Conceiving a Web Conceiving a Web SiteSite

Setting objectives, generating Setting objectives, generating ideas, and knowing your ideas, and knowing your

customers are all essential to customers are all essential to creating a successful Web site.creating a successful Web site.

Goal and ObjectivesGoal and Objectives

►Who is your target audience?Who is your target audience?►What do you hope to accomplish?What do you hope to accomplish?►When do you want it to be up and When do you want it to be up and

running?running?►Where on the Internet do you want Where on the Internet do you want

your site to appear?your site to appear?►Why do you want to build a Web site?Why do you want to build a Web site?

Goals and ObjectivesGoals and Objectives

►GoalsGoals are general targets you want or are general targets you want or expect to reach sometime in the expect to reach sometime in the future.future.

►Objectives are specific targets you Objectives are specific targets you want to reach by a certain time, the want to reach by a certain time, the progress toward which can be progress toward which can be measured. measured.

Establishing GoalsEstablishing Goals

►What are you promoting?What are you promoting?►Do you want to showcase your work Do you want to showcase your work

for potential employers?for potential employers?►What do you want to express to What do you want to express to

investors, consumers, employees?investors, consumers, employees?

Mission StatementsMission Statements

►Express your goals through a mission Express your goals through a mission statement posted on your site.statement posted on your site.

►Explain the purpose of your site and Explain the purpose of your site and what you hope to accomplish with it.what you hope to accomplish with it.

►Research mission statements online.Research mission statements online.►You can obtain assistance in creating a You can obtain assistance in creating a

mission statement at: mission statement at: www.franklincovey.com/missionbuilderwww.franklincovey.com/missionbuilder

Writing GoalsWriting Goals

►Write a list of your goals with a brief Write a list of your goals with a brief outline for each.outline for each.

►Look at Web sites with similar goals Look at Web sites with similar goals and read their mission statements.and read their mission statements.

►Establish your goals so that you can Establish your goals so that you can set specific objectives.set specific objectives.

Setting ObjectivesSetting Objectives

►What kind of site do you want to create?What kind of site do you want to create?►Do you want a blog or newsletter as part of Do you want a blog or newsletter as part of

your site?your site?►What subjects do you want to cover?What subjects do you want to cover?►Do you want your site to link to other sites?Do you want your site to link to other sites?►How will you organize your site?How will you organize your site?►While your goals may remain the same, your While your goals may remain the same, your

objectives might change as you build the objectives might change as you build the site.site.

BrainstormingBrainstorming

►Get together with a group to brainstorm, Get together with a group to brainstorm, or generate and share ideas.or generate and share ideas.

►Exchange, inspire, modify, and combine Exchange, inspire, modify, and combine ideas.ideas.

►Look at different perspectives, build Look at different perspectives, build from one another’s ideas.from one another’s ideas.

►Write down every idea; you never know Write down every idea; you never know when an idea will turn out to be useful.when an idea will turn out to be useful.

ConceptualizingConceptualizing

►Start sketching samples of the look Start sketching samples of the look and feel you want for your site.and feel you want for your site.

►This should be based on your goals This should be based on your goals and the ideas you came up with during and the ideas you came up with during your brainstorming process.your brainstorming process.

►Think about the writing that will go Think about the writing that will go into your site, the graphic designs, and into your site, the graphic designs, and programming necessary.programming necessary.

Think of your site as having a personality:Is it playful, elegant, classic, edgy, or practical? Your site’s design and functionality should complement its personality.

Know Your AudienceKnow Your Audience

► Identify your Identify your target markettarget market ~ the specific ~ the specific group of customers you want to attract.group of customers you want to attract.

►Research the demographics of online Research the demographics of online businesses for the Web site you are businesses for the Web site you are creating. You will want to know your creating. You will want to know your market in order to design a site that is market in order to design a site that is appealing to the customer.appealing to the customer.

►Look at sites with similar target markets. Look at sites with similar target markets.

Know the CustomerKnow the Customer

If customers are shopping online If customers are shopping online for a particular product, it’s for a particular product, it’s important that the Web site important that the Web site appeals to them. When people appeals to them. When people feel comfortable with a site’s look feel comfortable with a site’s look and feel, they’re more likely to and feel, they’re more likely to buy something and return again. buy something and return again. Repeat business, of course, is one Repeat business, of course, is one of the keys to e-commerce of the keys to e-commerce success.success.