While not a coffee afficiando (I drink tea) I have heard countless times that nothing beats coffee that has been properly made from good beans. Conversely, bad coffee is worse than nothing. While Keurigs and instant coffee are expedient, neither can hold a candle to properly brewed coffee. My daughter, a budding coffee snob elected to take a french press to college instead of Keurig since it just tastes “richer, fuller and stronger”. She can also use any coffee she likes, including a small, local boutique coffee purveyor who blends and roasts his own beans.
So, what does coffee have to do with web sites? Website design, like coffee needs time to percolate to get the best results. Coffee drinkers tend to have strong preferences for strength, and bean types/blends; tastes that are best accommodated by taking the time to buy the right beans, obtain the right equipment, brew the coffee correctly, and then enjoy it. Likewise, website development requires time to identify the best platform, develop good page designs, and create the correct content to satisfy the tastes and needs of your ideal audiences.
One of my clients needed to begin building a web presence for his new business. We polished up his LinkedIn profile and added his new branding elements. We then created a very simple website that provided very basic information about his company’s expertise, his professional information, and a contact form. This small collection of information was created so potential clients would see that his business was real and contact him. My client also began blogging regularly to add content and continue developing his company’s voice and identity.
After the simple site went live, we then took a step back and began developing other marketing documents to codify how he presented his services and what clients could expect in return. We continued developing his company’s voice and visuals and talked about what his “real” website would look like. In short, we let everything percolate.
When we went to build his “permanent” site we had a good idea about what we wanted to say and how we wanted to say it. We spent some time looking for the right template for his WordPress site; one that would work now and permit future expansion to include more material as his company and their story. Over the next couple of months we developed the site; filling in content, holding some pages for future development, testing it with some reviewers, and going live when my client felt that it properly reflected his company.
Unlike a good cup of coffee, the site will continue to percolate. We want to add more images, client stories, information about his team, and include additional functionality. A good website should grow and evolve just like the companies they represent. The best way to do this is to have a long-range plan, pick the right tools, and know who your audience is and what they need to hear.
Do you need someone to guide you through the internet and marketing wilderness? Contact me today and let’s begin building the tools to make your organization more visible.
Learn more about this project…
- Visit the clients new site: www.bei-global.com
- Read BEI Global’s review of our services