Construction Business Environment 297
The Website.
The public increasingly expects a professional to have a website, just as he or she is expected to have
a business card. But first it is important to understand why a website is necessary and what can be
achieved from it. At a minimum, a website can market your services to a global audience. Additionally,
it is an excellent vehicle to sell the company’s services over the Internet. Remember to consider what
information you want prospects to gather from visiting your website. A well designed website can typi-
cally be used to:
- Attract enquiries from potential customers
- Provide better service to customers
- Provide more information about the firm and its services
- Obtain feedback from customers on the company’s services
- Recruit staff
- Improve efficiency
Using your website to provide a user with better access to your company can reap great benefits.
Clients are happier and receive resolutions to problems quickly, and you can devote more of your time
to other critical issues. The list of services you can offer via your website is enormous.
For example, it can include project facts and figures, including projects recently executed, company
experience, etc. It can also include clarification regarding your firm’s structure—who does what. The site
can be used to draw attention to upcoming events or time-sensitive information.
Plan Your Approach.
The Internet and your website are just another link to your target audience. You have already been im-
plementing all the necessary steps you need to in your day-to-day business. You now need to translate
this to the new medium. Think about the image you want to convey to site visitors, and make sure every-
thing on your site contributes something toward that image. Developing and maintaining a website is no
small accomplishment.
But whether you are creating a concept for your website for the very first time or trying to update a
current site, make sure you look at your site from the user’s point of view. For example, what will site vis-
itors want to know when they log on? If you’re working with an existing site, ask clients and prospects
what they think of the information offered there. What else would they like to see featured on the site?
Know your visitors (or future visitors) and what they want and need. If you’re starting from scratch, a
quick survey may help determine the answers to these questions. Check out other builder/contracting
websites to discover additional services that your peers are providing to users.
For each of the objectives you have set for the company website and yourself, you need to decide:
- Who is the target audience?
- What are you trying to get them to do or obtain from your site?
- What do you need to have on your site to attract prospects to the site in the first place and to
come back again? Website content and design are both vital for market success. - What services do you need to provide on- or off-line to back up your “promise” to your visitors?
- How are you going to promote your website and contents to your target audience?