ATILUS - Web Design | Internet Marketing

4 Steps to Internet Lead Generation

I was on a conference call yesterday when it dawned on me that, at our core, we are an Internet Lead Generation service.

There are a number of steps, and hurdles we go through with and for clients, but at the very end, our bottom line, relates to your bottom line - Internet Lead Generation.

There are four major phases or legs to a complete Internet Lead Generation package:

• Planning (of the website, development, and industry)
• Development
• Maintenance
• Marketing

These 4 steps are holistic. Planning is perhaps the most important phase, but often the most neglected. In truth any web development company can build an awesome website without knowing too much about you as a client.

What colors do you like, what text will go where, etc.?

As long as the site isn’t too complicated the initial design and development of a site can be done without much planning. But, without knowledge of your industry, a web development company can’t implement the right terms into the text and properly optimize your site. Without planning and a deeper understanding of you we can’t code the site properly for long-term search engine success and both the developer and the client will be left hanging after the initial creation of the site - what next? The planning phase is a guide for the entire process. Planning ensures that everyone is on the same page through the different stages of completion and sets a standard for success.

Development, after planned properly and thoroughly, is a simple process. With an end in mind a good team of programmers, designers, and writers, can generate a successful web presence.

Maintenance, the third step to Internet lead generation is very important. You must use your website as the tool it was developed to be, without updates, additional text, news & events, etc. it becomes stale - and even with proactive marketing - can fall short of your goals.

Finally, the fourth step, marketing is important to the overall success of the lead generation potential of your website. Without updates, and proactive marketing, the likelihood that people will stumble upon your site is pretty slim. Much like any business you need to get your website out there, talk about it, network, participate in blogs and communities, advertise, etc.

Keeping these four steps in mind you should have no problem turning your website into a valuable Internet Lead Generation tool.