearly basis should easily be justifiable and sales should reflect this.

If you are feeling brave and want to go this alone, there are some excellent website builder programs out there to allow you to build a site with little or no experience, however think of it this way... If you were not a professional builder would you build your own 4 bedroom house all on your own?