We wanted to create a website where we could gradually get rid of the little pieces of paper by posting the information on the web.  This would make it easier for us to find what we need… and it would also help other small businesses.

The result is InternetBusinessAndMarketing101.com. Eventually we’ll add a podcast to the site.  But for now it’s just going to be a regular old blog.

Go talk to  “traditional” web designers and they’ll tell you it’s cutting edge technology and all the latest bells and whistles.

Go talk to an advertising agency and they’ll tell you a website is all about branding and getting your name “out there.”

Go talk to a designer and they’ll tell you a website should have a complex layout and lots of pretty pictures.

Well guess what… Cutting Edge, Branding, Complex Design  and all the other nonsense makes THEM money.  Most cases it makes them A LOT of money.

The 3 Goals of Effective Websites

A website is nothing more than a marketing tool designed to benefit you in three ways.  Remember this… It’s the core to building an effective website.

There are three ways most businesses benefit from a website:

1. Generate Revenue / Increase Profits
2. Save Time
3. Build / Expand your business

Stay tuned for future articles where I’ll discuss each goal in more detail.

Now it is important to have a nice professional looking website.  It’s also important that your website has some bells and whistles and is “branded” with your company’s information.  Just make sure that every dollar you spend has a direct impact on Increasing Profits, Saving Time, and/or Building Your Business.

If someone says that for $300 they can create a fancy Flash Animation of your logo bouncing around, should you do it?  While it might look cool, it probably won’t help your website meet any of the three goals.  Last we checked “cool” doesn’t pay the electric bill.

What’s Next?

If you already have a website, take a good hard look at it. Is it an effective site?  Does it achieve one or more of the Effective Website Goals?  If not, go fix it. Not sure if your site is effective and/or how it can be improved?  I’ll be happy to give you a quick site evaluation and make some recommendations.

If you don’t have a website yet, be sure to keep the three goals in mind when designing your site or when you’re talking to the people working on your site. Or, take a look at the Effective Website Solutions to see if one is right for you.

One local Duluthian got sick and tired of the octomom and decided to put up her own social commentary or “gentle protest” website.

We met at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, (where she’s a student) and discussed her ideas for and goals behind the project.  She didn’t want to put a lot of money into the project and didn’t have a lot of time to put into the project.  (you know how homework gets in the way).

We worked out the details and in a few days I Don’t Have Octuplets was born.

Then something amazing happened.  She was listening to one of the local morning radio shows and they were talking about her site.  She called in and they interviewed her the next day.  (check out her website to listen to the interview)

The octomom craze has died down and I don’t think Judy is doing anything with the site currently.  But she definitely has a fun and exciting month capitalizing on the Octomom phenomenon.