Basic information
Before embarking on the process of creating a web site for your business or organization, one should consider the purposes of having a web site, how much of an Internet presence is really needed, how a web site will be promoted, and how will a web site work along with other forms of information and advertisements. These basic questions and others need to be asked in the early stages in order to construct a web site that's useful, well focused, and easily found. Constructing a site is only part of the whole process … just as important is the initial planning and consultation done before work goes underway on layout and design. That's why we thoroughly discuss with you your goals, needs, and ideas concerning a web site that you want us to create prior to "beginning" work on anything.
We'll speak with you in person or on the phone about what all you might be interested in doing. The various avenues available for web promotion (search engine positioning, banner ads, classified ads, etc.) and offline advertising (newspapers, magazines, radio spots, television ads, etc.) will also be discussed with you in detail before website construction commences. These things should not be an afterthought. Rather, they must be evaluated in terms of the whole project. The Internet is a "big place". To get noticed there, one must plan carefully and use the appropriate methods to increase the prominence of a site on the WWW. This is the area where Custom Web really shines at.
Is preparation on the part of a business or organization for getting set up with a web site a difficult task? The answer is usually no. Generally speaking, a business will likely already have at least some of the materials available that are helpful in constructing a web site. Company brochures, logos, flyers, photographs, business cards, ad copy for various publications, printed documents, and computer data — word processor, spreadsheet, and database files, to name a few — can be useful during the design, layout, and construction of web pages.
Important notes
Be sure to supply us with all the pertinent information for your web site — dates, addresses, phone numbers, product / service descriptions, business hours, email addresses, etc. Describe as completely as possible the content of your web site and its appearance … typed or printed notes, which can include illustrations or rough sketches, are acceptable … you may mail, fax, or email such materials to us, whatever is most convenient for you. Try to be specific when telling us the layout of any graphics, text, or other elements on your pages. For example, if you want the title of a section in large, bold letters or medium-sized gray letters, then please let us know. If you are unsure as to what you want in certain areas, then we can use our own judgement, where needed. In any case, you will be given an opportunity to preview the completed work (web pages, email ads, news articles, etc.) to see if any changes need to be made.
To help you get started and to avoid any unnecessary delays when creating your web site or other items you may wish to go over these "things to do" lists.
To do lists
Design and general considerations
• Purpose of siteAppearance and layout
• Formatting of textSpecial features
• Guestbook