NOTE: This the third segment of a 9-part series on how to create a successful small business website.If you’re planning to create a new small business website or enhance an existing website, this series will help you improve your chances for success. In step 1, we covered the research and discovery phase (See Step 1: Do your homework). Step 2 involved focusing and prioritizing your website development tasks (See Step 2: Identifying your focus).Step 3 involves identifying your goals for your website. This is a “broad” purpose for building or enhancing the website, such as:

• Increase sales (or donations)
• Reach more prospects and leads
• Increase awareness about the company, the entrepreneur, the organization etc.

Once you’ve identified your goals, you will need to define measurable objectives for your website. This is how you will measure the success of your new website or website enhancement.In step 2, you ranked your project tasks into high, medium, low and no priority categories. You will need to select the tasks that are most important (i.e. the high priority tasks), then begin to document your measurable objectives. For each of the ‘to do’ items selected, identify a measurable outcome. Once the project is completed and implemented on your live website, what is your desired outcome or return on investment? Be specific. Examples of specific, measurable objectives are:

Website Feature or Enhancement	Measurable Outcome
Addition of a Frequently Asked Questions area.	Within 6 months of completing the website, reduce the amount of time spent responding to calls and emails from existing customers on basic business questions such as item return policy, membership cancellation fees, office hours etc.
Addition of an online membership application and renewal process.	Reduce the amount of time and resources required to process membership applications, membership renewals and payment information.
New shopping cart for accepting credit card payments online.	Increase business revenue and expand customer base by selling products/services online.
Addition of a DONATE NOW button	Enhanced fundraising opportunities by accepting online donations.
Distribute company/organization information, mission, team bio and products/service offerings	Increase the number of new site visitors to build awareness of the company/organization.

If you can not think of a measurable goal or objective for the enhancement or feature listed, perhaps you should rethink the priority of this item. This step is important because this is how you will define and measure the success of your website enhancement and website marketing efforts. Also, identifying specific goals and measurable objectives reduces the opportunity, during the development/design phase, for the project to grow and expand beyond the intended purpose.

 

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