What I know about developing an effective web presence:

An effective website works in every respect:

It looks professional and can be viewed properly on any computer
Its purpose is clear immediately
It is intuitive to navigate
It performs some kind of function that the public considers to be of value
It is optimized for search
It is promoted in ways that increase its exposure to its intended audience

Many sites fail to perform the intended function. Some reasons for this include:

The site design is not quite coordinated – some small thing may interfere with presenting a cohesive message
The site is flashy in a way that does not add value (moving images, scrolling text, annoying music, flash intro, etc.)
The site's message is not well-defined - it is not immediately clear to the visitor what is being offered
The site navigation is disorganized – the visitor cannot easily find information
The site fails to offer something of value to the visitor
The site is not well-optimized in terms of basic SEO
The site is not promoted effectively

A sleekly designed and simple site will outperform one that has unnecessary bells and whistles every time. If you are operating on a tight budget, then this is especially important, because you need every cost advantage you can nudge out of it, both in the short and long term. It doesn't mean being cheap. It just means that I only add on more expensive features if there is a genuine need for them.

What I can do for you:

I can help you to develop an effective web presence that provides the following benefits for your organization:

1. INTELLIGENT GROWTH

The RIGHT website can help your organization to experience intelligent growth. I can help you to isolate your goals for your website, and then design a site that is specifically structured to realize those goals.

I feel that a Content Management System (CMS) website serves businesses and organizations well because it balances the need for simplicity and cost containment with the need for flexible function.

With a CMS website, you can start small and expand later in any way you wish simply by adding in the functionality you want when you need it (e.g. blogs, forums, calendars, membership options, etc. – with CMS, the sky’s the limit!).

An additional benefit of using a CMS is that you have the long-term ability to add unlimited pages and content by using an editor that operates much like a word processor. There is no need to know html, and you will never have to rely on a web designer to make everyday changes to your site for you. This website is a full set-up service, with a site structure that allows you to easily make updates without the need for specialized software or complex technical skills. Anyone who can use a word processor can use this system.

2. THE BASICS

A website should contain the following features at a minimum:

A home page that introduces your organization, and which has logical links to other items of interest.
Standard site pages which give background, site policies, contact info, and other expected info. plus extra valuable content that will draw visitors to your site.
News areas where you can post news of upcoming events, reports on previous events and include other items of interest to your visitors.

3. TRAINING

You get 24/7 access to my exclusive client training & support website at www.help.whomadeyoursite.com. There are written and video tutorials on how to do basic tasks on your website. There are also marketing and SEO resources that will help you to understand both areas, and to effectively market your website.

How I guarantee your satisfaction:

My entire development process has been established with your satisfaction in mind. My development process is NOT like most web designers.

When you have purchased services and the contract is digitally signed, you pay a retainer. That retainer is fully refundable if you are not satisfied with the work I do for you – of course, if you request a refund, you cannot use any of the work that you did not pay for.

But - if you feel at some point that it is just not working, you can request a refund on the part of the work that you are not satisfied with, and you are not ever stuck with something inferior. When the phase is completed, and you approve the work, the retainer converts to a regular payment, and is no longer refundable.

This unique development process leaves you in control of the evolution of the site. I promise customized and personalized service, and I really mean it.

If you contract for other services, I'll guarantee your satisfaction with them also.

Cost containment:

Small business and organizations need to be frugal! This is not to be confused with being cheap: A cheap person goes for the lowest price, even if it means getting a shoddy product. A frugal person chooses wise solutions for lowering cost, and avoids elements which add cost but no necessary benefit.

I help you to get a frugal site, without it degenerating into a cheap one. Here’s how:

BILLING IS DONE BY THE TASK RATHER THAN BY THE HOUR

When you pay by the hour for web design, it’s pretty hard to know what your final cost will be. This is a worrisome proposition for a small business or organization! You are at the mercy of your designer to bill fairly, and it’s easy to get overcharged. That’s why I bill by the task instead.

I’m pretty good at estimating average times for things, so when I give you a price quote it is based on my estimation of the average time it takes to do the tasks involved. If it takes longer, I don't charge you more. If something takes a little more effort than I thought, I'll just deal with it. Of course, if you add on more tasks, I have to charge you more, but the price for the items I quoted you won't change.

YOUR SITE IS DEVELOPED (AND PAID FOR) IN STAGES

Each stage of your site design and development is composed of a set of tasks. This means that you know ahead of time what you’re getting at each stage of development and how much is due for that portion of the work. Your risk stays low, and you can spread out your payments a little to keep your costs down.

YOUR SITE GIVES ONLY WHAT YOU NEED RIGHT NOW, BUT HAS ENDLESS CAPACITY FOR GROWTH

When I design your site, I only give you what you need right now. However, I design with your long term needs in mind, so that your site will accommodate any future requirements easily. A CMS lets you expand where and when you need the extra functionality.

BASIC SEO IS BUILT IN

Since I teach you how to optimize your site as it is built, you don't have to pay for that separately, or come back later and redo major site areas to make them better. On most sites, this alone can save you hundreds of dollars and untold hours of time.

PATIENT, FRIENDLY INSTRUCTION

I understand that your organization is small, and does not have people on board with specialized skills in the range of specialties that a larger organization would have. I expect to have to answer a lot of questions, and help your staff members learn how to do a high-quality job.

Fortunately, I am very experienced at working with people who need patient instruction. I am able to help you to know what to write, and how to write it. I can help you if you need me to do so. You'll get a task list so that you know what you need to be doing, and if you get lost, I'll help you know how to get the job done.