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WEB
STRATEGY
How can A Site Help
Your Organization? | Evaluating A
Web Designer or Your Site | How
Is Consultwebs.com Different?
How Can A Site Help?
 Administrative
costs can be dramatically reduced through proper usage of a
web site. Clients frequently call for a "write-up"
or brochure on your firm or company. Normal communications
methods can be supplemented by referring clients to your web
site. Forms and documents such as job applications,
qualifications' criteria, newsletters, articles, maps,
internal data, etc., can be placed on your site. Databases
can assist in inputting and managing data from a variety of
locations. Desired areas can easily be password-protected.
The Internet is growing at
more than 10 percent per month. Based upon The American
College Survey Group, Forbes 500 CEO’s expect to generate
almost 40 percent of their sales through the Internet within
the next ten years.
Busy television, newspapers
and magazines viewers will continue to shift their attention
more to the Internet and away from traditional media.
Consider the trend outlined in a recent study by the Pew
Research Center for the People and the Press as written in ZDNet
AnchorDesk.
 More
than 30% of Americans go online for news at least once a week.
This is an increase of 10% from 1998;
15% get daily
reports off the Web;
40% of college
graduates now get their news online, up from 24% in 1998;
More than 30% of
Americans go online for news at least once a week. This was up
10% from 1998.
Internet advertising revenue
jumped 40 percent in the first half of 2004, driven largely
by the growing popularity of keyword ads tied to search results.
A
December 29, 2002 CNN article stated that About 60 percent of
2,000 people surveyed in the Pew Internet and American Life Project
study said they used the Web regularly. Two-thirds of those had been
online for three or more years. At least 80 percent of the
Internet users questioned in September and October said they
expected to find reliable news, health care information and
government services information on the Web. Almost as many
Internet users, 79 percent, said they expected to find a business
with a Web site that will give them information about a product they
are considering buying.
On top of that,
Forrester Research predicts that by the end of 2004, roughly half of all
Internet ad spending will come from the pockets of the traditional
media. Newspapers will suffer the biggest losses.
It is advisable to
learn, understand, and tap into this medium. You can provide an
in-depth profile of your firm or business. New clients can be
attracted locally, regionally and globally. You can communicate with
information seekers.
Web benefits include the
following:
The ability to
introduce your organization and staff by displaying resumes and
pictures;
Strengthening
relationships and the ability to market additional services to
existing clients;
Information is
available twenty-four hours per day with minimum cost and
resources;
Interactive
communications with clients;
Recruiting is
strengthened.
Consider your desired
clients and image. Most businesses and law firms want well-funded,
progressive clients. These clients usually have web pages. If one of
two competitive firms has a professional web site, which firm do you
think will be viewed as being more progressive?
For a more detailed
discussion on why and how to build a web page, please review our Internet
articles.
Robert (Rob) Jenner, Partner,
Janet, Jenner & Suggs,
[Client
Profile], Baltimore, Maryland,
Columbia, South Carolina, "Our firm has enjoyed working with the
knowledgeable and courteous staff of Consultwebs.com for many years.
Always ready to help in any way, they have worked to develop
numerous websites for our firm, established and maintain prime
search engine rankings, and assisted with print materials.
Consultwebs.com is a company that truly cares about the success
of our firm, and focuses on making our Internet presence work for us
- a valuable service in today's marketplace."
Evaluating
a Designer or Your Existing Web site
Most Web designers claim
to be, "the best." Many say they know your industry or
profession extremely well. A Web site is too important to leave this
to chance. Some of the statistics
on our site include the following:
Recent estimates of
Web users worldwide puts the number at 40 million and growing
fast."
A December 29, 2002 CNN article
stated that About 60 percent of 2,000 people surveyed in the Pew
Internet and American Life Project study said they used the Web
regularly. Two-thirds of those had been online for three or more
years.
At least 80 percent of the
Internet users questioned in September and October 2002 said
they expected to find reliable news, health care information and
government services information on the Web.
Almost as many Internet users, 79
percent, said they expected to find a business with a Web site
that will give them information about a product they are
considering buying.
Forrester
Research, Inc., reported that
business to business online Internet commerce will rocket
to more than $3.7 trillion by 2003.
Numerous research
firms are projecting that during the next decade, U.S.-based
business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce will grow from some
$20 billion to several hundred billion dollars. Research firm eMarketer
projected that B2C e-commerce worldwide would jump from about $5
billion in 1997 to $100 billion in 2002.
An article in the Triangle
Business Journal (North Carolina) Small
businesses need Internet strategy states that, "The
small business operator has to get in on the act now not so much
to carve out market dominance, but simply to be compatible and
survive in a surrounding environment where e-business will
eventually be the primary way that buyer and seller communicate with
each other."
Where do you begin? If
you would like assistance in measuring your site effectiveness or
improving your site, we will be happy to assist you by discussing
your situation with you or performing a Web site checkup. Our
typical analysis prices range from $100 to $200 (total), depending
upon the size and content of the site. Please fill out our Information
Request form if you would like an estimate of our price to
analyze your site.
Early steps include
finding a designer and then evaluating Web sites. After finding
potential designers by using the methods discussed below, we
recommend asking the designers for reference sites. The reference
sites should be checked against the following criteria. We also
recommend that businesses and law firms, who have existing sites,
measure their sites against the criteria. You can assign a point
scale to the following based upon their importance to your business.
Evaluation Criteria
Initial Considerations
- It is difficult to find a designer with all of the necessary Web
site implementation skills. Skills include cosmetic and
programming design expertise, business knowledge, and site placement
experience. Aesthetics designers, for example, often spend less
effort on search engine placement and services promotion.
Ask for a minimum
of ten references. The reference Web sites will allow you to see
the designer's overall skills, commitment and longevity potential.
View the sites, bearing in mind that first impressions are
important. An amateurish Web site will reflect poorly on your
organization. Ask the references if the designer was qualified, met
deadlines, was easy to work with and responsive after the
implementation was completed. If your business is dependent upon the
Web site, be wary of using part-timers who may not be available when
needed. The closure rate for Web companies is projected as high as
90% in many studies. Some designers fail. Others accept
employment with outside companies.
Success - Ask reference
accounts if the sites have been successful. Unless they are
competitors, they will proudly share this information with you.
A site that brings in new clients, retains and informs existing
clients, reduces administrative burden, serves the community, etc.,
is a successful site. Our three primary Consultwebs.com-managed
sites, for example, achieve more than 200,000 hits per month. Many
of our clients have received significant business from the Web sites
that we design.
Too many businesses
consider it a competitive obligation to prepare a site and they
never end up receiving the benefits that could be achieved with just
a bit more effort.
Content -
You’ve got them there and they are interested. Do you have
something to tell them? This is critical. We have seen poorly
designed and poorly indexed (in search engines) sites spread like
wildfire through word of mouth.
Search engines -
Many sites are attractive, but can't be found. Visitors don't go
further than 3-4 search engine screens to find a potential supplier.
Visit our Search
Engine Query Script to test your site's rankings and popularity
links in major search engines such as Altavista
and Google against target terms
and phrases such as "North Carolina law firms" or
"your business" and "your state", etc.
Perform, for example, Google
searches for your potential Web design companies' search phrases,
such as, "North Carolina Web designers." If you
can't find the potential Web designers' sites, it is unlikely that
they will know how to position your site.
Another important search
engine factor is "popularity links." Popularity
links are the number of sites linked to your Web site.
They indicate to a search engine that a site has value and is
established. You can check popularity links in AltaVista
and Google by typing
link:www.yourdomainname.suffix into the search box. You should
test your and your potential Web designer's popularity links.
Aesthetics &
Layout - The site should be informative -- and compelling. An
attractive site interests viewers, making them want to see more. The
layout should be designed so the viewer quickly understands the
site’s mission. Most users scan rather than read. Therefore,
you should break your content into easy to read segments with
headings and sub-headings. Graphics should complement the
site’s layout and content. The site should be designed for the
target market, not to impress other designers or surfers.
Creativity - It
is exciting to find a site that has something new and/or dares to be
different. The Webmaster should combine style with the content and
mission. For example, while tradition dictates that pages should be
similar, some Webmasters are using color tabs that link to different
color pages. Prudent use of JavaScript and CGI scripts can
add to a site. With the exception of navigation aids, you will see a
reduction of the mouseovers and fancy graphics due to their
slow-loading time, incompatibilities, and lack of novelty.
Occasionally, industry
individuals, such as attorneys, will become Web designers or Web
consultants. While many of them are quite competent, some of
them cannot rid themselves of their backgrounds and tend to design
black and white, conservative sites that appeal only to them and
other attorneys. Remember that most Web sites are not trying
to bring in other attorneys -- they are attempting to bring in the
public. The site must appeal to your marketplace.
Sites will move toward
classic brochure appearance with the exception of techniques that
the Web makes available -- such as interactivity.
Ease of Navigation
- The navigational structure should be designed with the content and
the intended audience in mind. The viewer should be able to navigate
to a desired location within two or three clicks. Links to products
and services, people, feedback and the site's main sections should
be readily available.
Browser Compatibility
- Some Web editing software, such as earlier versions of FrontPage,
have some issues with Netscape and other browsers. A site that looks
good in Explorer may have problems in Netscape and vice versa. How
well has the Webmaster addressed these issues? Look at the finalist
sites on different browsers, different browser versions and old and
new computers.
Loading Time -
Surveyed viewers comment that slow-loading sites are one of their
top frustrations. Busy visitors won’t wait long. A site should be
attractive and still load quickly. If your business is consumers or
your legal area of practice is family, look at finalist sites on
dial-up 28.8 dial-up modems. If your market is corporate, loading
time is important, but not as critical.
Extra Features -
A site can be enhanced with forms, bulletin boards, search software,
helpful links, foreign language areas, download/upload features and
more. Well-designed feedback forms, for example, assist the user in
formulating meaningful information.
Price - Shop
around. You don't have to pay $10 - 25,000 for a great site. Many
designers design attractive sites for $2,000 - $10,000. Template
sites often start at $700. To save money, have your content
prepared ahead of time.
Ownership - Avoid
"template" or "production line" sites that
retain site ownership. Spend $15 per year and obtain your own domain
name. Some large vertical market companies offer Web sites as a
by-product of other services. They do not have the ongoing
commitment to make a site successful. The Internet is explosive. You
will have many needs and opportunities in the near future and you
want the flexibility to move your site as desired.
Location of Designer
- With today's technology, location is not as critical as it once
was -- provided the designer has ties to your industry. For example,
if you are a law firm, a generalist designer of Web sites in your
area isn't as concerned about your satisfaction as is a
legal-oriented designer. On the other hand, if you are a person who
works better face-to-face and prefers handholding, you may prefer a
local designer or a designer who is willing to travel.
Approximately half of our new clients come from other U.S. states.
Many of our clients benefit by being able to jointly review existing
materials and brochures and interview staff members. Technology such
as Internet whiteboards, cameras (cams), and other net meeting tools
from Logitech, Mimio
Ink Corporation and Microsoft
can assist in conducting remote meetings.
Industry Expertise
- An industry-oriented designer knows the standard needs of a
business or firm. Hours can be saved and many helpful
recommendations will be contributed by the industry-oriented
designer. You can concentrate on your unique features and desires.
More Free Advice that
will cost, then save - If you plan to design your own site,
acquire a few hours of a Web designer's time to discuss your ideas.
It is expensive to redesign a site! It takes considerable time
to undo the damage caused by amateurish Web sites and ineffective
search engine design.
If the selection process
is intimidating or too time-consuming, have a Web oriented
consultant help you choose a designer or at least help to narrow the
field to two or three finalists. Large businesses and firms should
prepare Request for Proposals for major enhancement requests rather
than putting together quick-study committees to shot-gun the effort.
A consultant can assist with the Requests for Proposals if needed.
We find the Internet
fascinating and, as a result, have continued to develop Internet
evaluation and design criteria and articles.
We welcome your comments.
How
is Consultwebs Different?
How are Consultwebs' Web
sites different? Our sites are professional and affordable.
Although we have designed sites that are priced considerably higher,
our quotes for consultation, graphics, design, and training
typically range from $1,500 to $15,000. Web marketing / search engine
consulting campaigns typically range from $2,000 to $20,000.
We also offer Starter
Websites that begin at $1,195 and
Power
Legal Web Kits that area of practice domain names, search
engine optimization and hosting. These prices are far less
than the available advertising options, which typically achieve less
results.
Rhonda Nielsen,
Partner, Nielsen
& Associates, Attorneys at Law, Santa Ana,
California, stated, "Thank-you so much for working so hard on
this with me. You have marvelous ideas and a wealth of Web
experience. I am pleased to have access to your ideas and resources.
I am delighted that we are having search engines success so
quickly."
Your site will reflect your
philosophy, personality and goals. We are not a production
line, template or Yellow-Page® oriented designer.
Certain template approaches result in sites looking too much alike.
They often have the web designer's logo displayed throughout the
page, diluting your message. We design the site to reflect your
style and message.
Many web designers
retain control of your web pages and charge high rates for
maintenance and updates. We offer attractive rates and do as
much or as little as you wish.
Ellen Kinsinger,
Information Technology Director for
Poyner
& Spruill, L.L.P., a 95-attorney, Raleigh, Rocky
Mount, Charlotte, North Carolina law firm,
stated,
"Thank you so much for the excellent work you have done on our
website. From the behind the scenes search engine optimization to
the very visible design improvements, Consultwebs has done a
first-class, professional job. We feel very fortunate to have found
a local design/consulting firm that does high quality work at
reasonable prices. We especially appreciate your ability to
understand our needs, provide accurate quotes and deliver the
product on schedule, on budget. We look forward to many more
projects with Consultwebs."
If you have the time and
interest, we recommend that, at a minimum, you learn to make basic
Web site changes. Approximately 50% of our clients utilize
FrontPage to make changes to their sites.
Julie Ketner Rigby of
First Flight Centennial stated, "This is amazing!
I can't believe it is so easy and so intuitive. I was actually
making Web page changes with FrontPage after a few moments of
telephone instruction. This level of flexibility is critical for a
small organization. While we will continue to need your services for
professional design, interactivity, increasing hits and other
functions, working with FrontPage has truly made this
"our" website. I am so impressed at how far Web
technology has progressed."
We understand your
business. We will grasp your needs quickly and will work
with you to make your site a success:
Consultwebs.com has
several Internet design memberships and certifications. We
typically have three of our designers independently develop
draft designs for the client's review. Our designs are
personalized to the client's law firm or business.
The client chooses the design that fits his/her goals and we
collaborate with the client to refine the chosen draft.
Consultwebs.com's
Dale Tincher was one of two judges for Law
Office Computing's 2001-2003 Best Large Law Firm Web Site
contest. Staff member certifications include a
LawCommerce.com T3 (Top Tier) Consultant
designation, North Carolina Bar Association Technology Provider
(TAP) Consultant endorsement (Dale Tincher is the only endorsed
NC Bar TAP consultant), Novell CNE, Microsoft CNSE and
various design and programming designations. We have several
designers, programmers, search engine optimization specialists
and content writers on staff.
With a staff of seven
professionals and additional subcontractors, we are large
and experienced enough to design your page in a professional
manner, but not so large that you will become lost in the
shuffle and be required to pay premium fees for enhancements.
Our endorsement by the North
Carolina Bar Association as a TAP consultant, our ABA
involvement and our business affiliations further insure that
law firms and businesses will receive priority attention and
competitive pricing.
Consultwebs.com's
staff includes three writers, one of whom has extensive
newspaper writing experience and another who has considerable
experience as a paralegal. We have developed the content
for entire Web sites. For others, we have written articles
and/or supplemented or edited content. Our content is
developed with the reader and search engines in mind.
Our sites are successful.
We do not simply provide a design and walk away. We
provide search
engine optimization, registration and marketing
assistance. We continue to work with you to make your
site successful and visible. Searches in leading search
engines such as AltaVista
and Google on phrases such
as Raleigh North Carolina, North Carolina law firms,
North Carolina divorce, North Carolina estate planning,
and Raleigh North Carolina will display Consultwebs.com
clients in high positions, demonstrating that Consultwebs.com is
accomplished at achieving high search engine rankings.
Robert (Bob) Kraft,
Kraft & Associates,
Dallas, Texas, "Dale, now that we have worked together for
several years, I want to formally thank you again for all you have
done for our firm. Your company has been fantastic to work with,
giving us immediate responses to every question. As you know, we've
added several specialty sites in addition to our main Web site, and
you've done an excellent job of setting up and maintaining those
sites. Each site has been successful in bringing us inquiries from
potential clients.
We get approached almost daily by other companies wanting to design
or host a Web site for us, or wanting to do our search engine
optimization work. Many offers, even from well-known legal
companies, are for less money than we pay Consultwebs. But, I'm a
firm believer that you get what you pay for, and Consultwebs
delivers on its promises. As I told someone once, an
inexpensive Web site that attracts no clients is not cost-effective.
An expensive Web site that brings in more revenue than you paid for
it, can be very cost effective. Consultwebs is not the cheapest
company around, but you do the best work, and that's what matters
most to us. Thank you."
Fargo, North Dakota
attorney David Chapman, Esq. Partner,
American
Liberty Law,
stated,
"I wish to express my pleasure with how well the Web site
design process has gone. Within three weeks, I went from not having
a Web site to a site that is very attractive and functional. The
first design drafts you sent were awesome. You guys really did a
terrific job! You have been organized, accessible, responsive and
helpful with items such as hosting, e-mail questions, domain issues
and search engine advice. I appreciate that you were proactive on
issues rather than waiting for me to ask questions. Your knowledge
of law firm Web design has been very helpful. Additionally, I am
pleased that I can now maintain my site using FrontPage. Once again,
I cannot tell you how good the experience of dealing with your
company has been. The prompt service and the skill have more
than exceeded what I could ever have expected."
North Carolina
attorney
Howard Kurtz stated, "You have been very helpful. You have
performed and are continuing to perform very valuable services for
our firm. Our search engine rankings have improved
dramatically as a result of your hard work. Not surprisingly, we
have started to see a great increase in Web hits. The bottom line is
that you've proven your worth."
Consultwebs.com's
clients are typically given one year
free listings on a number of our
100+ Web sites, further exposing them to potential clients. These
free listings equate to more than $10,000 in annual savings.
Additionally, these sites provide our clients with additional popularity
links. The combination of our painstaking efforts to
design a Web site properly, our knowledge of search engine
optimization and our methodical approach result in the development
of a functional, successful site. The business or law
firm experience minimal disruption during the Web development.
James B. Reed, Partner,
Ziff, Weiermiller,
Hayden & Mustico
[Client
Profile], "I just wanted
to drop you a note to thank you for all the great work your firm did
for us in totally re-designing our website. It looks great and we
have received many compliments. Best of all, I can see that the
search optimization has really worked as I am receiving a lot more
traffic from our website. Just yesterday, I received a referral of a
personal injury case from an attorney in another city who told me
that he found me by a Google search where my firm came up #2 on the
results."
Ross Kodner, Esq.,
President Microlaw,
Leading U.S. Legal Consultant, Milwaukee Wisconsin (in response to a
listserve query for a recommendation on a Web designer), "Dale
Tincher from Consultwebs.com immediately comes to mind. I think he's
perhaps the top legal web designer and Search Engine Optimization
expert in the nation. I have total confidence in his work,
reliability and integrity - it's a "no reservations" recommendation.
We invest more than
$100,000 per year in sponsored search engine ads such as Google and
Overture Pay-Per-Click, also referred to as PPC Ads, in order to promote
our sites, our clients and directory sponsors. More than 50 of our Web
sites frequently feature our clients including PI
Lawyers, Lawyer Profiles,
Wisconsin Business,
Legal Resource Links,
Raleigh Business, IP
Law US, Triangle
Business NC, Greensboro
Biz, N-Carolina.com, New
York Links, Lawyers NC, Estate
Planning Law, Charlotte
Business, Cary Business,
Durham Business, Sports
NC and Traffic-law.
A one-year listing in all of our directories equates to a
substantial value. Numerous sites are under development.
Consultwebs.com has an
accomplished image design, photography
and video department. We can provide all of your law
firm and business Web needs.
Consultwebs.com is a
leader in connecting companies to the Internet. We will help
you to find the right Internet Service Provider (ISP) and Web host
provider. We will not only explain your options clearly, we
will help you save money!Most important, we will
provide highest quality support. We list all of our clients
and their Web sites. We invite you to visit their comments
and/or give them a call. We would enjoy the opportunity to
talk with you about your needs.
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