Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why do I need a website?

You're here, aren't you? You're looking at this page to get information. Are you at work? Are you at home? There are millions like you. The Internet can expose your organization to vast numbers of potential customers - local, national, and international. The Web is one of the least expensive and yet most targeted, flexible, and effective forms of advertising available. Plus, many companies discover that a Web site is a more economical, faster, and efficient way to make information available to clients, customers, distributors and employees. Instead of spending large amounts of money producing newsletters, brochures, memos, product booklets, catalogs, etc., businesses are pointing people to
their Web site where they can quickly add and change information.

Five Reasons to build a Web site:
1) Your competitors are beating you to it
2) Your customers are asking for it
3) You want to increase sales
4) You need to lose some overhead
5) You want to gain market share in uncharted territory

2. Where do I start?

We will guide you through the entire process. Cutlass Web Design offers a full range of Web development and marketing services that can help grow your business. Here is what you can do:

Step One - Think about what you want to accomplish with your site. Do you want to reach new customers? Do you want to service existing customers? Do you want to service internal users? Think about the Who, What, Where, How and Why for your organization. What information is most frequently requested from your organization? What content do you want to provide in a cost-effective manner e.g. specials, news/events, new products, etc?
Step Two - Gather any/all materials that you think might be relevant: logos, pictures, graphics, text, brochures, your scribbles/doodles, etc. More is better.
Step Two 1/2 (recommended but not critical) - Research other sites. Start with sites in your field but also consider sites that you have really liked/disliked for any particular reason. Look for content and
features you like as well as designs/layouts.
Step Three - Contact us for a free consultation.

3. Why Cutlass Web Design?

To get a good indication of what you can expect from a Web Designer, view the Web Designer's own Web page. You should look for an intelligent well written, organized site that loads quickly, is easy to navigate and has unique original designs. Your web site will be a 24-hour representation of your business, your image. Your web site should reflect what makes your business special and unique. That can be
achieved by a designer who is expert at creating web sites that set you apart from the rest. At Cutlass Web Design, we design your site with personalized graphics and designs that are truly unique and original, so you can show others what makes you special and why they should choose your business. Every web site we develop is based on your exact specifications and price range.
Just placing a website on the internet is pointless if it doesn't get seen by people. Most web surfers come on the net with a specific thing in mind that they want to find. If that thing is the thing you do or
sell, you want them to find you. Through the creative use of keywords and image tags, Cutlass Web Design will get you placed higher in the major search engines and help to generate the traffic that you need to make your website successful.

4. What is Internet marketing?

Internet surfers will generally find your site in three ways:
1) by using a search engine/directory service such as Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, etc.
2) by finding you through links or banner ads from other sites
3) by seeing your web address in conventional marketing/advertising materials developed by you - your Web address should be included in every piece of paper that leaves your organization and every conventional advertising campaign you launch.

We will help you with all three approaches, as our goal is not just to design your site but to make it successful. Through experience, we know what works and what doesn't work.

5. Can I see my website while it's being developed?

Absolutely! At various steps in the process, we will show you the current version of your site and ask for your comments and feedback. For example, most projects start with the front page design. We will design test layouts for your review and feedback. Once you have approved this stage of the project, we will proceed to develop the "inside" of your site. All stages are a collaboration between you and our team. No surprises ... your site does not "go live" until you have approved it.

6. How much will this cost me?

Each project is different and some sites are more involved than others. You can select any one of our standard site templates, or work with us to create an entirely cutom site. After an initial free consultation we will provide you with an estimate of the cost to develop your site. Then we will work with you to develop your site within that budget and we will keep you posted on additional costs that may be involved. One way to reduce the cost of your site is to provide text (and graphics such as logos) in digital format. If you are not proficient at scanning, we can take care of this step for you.

7. Will a website improve my bottom line?

It depends on how you measure your bottom line and how hard you "work" your Web site.

E-commerce, e-business, new paradigm, the new economy ... all buzz words. If you're selling products online, it's easy to see how your site can add to the bottom line. But e-commerce/e-business is so much more. Maybe the "e" in e-commerce should stand for efficiency. E-business encompasses all the ways that a Web site can improve communication, distribution, customer support, marketing, etc. Often e-business is more about reducing costs (e.g. reducing mailings of catalogs) or improving productivity (e.g. applications and content aimed at sales force support) than direct sales. And let's be frank, for many organizations, a Web site is part of their competitive image and marketing. Do your competitors have Web sites? We believe that a Web site is now a necessity, not a luxury, it is the fax machine, cell phone of this era. You must "work" the Web. If you do not update your site, add new content, give visitors a reason to return, you will not be using your site to its advantage. And you must market your site through conventional means (include your address on letterhead, advertisements, etc.), do not depend solely on search engine traffic to bring visitors to your site. Cutlass Web Design can assist you in designs for a print campaign to augment your Internet advertising.

8. I already have a website, why do I need your services?
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Contact us for a free consultation if you see yourself in any of the following comments:

"It's all hype. ebay.com may be making millions but I'm not."
"I spent lots of money developing my site ... I can't see that it has generated a dime of profit or an ounce of interest."
"My site is the pits. It looks like my nephew did it ... and he did!"
"My site looks great ... once it loads. It is really slow and we've had complaints."
"I got a cookie cutter approach. I need something a little more original."
"My site is a nice "brochure" but I know we need to do more."

Five Reasons to improve your Web site
1) Your competitor's site is much better
2) Your customers never mention your site - they are too kind
3) You want to increase sales
4) You need to lose some overhead
5) You want to gain market share in uncharted territory

9. Can I get a small website and add to it later?

Absolutely. After your web site is up and running, contact Cutlass Web Design with any additonal ideas you come up with.

10. Why is it important to update my website?

Part of any good marketing plan involves making sure everything is up-to-date. If your office moves or your phone number changes and you haven't updated your website, people will not be able to contact you. It is also important for repeat visitors. If your website never changes, there is no reason for someone to visit your site more than once. By making updates to your website, people are more likely to visit your website often to see what's new. Cutlass is always ready to keep up with your changing business with an up-to-date website.