Introduction
This document provides a tool to plan, communicate and scope your web site project. The output of this exercise should be the first step in opening the communication between our professionals and your company by greatly expediting the discussion topics. Please use the following steps as a guide but do not feel obligated to address areas for which you may have questions. These areas can be discussed at a future date.

Determine the objective of your site
There are numerous benefits to obtaining a website each enabling growth for your company. Benefits can vary from simply providing advertising materials to supplement your marketing activities providing access to a larger client base to web enabling your entire business such as supporting memberships, online ordering and customer support. You must determine the audience you are trying to reach and dependent on your objectives your needs may vary from one end of the spectrum to the other.

The advantage of taking the time to plan your site is that you can build it in such a way that it can be extended later to meet future needs. Unlike print materials you simply need to make a change to your site that will reach all future users without having the expense of printing and mailings. This step is the first and most important in determining what your site will be. Some hints to help you think about the areas that you may benefit from are listed below.

• Have a central access point for all customers to view the latest information regarding your company. Let the world know why your company is the best choice in your particular industry. A business card is a good networking media but a business card with a website URLl will provide people with the ability to find the most up to date information on your company on their time resulting in additional contacts.
  
  
• Provide self service area for potential clients and current customers with 24x7 access to you through the ability to get customer service, requesting additional information and submitting service requests.
  
  
• Gain a larger market share by selling your products online by providing clients outside your immediate area access to your catalog.
  
  
• Provide customers with tailored information which is only accessible to members of your site. Provide progress reports, distribute deliverables, etc.
  
  
• Highlight what’s new with your company or areas of interest related to your industry.
  
  
• Educate your users with best practices or tips related to your area of expertise. A primary example of this is having a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) web page where common questions and their related answers are listed.

Determine components for your site
A completed website is made up of number of web pages. These web pages may be dynamic (pulls data based upon variables) or static (hard coded) but in the end they are web pages. Below are some of the common pages found on many sites and their descriptions and based upon step 1 you should be able to indicate which ones best apply to your company.

• Home Page
  The first page which is viewed when a user visits your web site. This page provides the primary navigation to other areas of the site and provides the first impression of your company.
  
  
• Contact Us
  A simple Web Form (data entry) page where a user can submit their contact information and send requests directly to your email account. Provides clients with 24x7 accessibility to your company.
  
  
• About Us/Company Overview
  A brief page describing your business and what sets you apart from your competition.
  
  
• FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
  A page of questions with answers to topics related to your business or industry that are commonly asked. If you potential clients seem to ask the same questions, this is the opportunity to sell your company by answering them in a single spot.
  
  
• Services
  A page detailing all the services or products your company specializes in.
  
  
• Directions (with Google Map functionality)
  A page which provides the user with directions to your location(s). General directions can be provided as well as linking to Google maps for custom directions based on the user's exact location.

Look and Feel
If you have spent any amount of time browsing the Internet you will have come across sites that vary in appearance and usability from extremely professional and user friendly to amateurish (neon blinking headlines) and unusable. A site should be elegant while easily providing the users with the information you want them to consume.

In the long run the first impression will be the appearance but ultimately they are going to be swayed by the content and ease of use. The look of a website is very subjective but we believe distinguishing a professionally built site vs. an amateur is readily obvious. We tell clients determine what aesthetic aspects of other sites or marketing materials please you and we can incorporate those into your design.

Select a Domain Name
A domain name is the text you type into your web browser to access a site. An example would be google.com. A domain name must be unique resulting in a challenge in today’s world when trying to determine what name you would like to purchase. The starting point may be yourcompany.com, then yourcompany.net, then possibly yourco.com, etc. Basically make a list of your ten choices for a domain name and we can determine if they are available.

Request an Estimate
Once you have the time to think about the topics above or need guidance contact us by email or phone 203.240.4658. After a brief discussion we will complete a free estimate based on your needs as an itemized list. Once you review this proposal we will meet to discuss the details.

Determine your budget
Developing a web site costs money and depending on the complexity that cost can vary greatly. You should determine how much you are comfortable spending and keep that amount in your head.

Once we gather all the information from the steps above, we will provide you with a free estimate. If you are comfortable with the estimate amount we can then start the process otherwise we can discuss scoping some aspects in the initial proposal to best suit your needs while not exceeding your budget.