We make web development easy by defining in plain English what your site will do.
Web Site Development
What It Means
- Building a content management system for in-house site and data management
- Designing a database to warehouse products, data files or customer information
- Setting up a shopping cart and checkout process for ecommerce
- Programming dynamic pages, interactive elements and forms
- Integrating business rules, technologies, content, images and graphics
Where It Begins
All truly successful web sites begin with a specifications and requirements document. Building a web site is a lot like building a house. Before you build your house you need to know how many rooms you want, where the kitchen sink will go and whether you want laminate or hardwood floors. All of these details will affect how much your house costs and how happy you'll be living in it.
The same is true for your web site. Before you begin building, you should know exactly what pages it will include, how customers will get around and what features you want to see. By planning your web site you'll be ensuring that you know how much it costs and how happy you'll be when all of your expectations are met.
With a web site blueprint in place, we work to integrate the pieces of your project and incorporate every detail of the project specifications to create a fully functional site focused on meeting your business requirements.
When You Need A Database
For an ecommerce site or content management system, a database is essential. At Rahvalor Interactive, we specialize in advanced database design to accommodate even the most intensive ecommerce or content management needs.
A database is the tool that will organize products into categories, store business rules for shipping charges, retain customer and order tracking details and house your product inventory. If you want to manage content on your web site, a database will provide the "back end" of a content management system that allows you to maintain dynamic web pages and update them in real time.
We're not fans of "reinventing the wheel" so if you already have a database, we may be able to repurpose it or expand on it for your web site. But if it's time for a brand new database, you can rest assured that the databases we design are built for scalability so that if your business changes and grows over time, your database can grow with it.
Simplifying The "Ecommerce Solution" Jargon
Building a web site and figuring out how to make it work can seem a bit overwhelming, especially for small business owners. The good news is that we're on your side - we want to make the process easy by defining in plain English what your site will do.
It's as simple as this: you tell us how you do business, and we'll make it happen on the web. We will recommend the best ways to display products for most effective marketing, what steps can facilitate purchase and what options are available for follow-up and customer retention.
We also make it easy to manage your inventory and orders with simple management systems that will have you up and running confidently in a matter of hours.
What Can A Content Management System Do For You?
A content management system can be a valuable tool for cost-effective and timely web site maintenance. Having a customized content management system will, in the long run, save you time and money. Update your web site in-house, on your schedule, without additional expenses, and changes will be instantly reflected on your site, ready and waiting for the next visitor.
When it comes to content management, you're limited only by your imagination. Just about any web content can be added and edited, on your time, at your desk, from anywhere you have an Internet connection.
Web Form Programming And Data Collection
As part of your web project, we can include programming for any web based form that your business may need. These forms can be secured or unsecured, single or multi-stepped, static or dynamic. Information that your site visitors provide can be collected and stored in your database for easy search and retrieval. Types of forms can include:
- Contact forms
- Order forms
- Quote requests
- Service or support requests
- Surveys or data collection forms
- Referrals or "e-mail a friend" forms
- Registrations
- Charitable donations
When you collect information from visitors through form submissions, you also have the opportunity to use that information to your marketing advantage. Why not send out thank you emails, timed follow-ups to remind customers to stock up on favorite products, or announcements letting them know when you've updated your service lines? With a little planning you can set these up to be sent out automatically on a schedule of your choice and let your web site do the work for you while you reap the benefits of excellent customer service.
Web Site Search And Reporting Functionality
Search is a valuable tool for both your site visitors and your staff. Searches can be as simple or advanced as necessary and we can build in recognition of common misspellings, so that you can capture even those customers who make typos.
You can also generate reports based on your search. This can be a great marketing tool for your organization. You are limited only by your ability to dream up reports that you'd like to see. Here are just a few ideas:
- Track your best customers. Generate a report of those who have purchased at a specific dollar level.
- Analyze the effectiveness of a marketing campaign. Find out how many visitors made a purchase using a specific discount code that you've distributed in a direct marketing piece.
- Take stock of inventory. See how many red umbrellas you have left.
- Monitor customer service. Check the response time of your staff to orders or service requests.
- Track customer loyalty. Find out whether your customers are coming back, how often, how many times and what they're buying.
The Bottom Line: You Want It All, Every Bell And Whistle, And A Couple Of Trumpets, Too – How Much Is It?
Every improvement you make to your web site and its daily functioning is an investment in the success of your business. It is important to plan and spend wisely based on your goals.
Since all of our projects are 100% custom, the cost of developing your web site will depend on its complexity, scope and range of features. Since the cost can vary tremendously, we can provide you with some prepackaged guidelines to help get you started thinking about budget, and then tailor a site to fit just about any budget requirements.
Contact Us to find out how we can build a web site that will add value to your business and help you reach - and keep - your customers.
Related Service: Planning
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Ready to invest in a new or redesigned site? Don't! Not before you know exactly what you're getting and how much it will cost. If you want a site that meets your expectations and adds value to your business, a comprehensive project specification is a must. Before a single line of code gets written, we'll clearly document your project so the only surprises are pleasant ones.
Our Full Service Line
We can manage your project from conception through launch, planning through maintenance and provide your business with a one-stop resource for all your web and technology needs.
Featured Project
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How did one company manage a national network of distributors and handle the need to provide artwork, advertising tools and support to this vital link between the company and its customer base? Simple... they let the web do it for them. Find out how this innovative company uses our custom content management and automatic marketing tools to save time and money.
How To Make The Sale
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You've gotten them to the site, through your product list and all the way to checkout... now how do you keep those customers from closing the browser before completing that precious sale? If you're planning an ecommerce site, or working on increasing sales from the one you already have, start with the essentials and watch the orders roll in.
Web Tip: Optimized Design
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Concerned about your site's search engine listing? Take a good look at your site design. That terrific Flash animation may be keeping crawlers away, and frames and popup windows can make indexing a chore. Pay special attention to navigation. Are pages hard for crawlers – and visitors – to find? Good design practices welcome both search engines and new customers.
Rahvalor Interactive, Inc. Phone: 732.615.0842 Fax: 732.210.0416 Contact Us