1.Why is it risky to start a web project with just a technical specification?

2. We have a Web project plan and a tight budget and are ready to go into the design stage. How can you help at this point?

3. We're a small company and want to offer online shopping to our customers. Can we manage this?

4. We want a database-driven web site, but the data is in different databases. Is this a serious problem?

5. What do you guys do, I mean really do?

6. We need a Content Management System to keep our web site current. What do you suggest?

7. Can you help with Web site marketing?

8. We want to be higher in the search engine listings. How would you tackle this problem?

In the blink of an eye, users make decisions about your web site. If anything delays, confuses, or frustrates them, they're gone, leaving you with little more than a hit to ponder over. This natural human behavior is what drives many web developers crazy, and at the same time, thrills marketing people with the challenge. The Internet is a new kind of marketplace with its own rules. That's why you should factor in your customer's (user) behavior, business processes, and competitive position before you let a web developer write a single line of code. Welcome to the next generation of web development.

Since you're approaching web development with a plan, the risk of a flawed strategy or poor execution is minimized. But only if you use a web developer who knows the road ahead---which is precisely the advantage we offer. You'll be working with a partner who knows how to build a web solution that will integrate with your business processes and meet your marketing goals. Want another advantage? We have the experience and communication skills that can mean the difference between success and mediocre performance, especially with intranet/extranet web projects or other targeted communities. Let us make the road ahead a lot smoother.

Let's see. An online shopping cart is easy to set-up and can be amazingly cheap, especially with third-party transaction handling. Since product selection and order entry are automatic, no extra staffing is needed there. What could go wrong?   Plenty.  Are your products suitable for online sales? Is there potential for channel conflicts? Are you ready for fast delivery, because web customers don't wait-they cancel. Remember, your customers can take their shopping carts to a dozen other online stores with the simple click of a mouse. It has been our experience that no other web site capability requires more up front planning or faster adaptation when things start to happen than eCommerce. Pick the people who know the territory.

Our eCommerce Solution:

• Design "high comfort" sales processing forms and pages
• Design appealing products/services catalog pages
• Adapt third-party credit card handling/processing
• Pilot testing of eCommerce capability
• Sales and traffic analysis reports
• 24/7 eCommerce site support

Fortunately, a number of "Web friendly" relational databases and query tools are gaining in popularity due to their connectivity, security features, and performance. Moreover, their low cost and wide support make them very attractive to web site applications.
Once you move to database driven web content, you won't want to turn back. We'll get you into the right database with the right design to run your application at the speed of the Internet. We're also expert at migrating data from a variety of sources, thanks to better XML/SQL interfaces. If there's a relationship, there's a way. At the other end where the data meets the user, we can show you more productive ways to work with forms and user dialogs.

Our Database Capabilities:

• MSSQL, Access, MySQL, and XML database design
• SQL Query Analysis, Transact-SQL tools
• Database server setup and security
• Data conversions and migration
• Performance optimization and reports

Web sites today exist in a far more complex environment than even a few years ago. Site development demands far more technical skills and business experience than a web programmer or graphic designer can typically manage. That's why at Applied Web Strategy, we work with clients collaboratively, providing multidimensional capabilities as needed. Phase one involves finalizing a project plan as part of a business strategy, using marketing analysis, user experience, and integration of business processes. Phase two: actual web site development, testing, deployment. Phase three: training, reports, and response to market change and customer feedback.

• Interactive web site design/redesign
• Database-driven web sites
• Database design and development
• eCommerce storefronts/carts
• Web application development
• Application integration

Perhaps the greatest weakness in traditional web development is the lack of follow through in content production after a web site is launched, hence the enduring label, "under construction." That's why, at Applied Web Strategy, we believe a high level commitment and our Content Incentive Planning (CIP) are essential to a successful web strategy. CIP gives your Content Management System the human motivation it needs to be a productive contributor in your organization. After all, your web site is no place for a constuction zone.

Your web site objective, target audience, and online marketplace are the basis of creating a marketing plan. But you already know that. What you may not know is a successful online marketing campaign is more than counting web site clicks, generating leads, or creating communities. It's also more than online sales. It's about improving all your your company's sales channels, service/support operations to make you the first choice in your market.

Our Web Marketing Services:

• Collaborative Market/product/customer analysis
• Creative Web Services (design, copywriting, photography)
• HTML/CSS/XHTML and JavaScript programming
• Campaign integration with collateral, ads, direct mail, publicity programs, and sales training)
• Content Management Systems and Content Incentive Planning (CIP)
• Site performance tracking, reports, and analytics

Before you get caught up in the rankings frenzy, stop for a moment and consider this. There's no finish line in the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) race. Someone will always be ahead of you and behind you. And just when you thought you were winning, the rankings on your favorite search engine will change, and you'll find yourself in a higher or lower position, regardless if the listing was paid (PPC) or organic (free). The race doesn't end.
That's why we develop a strategy for our client's web projects that treats SEO as only one aspect of achieving optimum visibility. There are many other equally effective ways to gain customer attention. Give us a project, and we'll show you how it's done.