firefly ffd HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WEBSITE PROJECT, SIMPLY BY ANSWERING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS. ebook Series

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1 ffd firefly ebook Series HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR WEBSITE PROJECT, SIMPLY BY ANSWERING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.

2 The Essential Website Planning Q&A How to prepare for your website project, simply by answering the right questions. Inside, we share much of the Firefly process, proven successful in keeping hundreds of projects on track, on time and on budget. The Project Planning Q&A is an essential part of the preparation every organization should take prior to starting your project. We re happy to share some of the secrets we ve learned over the years in this free ebook. We hope it proves valuable to you as you make plans for your next website re-design.

3 The document includes the essential questions you should ask yourself in planning your project. Once you ve documented your answers, you should be able to deliver this Q&A to your web development partner. It will help your partner get started on the development of an effective website solution, cost estimate and development schedule. We hope you ll consider Firefly for the job. We ve been doing outstanding work for nearly 15 years for an extensive list of satisfied clients. We d love to do the same for you and your firm. You can call us at , or you can us at info@fireflydigital.com. Instructions Complete the questions in each section of the guide to the best of your ability. In some cases, organizations may not be prepared to address one or more questions, or some questions may not apply to an organization s business or needs. In any case, the objective is to provide as much relevant information to your web development partner as possible. A good partner can help you fill in the blanks.

4 Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A What s Inside? What can we expect?... 4 Do we have the resources?... 6 What do we do? Who do we do it for? How are we different?... 7 Who are we? What do we want to accomplish?... 9 About Firefly... 11

5 " Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Website Development Project Process What can we expect? The Essential Website Planning Guide is part of the overall development process. There are several key stages in the process. We highlight these here to provide some context. Discovery The Discovery stage explores and documents the organization s history, culture, products and services, market and competition. Needs Analysis The Needs Analysis explores and establishes the project requirements, renders a cost estimate and establishes a tentative schedule. Design In the Design stage, the look-and-feel, or design concept, for the homepage and one or more secondary pages is developed. Production Design concepts are turned into a working website, including webpages, content and and other elements, such as applications, shopping carts, etc. Project Process!4

6 Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Content The content stage identifies and organizes the required content, including written, visual and other content elements. Content is refined to suit the placement within the website or other media channels. This stage extends across most of the project, rather than as a step between two others. It includes content strategy, planning, development and implementation throughout the website. Testing Testing is also a step the extends across the project process. Within each step, review, testing and approval of the work is required. Launch Once the website has been fully tested and is ready for public access, the website is moved from a testing domain to the public site. Project Resources!5

7 ! Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Project Resources Do we have the resources? A website development project is a major undertaking. Planning a project begins with allocating important resources, including time, money and people. Answer the following questions. Personnel What personnel are you willing to commit to this project? Who will lead this effort? Who are the decision makers in the organization, and will they be available to participate in key meetings throughout the process? Does your team or lead have experience working with a third party group? Budget How much do you plan to budget for the project? Have you provided for ongoing web marketing and traffic building activities in your budget? Have you provided for annual or monthly hosting and support costs in your budget? Time What is the timeframe for your project? Do you have any specific deadlines that need to be met? Do you have an expected start date? Project Resources!6

8 ! Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Business Profile What do we do? Who do we do it for? How are we different? Describe your company, your products and services, and how you compete. This is where you tell the story of your organization. Begin by answering the following questions. Business Overview When was your organization established? How did it get started? Who are the founders and what was the inspiration behind the startup? How is the organization different today than when it was when it was started? In what industry does the organization participate? What products and/or services does the organization provide? What market(s) does the organization serve? Core Business Activity What products and services do you provide? Who are your customers and why do they do business with you? What are your customers pain points? What needs do your products/services satisfy, or problems do your products/services solve for customers? Business Profile!7

9 Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Industry Overview What is the current state of your industry? Is it in an upturn, downturn or is it flat, and what are the driving factors? What key competitive factors, industry trends or market conditions affect the way you serve your clients? Competitors Who are your competitors? Why do customers do business with you instead of your competitors? What distinguishes your organization from the competition? What distinguishes your organization s products/services from the competition? What do customers value most about your organization? How is your organization s products/services different from your competitors regarding price, quality, delivery timeline, and level of service? Are there other important factors that drive sales in your organization? Market Share What share of the market does your organization hold? What is the marketshare of your competitors? Who are the major players, minor players and where does your organization fit in the mix? Organizational Profile!8

10 ! Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Brand, Corporate Culture, Objectives Who are we? What do we want to accomplish? Describe the character or personality of your organization. Discuss the values, and culture of your organization. Begin with the following questions. Brand What do customers say about your organization when asked why they do business with you? How do they describe the relationship? What do they value most? What do employees say about your organization when they tell their friends about their job? Are there any key values, philosophies and principles that embody the organization s identity? Customer Profiles How would you describe your customers, the people, the individuals who buy your products/services? What do they have in common, including age, sex, personality types, education level, roles and responsibilities in the organization, decision-making authority, technical expertise for example? How would you describe your customers, as organizations? Brand, Corporate Culture, Objectives!9

11 Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A Marketing & Sales Activities What are the organizations s current marketing activities, and which are most effective? Are you planning to expand or downsize sales and/or marketing activities? How does the organization prospect and develop leads? How are marketing leads introduced into the organization s sales process? How do you currently promote your website? Does your organization use customer relationship management (CRM) software tools to help manage the sales process? Business Objectives for Website What do you believe is the primary purpose of your website? What do you expect your website to accomplish (goals & objectives)? Will it deliver online services, generate leads and online sales, allow job applicants to apply online, etc.? Do you want the ability to measure how well you are accomplishing your website goals and objectives? Online Activities In which online activities is your organization engaged; website, social media sites, SEO, pay-per-click advertising, etc? Which activities are working? Which are not working. What changes have you made in the past and did the changes improve results? Big Ideas Do you or your team have any big ideas regarding your website or online marketing that might seem extraordinary, crazy, over-the-top or even impossible? If anything were possible and if money was not an issue, what would you like to do with your website? Brand, Corporate Culture, Objectives!10

12 Firefly Digital The Essential Website Planning Q&A About Firefly Firefly was founded in1998 by marketing innovator Mike Spears. Since then, Mike and business partner Bill Dalton have grown the company to include more than 300 active customers, including national brands like All-State Sugar Bowl, Blue Plate Mayonnaise, Luzianne Tea & Coffee, Belly Putt, Chef Paul Prudhomme s Magic Seasoning Blends, Fat Tuesday & New Orleans Original Daiquiris and Potty Tots. Firefly s world class customer service and compliment of end-to-end marketing and web development solutions have fueled its growth from a small web design shop to a full service creative, advertising and digital firm. Great service, powerful solutions and a rewarding customer experience are just part of the benefits our clients enjoy. More importantly, we re showing clients that a website can be more than a marketing cost. We re showing clients how to turn their websites into profit centers. In addition to inbound marketing services, Firefly offers a host of supporting services, including website design, web application development, social media development and integration, SEO, e-commerce solutions, mobile solutions and digital publishing. Firefly s strength is our understanding of business and marketing strategy. Everything we do is built upon a keen understanding of our clients business goals and objectives. Every project is a custom fit solution that plays to clients strengths. We d love to hear from you here at Firefly. Whether you need help or you d like to share how this ebook has helped you write your own success story, please contact us! Phone: info@fireflydigital.com Visit our website at About Firefly!11