Sara Bailey, Author at Leading Hands Through Technology

Creating a professional website is non-negotiable in this day and age. That is if you want to increase your chances of growth and long-term success. Specific trades that rely on walk-in customers may thrive without a top-notch site, but most industries are filled with companies that are gaining customers and boosting sales through their websites. And you can even benefit from having a modern site if you run a local brick-and-mortar business. But how do you build a website that helps your company grow and reach new heights? It involves many factors, so we’ve broken down the process into simple steps: Integrate Your CRM and ERP Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems each provide businesses with their own benefits. But integrating your CRM and ERP software is the only way to get the most from both platforms. Integration will provide your team with end-to-end visibility of all areas (e.g., sales, marketing, support, etc.) to help you make informed decisions concerning your customer relationships. It will also boost your team's productivity and automate workflows for increased efficiency. Moreover, CRM and ERP integration will reduce the risk of data duplication and help your team members collaborate more effectively. Ultimately, it will create new business opportunities, increase your website traffic, and boost your bottom line. Consider Cybersecurity One of the most crucial aspects of a business website is its security. If your site is not secure, your customers will not want to spend time browsing its content, much less put in their bank information. In the event of an attack, you need a recovery plan that helps you quickly recover customer data and mitigate the damage to your company's reputation. Find an IT security data protection and recovery solution that safeguards essential customer and company data, and establish a plan that details the team members that will engage in the recovery efforts. Choose a Solid Domain Once you have a cybersecurity plan, start looking for your website's domain name. This is the website address that serves as a point of entry for visitors. Try to find a domain that matches or resembles your business name and is easy to remember, as it will make a lasting impression and improve search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is one of the most effective ways to advertise your website for free. By taking steps like strategically naming the title of each page by matching it with popular keywords or a phrase your customers often use, your site will get a much higher placement in search engines. Your domain should be short and easy to spell. It should be unlike existing names (especially those of your competitors) and general enough to accommodate future growth. If you can afford it, choose a ".com" domain. Research Website Builders Your next step will be to choose a website builder. WordPress is the most popular option. In fact, it underpins more than 30% of websites worldwide according to Techjury. It's commonly used because it’s user-friendly, flexible, and comes with an extensive library of themes. However, don’t think WordPress is your only option. Companies like Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, and Shopify offer a variety of convenient and easy-to-use features. Utilize Business Process Management Business process management is an essential part of any business, but it can be especially important when building a website. The process of designing, developing and launching a website is complex and involves a lot of moving parts. Without BPM, it can be difficult to keep track of all the different tasks that need to be completed and ensure that they are all done in a timely and efficient manner. By establishing clear processes and assigning responsibility for each task, BPM can help to ensure that your website project stays on track and is completed successfully. In addition, BPM can also help to improve communication and collaboration among team members, which is a key to success and crucial for any website project. Wrapping Up Your website must be up to the task if you want to acquire new customers, retain existing customers, and bring in more leads and sales. Integrate your CRM and ERP systems, and remember to prioritize cybersecurity at each stage. Lastly, pick a great domain name, use the right website builder, and consider implementing business process management.

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Author: Sara Bailey

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