5 Steps to a Great Website

............5 STEPS TO A GREAT WEBSITE

STEP 1: ORGANIZATION & PLANNING
The cornerstone of a successful site

Goals and a master plan are essential for a successful website. If your organization has detailed marketing objectives encompassing everything from corporate identity through promotion, you are in a good position to know exactly what you want your site to accomplish.

If your company is new or rapidly growing you may not be aware of everything your website can do to help ensure your success. Don’t worry! Together, we can organize your current marketing and promotional materials, review your plans for growth and development, and determine specific objectives and performance measurements for your website.

HMC Web planning and organization services
	• Marketing review • Website analysis • Site outline/schematic
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STEP 2: WEB DESIGN More than just a pretty face Designing effective and attractive websites presents several challenges that go beyond traditional print design. Web design should entice and hold a visitor’s attention and support easy, intuitive navigation. It should be memorable, but appropriate, and consistent with the organization’s identity. In addition, web designers must take into consideration factors unique to the Internet: how graphics and colors will appear on different web browsers; the size of electronic files; computer requirements for special effects; and the amount of time visitors have to wait for your site to fully appear on the page. HMC Web! uses several different programs to design sites, maximizing the strengths of each, and tailoring programs to meet your requirements, not vice versa! Graphic programs used in HMC Web! designs
	• Adobe® Photoshop® • Adobe® ImageReady® • Macromedia® Dreamweaver® • Macromedia® Flash® • Microsoft® FrontPage®
return to top STEP 3: COPYWRITING Words that stretch your marketing dollars! Well-written copy provides not only clear, concise information about your product or service, but consistently reinforces your organization’s image, message, and professional standards. Effective web copy also demands a unique strategy. Since website visitors move randomly through site pages and acquire bits and pieces of information in a variety of sequences, specific writing techniques are needed to ensure that all essential information is reaching each viewer. HMC Web! can refine your current advertising or promotional copy and make it work for the web — or start from scratch to develop an entire family of coordinated marketing materials for your organization. Copywriting services
	• Website writing • Print advertising • Brochures and sales promotion • Powerpoint/slide presentations • Educational and training materials • Catalog writing
return to top STEP 4: PROGRAMMING Behind the scenes performance Many smaller businesses and organizations are hesitant to set up a website because they do not have anyone on staff who is knowledgeable in HTML or other web programming languages. Software programs like Dreamweaver and FrontPage write code as the designer builds the site, so you can have a customized site without an in-house pro of your own. HMC Web! will test and retest your site to make sure it runs flawlessly before it is open to the public. In addition, HMC Web can update your site as often as needed, or work with a designated Webmaster in your organization to keep your site fresh and effective. Additional production services
	• Help choose and register your domain name • Locate a host company for your site • Train your staff to make copy revisions
return to top STEP 5: SITE MAINTENANCE Keeping up with the marketplace Just like your office or car, your website will need some maintenance to keep it clean and running smoothly. Periodically, you may also need to update existing information, add a new page, or advertise a special product, service, or event. HMC Web! can set up a regular monthly "check-up" of your website, or be available on an hourly basis for revisions and updates. After all, HMC Web's best advertising is your great-looking website! Website maintenance services
	• Monthly check of all pages and links • New page additions • Site revisions

FREE "Website Planning Guide"

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