‘The DouDouLe Latin Dance camp website served its purpose in 2009 but for 2010 I needed something that looked more professional and that really got the prospective attendees excited. The Website-in-a-Day service was the ideal solution as I got a professional result, in a tight timeframe and on a budget. Not only that but James’ ten years of web design and business experience meant that he could give me valuable insight and direction as to how best to design and promote the website for maximum sales. The 2010 website is professional, easy for customers to use and easy for me to update via the Content Management System. It is exactly what I need to promote the camp and sell tickets.’

- Jean-Luc Lambs, DouDouLe Latin Dance Camp

For Website-in-a-Day inclusions, pricing, examples and testimonials, please click here.

Thanks to Megan Walker of Market Savvy and to Amy Bent of Mirador Creative for emailing me the idea for this one!

Megan’s Market Savvy website is an example of our new Website-in-a-Day package!

By the way, with over 100 million DAILY users, Facebook is potentially a great marketing resource for your small business.  For example, it is great for promoting events.  If you’re running a social event or a workshop or a seminar and you’re not promoting it using Facebook Events (a free service within the Facebook system), you ARE missing out on attendees…

Check out some interesting Facebook Statistics.

Webnerd has enjoyed a long business relationship with Smooth Latin Groove, beginning when its owner Ian Corbett stumbled upon one of my business cards that had been left on a dance studio seat.

When Webnerd first designed and built the Smooth Latin Groove website more than two years ago, it was acknowledged by the Australian Web Designers Network who gave it their highest award.

Over the years the website has grown to include an online shop, an online enrolment system and a custom-made student management system that is now integral to the smooth running of the school.

More recently we have overhauled the front page to feature a chroma-keyed video (the background is transparent) and promotional boxes controlled by the Content Management System. Check it out

I am flat-out astounded at how many prospective clients come to me without having given any thought to how their website fits into their overall business strategy.

I remember quite clearly being approached by one business woman who decided that she wanted a website on the basis of one of her customers telling her that she needed a website. Why? Because “everyone has one”.

It turned out that her target audience were local women, aged 40+, a demographic that (particularly at that time) barely used the Internet.

I suggested to her that she invest her money in shop-front signage instead.

On the flip side of the coin, Annerley-based latin dance studio Smooth Latin Groove approached me, in 2006, with a clear focus in mind. Smooth Latin Groove’s award-winning website is now an integral part of their promotional and customer-support strategies.

Getting back to you: Whether you have a website now or are thinking of getting one, you need to give thought to how a website would:

(a) pay for itself, and
(b) ideally, make you a profit

Maybe your website would sell things, and thus make a direct income, or maybe it would simply save you time answering questions on the phone. Maybe you could save money on printed brochures and direct prospects to an online brochure - one that can be easily updated at any time. You could also develop a community-oriented website and generate passive income from automated advertising.

At the end of the day, a commercial website is (or should be!) a business asset. If it’s not, it is a liability. Not only does it cost money to design and develop the website, there are ongoing hosting and, potentially, maintenance costs involved.

A good website, backed by a solid business strategy, will pay for itself - either in terms of direct sales or some other value important to the business.

So, is your website an asset or a liability? In other words, is it returning value to your business or is it sitting there, costing you money in hosting fees?

Either way, what can you do do improve it?