Starter Website Plan for a Service Business

For many small businesses, getting even a basic website up can be a daunting task! To simplify the process, we've created a basic site map for a starter website for a service business, which requires a minimum of work on your part.

We suggest that you put these pages on your "starter" website:

• About Us: At least a few lines about your company, and the bios of the business owner and any key employees.
• Our Services: A listing of services you provide, with a line or two explaining each, and possibly some information about pricing (if appropriate to your field).
• Client Listing and Testimonials: A few client testimonials—this helps build potential clients' trust, and makes sales easier for you. (This could be done in phase 2 and is more relevant for service businesses.) The testimonials can alternatively be placed throughout the site—see http://www.thekimbroagency.com for a sample of this treatment.
• Contact: This page should list basic contact information, including your email link. A map showing your location, directions and your hours of operation can also be included if relevant.
• Home: A page where visitors can enter the site. It should be both attractive and informative. A few lines about what you do are a good foundation for a "beginning" home page.

This plan is very basic—there may be additional pages that would be appropriate for your business, which we can discuss on an individual basis.

To get your basic website posted according to this sample plan, only two pages—the "About Us" and "Our Services" pages—have to be written. The text for the other pages either comes from your clients, or is easy to create. If writing is not your strong point, you can even hire a copywriter to do the writing for you, which makes it even easier for you.

Your time commitment to start a website is minimal. It will be well worth it when you post your website and it sends more business your way!

Sign up for free branding articles. Plus get this free gift: 12 Elegant Moves To Evolve Your Brand How to refresh your brand and create a brand that grows without redesigning Name Email About the Author Erin Ferree is a branding coach, design genius and strategic thinker. She's been told that her right-brain, left-brain combination of creativity and logic is hard to come by... and that it's what small business owners need to be successful. She loves connecting the dots between passion and profit, mixing strategy and inspiration and shaking things up. She deeply enjoys working with entrepreneurs who want to help more people and look good doing it. Who want all of their branding and marketing to make sense and speak to their ideal clients. And who want an open, honest, inviting brand with integrity - instead of using icky, pushy, sleazy marketing tactics and trickery. She's branded over 450 small businesses in the last 10 years. She's been published in so many books and periodicals that she stopped counting. She's shared stages with some awesome people - like Michele PW, Linda Hollander, Lisa Cherney, Sheri McConnell and Kelly O'neil. She also enjoys hugging her corgi-dog Stanley, cooking and throwing parties so her friends can enjoy them. Small business branding, brand coaching and logo design articles at http://www.brandstyledesign.com

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