Outsource your Web site.

• Author: Wilhite, Brent
• Position: Small Business Advisor - Brief Article

There's no greater satisfaction than doing a project yourself -- unless you do it wrong.

Web sites are a perfect example. The Internet is littered with the bones of small business Web sites that try to incorporate flashy designs, animations and backgrounds, but fail to convey the true essence of their companies.

The popularity of the Internet has forced companies to incorporate Web sites into their marketing and communication mix. A company's Web site combines the roles of the sales force, showroom, delivery system and customer service department.

The Internet is a great leveler, giving small businesses a chance to compete against much larger firms, With the proper resources, your company's Web site can look as professional and impressive as the biggest firms.

New technologies and communication tools are developed daily. Many companies striving to remain competitive and contemporary are realizing the limitations of their own in-house technology skills and abilities.

Deciding whether you currently have competent staff, need to hire new staff, or need to hire someone else's staff may require some introspection. Is your current domain name sufficient? Can you create and design the site? Do you have the hosting and maintenance resources? And once your company hangs out a shingle in cyberspace, how do your customers find it?

Prior to this self-assessment, step back and examine the reasons you're deciding whether or not to outsource.

"Typically, companies are deciding to outsource because they don't want to have an IT department in-house that's devoted to server maintenance and some of the ongoing issues that having a Web presence provides," says Kim Jones, president and CEO of Verite Multimedia Inc. and chair of the Utah Information Technology Association.

More than likely, outsourcing suppliers can provide access to a more advanced and expensive skills base at less cost. You might not be able to afford to keep a top-notch programmer on your staff, but the outsourcing firm can.

It's a Communication Thing

The ability to effectively present your company on the Web requires a careful blend of marketing expertise, graphic skills and communication proficiencies. A Web site is a communication tool, not a computer issue. Just because you have a stellar programmer on staff doesn't mean he or she has marketing savvy. Oftentimes, staff with these requisite skills are already focused on the core business needs of the company, with no spare time to develop...