The Importance of Planning Your Website Build

Planning is essential in business, whether it be for a new division, new premises, a new product line or a sales strategy, planning is the key to getting it right.

A company’s website is every bit as important a part of the business as any of the above examples, and equally needs careful consideration and planning before being built. So why do many small businesses, and some large ones, simply launch into a new website build without really considering many key points.

It’s a little bit like having an extension built on your house; how large should it be? Should it be built of brick or wood? Will it be used as extra accommodation space or as a utility area? What foundations will have to be put in place? What features and functionality are required? How much will it cost? So many things to consider and to agree before even the first bit of ground is broken. It’s the same with your website.

Another very important function of planning in any area of business is the need to quantify exactly what you will receive from your contractor and precisely how much it will all cost. Proper planning of your website BEFORE approaching a selected few designers and developers will help you to get competitive quotes for your web build without missing any important issues or features.

Here is a very brief snip from our own guide “The SMART Start Guide To Website Planning” …

“Few businesses plan their websites intelligently; rather, as often as not, they commission a site simply because they “thought they ought to have one”.

In turn, developers are generally more concerned with the site’s look, feel and technical functionality than its commercial application.

Small wonder, then, that so many sites provide little more than ‘online brochure ware’.

Properly planned, your website should contribute, directly, to your business’ development – providing a global platform on which to

Build brand awareness and reputation
Expand your market reach
Generate, qualify and convert new leads
Showcase new services
Slash your marketing and transactional costs
Communicate with potential business partners, staff, Investors, and the media
Deliver better and more timely customer service
Sell more products more profitably
Enhance the lifetime value of your customers”

So, make sure that you plan your website carefully and consider all the functions and features you will need. Remember, your website is an extension of your business and could potentially be seen by thousands of people worldwide, so it’s important to get it right!