Web Marketing Guide

Before you state the goals for your Web site, you must be clear about the goals for your business. Your answers to a few basic questions establish the marketing framework for your site. Answer the questions in the Business Profile section of the Web Site Planning Form in Downloads Section. These questions apply equally to businesses of any size and to not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, and governments.

Here are a few examples of business profile questions:

• Are you a new company or an existing one with an established customer/client base?
• Do you have an existing brick-and-mortar store or office?
• Do you have an existing Web site and Web presence?
• Do you sell goods or services?
• Do you market to individuals (which is called B2Cfor business-to-consumer) or to other businesses (which is called B2Bfor business-to-business)?
• Who are your customers or clients (generally referred to as your target markets)?
• Do you sell — or want to sell — locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally?

Answer the other questions of the Business Profile section of the form to get an overall idea of what your business looks like.

Remember

Your Web site is the tail, and your business is the dog. Let business needs drive your Web plans, not the other way around.