Web Design Business - Help

[freeztar]

I'm in the midst of forming a website business with a few people and would appreciate any input that people could give.

 

I'm currently working on our promotional material and would really like to include some stats. Is anyone aware of scientific studies that have shown a link between enhanced web design and increased profits? I know it's common sense that a 'better' website will generate more profit for the owner, but how does one quantify web design 'better-ness'? Basic criteria from a methodology section of a scientific study on this might provide the answer.

 

Any other ideas related to starting a web design biz and marketing are also greatly appreciated! :)

[Donk]

I've been in print design for a very long time now. An important lesson is to Keep It Simple. Too many words, too much clutter, detracts from the message.

 

The same is true of web design, only more so. There's so much you can do with a web page that you can't with print. Colour costs no more than black-and-white. Moving pictures. Sound. Clickable links. It's tempting to put it all in - don't! You want a page that gives the basic message in a single glance, then enough content to back that message up. Clean, simple. People appreciate that, and they'll read it. If they want detail, it can be added with another click.

 

Plus, all those pictures and that snappy flash app can take a long time to load. Slow sites drive visitors away. And before you say "but my page loads FAST", try checking it on a slower modem. Us surfers are an impatient bunch. If a page takes 15 seconds to load, we'll probably click away from it. :)

 

My two cents :)

[Cedars]

I'm in the midst of forming a website business with a few people and would appreciate any input that people could give.

 

I'm currently working on our promotional material and would really like to include some stats. Is anyone aware of scientific studies that have shown a link between enhanced web design and increased profits? I know it's common sense that a 'better' website will generate more profit for the owner, but how does one quantify web design 'better-ness'? Basic criteria from a methodology section of a scientific study on this might provide the answer.

 

Any other ideas related to starting a web design biz and marketing are also greatly appreciated! :)

 

Whos your customers? What area of business are you looking to attract to using your design?

[freeztar]

Thanks Donk.

 

We definitely have the KISS (Keep it simple stupid) principle as a core value. Already, our company has helped small business owners by simplifying their sites and stabilizing their profits in the green. :)

 

Other than demonstrating our effectiveness from our portfolio, I'm at a loss for how to quantitatively demonstrate that our services are a benefit when selling to a potential client. Perhaps it's not really necessary, but I would love to have quantifiable data at my disposal being the geek that I am. :)

[freeztar]

Whos your customers? What area of business are you looking to attract to using your design?

 

Small to medium sized local businesses. I'm focusing on restaurants, but there are big opportunities in seeking alternate markets, such as lawyers and doctors.

 

Our design is based on simplicity and usability. Clients that could benefit from this approach are too numerous to list.

[Buffy]

Simplicity and usability are worthless if people do not find your site. I've found that when it comes to web site design, the magic word--well, acronym--is SEO.

 

Yes, its gotta look good and give people what they want immediately once they get there, but if you don't actually offer to get people to the site, then you're just like 1,000,000 other "talented" creative site designers....

 

No computer network with pretty graphics can ever replace the salespeople that make our society work, :)

Buffy

[freeztar]

Good point Buffy! Creating a customer-stream is definitely important. The thing is, from our experience so far, the site sells itself. Usually business owners have their hands in many different ad/marketing avenues. The same amount of people visited their websites before, but now they have customer retention.

 

I'm actually glad that you replied to this topic Buffy. More on how to offer that extra appeal (beyond the obvious) would be appreciated. :)

[Buffy]

Usually business owners have their hands in many different ad/marketing avenues. The same amount of people visited their websites before, but now they have customer retention.

Horridly limited thinking.

 

I find that *most* business owners have *no clue* when it comes to marketing and their experience with advertising is either nil or "just enough to be dangerously wrong."

 

Web site design has everything to do with marketing and nothing to do with "design."

 

You need to teach them what they don't know without offending them by letting them know how little they really know.

 

Also, you'll find that the more clueless people realize they are about this stuff the *better* they are as clients....

 

Me send for you? I never send for anybody, not even if I need them, :)

Buffy

[Buffy]

Retention: What are you doing about capturing your customer base information? When do you contact them? How? Why? What's your value proposition for "loyalty?"

 

An ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness, :)

Buffy

[freeztar]

Horridly limited thinking.

 

You are right of course. ;)

 

I find that *most* business owners have *no clue* when it comes to marketing and their experience with advertising is either nil or "just enough to be dangerously wrong."

That's not been our experience so far, but we haven't done much volume yet.

Web site design has everything to do with marketing and nothing to do with "design."

 

If that's not the quote of the week then I now elect it as so. :)

 

You need to teach them what they don't know without offending them by letting them know how little they really know.

This reminds me of "untangling the knot". ;) Good advice!

 

Also, you'll find that the more clueless people realize they are about this stuff the *better* they are as clients....

 

I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'd like to buy something from you. :)

[Buffy]

I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'd like to buy something from you. :)

That will be 5 cents please!

 

He never got his picture on bubblegum cards, did he? Have you ever seen his picture on a bubblegum card? Hmmm? How can you say someone is great who's never had his picture on bubblegum cards? :)

Buffy

[Tormod]

I know it's common sense that a 'better' website will generate more profit for the owner, but how does one quantify web design 'better-ness'? Basic criteria from a methodology section of a scientific study on this might provide the answer.

 

I have worked in all areas of the web for 13 years - concept development, design, market strategies, SEO, server management, consulting, sales, web strategy. I think it's pretty safe to say that no scientific study will tell you that more traffic equals more revenue.

 

The problem is that it really depends on what sort of business you're trying to promote. A restaurant which has a website which shows their opening hours and the standard menu will basically only cater to the people who tend to visit it, or who happen to visit the area. The first group won't bother checking the site because they're familiar with the restaurant, while the other group have endless options (at least if you're talking about most urban areas) and thus the website really needs to stand out and offer something different.

 

The job of the web designer in this case does not end at creating a design which is appealing. The real task lies in finding out the 4W - who, why, what, where. Who would benefit from this site, why would they use it, what are their needs, and where (ie, in which channels) can we reach these people.

 

Too often I see restaurant sites that are simply brochures introducing the place without putting any effort into it. You talk of customer retention. If the site wants return visits, the question must be what those visitors are supposed to do. Since the aim of the restaurant most likely is to drive customers into the restaurant and not to it's website, I would like to ask the owners what they imagine the website can do that will create a value-added service to the target groups (regular visitors, new visitors, niche visitors etc etc).

 

The restaurant business is a tough one since I believe a lot of smaller web companies will compete for their business. You will have to come up with some sort of unique concept that goes beyond merely having a "web presence" and instead helping them build a plan and a strategy that increases their bottom line revenue by using the web as a tool. You might want to look into things like multi channel marketing, for example - how can the restaurant use the web site as part of their overall marketing plans? How can they measure the success of their website and how does it translate into actual money. For example, every visitor in the restaurant should be informed that each monday a new, weekly menu is presented, and that online specials are only available for website visitors who will find electronic coupons to bring to the store. Or they can announce special events and use the web as the main channel. But they still need to bring people there, and they still need to keep the cost down.

 

I agree with Buffy in that search engine optimization is important. But in the case of a local restaurant, it becomes even more important to figure out how to focus the marketing on the local area - ie you don't want their ads to appear in other countries or even other cities *unless* the people who see the ads are actually traveling to the area.

 

To be successful in the web design business you will probably either have to become a business analyst and do all kinds of consulting to help your customers, or partner with someone who does this so you can focus on the design and development part. I'd probably do a bit of the first and a lot of the second. My way through this business brought me into full time consulting as a business analyst and giving up web design altogether... :)

[Buffy]

To be successful in the web design business you will probably either have to become a business analyst and do all kinds of consulting to help your customers...

:)

 

Don't start "web design business." Anyone with a copy of Photoshop and Dreamweaver can do that. Pick a *vertical* that you've got real expertise in, and then sell *business development* services that include online and print services as *one aspect* of your package! ;)

 

Sow good services; sweet remembrances will grow them, :)

Buffy

[Tormod]

Yes. Become a business development specialist and focus on one or two things that YOU can offer your clients. Anyone can design websites. Few people can make the companies that own them successful. If you manage that you can make a good living.

[freeztar]

Can anyone recommend some good books on business development, or related subjects?

[Tormod]

I think you should look into various books on subjects like management, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Most books tend to tell the stories of the Humongously Famous and Fantastic, but while they can be good reads there is not often that much that is relevant to small biz folks.

 

You could take a peek here:

Hypography Science Bookstore - Books - Business and Entrepreneurship

 

I always find books on innovation to be interesting. It's also a good idea to read books on trends and new development within the field you want to work in (say, Web 2.0 Strategy, for example, or Usability).