subject: Does Your Small Business Need A Website - Hire An Expert, Not The Kid Next Door [print this page] Small businesses today need to have an Internet presence. One of the biggest challenges for small businesses when setting up a website is determining exactly what information they need to present on that site. Promoting one's business in the online environment has a different look and feel to it than promoting it in a local newspaper. While both mediums are very graphics intensive, one provides information for an event while the other presents an image of the business. Many small businesses fail to understand the difference between event promotion and developing brand recognition and as a result completely miss the importance of the Internet and its impact on their business.
Most small businesses have no concept of the importance of branding and it is for this reason they fail to understand the potential the Internet contains. Small business owners need to grasp the fact that the Internet gives consumers 24/7 access to their business. The website a small business designs tells a story... the story of that business. A well-designed website can not only provide the consumer with information about operating hours, ongoing sales, and special one-time deals but it can also present the consumer with information about the company's purpose, commitment to quality, and user reviews.
Additionally, business owners need to give great deal of consideration to the look and feel of their website. The first inclination of many smaller operations is to save money, and design the site themselves. This approach is almost as disastrous as hiring the 17 year old kid down the road to throw something together for you over the weekend. The creation of a website is more complex than simply throwing a bunch of HTML code together and publishing it to the web.
If you are in the Texas area, there are many Houston web design companies available to help you identify your needs. These companies will work with you to establish your budget, and evaluate specifically what you need on your site to tell your story. Additionally, those individuals that work in Houston web design firms are professionals that have a full complement of training in graphics arts and software development. They know how to translate the concepts a business has into the reality that the business needs to portray to establish their presence in cyberspace.
If you are a small business owner, regardless of your geographic location, take the time to thoroughly evaluate your website needs, and then hire a Houston web design developer with experience and references. While it may cost you a little more up front, it will save you from endless hours of frustration and disappointment.
