the brief
the brief
the brief
Introduction
We need to know some details about your company so that we can get a feel for how we can best design your web site. A little time spent on the following points will provide a good basis for our initial ‘design brief’ meeting. This will help us to swiftly build an understanding with you that will benefit the project in terms of both efficiency and cost.
Your business, products or services
A brief description of your business, a couple of paragraphs or so, with attention to the following points:
The main purpose of the business, i.e. the products you supply or manufacture, or the services you provide;
The size of the company, i.e. number of employees and, if you want to provide it, a rough idea of turnover;
The area you cover – would you describe your market as being local, regional, national or international?
How long have you been established?
Describe your company in ten words, e.g. exciting, new, family-based, experienced, etc.
What do you want from your website?
A good starting point for us as your designers is to tell us what it is you need from the website. Answers to the following questions will help us identify the aims, direction and feel of the proposed site.
What is your main reason for wanting to have a website? To generate more business, offer something new, increase market awareness, keep a step ahead of competitors?
What is your target audience? What type of person is your customer base made up of in terms of age, income level, interests, location, etc.?
Are there any special points about your business that you want to get across? Are you, your products or services unique in any way?
Is there an existing or proposed advertising/marketing campaign you would like the website to link in with?
Who are your main competitors?
What is your main reason for wanting to have a website? To generate more business, offer something new, increase market awareness, keep a step ahead of competitors?
What is your target audience? What type of person is your customer base made up of in terms of age, income level, interests, location, etc.?
Are there any special points about your business that you want to get across? Are you, your products or services unique in any way?
Is there an existing or proposed advertising/marketing campaign you would like the website to link in with?
Who are your main competitors?
What do you want your website to look like?
We believe that for the best effect your website should reflect your personality and, if applicable, the feel of your company. It will help us to gain an impression of your current and desired image if you let us know as much as possible about the following.
Do you have any current marketing or published material relating to your endeavour? If, for instance, you have a brochure it would be helpful to provide a copy. Any other literature or material that gives a feel for you and your company should be included in the brief, either attached to your responses to this document or brought to the initial meeting.
Let us know of any company slogans or strap lines you may have used successfully in the past.
Have you got any images or photographs relating to your business? If you have, and they are suitable, they could be provided to us so that they can be included in the site, so maintaining your current image if that is felt to be desirable. If you do not have any current or suitable images, give some thought to how best these can be obtained. We can help with this if you like.
Make a note of some websites you like. Not necessarily in the same business area – just the type of layout and colour scheme that appeals to you and that you think may be a starting point for your own design.
Do you or your staff have the necessary skills to provide the copy or text for the site? If not, again we can help. Nobody knows your business like you and your people so we may need to spend some time with someone who knows the business well, and what you are trying to achieve with the website.
Do you have any current marketing or published material relating to your endeavour? If, for instance, you have a brochure it would be helpful to provide a copy. Any other literature or material that gives a feel for you and your company should be included in the brief, either attached to your responses to this document or brought to the initial meeting.
Let us know of any company slogans or strap lines you may have used successfully in the past.
Have you got any images or photographs relating to your business? If you have, and they are suitable, they could be provided to us so that they can be included in the site, so maintaining your current image if that is felt to be desirable. If you do not have any current or suitable images, give some thought to how best these can be obtained. We can help with this if you like.
Make a note of some websites you like. Not necessarily in the same business area – just the type of layout and colour scheme that appeals to you and that you think may be a starting point for your own design.
Do you or your staff have the necessary skills to provide the copy or text for the site? If not, again we can help. Nobody knows your business like you and your people so we may need to spend some time with someone who knows the business well, and what you are trying to achieve with the website.
Promotion of the website – online
It is vital that your site is promoted online. There is no point in having a great web site if no one knows about it, or it cannot be found through the search engines. It is an intrinsic part of our service to provide what is known as search engine optimisation. This takes a little while to show results but there is much that can be done to help the process. For your part, and to help us achieve the best results for you, you should consider the following.
Agreeing to link your site with that of a business partner, customer or supplier. This means that you would have a link to their site on your pages and they would do likewise. This serves to increase Internet traffic to both your sites.
E-mail marketing – this can be to existing customers and should include a link to the website.
Registering on your industry forums, etc. if they exist, again including a link to your site in any contributions you make.
Agreeing to link your site with that of a business partner, customer or supplier. This means that you would have a link to their site on your pages and they would do likewise. This serves to increase Internet traffic to both your sites.
E-mail marketing – this can be to existing customers and should include a link to the website.
Registering on your industry forums, etc. if they exist, again including a link to your site in any contributions you make.
Promotion of the website - offline
Think about how you would like to promote the existence, or revamping, of your website. You will want to draw attention to it and may wish to think about the following.
Including the web address in your existing stationery, advertising and literature.
New promotion initiatives such as sponsorship, mailshots or a flyer campaign.
Complimentary gifts, e.g.pens, etc.
Including the web address in your existing stationery, advertising and literature.
New promotion initiatives such as sponsorship, mailshots or a flyer campaign.
Complimentary gifts, e.g.pens, etc.
Conclusion
Let us know what you you require from us, and the timescale you envisage for completion of the project.
We in turn will provide an outline of what we can do and an estimate of initial and ongoing costs to you. This will follow a more detailed meeting with you – which is free of charge and obligation – to discuss the brief, design and future maintenance of your website.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Please see our 'contact' page
We in turn will provide an outline of what we can do and an estimate of initial and ongoing costs to you. This will follow a more detailed meeting with you – which is free of charge and obligation – to discuss the brief, design and future maintenance of your website.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Please see our 'contact' page