Winning websites for SMMEs

Before you spend thousands on a new website for your small business or want to make changes to your existing site or FaceBook page, you need to come on this workshop.

Have you ever wondered?

- How much you should be paying a web designer to build the website you want?
- What you need to give your designer and what they will do?
- If you can build a website yourself?
- How to make changes to the website and who will do it?
- How to lay out your website so that it does what it is supposed to do?
- What the purpose of your website really is?
- How to get people to visit your website?
- How to get people to contact you and do business with you as a result of your website?
- Where your website should be hosted, how to get it hosted, and how much it should cost?
- How to integrate your website into the rest of your marketing efforts?
Then this workshop on using websites to market your SMME is what you need.

Whether you are currently getting a website (all businesses should have them); want to have some changes made to your site; want a complete revamp of your site; or just want to get it to perform better - then this workshop can both save you thousands by helping you to find the right support, as well as greatly improve your profitability by getting you more business.

Basics covered in the winning websites practical workshop.

* Integrating your website into the rest of your marketing strategy. Includes looking at the customer "journey" through your website.
* Website structure. Before you even approach a designer you need to have planned the structure of the website, what it is going to include, what graphics to include etc. We willl show you what you need to consider to make sure it is integrated into your strategy.
* An overview of the various website design technologies. What is available, what to expect and how to decide if you are getting value for your money. We do not try to sell you a specific system, hosting or software.
* How to choose a designer or whether to do it in-house. We look at costs, expectations, knowledge that you will need have and some of the pitfalls of both. We also look at what is involved in getting a website updated and what you can expect to pay.
* How to get visitors to your website.
What works, what doesn't, and what you should be paying for it
+ the basics of search engine optimisation (SEO)
+ online advertising;
+ directories;
+ affiliation programmes;
+ links; and
+ getting visitors from off-line sources.
+ a brief look at other technologies such as RSS, SMS and streaming.
* Your website as a community. What can be done to build relationships with your client; and a very brief look at social marketing and integrating it into your site.
* Following up. The biggest benefit of having a website is that you have real-time contact with your readers. How do you use contacts made and information about your users to do great business.

About the workshop presenter, Ann Williams.

The 2BBiz.co.za website is the creative child of Ann Williams. She did the structuring, building and design of the site and continues to be its publisher and editor. 2BBiz.co.za is also one of the best search engine optimsed (SEO'd) websites of it's size in South Africa today.

Ann's interest in online publishing started even before she was the online editor of Business Day newspaper more than a decade ago.

Since then, she has kept a constant eye on what was happening in the online publishing space and is amazed to see how much easier and cheaper it has become for the small business to run powerful websites that can truly be integrated into a small company's marketing efforts.

More about this practical workshop

This half-day workshop is highly interactive. Ann will use practical examples of delegates' websites and others as well as notes and exercises to give you more of an idea of what your specific business would need to do, to run a successful website.

The workshop will be presented in English. You do not have to have any specific educational qualifications to attend this training. Questions relating to your own website are encouraged.

Venue

Date: 11 July 2012
Location: Protea Waterfront Hotel, Centurion, Pretoria/Tshwane
Cost: R745 (all incl)
More info: A gentle walk from the Centurion Gautrain station for easy access from central and Northern Johannesburg. Plenty of parking for those travelling by car.

Contact: Ann Williams
Company name: 2BBiz.co.za
Telephone number: +27 (0)12 667 6603
Email address