Why do you need a website?

Since working in helping people create websites for the last decade or so, I’ve noticed that there are many simple things people skip when they’re doing their planning. I work as a planner, and a planner is a person who looks at the client straight to the eyes and should tell them what they need instead of what they want.

So, you heard from your nephew’s sister’s cousin, who graduated from community college that he read a business paper that said that Dell is selling $3 million dollars worth of computers through Twitter. Or you might even have a website for your company that does whatever and you’ve been to a website. Even better, you’ve had your company for years and are experienced in working with ad agencies and they’ve told you that you really, seriously, swear to god, need a website.

So be it.

The initial question you should ask yourself is why? Why do you need a website?

Let’s go back a bit. How many of you have ever built a house? Sure, you’ve probably lived in a house all your life since you obviously can afford a broadband connection. But how many of you could actually build one? Of course pretty much everyone with opposable thumbs could set up a shack somewhere from twigs and moss, but a real house you go out and buy when you win in the lottery?

Now, every self-respecting person goes through a lot of things before buying a house. Can I afford it? Is it big enough? Does it have all the things I (think I) need? Does it need renovation? Are there any hidden costs? Is it in a good location?

The list goes on forever. It’s something we go through for months. Of course, the people with the assets can get more and what they want – even if it would be astoundingly retarded, but the normal mortals need to ask themselves why they need this particular house.

I’ve used this house analogy for years after getting tired of banging my head against the wall with people who thought building a website would be any different that building a house. It’s not.

So, back to the question of building houses. As we’ve established your acquaintance with houses, you probably know that there are many kinds of houses. There are big houses, small houses, tall houses, expensive houses, poor houses, warehouses, office buildings, supermarkets, community centers, opera houses, movie theaters, restaurants, airports and apartment buildings. Not to mention igloos, tee pees, tents, shacks or the Pentagon.

Like those examples, web sites are just as different. But since it’s a physical thing, it’s easier to understand that your company might not have the capital or necessity to build an opera house or an airport. Even fewer need the Pentagon. Most people and companies are just fine with a big house – and we all know that those come in more sorts than there are people.

So let’s say you want a big house and you’ve went through your accounts to know that you have money for it. You wouldn’t go house shopping, if you wouldn’t have the money for it, wouldn’t you?

All right, you have the money and you need a new house. Good for you.

Then you have to start thinking about how the house should function and what kind it should be. This is a good time to look at examples and get someone to help you. Even house-building professionals use other professionals to do stuff, you need people like plumbers, electricians, architects, lumberjacks, foundation layers, project managers, painters, bulldozers, trucks, cement mixers and nails. Lots of nails.

If you still think your nephew knows how to do all those things, he should be elected the president of the world for life.

I’ll leave you to think these things for a while and figure out what you think your dream house should be like.

Related posts:

1. What should your website contain?
2. How much to spend in a website?
3. Why you don’t need a community?
4. Why content is so important?
5. Technology or Business?