DigitalWork Newsletter: Issue 12
Establishing Goals for Your Web Site

Having a web site presents unique challenges and opportunities for small business owners. Now that you have one, what do you do with it? How do you get both customers and potential customers to visit it? Where do you start?

Your web site can serve as a valuable resource if you take time to consider how it fits in your business and marketing strategy. Below are a few goals to help you get off to a good start when planning how to use your site.

Goal 1 - Evaluate the Content on Your Site

Evaluating your web site is a good practice at any stage of the game, whether you just started one or you have had one for a while. Information should remain as timely as possible and speak to both your current and potential customers. Think from their points of view. Describe key things that your business can offer or explain what may set you apart from the competition. Your web site gives you a chance to express your business!

• What would your customers want to see in the way of product and service updates?
• Do you want to consider "web exclusives" like coupons or "mention our web site and get a discount" type messages?
• Are there pictures of your most popular product on the site or any other images that show something special about your business?
• Is there enough product information to entice or too much that might overwhelm?
• Experiment with different content and perhaps ask your customers what they might like to see!

Goal 2 - Promote! Promote! Promote!

After you have evaluated the content of your web site, the next goal should be to promote your site every chance you get! Think of creative ways to draw attention to your site.

• If you have a business card already printed up, place a friendly hand-written note or add a label letting customers know to visit the site for more information on products and services.
• Create a flyer from your computer's word processor to pass out with receipts (or to place in shopping bags, handed out with menus, etc.) or to tape to your storefront window below your business hours "Come Visit Us At www.yourbusiness.com - 24/7!"
• Think about partnerships with other local businesses that cross promote services or that are mutually supportive.

Goal 3 - Get to Know Your TotalWeb Tools

DigitalWork's TotalWebSolution web site service provides you with valuable tools to help you reach and keep track of visitor activity on your site.

• Click on the "Learn More" button at the Welcome Page, once you log in to your TotalWeb Tools!
  • Learn how to up upload images.
  • Add new information about your business.
  • Highlight important information about your business by using colored or bold text.
  • Find out how many people have visited your site and where they are coming from.
  • Keep in touch with your customers via the built-in email.
• Remember that the "Help" buttons contain comprehensive, yet easy to read information about your tools. Look for the "?" symbols located on every page.

After reading this newsletter, if you still need help establishing goals for your site, we would be happy to discuss your web site with you. Please contact a Customer Care Specialists for assistance (for DigitalWork contact information, please visit www.digitalwork.com/contact.html).

Featured Web Site
Pete's Restaurants
www.petesrestaurants.com, www.petesrestaurantstoo.com

Pete's Restaurants has been a customer of DigitalWork since August 2002. They have seven (7) locations in the Denver area, and were looking for a way to display information about each restaurant. To achieve this aim, two (2) web sites were created, giving them the ability to showcase all of their restaurants.

According to Dean Contos, Owner of Pete's Restaurants, "My goals were for general information. For example, pictures, menus and a way to contact me have been very helpful in getting more people to see us and what we do. I think we have achieved that goal and I hope to increase my use of my web sites in the future." In addition, "Because we have seven places, I was looking for a web site that was very easy to work with, meaning I could do some of the changes and add or take away things that I wanted to feature or things that were out of date. [DigitalWork's TotalWebSolution] has given me the ease and accessibility to do these things and everyone there has been willing to help with whatever I have needed."