Last month, I wrote about the five steps to achieving your online goals. I’ll now look at the steps in detail.
Step one: needs analysis
To build a good website, you’ll need to have a thorough understanding of your current and future business needs. It may seem quicker and easier to go for a generic website package but you won’t reap the benefits that a custom-made website delivers to business.
Here are some questions to help you undertake your needs analysis.
- What are the core objectives of your website? What aspects of your business will be relying on your online solution? What components can help you increase your return on investment (ROI), make your business more efficient, and increase your company’s productivity?
- Who are your target markets and more importantly your market segments? What are their needs and wants? How will your website fulfill those needs and wants? What are your competitors doing?
- How price sensitive is your market segment? What approaches will you need to take to suit their sensitivity? If you are a new player in the market, do you need a market penetration approach? If yes, do you need to incorporate that in your online solution?
- Where do you place your products on the price-quality matrix? How do you project that via your website? What will be the average sale price? How does it affect your online business? What online processes will you need to attain and sustain your projections for the first 12 months of your website?
Initially, it may seem like a lot of work to answer these questions but time spent planning will deliver you a good end result.
The key to needs analysis is to differentiate needs from wants. Don’t just add a feature on your website for the sake of it or because others are doing it. Be able to justify all elements of your website. Avoid running blindly after the latest website fashion but use latest developments to your advantage.
Needs analysis should be clearly defined and conveyed to your web developers. Based on your needs analysis, your developers will be able to help you design an appropriate e-Strategy to suit your budget.
Please contact Synapse Worldwide on 1300 785 230 or email admin@synapseworldwide.com if you would like help with your needs analysis.
