SMALL BUSINESS
WEB SITE PLANNING WORKSHEET
=========================================================================================
Company Name:
A Step-by-Step Worksheet to Help You Develop / Upgrade Your Company’s Web site
E-MBE.net
P.O. Box 617995
Chicago, IL 60661
www.e-mbe.net
(312) 404-2224 (Phone)
[email protected]
Fifth Edition
Copyright 2005, 2010 Richard J. Hernández, CPCM
SM AL L B U SI N ESS W EB SI TE
KEY STEPS and TIMELINE
Steps
Phase


Identify your Web site’s niche (target market) area
Make a profile of your “ideal” customer(s) and
determine what they would like from your Web site,
e.g., features, products, information, etc.

Check the domain name you want against the
trademark database (www.uspto.gov)

Two leading companies in this area are:
www.networksolutions.com (888) 642-9675
www.register.com
(800) 899-9702
Call one of them for your domain name
3) Hire a Webmaster


Develops your Web site (using HTML code)
Keeps your site updated
4) Identify Benchmark
Web Sites in Your
Market

Note the strengths and weaknesses of competitor
Web sites
Use best features of multiple Web sites and tailor
them to your needs
5) Write Content for
Your Web Site
(Information your
clients / prospects
need to know about
your business)





Get client testimonials
Develop product worksheets
Get (and scan) M/WBE certification
Determine appropriate Web links
Include information on how to use your company’s
products and/or services
6) Set Graphics, Colors
and Layout Design


Develop a company logo
Get product photos, clipart, etc.
7) Find a Web Site Host



Check local Web host directories
Ask for referrals & check references
Get Web site hosting and domain e-mails
8) Set Up Web Site
Store & Payment
System



Set up a business bank account
Get a Web merchant account
Set up an online shopping cart
9) Put Your Site on the
World Wide Web

Transfer HTML Files to Your Web Host (FTP)
10) Market Your
Company’s Web Site
(Both On-Line and
Off-Line)


Develop a 10-second commercial
Use meta-tags (key words) in your Web site to help
search engines find you
Paid Search Engine Inclusion (Optional)
Paid Search Engine Listing (Optional)
Internet Yellow Pages Listing (Optional)
1) Determine Your
Company’s Web Site
Goals & Objectives
(What do Want to
accomplish on the Web?)
2) Buy a Domain Name
(Web Site Address)
(www.YourCompany.com
Domain Name)
(Need to rent computer
space for your Web site)




Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Start
End Date
Page 2
Small Business Professional Web Site
PLANNING WORKSHEET
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name
Owner(s)
Address
Telephone
FAX
E-Mail
Domain Name
(URL)
Webmaster
Company
Mission / Vision
Company History
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 3
Goal(s)
Online Brochure
WEBSITE GOALS
Priority
Comments
Sell Advertisements
Sell Sponsorships
Get Referral Fees
Sell Products
Sell Services
Customer Needs Form
(Pre-Sale)
Customer Feedback
(Post-Sale)
Collect Customer Payments
Web Portal
Web Auctions
E-Learning
User Supported
(Donations)
Webcasting
(Streaming audio and/or video)
Other
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 4
AREA
Sales - Products
COMPANY GOALS
(How Will the Website Support Overall Company Goals?)
BUSINESS GOALS
WEB SITE FEATURES
Sales - Services
Sell Sponsorships
Leads / Referrals
Customer Service
Customer Retention
M/WBE Contracts
Other
(Specify)
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 5
WEB SITE CONTENT
How will the Web
Site Support the
Overall Company
Marketing Plan?
____ Open New Markets
____ Support Existing Marketing Program
____ Platform for Web Alliances
____ Other (Specify): ____________________
What is the Strategy ____ Newsletter / Bulletins
____ Contests
to Get Repeat
____ Web Discussion Forums
Visits?
____ Regular Content Updates
____ Other (Specify): ____________________
How Many Types
and Numbers of
Photographs to be
Used?
What Types of
Online Payments
will be Accepted?
(Note: Check
All That Apply)
____ Credit Cards (Mastercard, VISA, American Express, etc)
____ Metered Payments (Billed to Existing Accounts)
____ Optimized Card Payments (Internet Wallets or Virtual Cards)
____ Electronic Checks
____ e-Cash
____ Payment Service Providers
____ PayPal
____ BillPoint
____ PayDirect
____ BidPay.com
____ Checks
____ FAX Orders
____ Other (Specify): ________________________
What is the Time
Frame to Develop
the Web Site?
What is the
Web Site
Development
Budget?
What is the Web
Site Maintenance
Budget?
NOTE: Annual maintenance budget is normally 20% of development cost.
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 6
TARGET AUDIENCE
Comments
Area
Local
Regional
National
International
(Regions / Countries)
ONLINE COMMUNITY
Feature
Yes / No
Comments
Discussion Groups
Weblogs (Blogs)
Chat Rooms
Web Events
E-Mail Newsletter
E-Mail Bulletins
Online Surveys
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 7
Differentiator
DIFFERENTIATION STRATEGY
(How Will Your Website Differ from Its Competitors?)
Yes/No
Comments
Niche Market
Market Leader
Unique Technology
Unique Product
Knowledge & Experience
Range of Services
Ease of Use (Simplicity)
Performance
One-Stop Shop
Ability to Handle
Difficult Cases
Multi-channel
(Online and
Offline Support)
Ongoing Customer
Support / Education
International Experience
Special Licenses
Bi-Lingual Capability
Other
TARGETED SEARCH ENGINE LISTINGS
Search Engine Name
Web Site Address
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 8
WEB SITE CONTENT and DESIGN
What is Your
Company’s
10-Second
Commercial?
< Branding Statement>
(Supports Differentiation
Strategy)
Why Do Your
Customers
Buy from You?
What Type of Image Do
You Want to Project ?
Clients:
Prospects:
Competitors:
Community:
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
What Type of
Emotion(s) Do You
Want to Evoke in
Potential Customers?
How Do
Customers Feel
About Your
Company?
Can You Get Customer
Endorsements to Put
on Your Web Site?
Where do you see Your ____ Web Portal
____ Online Store
Web site in
____ Web Community
5 Years?
____ Online Business-to-Business Exchange
____ Online Auctions
____ Other (Specify) ___________________
What NAICS Code(s)
Apply to You?
(North American Industrial
Classification System)
www.census.gov/naics
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 9
WEB SITE GRAPHICS
**** LOGO *****
Do You Have a
Company Logo?
(Yes / No)
Is the Logo in an
Electronic Format?
Note: Logo not required on Web site but recommended.
If so, please specify:
_____ .gif
_____ .jpeg
_____ .eps
_____ .tiff
_____ .bmp
_____ .wmf
_____ Other (Specify) ______________
**** GRAPHICS ****
What Types of
Graphics Need to be
Incorporated into the
Web Site?
Are the Graphics
Already Developed?
(Yes/No)
Please Specify the
Types of Graphics
To Be Used
____ Stock (Free)
____ Contract Design
____ Original Designs
____ Clip Art
What Types of Colors
Do You Want to Use?
(For Background &
Letters)
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 10
Menu Format
WEB SITE MENU DESIGN
Comments
(Circle One)
1) Vertically Stacked Menu Items on Left Side of Page
Note: Best Ergonomic Layout (Recommended)
2) Horizontal Menu Layout on Top of Web Page.
3) Vertically Stacked Menu Items on Right Side of Page
4) Horizontal Menu Layout on Bottom of Web Page
5) Vertically Menu Items on Right and Left Side
6) Horizontal Menu Items on Top and Bottom of Home Page
7) Other (Specify – Draw Sketch in Space Below or Attached Sheet)
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 11
Company &
Website Address
COMPETITORS
Niche Area
Serviced
Strengths and
Weaknesses
KEY WORDS
(Used to Help Search Engines Find Your Website)
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 12
Partner
WEB ALLIANCES
Specialty Area
Web Site Address
WEB LINKS
Site Name
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Web Site Address
Page 13
WEB STORE
Product /
Service Description
Item No.
(SKU)
Cost
(US Dollars)
ONLINE MERCHANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 14
BENCHMARKS
What existing Web sites would you like your site to look like?
ONLINE BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETS
What online exchanges and/or auction sites do you want to join?
NOTE: Need to indicate any specific features for Web site content text such as:
1) hyperlinks, 2) bold, 3) color, 4) italics, 5) underline, 6) font size, and 7) headings & sub-headings.
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 15
Item
WEB SITE CONTENT AND FEATURE CHECKLIST
Yes / No
Comments
Home Page
About Us
Why Us
What’s New (Press Room)
Our Services
Our Products
Product Samples / Demo
Product / Services Samples
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
Site Map
Disclaimer
Customer Service
Product / Service Use Tips
Events Calendar
Customer Testimonials
Partners / Affiliates
Online Forum / Chat / Weblog
Privacy Statement
Web Links
Other:
Other:
M/WBE Certification
Yes / No
Comments
Yes / No
Comments
Web Site Features
Yes / No
Comments
M/WBE Certification Letters
M/WBE Group Memberships
Web Forms
Order Form
Payment Form
Needs Assessment Form
Quote Request Form
Employment Application
Other:
Other:
Item
Online Shopping Cart
Animation
Sound Effects
Web Site Search Engine
Multi-Lingual Web Content
Other:
Other
E-Mail
Item
Yes / No
Comments
Electronic Newsletter
Online Bulletins
HTML E-Mails
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 16
WEBSITE CONTENT INFORMATION (What to Say)
Use Pages 15 to 18 as a Worksheet
For Writing Down the Specific Content Information
You Want to Include in Your Company Web Site
(Please Attached Extra Pages to Worksheet, As Required)
HOME PAGE
Content Information
ABOUT US
Content Information
NOTE: Need to indicate any specific features for Web site content text such as:
1) hyperlinks, 2) bold, 3) color, 4) italics, 5) underline, 6) font size, and 7) headings & sub-headings.
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 17
PRODUCTS
Content Information
SERVICES
Content Information
WHY US
(Why Your Company is Different from Competitors)
NOTE: Need to indicate any specific features for Web site content text such as:
1) hyperlinks, 2) bold, 3) color, 4) italics, 5) underline, 6) font size, and 7) headings & sub-headings.
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 18
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Content Information
CONTACT US
Content Information
DISCLAIMER
Content Information
NOTE: Need to indicate any specific features for Web site content text such as:
1) hyperlinks, 2) bold, 3) color, 4) italics, 5) underline, 6) font size, and 7) headings & sub-headings.
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
Page 19
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Content Information
USE TIPS
(How to Better Use Your Products and/or Services)
Content Information
WEB FORMS
Content Information
M/WBE CERTIFICATIONS
Content Information
NOTE: Need to indicate any specific features for Web site content text such as:
1) hyperlinks, 2) bold, 3) color, 4) italics, 5) underline, 6) font size, and 7) headings & sub-headings.
Copyright 2004 Richard J. Hernández, CPCM
Small Business Website Planning Worksheet – Fifth Edition (www.E-MBE.net )
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