XtraMile, Inc.

As a business owner, you might be wondering, “Why do I need a website? I already have a good brochure, advertisement spaces in the local newspapers and magazines.”

In this growing world, when everything has been ruled by technology, virtually everyone is craving for a presentable and noticeable web presence. The online market has encouraged business owners to build a quality website and gain in the activities of expanding online dealings. Therefore, developing a customized website that functions is the smartest thing you can do as a business owner.

Websites are quicker, easier and more cost-effective to update than print based media; therefore, you can have pictures, details and prices of your products, the very latest company information, or maps indicating the location of your company’s stores on your web-site.

In addition to reducing marketing costs, websites also reduce support costs. A business owner can save money by using the Web to provide support when staff is not available. For instance, a business owner can integrate a Frequently Asked Questions module into their store which will assists in answering customer questions.

A website can play an integral part of your promotional and marketing strategy. By having a .com and a company email address gives the impression that your business is current and up to date on technology. It also makes a powerful statement about your business by showing that you have planned for the future by securing your on-line presence today.

Once you decide to build a good website, you have to see what particular things you would like to feature on it. Whether it will be a static or dynamic website? Think carefully what kind of information you would like to pass on to your web visitors.

With specific needs on your mind, you can get started by sharing your ideas with us and get the greatest benefits from having a website. Let our experts work for you to help increase your sales by attracting numerous customers through a quality website.

In this growing world, when everything has been ruled by technology, virtually everyone is craving for a presentable and noticeable web presence. The online market has encouraged business owners to build a quality website and gain in the activities of expanding online dealings. Therefore, developing a customized website that functions is the smartest thing you can do as a business owner.

The Advantages of having a web site:

1. Publicize your business, service or products to millions of potential customers. Having a website can increase your sales by making it easier for people to do business with you.
2. You can update your website with your latest news or prices much easier and cheaper than print based media. A website can save you a lot of money in communication and administration costs.
3. You can link your website with other advertising campaigns therefore creating brand awareness.
4. Your business can advertise and publicize on the internet 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
5. Your business now has an extra outlet for taking orders, streamlining business processes.
6. Websites are easier and cheaper to change/update, than conventional print based media.
7. Websites make it easier for customers to do business with you. These customers can be nationwide or local.
8. You can compete with other companies in your market area.
9. You can now place your website address on your business card to enhance your image.
10. You can use your website to network with other companies and build better business relationships, locally and around the world.

Step 1 – Getting a Domain Name
The first step is to get your business a domain – this simply means you need to register a “.com”, “.net”, “.org”, “.biz” or other extension for your business if you have not already done so. This will give you a web site and email address. eg. “www.yourbusiness.com” and “yourname@yourbusiness.com”.

Finding a Domain Name can be difficult since there are only so many words, phrases, and business names available that have not been registered. If someone already has your domain, be creative and try and think of variations that are easy to remember, but still reflect your business name.

Step 2 – Define Features for Your Site
Do you want a simple “Who, What, Where” web site? Or are you looking for more integrative features for your site like the following:

• E-commerce
• Content Management (update your content yourself)
• Newsletters
• Product Databases
• Animation
• Custom Applications

Step 3 – Design and Brand Identity
The third step requires that we come up with the design of your web site. This is simply how your web site looks and feels.

Ask yourself the following questions to better isolate your design needs:

• Do you have a logo?
• Do you have peer or competitor sites that you like the look of their web site(s)?
• Do you already have a relationship with a graphic designer?
• Do you want a completely custom designed web site, or are you okay with a pre-designed template?
• What’s your budget?

Custom Designs
Custom designs require our designers (or your designer) to sit down with you, define your needs and goals, likes/dislikes, then send you design ideas for your approval. Design rates are always done hourly, so the better idea you have of what you are looking for, the more cost effective your site will be.

Template Designs for cost conscious customers
Template designs are available for clients who are on a budget. We have thousands of templates to choose from, and we can edit any colors, artwork, photography, or any graphic element to customize the template. We can help you integrate the content and your newly purchased template for a low fee. Please contact us for more information.

Step 4 – Write Your Content
Every web site needs content! The content (or text) for your pages needs to be clear and concise, and must use keywords accurately. No one knows your business better than you – so the writing of you content is a very critical step.

We can help you with this process to make sure your site is better visible in search engines, but the copy should be written by you or your marketing staff/consultant. If you don’t have a marketing copywriter and feel you could use one, contact us and we can help you.

Step 5 – Develop, Test, Deploy!
Once we have your domain, your design, your desired features, and your content finalized, we begin building your site. Using HTML, PHP, ASP, SQL, MySQL, Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Dreamweaver, and other of the latest proven technologies – we begin building your site. We generally deploy to a test server so you can see your site being built in progress! After testing and a final okay from you – we deploy your site to your web site and you are ready to go!

How Long Does It Take To Get My Site Up – Start To Finish?

Obviously we can’t give you an exact time since all sites have different needs, complexity, and varying levels of people involved. As a general timeframe, over 90% of our sites are turned around within 3-4 weeks or less – much faster than most web firms!

Updating Your Web Site

Web sites are updated one of 2 ways – by us, or by you!

When we update your site, we can guarantee it will be formatted correctly, indexed by search engines, and checked for grammar errors. We charge in 15 minute increments of our current billable rate.

For you to update your web site yourself, we need to develop a Content Management System. This costs more up front, and requires a little learning on your part. If you are comfortable with Microsoft Word or online Email (Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, etc.), you should have no problem.

To be successful online, “You must unlearn what you have learned.” -Yoda

The old rules of Marketing and PR:

• Buy your way in with advertising
• Beg your way in with PR

The new rule of Marketing and PR:

• Publish your way in directly

You have to stop thinking like a marketer, an advertiser and a
communicator and start thinking like a publisher. Create information
your consumers want, and they will share it, this is the idea behind
creating the World Wide Rave content. “On the web, you are what you publish.”

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This is an excellent article that I found while doing market research. It’s interesting and I would like to share it with you.

The article is available here:
http://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com/docs/DOC-1872

The online community’s website is available here:
http://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com