We often end up developing web presences for our clients and get a lot of inquiries about the cost of developing a website. Here's a distillation of what we think is important about web presences and how that translates into good technology and costs. Its also what is guiding our own web presence development.

Tell a Story

Websites are one of the most cost effective ways to create meaningful relationship with your customers and supporters. At raSA we take the approach that good websites that tell stories which lead to action. For example, a small business has a story to tell both about itself and it product or service. A non-profit has a story to tell about a societal need its fulfilling. In both cases the pointed of the story is how the consumer becomes involved in that story.

Start Anywhere and Start Now

Your story is going to evolve so waiting to capture it perfectly is not worth it. Start with your most recent thoughts, innovations and successes. From there the story will evolve. Many successful businesses started their web presences with a simple blog highlighting events. They began telling their stories and as customers came they expanded into e-commerce and elaborate product pages. The important thing is to get started now.

Get Feedback and Adapt

Whatever you do always gather feedback. Google analytics, comments, like buttons, "follow us" buttons and "Contact Us" forms all provide simple and effective ways to get feedback about who is connecting to your site. Its hard to know what exactly will work best for reaching your audience or how long it will work so plan to adapt. This means that websites are always changing and the best way to manage that is to think of your web presence as a set of small features which can be added and removed easily.

Choose Light and Flexible Technology

The MODx content management system is raSA's tool of choice. What makes it work well for our clients are three key features: 1) its easy for non-technical users to add content 2) it integrates with web services trivially and 3) it allows for the rapid creation of a simple presence that can be incrementally and inexpensively adapted.

Always Have Something New to Say

In the end we return to #1, tell a story. You can't tell the whole story at once. Fortunately you do not have to. Its better to always have the next page and chapter of your story to tell. It gives everyone a reason to come back and take part in the part of your story.